The south has a variety of corn casseroles that are all quite similar, but still different in how they taste and look. There is spoon bread, like a cross between corn bread and corn custard. Their is corn pudding, which is a type of corn corn custard. And then scalloped corn, my favorite. Not quite as delicate as well made corn pudding, but not as heavy as spoon bread. It is also set apart from the other two by having a crunchy buttered cracker topping.
2 cans of creamed corn, or about 4 cups homemade creamed corn (the cans are handy and, honestly, taste just as good)
1 pkg thawed frozen sweet corn or about 3 cups fresh corn, cut off the cob and the cobs scraped
3 eggs, beaten lightly
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup melted butter, divided
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs or other butter type cracker, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large casserole dish and set aside. In a large bowl add the creamed corn, thawed or fresh corn, sugar salt and pepper, and mix well. Then stir in half of the cracker crumbs and half the melted butter. Mix well, then pour into the casserole dish. Mix the remaining cracker crumbs and melted butter, mixing well. Sprinkle them evenly over the top of the corn mixture. Bake about 30-45 minutes, until well browned and bubbly. Cool slightly before serving.
Did one wish to attempt to improve on perfection, you could add some grated sharp cheddar to the corn mixture and then more on top with the cracker crumbs... I would suggest about a cup to the corn mixture and half that amount to the topping. One could use some crisp bacon or diced ham in the pudding as well.
