The Fourth of July corn dish that wasn’t—but it sure was on the Fifth!

This is the saga of the Fourth of July dish that wasn’t. On the morning of the Fourth, last Monday, I asked Hubby to heat up the backyard grill to prepare food for our guests. When the fire was ready, I gave him a plate of fresh veggie kabobs to put on. “That’s all?” he asked, puzzled. “I fired up the grill just for this one item?” “Sorry,” I replied. “The chicken tenders bake in the oven, so you won’t be fixing them.” I had a nagging sense that I actually DID have something else for him to grill, but I reviewed my written menu. Nothing.

Then during the week this week I looked in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator and found some waiting ears of corn. Eureka! I had been supposed to cook a fabulous Southern Living suggestion for the 2011 Fourth entertaining: Grilled Jalapeno-Lime Corn on the Cob. Terrific, I muttered. Too late. My written menu for the Fourth still lay atop my microwave. I looked again. Not listed. I had followed my menu to a T but simply hadn’t written down Grilled Jalapeno-Lime Corn on the Cob originally. No wonder Hubby had looked at me a little quizzically.

Sorry, holiday lunch guests (you know who you are). Here’s what you would have enjoyed. (We actually had had no room on our plates or in our bellies for another helping of anything. I don’t think anyone pushed back from the table hungry.) Nice thing was, I whipped up the corn dish forthwith. That same night, Hubby and I dined on it—corn that’s been roasted to perfection and then rubbed with a great mixture of softened butter, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice and zest, and cilantro.

A way-novel suggestion for cooking some delicious, different corn—a recipe I’ve already placed in my Fourth of July 2012 folder! And next year, I may be a year older, but I promise not to forget!

Grilled Jalapeno-Lime Corn on the Cob

8 ears fresh corn, husks removed

vegetable cooking spray

salt (or salt substitute) and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat grill 350 to 400 degrees (medium-high heat). Coat corn lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle corn with desired amount of salt and pepper. Grill corn, covered with grill lid, 15 minutes or until golden brown. Turn corn occasionally. Meanwhile stir together butter and next 5 ingredients. Remove from grill the roasted corn ears; cut them into thirds. Serve corn with butter mixture. If desired garnish with extra cilantro. Makes 8 servings.