Dave and I started dating the night before Thanksgiving. If we’re being honest here it wasn’t so much as ‘dating’ {how he felt} as hooking up {how I felt}, but I digress. This isn’t about us, it’s about food. So, the first time he took me home to meet his family was a month later on Christmas.
Yeah… no pressure there.
I described it to my friends thusly, Norman Rockwell.
Not kidding.
Oma sets the table with her china, everything looks like something out of a painting, we have a family prayer, everyone makes polite conversation, and the food is just as delicious as you might imagine it would be.
My family is loud and obnoxious and we have things buffet style because it’s too damn hard to do it family style with twenty people, there is usually loud boisterous talk and if we are being honest, probably an f bomb or twelve. We also have had drag queens at dinner.
First impressions and all.
Here is the thing, I’ve asked Oma for lots of recipes over the last ten years. My favorites are all scribbled out on index cards, tucked away, because I think she still believes everyone has a recipe box. The best is when I was looking for a great mac n cheese recipe and I asked for hers. She looked at me with her twinkly smile, laughed, and said, “Here is my secret to great macaroni, don’t tell anyone. I just buy Stouffers.”
It was then that I knew she was my kindred cooking spirit. Mix things that are more complicated with simple, great dishes.
Corn casserole is one of my favorites. I love the corner piece the best. I like it so much that I’ve started making it at my family’s dinner too. It could not be easier to make either, three minutes tops.
You will need:
- 1 can {15 oz} kernel corn, drained
- 1 can {14 oz} cream style corn
- 1 box {8 oz} of Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 stick of butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, stir everything together, mixing well.
Put into a casserole dish and bake for 45-60 minutes until browned on top. I usually hit the baking dish with the little bit of butter left on the wrapper, just to be sure it doesn’t stick. Then, pull it out and let it cool and set up for 10-15 minutes while you’re getting the rest of dinner ready.
Easy. You can do this. It is freaking delicious. The end.
The BBQ place up the street has corn casserole as a side item...one of my favs, I will be trying this!
ReplyDeleteI just had Corn Casserole this weekend. I will be bringing it to The Miller Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI make a very similar version of this every year. It's one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteThis looks so good! I love corn casserole, corn bread, corn muffins, the whole corn family, really. Oma sounds awesome, by the way. I think there must be something about a recipe written down in your grandma's handwriting that you just know it will taste good. Looking forward to the rest of your recipes!
ReplyDeleteThis is called Scalloped Corn in my family & I agree, it's epic! My first Thanksgiving at my husband's family's house, I almost made it to bring & share but then decided they might think I was weird... only to find they make it & love it too! Also, I can relate to the two differeny worlds thing too... hubby's parents are very devout Christians so they gather everyone together in the living room in a circle holding hands to say a blessing before we are released to fill our plates.
ReplyDeleteWhat would a family dinner be without margarita smack downs, kids running around, dogs running around, kids chasing cats, interspersed with lively conversation among a very diverse crowd of family and friends! And you are always guaranteed something interesting will happen...gotta love our family! And we can't forget the fabulous food...always!
ReplyDeleteAunt Linda
While I always think corn casserole is not my favorite, sometimes I take a bite and think it's delicious. That said, I have got a ton of index cards that look exactly like that from my grandmother! Even their writing looks the same! I've pulled a few and plan to do a family cookbook with the recipes printed out, but with images of the original cards included :) (And secretly, your family's buffet style, with all its color, is just my kinda meal!)
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