Country Ham and Corn Casserole

I'm trying a new bisque recipe, which says to serve it with cornbread, yet there's ham in the refrigerator I need to use up, so I went searching for some possibilities. I considered Ham and Cheese Puffs - here and here - but they don't include corn, so I kept looking. Most of the recipes I found called for a cornbread mix. That's not something I have in the pantry. Finally I found an inspiration recipe. However, it serves 6, and I'm pretty sure it won't be Wayne's favorite, so I divided everything in half, along with making a few more adjustments. That's what makes cooking fun!



Country Ham and Corn Casserole

2 tablespoons butter
3/8 cup buttermilk (or soured milk)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup diced, cooked ham
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 cup corn (drained canned or thawed frozen)
1/2 cup creamed corn
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place the butter in an iron skillet and put in a 350° oven to melt. Combine the buttermilk and egg. Remove the skillet, swirl the butter around the bottom, then add to the milk mixture. Combine the cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in the milk mixture, then the ham, onions (microcook for a few seconds if you don't want them crunchy), and both types of corn. Pour into the hot skillet, then bake for 25 minutes. Top with the cheese and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes.
This is a bit on the dry side, but topping it with some salsa and/or sour cream helps with that problem - see above.

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