COOK OF THE MONTH Marsha Gardner, Wiregrass EC
Marsha Gardner’s grandmother used to make her corn pudding many years ago, and “we always thought it was dessert,” the Florala resident recalled. But Gardner prefers to serve it as a side dish. “It’s something unusual that you don’t see every day,” she says. The New York native, who was a caterer for 40 years before retiring, said she’d make it for church fellowship gatherings where it was quite popular. “They would scrape the brown parts around the side,” she says. She speculates that her grandmother probably had to make her own creamed corn from scratch, while today’s cooks can easily use the canned or frozen version. Even though she’s never made it for Thanksgiving dinner, the corn pudding would make a tasty accompaniment to turkey, with the sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg on top giving it a sweet but spicy flair. — Lenore Vickrey
Cream-Style Corn Pudding
- 2 cans cream-style corn
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 heaping tablespoons flour
- Dash cinnamon
- Dash nutmeg, freshly grated
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together except cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into buttered casserole, top with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake for about an hour until puffed up and golden brown. Serves 6.
Corny Squash Casserole
- 1 box Stove Top cornbread dressing
- 1 can corn
- ½ stick butter
- 1½ cups boiling water
- 2 cups yellow squash or zucchini, peeled and sliced thinly
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 eggs
Mix cornbread dressing mix, corn, butter and water. Spread in a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Mix together remaining ingredients and add to the casserole. Beat 2 eggs and stir into all the ingredients. Bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Slice in square to serve. Optional: mix in a can of black beans and top with creamy alfredo sauce.
Joan Fobbs, Coosa Valley EC
Easy Creamy Corn
- 1 roll frozen McKenzie’s white corn
- 1 roll frozen McKenzie’s golden corn
- 3 tablespoons self-rising flour
- 1/2 stick butter, melted
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Salt and pepper, sprinkle to taste
Thaw corn and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients together and pour in dish. Bake uncovered until beginning to turn golden on top and thickened.
Mary Martin, Central Alabama EC
Kathleen’s Vegetable Medley Salad
- 1 can French style green beans, drained
- 1 can white shoe peg corn, drained
- 1 can English peas, drained
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 small jar pimentos, diced
- ¾ cup vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup canola, vegetable or olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Place all vegetables in a large bowl. Mix vinegar, sugar, canola oil and bring to a boil while stirring. Pour dressing mixture over vegetables. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, as desired. Chill in refrigerator. Better if made a day ahead of serving. Keeps well in refrigerator.
Nancy Sites Sizemore, Baldwin EMC
Easy Tasty Corn Casserole
- 1 package saffron rice, prepared as directed on package
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper, chopped
Mix all ingredients and bake in casserole dish at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until hot all through.
Dolores Childree, Baldwin EMC
Mexican Cornbread Casserole
- 1 cup self-rising cornmeal
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 can cream-style yellow corn
- 1 cup cheese, grated (your preference)
- ½ cup Wesson oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse grind
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons jalapenos (from a jar), minced, or 3 fresh jalapenos, chopped
Mix well and pour into greased 7.5×10.5-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Myra Johnson, Central Alabama EC
Parmesan Corn on the Cob
- 6 ears fresh yellow corn, husked and silked
- 8 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper
- 8 ounces butter, melted
Fill a large pot 2/3 full of water; bring to a boil. Add corn with tongs or carefully by hand. When water returns to boil, cook 5 minutes. It’s difficult to cook more than 6 full ears at a time. Drain in a colander. Place on a platter, individually brush corn with butter, sprinkle on additives, as desired. Barely bump the cayenne pepper to add only a little heat.
Barbara Frasier, Sand Mountain EC
The Buttered Home
Summer is still here, and if you are like me and find yourself with an overabundance of vegetables, you may be looking for creative ways to use them. Corn is one of those vegetables that is great as is, but can also be a great ingredient in something totally different. We love to take our favorite vegetables and let them star in an unexpected recipe. This zucchini cornbread is all you would expect in a southern cornbread but is also a tasty way to incorporate vegetables. Corn keeps this cornbread tender and delicious, so taste and see for yourself! For more recipes like this, be sure to visit us at thebutteredhome.com.
Zucchini Cornbread
- 3 cups shredded zucchini, drained and squeezed
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 box of Jiffy corn bread mix
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup of whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a grater and grate zucchini. Drain and allow to sit a bit. Squeeze in a tea towel or cheesecloth to remove any excess water.
Mix zucchini, onion, corn and eggs in a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic. Add in Jiffy cornbread mix and mix well. Fold in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Pour into a lightly greased 8 x 11 casserole pan. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake 30 to 45 min until cheese is melted and bread is slightly browned.
