Corn Spoonbread

I seem to be obsessed with corn pudding.  I tear out just about every recipe I've ever found.  It's such a great side dish...and versatile as well.  Different recipes bring different textures and the ability to add additional veggies and flavor-boosting ingredients.  And since most recipes usually call for canned or frozen corn, it's a quick go-to in a pinch.

Here's one we had with our ham dinner the other night...quite yummy.

Corn Spoonbread
Makes 4-6 servings.
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup corn (fresh, frozen, canned all work-I used a can of Mexi-corn with its additional peppers. Just drain if you use canned.)
1/2 cup chopped chives
3 eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease an 8 inch square baking dish.

Heat the milk, butter, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan until just boiling.  (Watch it carefully.) In a slow, steady stream, whisk the cornmeal in and stir until the mixture is smooth.  Remove from the heat and stir in the corn and chives.  (If you're feeling creative, here's where you might stir in a diced jalapeno pepper or a handful of grated cheese.)

Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl and stir into the corn mixture.

Beat the egg whites in a separate small bowl until stiff.  Fold the whites into the batter.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until puffed and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.