Flavorful Mexican Corn Recipe

Here is a recipe I came up with this morning as my son needs a Mexican side dish recipe for an event he is attending tonight. I will not make this one for my family, as we have a certain family member who finds Mexican food repulsive! You can make this recipe as clean as you want to. You can find organically grown corn, peppers, and onions, and you can use butter that is made from cows who are grass-fed and who have never been treated with growth hormones or antibiotics. But, if you do decide to cook with butter, always remember that butter burns. You can ruin a meal quickly by heating up butter on too high of a heat level. If you are cooking something with oil or butter, if it starts smoking, you have gone past the smoke point and the oil is no longer any good. (I will make this recipe for myself and for others in our household who are find with eating Mexican food.)

Flavorful Mexican Corn

12 oz. corn (If using canned, drain)

¼ cup chopped pepper (I like green or red peppers. Use hot or sweet or a mixture. Just remember, a little bit of hot pepper goes a long way! Be careful when cutting hot peppers up if you use them).

2 TBS. chopped onion

3 TBS. butter or peanut oil

¼ cup grated Cheddar Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste, if desired

Place butter or oil in large skillet. If using butter, do not turn the stove temperature above medium. Turn skillet on and let butter or oil heat up. Add corn and sauté for about 5 minutes or until corn is heated through. Add chopped pepper and onion and continue to sauté. Turn skillet off when the pepper and onion are cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Place in a bowl and add cheese. Stir until cheese is mixed in. Serves 4. Source: Susan Seifert.

A note on hot peppers: People have burned their fingers while cutting up hot peppers! I took some jalapenos to a slumber party, and a woman was cutting them up. Her finger burned all night long! If you do get a burn from hot peppers, do not use water to extinguish the burn. Use vinegar instead. Water will not take the burn away. Do not touch your face or eyes until you know that all the juice from the pepper is off your hands. 

Alleviating Sore Throat Pain Using Natural Means

With the flu season upon us and all those bad germs surrounding us, what is one to do when she gets a sore throat? Here is a link that gives several natural methods to help ease a sore throat. Even with the best immunities and detox methods we use, it is still possible to get a sore throat. There are natural things to do to relieve the symptoms.

Sore-Throat-Remedies - Alternative Medicine About.com

Interestingly enough, I have been taught to do some of these things. When I was pregnant, I had a sore throat and the doctor told me to use salt water and gargle with it. My mom used to mix honey and lemon together. Sometimes, we ate it straight off the spoon, but we also had it in tea.

Here is a list of the suggestions they put on the page:
*Marshmallow - This is not the marshmallows that you put in your hot cocoa. Marshmallow is actually a plant that has excellent health properties.
* Licorice Root - Another plant (not candy) that helps with sore throats.
* Slippery Elm - Sounds kind of gross. But it is a plant that can be made into cough drops which have been reputed as helpful with sore throats.
* Sage Tea - Oh how I want to grow sage! Make it into a tea to help with sore throats.
* Honey - You can do a lot with honey. Honey also has some antibacterial properties.
* Warm Black Tea - This might be something you make every day anyway!
* A Lemon Drink made from Lemon, Cayenne, and Honey
* Gargle with warm Sea Salt Water

So there you go. Now, off to find a recipe for natural, homemade cough drops, now that I have the ingredients in the house.

Some Ingredient Resources, teas, and natural cough drops: