Joyfully Retired

This is a very old dish that’s been updated very little over the years. I’m not sure where it came from. This is just something our mothers put together. It seems to be a dish a farm wife might have put together for the men helping at haying time. 

It’s not something that’s been written down in our family cookbook. In fact, as I was cooking this, I thought I ought to measure what I was doing so I could put it into a “recipe”. I imagine that most of our favorite dishes are like this. I have made this so often, I’m just on automatic. So here’s how I made it this week:

• 3 to 4 slices of bacon, cut into small (1/2 inch) pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 can (15 oz) creamed corn
• 1 cup corn kernels (from a frozen bag)
• 1 large potato, peeled and cut into small pieces, about 1 cup
• 1/2 cup water (could use milk)

Cook the bacon over low heat. Stir occasionally to keep it from burning. When it is soft and starting to brown, add the onion. Stir once in a while until the onion is soft. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Stir. Cover with a lid. Keep an eye on this. If it starts to stick, add more water – 1/4 cup at a time. Cook until the potatoes are soft but not mushy. Serve this in a bowl as it is soupy.

My husband’s mother used to make this without the potato. Instead she would add cut-up pieces of tamale (without the wrapper). We tried this a couple months ago and it just didn’t taste the same. She did have a special touch with food. I miss that touch.

We usually have our version with carrot and celery sticks, whole wheat rolls or bread or muffins, and cold applesauce or other fruit.

This recipe is actually best in summer when you have come in from the garden with corn you just picked as well as fresh dug potatoes and onions. Mm-mm. But since it’s winter, you’ll have to try this with canned and frozen.