Country Viddles

I love simple country home cooked meals. When I cook I rarely use unusual ingredients or lots of spices. When it comes to food I like it simple and comforting. For supper we had green beans cooked in cured ham until tender, cream style fried corn, cornbread, and new potatoes. For dessert we had a Blueberry Boy Bait Cake. The cake has a strange name but it sure was delicious. I wanted to share the cake recipe and the creamed corn recipe with you guys. However I am sure all you southerners already know how to make fried corn!

Blueberry Boy Bait Cake

Serves 12

If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them.

Cake

2 cups plus 1 t. all purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping

1/2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

For cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 baking pan.

Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. With electric mixer beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 min. Add eggs, one at the time, beating until just incorporated. Reduce speed and beat in one third of the flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of the milk. Beat in half of the remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally the remaining flour. Toss blueberries in 1 t. flour and fold into batter with a spatula. Spread batter into prepared pan. For the topping: Scatter blueberries over top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and then sprinkle over the batter. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 45 to 50 min.

Southern Fried Corn

6 ears of sweet corn, shucked and silks removed

1/2 stick butter

sugar

lard

milk

The proper way to cut your corn off the cob for this dish is to cut the very ends of the kernels off into a deep bowl. Using the back of your knife scrape the rest of the corn from the cob. Be careful as you can easily get cut. I usually have more success with a serrated knife. After you have all your corn cut off add about 1 cup of water to it and stir it. Heat a nonstick skillet and add a heaping tablespoon of lard or bacon drippings to it. Add your corn and salt and pepper it. Add your butter and begin with 1 T of sugar. You can always add more if it's not sweet enough. Cook on medium for about 15 min stirring often. At the very end add a splash of milk or cream. Enjoy!