Today's extra-easy Thanksgiving vegetable recipe: An oh-so-smooth custardy corn pudding that takes all of ten minutes to throw together. Now don't turn up your nose that it starts with a can of creamed corn. The resulting custard is slightly sweet, oh-so-smooth that I promise, no one will know. Everyone will think you are a kitchen magician!
Have you developed your own style, a personal preference for taste and timing? I sure have. When it's supper for one or two, my style is to make it fresh, eat it asap, no setting the slow cooker in the morning, no putting aside meals for the freezer.
But for parties and family gatherings? I am the make-ahead queen. That's why virtually every single Thanksgiving recipe here on A Veggie Venture includes tips for making a dish the day before. Last year's Thanksgiving, I cooked and prepped so much on the Wednesday that by Thursday morning, all that was left was to "cook" was the turkey my grandmother's butterhorns in the oven: talk about a relaxing day!
This easy corn pudding recipe strays from style but compensates by prepping – assembling, really is all – in a flat ten minutes. For such simplicity, the results are astounding, this dish looks and tastes like the cook spent time and effort coddling a custard.
T MINUS NINE DAYS Who's still looking for ideas for Thanksgiving recipes? I've got lots to share, from Favorite Recipes for Thanksgiving's Favorite Vegetables to Vegetarian Entrées for Thanksgiving to a full Six Thanksgiving Menus.
RECIPE for SILKY SMOOTH CORN PUDDING
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 2 hours
Makes 6 cups
3 large eggs
15 ounces canned cream-style corn
4 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salted butter, in tiny cubes
Preheat oven to 300F or 325F. Lightly butter a 1.5- or 2-quart baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in remaining ingredients except butter. Transfer to baking dish, stir in butter. Bake uncovered for 90 minutes (yes 90) or until the top is slightly browned.
MAKE-AHEAD TIPS Covered, the dish will stay hot for a good hour before serving, leaving room in the oven for another side dish or two.
ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES I've made Silky Smooth Corn Pudding three times over the years. Once, the custard expressed a buttery liquid, very tasty but it makes it harder to serve. I didn't figure out how/why this happened. It might be prevented by cooking the pudding in a hot water bath. Because of the eggs, I don't recommend prepping this ahead of time. Thirty minutes or so would be okay but no more. My friend Mary's recipe called for 4 tablespoons butter, I don't find it necessary for taste or texture.
TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION Thanks to my dear friend Mary whose southern style is frequent source of inspiration. Her husband Huck is notoriously a picky eater (though he's like a kid, he'll eat almost anything that I cook!) and will only eat corn when it's Silky Smooth Corn Pudding.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Half Cup: 82 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 58mg Cholesterol; 232mg Sodium; 11g Carb; 0g Fiber; 6g Sugar; 3g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS: WW Old Points 2 & WW PointsPlus 2
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EAT VEGETABLES IN SEASON: THIS WEEK, 2005 - 2011
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Acorn Squash Roasted Face Down Secrets of a Long Life Creamy Carrot Purée Creamy Cauliflower Gratin Maple Ginger Sweet Potatoes Winter Squash Polenta Honey Pumpkin Pie (< this week's favorite! sweetened with honey not processed sugar) Thanksgiving Cake Slooow Country Green Beans Spinach Casserole Boozy Baked Celery Book Club Books - My Reading Group's Book List Quick Green Chile Stew Farro Risotto with Butternut Squash Vegetarian Entrées for Thanksgiving Favorite Recipes for Thanksgiving's Favorite Vegetables
MORE FAVORITE CORN RECIPES for THANKSGIVING
~ Thanksgiving Succotash ~
~ Marinated Vegetable Salad ~
~ more corn recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Fresh Creamed Corn ~
~ Sweet Potato Salad with Roasted Poblano, Roasted Corn & Chipotle ~
~ more corn recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column
A Veggie Venture is home of 'veggie evangelist' Alanna Kellogg and the
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
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