Here is a recipe that can be used as a side dish or dessert. Corn Pudding is sweet and creamy with a hint of nutmeg. It complements savory dishes really well.

As the holidays get closer and most people focus on food, gifts and decorating the house, I would like to pause for a moment. I want to make sure we take the time to see how blessed we are, especially given the recent tragedies in Paris, Mali and Syria. I want to make sure we celebrate family, love, respect and peace. These are the values that should unify us no matter where we live or what we believe in. So many families will be heartbroken during these upcoming holidays and beyond and so many things suddenly won’t matter anymore because someone dear just isn’t here. When we sit down to a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner let’s be thankful and think of all the people who have lost their homes, sense of security and everything they have worked on their entire lives. If you know someone less fortunate invite them over and share a meal together. Small gestures can keep on giving.

Here is a delightful recipe for Corn Pudding that I will be making this year. It is very simple but has great flavor. It’s sweet, creamy and has a hint of nutmeg. The best part? It takes about 10 minutes to put it together and it can be baked the day before since it reheats well.

This recipe works great with either fresh or frozen corn. Fresh corn tends to be more sweet so you might start with less sugar and adjust it, if needed. Using a blender, mix together eggs, corn, milk, cream, butter, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Taste, add nutmeg and blend for 5 seconds or so. If you like a chunkier pudding, leave out 1 cup of corn and process the remaining ingredients. Add the rest of the corn directly into the baking dish. You can also process all of the corn together but for a shorter amount of time,  just to your liking.

Pour the mixture into a round (2 1/2 quart) or 8×8 baking dish and bake about 55-60 minutes until golden brown on top and no longer jiggly in the center.

Serves: 6-8       Prep time: 10 minutes                   Ready in: 80 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed & divided
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup half & half or heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, grated

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Using a blender, mix together eggs, 3 cups of corn, milk, half & half (or cream), butter, sugar, salt, flour and baking powder. Process it all for about 10-20 seconds ( the longer you process it the smoother it gets). Add freshly grated nutmeg (more if you like more flavor) and briefly blend again. If it isn’t sweet enough, add a teaspoon of sugar.
3. Pour into a buttered baking dish (round or square). Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of corn directly into the mixture. Bake about 55-60 minutes until brown on top and the center is set.
4. Cool it down for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!