Who remembers Sunday dinner on the grounds? My Daddy’s brother, Uncle Jay, was a Baptist preacher. I was very young when we attended church at Faith Baptist in Cleveland, Tennessee, but I can remember his voice from the pulpit like it was yesterday. I loved how he related scripture to our everyday life experiences.
Baptists are known for long sermons and good eatin.’ That was never a challenge for Uncle Jay. He got us up for the worship songs and final prayer just before noon. He liked to eat, too!
A dear friend who recently retired as a Methodist minister after 48 years, told me a funny story.
A kindergarten teacher gave her class a “show and tell” assignment. Each student was instructed to bring in an object to share with the class that represented their faith tradition.
The first student got up in front of the class and said, “My name is Benjamin and I am Jewish and this is a Star of David.”
The second student stood up and said, “My name is Mary. I’m a Catholic and this is a rosary.”
The third student said, “My name is Sarah. I am Baptist and this is a casserole.”
I get it Sarah and it’s probably another reason why my uncle kept an eye on the clock and timed his message perfectly. He knew there were some mighty fine casseroles waiting for us all at our Sunday dinner on the grounds!
Of all the dishes I sampled over the years at Wednesday night suppers or Sunday afternoon potlucks, the one I still make frequently is corn casserole.
Corn has a special place in my heart and tummy. We grew corn in our family garden and often took several ears up to the house where my mother would boil them for lunch. We each had a couple of ears, slathered with butter and a sprinkle of salt. So delicious!
Our Oxford tribe also loved grilled corn and my mother’s fried corn but the corn casserole is one of the most requested at our table now. This recipe came from a church potluck in Shelbyville, Tennessee where I grew up. It’s easy and, even better, there is usually enough to serve with another meal. It reheats very well.
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can of shoepeg corn or 1 15 oz. bag of fresh frozen corn
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup grated cheddar or colby jack cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 medium onion chopped
Topping:
1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
1 stick butter
5 oz. bag of slivered almonds
Mix first four ingredients together in a bowl. Put in 2 qt. casserole dish.
Melt butter. Sprinkle crackers over top of casserole. Spread almonds over the top. Pour melted butter over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until top is golden brown.
*I’ve made this with the canned shoepeg corn, which is the original recipe, and the frozen corn when I didn’t have the canned corn in my pantry. Personally, I like the frozen corn best. I let it thaw, almost completely, but not quite. I think it makes the casserole even more moist.
*Also I prefer the slivered almonds in the topping but I’ve used the sliced almonds if I didn’t have the others on hand. Experiment and determine what you and yours like best.
What is your favorite casserole to take to a potluck supper? Please share your recipe with all of us. I can be reached by email: [email protected] or you can respond on our Now Habersham Facebook page.
Happy eating!
