When I was a kid, one of the only vegetables I let near my mouth without a grimace and scowl was corn.  I could eat corn with every meal and especially loved mixing corn with my applesauce (don’t ask).  This dish of Scalloped Corn was a dish my mom would sometimes make at holidays and takes me back each and every time I have it.  It’s one of those dishes that will forever remind me of childhood, cozy fires, cookies in the oven and Christmas music playing subtly in the background.  Which to me, is the best possible compliment for a dish.

Simple canned corn and canned creamed corn is mixed together with onion, pepper, milk, an egg and crushed saltine crackers (bread crumbs or any kind of cracker will also work).  The concoction resembles something close to slop but once cooked and thickened, it’s a true celebration of corn’s sweet freshness and comfort.  I don’t include the pepper when I make this dish but only because I didn’t eat peppers as a kid so my mom left them out.  Just because I eat peppers now doesn’t mean I’m changing a good thing.  My only recommendation is that you double this recipe because as it is, it doesn’t make much.  I double it even when I’m the only person eating it.  Also, I have to leave this in the oven for double the amount of time recommended (60-70 minutes total) because it needs to be baked until no longer runny in the center.  An hour may seem long but trust me, the long cooking time will make it worth it.  I didn’t take pictures of my cooking process for this but I do have a few of the finished product.

Scalloped Corn (makes 4 small servings)

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green or red pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers
• 1 8 3/4-ounce can cream-style corn
• 1 7-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

Cook onion and pepper in 1 tablespoon of butter until soft and tender.  Combine egg, milk, 1/3 cup crackers, and dash of black pepper.  Stir in onion mixture and corn.  Pour into a 1-quart dish.  Melt remaining butter and toss with remaining cracker crumbs.  Sprinkle crumb mixture over corn mixture.  Bake in a 350°F oven about 35 minutes (or 70 minutes if doubling the recipe) or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Additions:  None

Omissions:

• Green pepper

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook