Mexican Corn Pudding

Over the years friends and family members have given us many cookbooks. We enjoy receiving them and make a point of trying at least one recipe from each gift as soon as practicable. Today we look forward to getting cookbooks as gifts because they inspire us to make something new.

Favorite Foods of Home Economics Teachers-Foreign Foods Edition is one of those books that someone gave us many years ago, and it contains a number of recipes that we still enjoy.

Don’t expect authentic foreign foods from most recipes in this book. They have been tailored to American tastes, which means that most can be enjoyed even if you were brought up thinking that catsup was a spicy sauce or that Swedes ate mostly meatballs.

Here is a side dish that complements meat dishes from south of the border: Mexican Corn Pudding or Pudin de Maiz. We have customized it slightly to suit our taste.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup grated medium cheddar cheese
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 15 or 16 ounce can creamed-style corn
2 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
5 T melted butter or bacon grease

PROCEDURE:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grate the cheese and melt the butter or bacon grease. Grease a two quart casserole.

Mix the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs until lemon yellow, then mix in the milk. Stir the milk and eggs, corn, cheese and chiles into the dry ingredients and mix well.

Then stir in the melted butter or bacon grease and pour the batter into the casserole. Bake for about an hour at 350 degrees. After 50 minutes, test for doneness: A butter knife inserted into the center of the casserole will come out clean when the casserole is done.

NOTE: For a little spicier version, add a finely chopped jalapeno pepper (seeds and membrane removed) to the batter. Inside the front cover of the old cookbook is a note that this recipe goes particularly well with Layered Enchilada Pie.