Scalloped Corn

 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.    

Lemon Chess Pie

This is a very old, southern dessert about which is there is a lot of speculation where the name and the pie came from.   Like pecan pie, another traditional southern dessert, it is tooth achingly sweet, but at least this one has a very tart and lemony counterpoint to all the sweetness.  Even so, it is an extremely sweet and rich pie that no one should ever eat more than a tiny sliver of.   It is good, but also quite deadly!  If you try to eat more than just a sliver, I warned you!    As always, enjoy!

Lemon Chess Pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 inch pie pan with pie crust. Set aside.

Beat together the following until smooth and well blended:

2 cups sugar

½ cup strained fresh lemon juice

grated rind of two lemons

2 tbsp corn meal

2 tbsp flour

½ cup butter milk or yogurt
4 eggs

¼ cup melted butter

pinch of salt

Pour this mixture into the pie shell and bake about 45-60 minutes. The top of the pie will be lightly browned and the filling will jiggle a little bit when shook. Remove pie from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Serve pie room temperature or chilled. Store leftovers in the fridge. Some like to top with whipped cream, but as rich as this is, it doesn't really need it.