Betty’s Scalloped Corn

When I asked my siblings for recipes that I might use on Courage in the Kitchen, my sister Betty offered this one. She says that Mom and Dad liked it when they visited her and Rollie. My brother-in-law has died, so Betty doesn’t cook as much as she used to, but this was one of the recipes she made often years ago.

It is a version of a midwest comfort food that many of us remember from our childhoods. With just six ingredients, it is quick and easy to prepare. I have added two steps to the preparation. Betty said that she just laid the bacon strips over the top of the casserole, but I like the results when the bacon is chopped into bite-sized pieces and cooked a few minutes before being added to the batter.

Scalloped corn is an excellent side dish to complement beef, pork or chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

About 1/2 row soda crackers (1 cup crushed and divided)
3 strips of bacon
1 large egg
1 15 oz. can creamed corn
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE:

Preheat the oven to 375º, grease a one quart casserole and crush the crackers. Reserve two tablespoons of crackers to sprinkle on top of the casserole or crush a couple of extra crackers when you are topping it off.

Cut the bacon into half-inch pieces and fry it over moderate heat until it just begins to brown. The bacon should not be crisp.

Beat the egg until it is lemon yellow in a mixing bowl. Add the corn, milk and crackers to the egg along with half of the bacon. Season with a quarter teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and a dash of salt. Stir well and pour the batter into the casserole. Top with the remaining bacon and crackers.

Bake uncovered forty-five to fifty minutes. Use a table knife inserted near the center of the casserole to check for doneness. If the knife comes out clean, the casserole is done.

NOTES: Be careful with the salt in this recipe as three of the ingredients have plenty of salt. The amount of salt I use is about what I sprinkle on an egg cooking for breakfast.

This recipe makes four generous servings. If you are cooking for a larger party, you can double the ingredients and extend the cooking time a few minutes.