Everyone in my family was a member of the Picky-Eater Club. I did not receive an invitation – people with adventurous taste buds need not apply. We all know a picky eater or two but imagine growing up in a home where you’re the only one who isn’t. At a table where spaghetti was eaten separately (noodles in one bowl, sauce in another), I stuck out like a sore meatball. My sisters did not care if there were starving children in Africa, hell hath no fury if they were served pizza with sauce on it. Salads? Not on your life. Vegetable Soup? Only with potatoes. Green beans? Full-blown conniption fit.
Not even a dried herb in the house; our only seasoning option was salt. I don’t think my mother owned a pepper shaker until I begged her to buy one at K-Mart while my sisters argued over a cheap tube of lip gloss. Living with picky eaters was the absolute worst. There, I said it. If you're beyond the age of 10 and have a laundry list of foods you won’t eat, I don't have time for it. My taste buds were deprived long enough. Of course, I’m not talking about anyone with food allergies or dietary restrictions for health reasons. No, I’m talking about the people who refuse to try things. Children are notoriously known for being picky eaters and most often grow out of their food aversions by the time they hit adulthood. But what happens if they don’t? They breed even pickier eaters. My family is proof.
Frog Legs to Fried Crickets. Sardines to Sushi. I love it all. And to my family who thinks even grilling corn is weird, this cornhusk boat dish is not for you. It’s filled with red onions, zucchini and parsley with a Habanero cheese sauce. That’s right – sauce, vegetables and fresh herbs all touching one another, and guess what Mom and Dad? It didn’t kill me. There really isn’t anything I haven’t tried or won’t eat. Picky eaters give it a try. I double-dog dare you.
Zucchini Habanero Corn Boats
INGREDIENTS:
4 ears of corn, husked and cut from the cob
4 corn husks
2 cloves garlic
1 large zucchini
1/2 small red onion
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used parsley)
1/2 cheese (I used shredded Habanero/pepper jack)
1/2 cup tortilla chips slightly crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Heat corn and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 min or until slightly softened. Remove from heat and stir in zucchini, onion, herbs and cheese. Fill corn husks and top with tortilla chips. Bake in a 350 F oven for min. Serve immediately.
You many only need to use 1/2 of filling. I typically save it for those nights I buy and boil corn for the kiddos. You can use the leftover husks as serving bowls for the adults.
