By By Lisa Tindell
I appreciate your comments on this column. My heart goes out to my transplanted Yankee friend who says his wife slips sugar into the cornbread. You, sir, have my sympathy.
I realize that sometimes we hear about dishes that pique our interest by their recipe titles alone. After browsing through a few recipes at my disposal, this gave me the idea of what to share this week.
Some things just don't go together in our heads, but sometimes end up being pretty good in our stomachs. The recipes I'm sharing this week fall into that category – at least for me.
Corn Pudding
10 slices of loaf bread, crusts removed
1 stick margarine, melted
1/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 lb. medium cheddar cheese, grated
3 eggs
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
Cut each slice of bread into nine pieces. Dip each piece in melted margarine. Place a layer of bread in the bottom of a casserole dish. Top this layer of bread with the sharp cheese. Add another layer of bread and top with the medium cheese. Continue layering until all ingredients are used or when dish is filled with cheese on the top layer. Beat eggs and milk together with salt and pepper. Pour over casserole and refrigerate for 24 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until heated through and bubbling.
Tomato Pie
1 deep dish pie crust, uncooked
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Layer slices of tomato alternately with crumbled bacon into uncooked pie shell. Mix cheese, mayonnaise and seasonings and spread over tomato slices. Bake in a 375 degree oven until crust browns and cheese mixture melts and becomes bubbly, about 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing to serve.
I also have a recipe for Tomato Jam somewhere but couldn't put my fingers on it in time for this printing. Maybe I'll include that in the column on food preservation coming soon.
I've had a dish similar to the Corn Pudding recipe found here and I've made the Tomato Pie for my family many times with rave reviews. Like any dish, if you prepare it on a weekly basis, it's not so special any more. A few times a year for either of these recipes will keep them fresh and special. These recipes also prove that sometimes it really is good to think outside the box and give something strange sounding a try.
Happy eating!