I made an infrequent visit to Facebook recently, jumping from friend to friend to see what's up in their lives. That's when I came upon a post asking what dishes they'd leave off their Thanksgiving buffet.
I was blown away with how many people checked the "corn pudding" box. Some didn't even know what it was, but I think those must have been people who aren't from the South.
Corn pudding has been on my Thanksgiving menu since I left home for a home of my own and brought the tradition with me into adulthood. I can thank the generations before me who knew that Thanksgiving wasn't a day of thanks unless corn pudding was one of the side dishes.
Wikipedia says corn pudding is a dish typically used as a food staple in rural communities around the South, especially in Appalachia. My mother's people came from the mountains around Northeast Tennessee, so maybe that's why it was always on our table at Thanksgiving or, really, most any time of year. Interestingly, according to Wikipedia, corn pudding has also been called puddin' corn - nothin' wrong with that - and - this is a good one - hoppy glop. Who knew?
My mother made a traditional corn pudding, the kind that has lots of eggs, some cornmeal and creamed corn. Sometimes she'd add sour cream for extra richness.
I made it that way for years until a visit to Cataloochee Ski Area in eastern North Carolina near Maggie Valley. It used to have a lodge and restaurant that produced a cookbooklet. It was just a paperback thing, but it was filled with good recipes, one of which was corn pudding. It was a much simpler version than my mother's, and I make it to this day.
If you're needing another simple, delicious side dish for Thursday's feast, this is an excellent one. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Corn Pudding (Puddin' Corn or Hoppy Glop)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of corn)
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups canned or frozen yellow corn (drained if canned)
1/2 to 3/4 cup half-and-half, whole or evaporated milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Beat together the eggs, sugar and flour. Stir in corn, and transfer to a casserole dish. Add enough milk to cover corn. Stir in melted butter. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until set. Makes about 6 servings.
A SHARPER EDGE
If you cook a lot, you know there's nothing worse than a dull knife. And most professional chefs will tell you that a good, sharp knife is one of the most-important tools in their kitchen.
My old knives had thinned out over the years and constantly needed sharpening. Time for some new ones.
I decided on Cutluxe. Their premium knives are forged from high-carbon German steel and feature an ergonomic handle that makes them comfortable for a lot of chopping. They are razor-sharp and ready to do the work.
The price is right, too. For instance, you can bundle the 3 1/2-inch paring knife, the 8-inch chopping knife and the 5 1/2-inch petty knife at amazon.com for $96.97. You can get a Black Friday deal of 20% off the already low prices at amazon.com or cutluxe.com.
NEW ON THE MARKET
If you're looking for sweet treats, Aunt Ethel's Baking Co. has the answer. The Michigan-based company makes four kinds of dessert bars - pecan dandy, raspberry crumble, cinnamon crumble and blondies - that are all gluten-free and delicious, just like homemade. They're moist with a nice crunch where crunch is needed, rich and buttery and altogether yummy.
Each bar is big enough to cut in two, so buy several, unwrap, cut in half and place on a platter to pass around after dinner. Unless you tell, no one will know you didn't make them yourself. Just don't eat too many. Take my word for it, they're addictive. They'll make your sweet tooth happy, but not your waistline.
They're available online at ethels.com or at our local Whole Foods.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or annebraly.com.
Anne Braly