Corn pudding doesn’t have to be traditional. These yummy bites were baked with a time honored southern corn pudding recipe, but cooked in a muffin tray for nontraditional portioning.
BABZ BITES
2020 has been an interesting year, to say the least. With everything going on, it has been a year of adaptation. And, the holidays are no exception.
Who we are and aren’t eating Thanksgiving with this year has certainly modified the holiday for all of us. The subject of most conversations I’ve had with food friends, family, clients, and peers have not only included changes to their own tables but also concern for neighbors who may be eating alone.
Many families are eating together via video chat and some are making an extra plate for a neighbor. And some are fortunate enough to live close enough they can still easily meet at the dining room table.
Regardless of whether you are cooking for one or six, it’s hard to not crave foods that just taste like the Thanksgiving season. We each have a favorite. A smell or bite of the holiday we can’t bear imagining without.
Corn pudding is no stranger to the tables of the Ohio River Valley. It is also the first dish I was responsible for executing at a holiday gathering. I was in third grade and ready to contribute something to the table. Or maybe I was just going crazy to get in that kitchen.
In our house, each person had something they were accountable for. If you didn’t cook, you helped set the table. If you arrived late, you helped with the cleanup. I loved corn pudding before I knew how to make it. It would take a lot to make me turn down a second helping. If I’m being honest, that still hasn’t changed. It’s still my favorite day of or day after. There’s just something about it cold or heated up a day later that makes all other leftovers taste more complete and better.
My Aunt Carla (Osborne-Ables) gave me her recipe but I wasn’t quite sure of its origin. After placing a call to Aurora, Colorado to Aunt Carla, the mystery was solved. She had gotten the recipe from Maysville High School classmate Ann Rice, who was using her Aunt Cynthia Fowler’s recipe. Aunt Carla said she didn’t know where the original came from before Mrs. Fowler’s, but had loved it since junior high school.
A staple in the North American diet, corn sustained Native Americans long before colonists arrived. Corn allowed animals and man to survive. It quickly became more than just food, as populations became agriculturally independent. Rural Appalachian communities have enjoyed variations of corn pudding since the first settlers came from England bringing savory custard puddings.
An option for many classic recipes this year is simple, scale them back. Cut them in half. Keep it simple or modify a recipe. Some recipes can be cooked using the same recipe size but portioned differently.
Whether you jazz up the corn pudding with a few personal twists, or even bake it in an unexpected dish, cook something that makes you feel good. Regardless of a meal or a small bite, cook something that nurtures your heart.
Good luck and enjoy.
Tips for Corn Pudding
— Don’t over cook or get in a hurry and turn up pudding. Remember, this egg based dish will curdle or separate if overcooked or baked in a temperature that’s too hot.
— If making one, you can easily make two or three. Corn pudding will store easily in the freezer for reheating. The custard may be a little watery and the texture will modify, but it will still be delicious.
— Don’t leave leftovers out. Store in the oven.
— If using canned whole corn, make sure you drain the can of water before adding to the mix.
— If needing fresh corn and you can’t find any, substitute frozen and add one teaspoon heavy whipping cream to the recipe.
— Have fun finding your personal touch. Modify original recipes with fresh herbs like dill or rosemary. Add diced green onions, spicy peppers, or bacon drippings. Cheese always is a pleasure.
Southern Corn Pudding
(Casserole portion is for four but other options to cook in a mini muffin tray (24) or a muffin tray (12) may also be used.)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup sugar
½ stick butter
1 can cream style-corn (style changing ingredient)
3 eggs
1 cup milk
Mix flour and sugar together. Add eggs, but whip first, slowly into the mix. Make sure all dry ingredients are mixed thoroughly with eggs to avoid clumps of flour in the finished dish.
Melt butter into 1 ½ quart casserole dish. If making mini corn puddings using either a mini muffin tray, or a muffin tray (12 spots or 24 spots). Divide butter according to spots and melt in the oven. Be extra careful not to burn the butter. Pour casserole into dish/tray.
If making casserole style, bake for 45. If using muffin/mini muffin tray, check after 25 minutes. If you desire a more solid or crispy product, bake longer.
The photo and recipes used in today’s article are from the kitchen of Chef Babz ([email protected]) with a little help from her Aunt By Carla Osborne Ables.
***Correction from last week’s article: The sugar portion for Pecan Sandies is ⅓ cup white sugar. Disregard the additional 2 cups.
