Tasty Travels: Chicago Edition

Hi! I'm back!

Is it weird that I missed you guys this weekend? Because I totally did. Even though I was having tons of fun gallivanting around Chicago and gorging myself with cupcakes taking in the sites.

But I am super excited to recount my {foodie} tales of the Windy City so you can feel like you were there, too, because if you haven't been before, you'll definitely want to add it to your list of places to see.

My first visit to Chicago was 7 years ago. My college roommate, Emily, moved there after graduation and had been living there for a whopping 4 months before my other roommate and I decided to bombard her for a weekend.

Except, we chose January {of all months} to take our little trip. Frigid, snowy January.

Roomies in Chicago, circa 2005.
I wasn't exaggerating, y'all. It was COLD.

Aside from the fact that I literally had to wear 6 layers of my Floridian clothing to equal 1 layer of Chicagoan clothing, we managed to have as much fun as a bunch of 23 year olds could in a city that they knew nearly nothing about.

Seven years later, and long overdue for a visit, I hopped a plane to see {a now well-versed in city living} Emily. Luckily, I thought it through and returned during the summer this time. I've got to tell you, Chicago weather is into extremes... it's hotter there than it is in Florida at the moment. But 'hot', my wardrobe can handle. Especially if there is the promise of sampling some of the city's best bites.

My first night in town, we headed out to Public House to grab pre-dinner drinks to celebrate Emily's friend's 30th birthday. The Friday evening happy hour crowd was still lingering making for a busy, crowded, and energetic atmosphere. With their extensive beer selection {over 103 types!}, taps built into the tables, and a slew of flat screens tuned in to the sports event du jour, Public House knows how to draw a fun crowd.

I took a clutch & didn't  have room for the gigantic honkin' camera,
so this is the only pic taken there, courtesy of Alli {left}. The beautiful girl on my right is my old roomie Emily.. :)

Next, we made our way to Sunda, a high end "new Asian" restaurant, for dinner. Sunda is what I expect for the city: Packed, trendy, loud. The menu featured some exotic sushi rolls {but not "I'm-not-so-sure-about-that" crazy} as well as some fancy entrees, cocktails, and dim sum. I went with Miso Soup and a Sweet Potato Caterpillar Roll. The presentation was beautiful, but I have to admit, I wasn't that impressed by the taste.

Sunda seems like the place to go to see and be seen {just check out their News page for a list of celebrity sightings}, and it definitely has atmosphere appeal. {I have to say, what really stuck out to me was the excellent service we received from our fabulous waitress. She handled the large crowd expertly and cheerfully, and made sure to highlight menu favorites, even though she had to literally yell above the background noise.}



Borrowed these pics from Alli once again... to the left, the interesting ceiling art. To the right, our fun birthday bunch.

We were up bright and early on Saturday to grab breakfast at a cute little diner called Stella's. The decor was retro-fun, and the patrons looked right at home, like it was second nature to start the weekend in Stella's cozy booths. The service was friendly, the food was standard - though generous - diner fare {I had hash browns & scrambled eggs even though I was dying to try the Challah French Toast with Strawberries and Creme} for great prices. Though my meal was nothing to write home about, there was something about Stella's that would make me want to visit again. {Sadly, no pics. You'll just have to use your imagination.}

With our tummies full, we were ready to take on the day. Emily decided a good way to see the city would be to take a Wendella Boat Architectural Tour, and I have to say it was a fantastic way to see the sights and learn the history behind many landmark buildings that make up the Chicago skyline. The tour starts on the Chicago River and makes it's way through the Chicago Lock to Lake Michigan and back, packing every second with tons of fun facts, city history, and picturesque views.

When our tour was over, we hit a few stores on Michigan Avenue to wait out the downpour that had started outside. {And here I thought I escaped Florida's afternoon showers.} Once it cleared up and we could shop no more, we headed home to get ready for another night out.

Tomorrow, I'll be sharing a few more of our stops that evening, including a bar that young singles wouldn't want to miss and a "piggy" cocktail treat... and then a detailed post on hitting Chicago's cupcake motherlode.

Yes, I said cupcakes. And no, you won't want to miss it. ;)

Have you ever been to Chicago? What were some of your favorite sites and bites?

Grilled Honey-Glazed Chicken, Peach, & Sweet Potato Skewers

I have a thing with storage and organization. A thing that makes me gravitate toward pretty boxes and Rubbermaid containers in stores. A thing that tempts me to give just about everything we own it's own color coded label.

It's a little ridiculous, yes, but it's also quite helpful in keeping things from getting messy and out of order {two adjectives that make me break out in hives}.

When it comes to my cooking, baking, and crafting equipment, I am no different. And the thing is, the more I get into each of those hobbies, the more stuff I accumulate that begs to be sorted and organized.

Normally, it starts out with an item or two stored away in a cabinet or closet, and then gradually the group earns an entire storage "section". {i.e. The Cupcake Section, The Cookie Decorating Section, The Entertaining Section...etc.} If I had my way, I'd have an entire closet or room for each {I fantasize about a craft studio almost daily}, but alas, our cute little townhome has a modest amount of storage to say the least.

Are you still with me or have you dialed the OCD hotline on me yet?

If you're into cooking and baking, you've probably witnessed the phenomenon that occurs with food magazines and cookbooks. They multiply overnight and start taking over small areas of your home when you're not looking. It's true.

Last year, I noticed my collection started growing a little unruly, and I decided to take a few days to sift through the piles, throw out the ones I didn't use, and organize the rest in a way that made sense. I purchased some magazine storage {I heart you, HomeGoods}, and now my magazines are all happily grouped by season.

More recently, I've begun to leaf through each magazine and tag recipes that I want to try as well as the ones that have earned their seal of approval... but that's insane another story for another day.

In browsing the "Summer" section of the library, I came across a recipe for these Grilled Honey-Glazed Chicken, Peach, & Sweet Potato Skewers from Fine Cooking, and I knew I just had to make them sooner than later. I am glad to say that they've earned a place in the "Summer Favorites" category, and whether or not you have an official label or storage container, I think they might earn the same title in your home, too. ;)

Grilled Honey-Glazed Chicken, Peach, & Sweet Potato Skewers
Adapted from Fine Cooking

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into 18 bite sized pieces
3 peaches, pitted & cut into 6 wedges each
1 medium sweet potato, cut into 18- 1 inch cubes
1 small onion, cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice {I know this is "Fall"-like but trust me!}

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high. Line a medium sheet pan with foil. Soak 6 wooden skewers in warm water so that they do not burn on the grill. Set aside.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add cubed sweet potato. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until just starting to become tender. Drain and set aside.

Whisk together vinegar, honey, olive oil, pepper, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced to about 1/4 cup {12-14 minutes} and thickened to glaze-like consistency. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, remove skewers from water, and thread chicken, onion, sweet potato, and peaches onto each one. Place on foil lined sheet pan.

Pour half of honey glaze into a small bowl, and set aside. Brush each threaded skewers with remaining honey glaze. Sprinkle lightly with pumpkin pie spice.

Place skewers onto a preheated grill. Cook for 20-25 minutes {turning kewers mid-way through cook time} or until chicken is cooked through and grill marks can be seen on fruit & vegetables.

Brush hot skewers with remaining glaze {make sure to use a clean brush!}.

Serve hot.

Bittersweet Chocolate-Cherry Sorbet with Fresh Cherry Compote

More often than not, I make healthy food choices. {I know that's hard to believe when you see this, this, and this.}

Luckily, I actually enjoy a lot of the veggies, fruits, and grains that are considered healthy, so it doesn't feel like I'm "being good", it just feels like I'm eating some tasty things that don't make me feel completely horrible afterwards. {Unlike how I feel when I treat myself to one of my weaknesses: French Fries.}

I've mentioned before that I think moderation is a key component to living a healthy life -- even too much of a good thing can turn not-so-good if you overdo it. I also happen to feel that life is too short to completely deprive yourself of things you love, which is why I eat some form of dessert pretty much every day.

Sometimes that means 2 Oreo cookies {Yes, I make myself stop after 2... it's an exercise in will power}. Or a scoop of Talenti Tahitian Vanilla Bean Gelato {even though I could easily eat the whole pint}. Other times it means a banana with some almond butter. Or Nutella straight off a spoon.

The objective here is to get a little sweetness in my life without completely going overboard and feeling bad about it afterwards. {Or having my health-nut of a husband giving me judgmental sideways glances.}

I am sure I eat more sugar than I technically should, even though I am careful about it. But, like I said, I look forward to a sweet treat and think it's ok to allow a moderate indulgence without going too crazy about it.

Anyway, the reason I'm yammering on about this is because this Bittersweet Chocolate-Cherry Sorbet is a good way to get your daily dessert fix without crossing into deep fried, butter-laden, cream filled territory.

Yes, it's got a bit of sugar. But it's also got a nice richness that you wouldn't expect from something without milk or cream, which is a nice surprise for your well-behaved taste buds.

Topped off with a fruity Fresh Cherry Compote, you will be more than satisfied with just a scoop, and still slip right into your skinny jeans at 1.3 grams of fat and just under 200 calories per serving.

Now that's what I call having your scoop & eating it too. :)

Bittersweet Chocolate-Cherry Sorbet with Fresh Cherry Compote
via Cooking Light 

Sorbet:

3/4 cup red cherry jam {I used Favorit brand}
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa {I used Ghiradelli}*
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups water

Compote:

1 tablespoons sugar
1/2 pound fresh cherries, pitted & halved

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in water.

Bring to a boil for about a minute, then remove from heat.

Pour into a heat safe bowl to cool {I used a glass baking dish}, and bring to room temperature. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. {If you are in a rush, you can put it in the freezer for about 1-2 hours until it is cold.}

Pour mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker, and follow manufacturer's instructions.

Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe storage container and freeze for an hour to harden slightly.

For Compote:

Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over fresh cherries and toss together gently. Leave mixture to at room temperature for about 1 hour.

To Serve:

Spoon 1/4 cup compote over a scoop of sorbet.

*I only had slightly sweetened cocoa on hand, so I reduced the sugar amount a bit to compensate.

Grilled Watermelon Salsa with Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips

Our weekends seem to be going by in a blur these days. We've been spending a lot of time running all over the place preparing for Steve's move to his brand new office.

On the positive side, I have his credit card number at my diposal because I am in charge of accessory & furniture shopping. {There's a sale on a stainless steel double oven, you say?? I'm there! In my dreams... } ;)

Because of all this running about, we've been very relaxed about doing chores and running errands for our own space, which means that I finally had to stop the madness and play catch up on deep cleaning and grocery shopping yesterday... After an 8 hour day of scouring about a dozen stores for things like shelving, special brackets & screws, and other items that make me want to fall asleep with my eyes open. {Boy, am I excited about buying the pretty stuff.}

Between the errand running for the office and making sure we don't slip into a Hoarders: Buried Alive level of disorganization at home, we were beat by yesterday afternoon. As in, "let's just eat whatever takes the least amount of effort" tired.

Except, when it comes to food, I always seem to be able to dig deep for a little extra energy and chanel my inner Energizer Bunny. {Why I can't do the same for working out, I'll never know.}

And that's how we wound up with Grilled Watermelon Salsa with Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips to snack on.

Truth be told, it didn't take that much more effort than any other dish I might've considered making. The extra step of turning on the grill to char the watermelon slices hardly bothered me because I was intrigued by the thought of it. In the end, it was a nice snack to munch on while we vegged out and wound down from a busy weekend.

I love adding fruit to salsa. The sweet/spicy/savory combo that results is perfect for adding an interesting twist to an otherwise standard snack. Adding watermelon, a staple at many summertime gatherings, is a fun way to incorporate an old standby. This recipe would be great for a party, cookout, or even a night in.

We still have some work ahead of us in the next few weeks as we finish up the office, but it's good to know that no matter how exhausted I am at the end of the day, our meal times won't suffer. ;)

How did you spend your weekend? Did you make anything good {tired or not}?

Grilled Watermelon Salsa with Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips
Adapted from Fine Cooking

5-6 watermelon slices {1/2 inch thick}, enough to make about 2 cups when cut away from rind
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper
Sea salt
1/2 a medium shallot, roughly chopped
1/2 a jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 a cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped
2 medium roma or plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Zest & juice of 1/2 a lime {zest set aside}
8 corn tortillas

Heat grill {or grill pan} to medium-high heat.

Using a Misto oil sprayer or a brush dipped in olive oil, lightly coat watermelon slices {front and back} with oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cayenne to taste.

Place watermelon slices on grill, about 1-2 minute per side until light grill marks are visible. Remove and set aside to cool.

When watermelon is cool enough to handle, cut flesh from rind and cut into chunks.

In the bowl of a blender or food processor, add grilled watermelon, shallot, jalapeno, cucumber, tomato, cilantro, and lime juice.

Pulse until slightly processed and combined, but still chunky.

Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. {You can eat it right away, too, but the flavors develop when you let them sit and get cold.}

Serve with Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips.


For Tortilla Chips:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a large sheet pan with foil and set aside.

Spray {or brush} front and back of tortillas lightly with olive oil. Cut tortillas into 6 wedges each. Spread out onto sheet pan {try not to stack so each gets crispy}. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden.

In a small bowl combine about 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt with about 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Rub together with fingers to infuse salt with lime oils. Set aside.

When tortilla chips are done, remove from oven and sprinkle with spicy lime salt.

Honey-Coriander Oven Baked Chicken Wings

Um, yeah. These wings.

Where do I begin with these wings?

I have a funny relationship with chicken wings. Admittedly, they are not my favorite food. But from time to time, I go through periods of craving nothing but wings until I satisfy the urge to eat them. {Especially during football season.}

Normally, that means one evening of college football, greasy buffalo chicken wings, and beer {because you can't have wings without beer}. And truthfully, I can't eat more than 3 or 4 before calling it quits.

That is so not the case with these Honey-Coriander Oven Baked Chicken Wings.

I sort of surprised myself when I ate 6 of them and could have polished off the rest {though I'm glad I didn't because that may have been overkill}. They are that good.

My husband, who has eaten many a chicken wing in his life, claimed that they were the best wings he's ever eaten. We don't mess around with statements like that in this house. No sir, not when we're talking food.

We love these things so much that 1. I didn't take more than these two pictures of them because I was so anxious to dive in. and 2. We made them for dinner after a 4.5 hour drive back up from Key West. {They've got to be pretty simple if you can throw them together even after a long weekend in the Keys.} And I still didn't get any pictures. Gone too fast.

They are sticky, sweet, and subtly spicy. The perfectly baked meat falls off the bone.{I have never "cleaned" a chicken wing down to the bone in my life because it sort of nauseates me, but seriously, these basically clean themselves.} I licked my fingers, which is completely unlike me and sort of a pet peeve. 

In short, these wings are special.

I love that they are thrown in the oven and baked {which has to make them a little bit healthier, right?}, but I am sure they'd be fantastic on the grill as well.

It's a little early to tell, but these may just become The Official Wing of Football Season. We'll see.

Honey-Coriander Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Adapted from The Disney Chick

1 package chicken wings, prepared* {we used organic ones, because.. why not?}
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Seasoning:
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all spices in a small bowl. Toss together until mixed well. Store leftovers in a ziplock bag.


For the Honey-Coriander Wing Sauce:
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup honey
Juice of half a lime
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Whisk together soy sauce and cornstarch in a small cup to make a slurry. Add remainder of ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat and stir together.

Add soy sauce mixture to saucepan. Mix well.

Cook, stirring often, until bubbling and thickened. Set aside.


For Wings:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. {Or 500, but things might get a bit smoky... I nearly set off the fire alarm the first time I made these.}

Line a large sheet pan with foil.{You may want to lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray since wings tend to stick.}
Drizzle wings with olive oil and toss to coat. Spread wings out on sheet pan, and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of seasoning until all wings are well-seasoned {front & back}.

Bake for about 10 minutes, flip, and continue to bake for about 8-10 minutes until wings are browned and cooked through {internal temp of 165 degrees in meatiest part of wing}.

Remove wings from sheet pan, and place in a large bowl. Pour sauce over wings, and gently toss to coat all wings.

Serve hot... and with lots of napkins!

*Never "prepared" chicken wings? No worries! Visit this great visual tutorial for instructions from Fabulous Foods on how to prep them.

Red, White, & Blue Jell-O Shots

I mentioned my Jell-O shot fiasco briefly yesterday but never explained exactly what happened.

{I needed a break from thinking about it.}

After browsing tons of festive ideas over the last few weeks, I decided on a rummy version of this fun recipe from That's So Michelle for "Bomb Pop Jell-O Shots".  {You know, those rocket shaped popsicles you loved as a kid.} I thought I'd bring the along to the 4th of July cookout along with the healthy Tex-Mex 3 Bean Salad with Grilled Corn & Avocado I put together yesterday. {Balance is key!}

I was so successful in following Michelle's instructions that I didn't even consider that it might be a little difficult to remove these little cuties from their molds.

I started with the ones I made in mini-muffin tins because I figured they'd be easier than the stars. If "easy" means part of the Jell-O stays stuck to the tin, then yeah... real success. It was not looking good for that star mold.

Once I did a little research, I determined that the best chance of sliding the shots out of their cozy little trays would be to soak the bottom of the pans in super hot water to loosen up the gelatin and help them release without sticking. Genius!

As I attempted this strategy for the first batch, I got completely distracted and left them soaking for a few minutes too long. The result was completely liquified Jell-O, and purple shots. Not quite what I was looking for.

Attempt number 2 was much more successful, except I wasn't expecting them to slide out SO quickly. When I flipped the tray, the shots slipped right out... along with a stream of blue liquid gelatin. All over my counters. Yep.

Finally, using all the info I'd gathered from the last 3 disastrous batches, I the final tray was my biggest success. {Took long enough.}

 You're lucky you have someone to get all that "trial & error" stuff out of the way for you. I'm confident yours will be just perfect. ;)

Happy 4th of July, friends!

Red, White, & Blue Layered Jell-O Shots
Adapted from That's So Michelle

Blue Layer
1 {3 oz} box Berry Blue Jell-O
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup Cruzan Vanilla Rum

1. Microwave 2/3 cup water in a large heat proof measuring cup until boiling {about 3 minutes}. Add gelatin packet, and stir until dissolved. Add rum.

2. Pour blue mixture into a lightly greased mini-muffin tin, mold, or small cups. {30-45 mins.} Refrigerate and allow blue layer to solidify slightly before adding white layer. {Should be sticky & jiggly, but not watery.}

White Layer
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 table spoons sugar
1 packet Knox Gelatin
1/2 cup Coconut Rum {I used Commander's Call}

1. Pour milk into a small sauce pan, and sprinkle gelatin packet on top. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir. Turn burner to medium heat and warm until gelatin dissolves. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add rum.

2. When white jello mixture has cooled, pour it on top of the solidified blue layer. {Do not pour the red layer until the white layer is solid.} Refrigerate until jiggly and not wet.

Red Layer
1 {3 oz} box Strawberry-Banana {or your favorite red} Jell-O
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup Cruzan Vanilla Rum

1. Microwave 2/3 cup water in a large heat proof measuring cup until boiling {about 3 minutes}. Add gelatin, and stir until dissolved. Add rum.

2. Once white layer is sticky but not wet, pour red mixture on top for the final layer. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Unmolding
{Helpful tools: A toothpick, a platter or lined pan, non-stick cooking spray}

1. Lightly spray the surface of a pan or platter with non-stick cooking spray}. Optionally, you can run a toothpick along the outer edge of each mold to ensure that it comes out easily, but this may not be necessary.

Submerge tins or mold in a bit of hot shallow water in the sink or deep roasting pan {should come about half way up the side of mold} for about 20 seconds - if it starts to look liquidy or cloudy, remove immediately!

2. Quickly {and carefully, there will be liquid!}  flip tray or mold over onto platter or pan... preferably over the sink. Shots should slide out easily.

3. Carefully move shots to serving tray sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray and arrange. {They were super jiggly & kind of hard to hold, but it's possible.}

Tex-Mex Three Bean Salad with Grilled Corn & Avocado

Do you ever find yourself making the same mistakes over and over again? For example, trying out new recipes or cooking techniques the day or night before {or of} an event that you are expected to show up with something that didn't look like it took an accidental trip through the garbage disposal?

No? Oh. Might just be me.

No matter how many times I find myself up in the wee hours of the morning re-frosting a cake that went awry or putting a whole new batch of something in the oven, it never does stop me from winging a project I've never tried before out of sheer excitement.. {For the record, most times I do redeem myself... at the buzzer.}

Perhaps it's the adrenaline rush of getting things done last minute. {But, for real, couldn't I just go skydiving or something instead?}

Today was no different. For weeks I've been thinking about what I'd make for the 4th of July barbecue we were invited to. I wanted to bring something fun and creative. Something patriotic. Something different!

So I decided to make Red, White, and Blue Jell-O shots. {I know, very College Days, but this group is a particularly boozy enthusiastic bunch.} Easy enough, right?

Not when you get all fancy and try to use a mold with tiny star shapes that are next to impossible to remove said Jell-O from without an X-acto knife and a whole lot of patience.

I have to say, I was a little smug as I poured them into their little molds. They were turning out perfectly. I even remember thinking to myself, "Maybe I'm becoming so proficient in the kitchen that these mishaps will be a thing of the past."

Wishful thinking.

Let's just say, I figured out how to remove them easily, but then went a little too far and ended up with Jell-O soup all over my kitchen counter.

That being said, I will not be sharing that recipe today. {Maybe tomorrow morning... last minute... just my style.}

 For today, I'm going to give you a recipe that you CAN actually make last minute. It's sort of hard to screw up. It's quite tasty. It won't spoil outside on a hot summer day. I'd say that {and the fact that it didn't explode, burn, or spill} makes it a winner.

Go ahead. Make this tonight, or heck, tomorrow morning. We all need a rush from time to time. ;)

Tex-Mex Three Bean Salad with Grilled Corn & Avocado
Ever so slightly adapted from Cooking Light

1 {15 oz.} can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 {15 oz.} can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 {15 oz.} can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 jalapeno pepper
2 ears of corn, shucked
2-3 roma or plum tomatoes {or about 1 cup cherry tomatoes}, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 avocados, peeled & diced
Salt to taste

In a large bowl, place all drained beans. Set aside.

Lightly coat onion slices, ears of corn, and jalapeno pepper with olive oil. On an outdoor grill {or a grill pan or cast iron skillet on medium-high heat}, grill onions, corn, and jalapeno, turning until lightly charred in places, about 6-8 minutes.

{If you are using a cast iron skillet, which is what I used, you may want to scrape the kernels off the cob before cooking to ensure kernel contact with the pan for better charring.}

Remove from grill {or skillet}.

Scrape kernels from corn cobs. Chop onion. Seed and chop jalapeno. Add to bowl with bean mixture. Add tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste. Combine well.

Top with diced avocado.