In both sweet and savory dishes, one of the mainstays in our diet is corn. In the summer months, nothing can beat a fresh ear of corn straight from the barbecue, seasoned with butter and your choice of seasoning. And, in the cooling days of Fall and the cold days of winter, a hot steamy bowl of creamed corn warms every tummy. Throw in hot cornbread and/or corn muffins with a hot bowl of soup or stew, and you just can’t go wrong. One hidden charm of corn is that it is also high in fiber, with one ear of corn providing 5 grams of fiber, a great benefit to those struggling with constipation or IBS.

For those of us with very busy lives, corn also makes some fabulous and easy to prepare casseroles and side dishes that you can season and prepare with your favorites. Like spices? Add some fresh chili. Love cheese? Cheddar can be added to almost every recipe. Another easy work around used in thousands of homes are small boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. You can find hundreds of recipes online using Jiffy Mix. They might be a wee bit high in salt for seniors but very popular among children! Thankfully, corn is also well tolerated by those who struggle with acid sensitivity. Here are some recipes that you could try!

Creamed Corn From Scratch

Creamed corn was a favorite recipe for my very elderly parents and it’s remarkably quick and easy to make! Here’s how I made it.

Ingredients

  • One package frozen organic corn
  • 2 – 3 tbsp of butter
  • 2 – 3 tbsp organic flour
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions

Microwave one package of frozen corn for five minutes. When cooked, place in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of butter. Sauté as the butter melts, using a fork to crush many of the corn kernels. Once you have a nicely bubbling mix, add 2-3 tablespoons of organic flour and stir thoroughly. Then add 1 cup of milk or half and half. Cook until thickened, adding salt and pepper to taste. This might be a wee bit bland for many, so you can spice it up with chili powder and/or cheese as well! Made three small bowls, a perfect side dish!

Blueberry Cornbread Muffins (From the IC Chef Cookbook)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup yellow corn meal
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup shortening or butter, melted
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 8 oz dried blueberries (Optional)

Vanilla Butter

  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 whole vanilla bean
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine corn meal, flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, milk, egg and baking soda. Stir to combine. Add melted shortening, stirring constantly. Add vanilla extra and blueberries.  Pour into greased mini muffin pans. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

To make vanilla butter, combine the softened butter, the caviar from the vanilla bean and the sugar. Stir until totally combined, then serve with the muffins.

Easy Jiffy Corn Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
  • 1 can whole corn
  • 1 can creamed corn
  • 1 cup of sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and spread into a greased 8″ by 8″ baking dish or pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Fancier Recipes

If you love making recipes from scratch, here are some fabulous recipes to try!