Traditional dishes that are enjoyed year after year are part ofevery holiday celebration. While some foods will never be voted offthe table, there is always room to expand upon your menu withoutthe added stress in the kitchen.

This Easter, one easy way to shake up your menu is by servingdishes prepared with fresh supersweet corn. Springcrops of corn are at their peak and are guaranteed to please eventhe pickiest eaters in the bunch.

An easy way to enjoy fresh sweet corn is to add a platter ofcorn on the cob to the table for everyone to grab. There also aremany creative ways to enjoy fresh corn, abundant in your localsupermarket, that not only taste delicious, but are easy toprepare. This means less time in the kitchen and more fun withloved ones.

For starters, begin the meal with a fresh corn and vegetablesalad made with avocado, radishes and tomatoes. The flavors andtextures offer a new twist to the traditional green salad.Supersweet corn and couscous packets provide a versatile option tosatisfy vegetarian guests, or an alternative side to scallopedpotatoes. Fresh corn can be oven-steamed in foil packets with othervegetables and spices for a light, yet flavorful dish.

If you’re contributing dessert, add sweet corn pudding to theholiday table. It can be baked ahead of time and heated beforeserving. Topped with fresh macerated strawberries, it delivers anunexpected sweet, creamy finish.

It doesn’t stop there. Supersweet corn will freshen up leftoversin a hearty corn chowder made with ham and potatoes. What betterway to enjoy the flavors of the holiday a little longer without theadded hassle of preparing a meal from scratch?

As a bonus, corn is a good source of vitamin C, thiamin andfolic acid. It also contains the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin- all important to include before those Easter baskets filled withgoodies get gobbled up!

The spring corn crop from Florida, the leading grower of freshsweet corn, is in season through Memorial Day. To preserve itsfreshness, make sure you put it in the refrigerator as soon as youget it home. The corn will retain its crispness and sweet taste forup to one week.

For more information and a bounty of sweet corn recipesand serving ideas for any occasion, visit www.sweetfreshcorn.com.

Fresh Corn and Vegetable Salad

2 ears fresh supersweet corn

1 cup radishes cut in wedges

1 medium tomato, diced

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced

1/2 cup bottled Italian dressing

Cut kernels from cobs (makes about 1-1/2 cups); place in a bowlwith radishes, tomato, avocado and salad dressing; toss gently.Serve on a bed of lettuce, if desired.

YIELD: 4 cups

Supersweet Corn and Couscous Packets

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1-1/3 cups dry unflavored couscous

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 ears fresh supersweet corn, cut through the cob in 1-inchpieces

4 cups sliced mushrooms (about 1 pound)

1 red bell pepper cut in 1-inch squares

1 small onion, thinly sliced onion

1/2 cup chopped pitted black olives (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 F. From a roll of heavy duty foil, tear offfour 14 x 18-inch sheets; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine2 cups water, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of thesalt; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover and let stand for 5minutes; fluff with a fork. In a medium bowl, toss the remaining 1tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon salt, the cumin with the corn,mushrooms, bell pepper, onion and olives. On each of the foilsheets, place a quarter of the corn mixture in the center, top eachwith couscous. Draw together longer edges of foil and crimp,leaving room for steam to circulate; seal foil ends. Place packetsin a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes then open carefully to avoidsteam.

YIELD: 4 portions

Fresh Sweet Corn Dessert Pudding

6 ears fresh supersweet corn

4 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons mascarpone or sour cream

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

Macerated Strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Cutkernels from cobs to make about 4 cups; set aside 1 cup. In a largefood processor container combine 3 cups of the corn kernels, eggs,cream, sugar, butter, flour, mascarpone, baking powder and salt.Whirl until smooth. Stir in remaining 1 cup corn kernels. Pour intoa buttered baking dish. Bake until top turns golden brown, 45 to 50minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Serve warm, topped with MaceratedStrawberries.

YIELD: 10 to 12 portions

Macerated Strawberries:

Slice 1 pound of strawberries and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with2 tablespoons sugar; cover and set aside for 30 minutes.Refrigerate up to 1 day.

Hearty Sweet Fresh Corn Chowder

4 ears fresh supersweet corn

4 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, minced

5 whole potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups milk (soy or whole milk)

1 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups cooked ham, chopped

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add theonions and cook till tender. Stir in the potatoes, cook for 5minutes. Add the milk, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, lowerheat, cover and simmer covered until the potatoes are tender. Cutkernels from cob to make about 2 cups. Stir in corn and ham. Whiskthe cornstarch into the corn liquid, and add to the soup. Simmercovered until soup is thickened.

YIELD: 8 portions