More of the Best Corn Recipes for Thanksgiving

Make a Delicious Chowder and Scalloped Corn

© Deborah Harding

Nov 3, 2009

Serving a bowl full of corn on the dinner table is traditional at Thanksgiving. Corn has its origin in Central and Southern America and it found its way to North America around 800 AD. Today corn is the largest crop in the United States and Americans love their corn. They celebrate the harvest with festivals, we eat it on the cob and off the cob, we put it in casseroles or eat it plain.

A bowl full of buttered corn is certainly a treat and everyone will love it, but why not spice things up a bit this Thanksgiving and make a few other side dishes of corn that will take your guests by surprise. A pleasant surprise it will be because these dishes are so flavorful. You can still serve the plain old corn to the kids if you wish but they might even like these recipes.

Scalloped corn is somewhat like scalloped potatoes in that milk is added to the vegetable. You have the option of adding a little shredded cheese to this recipe or not. It is delicious either way.

Scalloped Corn

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups frozen corn
• 1-1/4 cups unseasoned bread crumbs
• ½ cup onions, chopped fine
• ½ cup green peppers, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-1/2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. In a buttered baking dish place 1/3 of the corn and 1/3 of the bread crumbs at the bottom.
2. Sprinkle some of the onions and peppers over top and season with a little salt and pepper.
3. Dot with 1/3 of the butter.
4. Cover with another 1/3 of the corn and 1/3 of the bread crumbs and sprinkle over more of the onions and peppers.
5. Dot with the rest of the butter.
6. Place one more layer of the corn and bread crumbs over top.
7. Then sprinkle with the rest of the onions and peppers and season.
8. Pour the milk carefully over the whole casserole.
9. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until bubbly on top.

Variations:

You can use 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese and place it in with the breadcrumbs in all the layers and on top. You can also sprinkle some paprika over the top for extra flavor.

Another great recipe to serve before the turkey comes out is Corn Chowder. This will get the appetite ready to go for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 strips of bacon
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• ¾ cup carrot, chopped fine
• ¾ cup celery, chopped
• 4 cups corn, cut from the cob (no exceptions as you need the cob for flavor later)
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 -1/2 cups milk (you can use low fat)
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven melt the butter and fry the bacon until the fat flows from it, but it doesn’t brown. This will take about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Add the carrot and celery and cook for about 5 more minutes.
4. Cut or break the corn cobs in half and put them into the sauce pan.
5. Add the milk and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Once it boils reduce heat, cover the pot and simmer for about 30 minutes. Watch it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
6. Uncover the pot and pull out the cobs, bacon strips, and bay leaf and discard them.
7. Raise heat to medium high and add potatoes, red pepper and salt and pepper to taste.
8. Bring it up to a fast simmer and then lower heat to a low simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
9. Raise the heat to high and add corn and thyme.
10. When it comes to a boil reduce back to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes or until the corn is heated through.
11. Serve hot. This recipe makes about 6 to 8 servings.

Make corn one of the stars on your Thanksgiving table this year. These recipes should do just the trick and your guests will remember them for a long time.

HOL101

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