Throughout the year, I stick to what I would say is a mostly healthy diet. I try to stay away from processed foods and limit my dairy intake, while eating as many whole natural foods as I can. However, there is a Thursday in November when I like to make my cooking a little, actually a lot, more indulgent and decadent. Can you guess which Thursday I’m talking about? Yep, it’s Thanksgiving! That wonderful day when everyone is able to take some time to reflect, thank God for everything He’s done for us, and overindulge in some classic family comfort food! One of my all time favorite, and over the top savory holiday recipes, is this deliciously dreamy creamed corn.
For the last few years, I’ve been in charge of bringing the sides to my family’s Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. And let me tell you, everyone loves this creamed corn, it’s always a huge hit! Whenever a holiday starts to approach, I slowly start to hear family members ask me, “You’re making creamed corn this year right?” I guarantee that if you make this creamed corn for Thanksgiving, your family will start asking you the same question when Christmas rolls around.
This recipe has changed a little through the years. I used to make it on the stove at my place, and then take it to my parent’s house for dinner. When I would make this on the stove, I’d have to watch the creamed corn carefully, stir it, and then scrub off the melted cheese from the dirty pan, leaving me sweaty and sometimes a little wet and soapy. Is it just me or does water, soap, and/or food only splash on you when you’re nicely dressed? With all the cooking, cleaning, and preparing that goes into my holiday mornings, I was never able to find time to spend alone with God.
However, last year I decided to simplify the process and make things a little easier for me. I adapted my creamed corn recipe to be made in a slow cooker. This way, I could simply pour all the ingredients in and not have to worry about it. A Thanksgiving recipe can’t get much easier than that! Also, since it cooks in a slow cooker there’s barely any cleanup, I can transport the corn in the same dish I cooked it in, and it stays warm! To keep it fresh and piping hot, I take my entire slow cooker to my parents, plug it in, and leave it on the warm setting.
This simple change to my morning holiday routine was able to free up some extra time in my morning. For the first time, in the last few years, I was able to spend some sweet time alone with the Lord in His Word, and thank Him for everything He has and will continue to do in my life. I was able to be both a Mary and a Martha, after so many years of just being a Martha (if you don’t know who I’m referencing, take a moment to read Luke 10:38-42). I know all of us have the best intentions of spending time with God on special occasions, but sometimes, it’s hard to find the time or even just remember to do so! I hope that you and your family will not only love this delicious recipe, but also that it will free up some of your time on Thanksgiving morning, and allow you to have quiet time with the Lord. It might even inspire you to find other ways you can get creative and shorten the active cooking time on some of your favorite dishes!
servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen super sweet frozen corn, thawed
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- black pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- To give the corn some time to thaw, take it out of the freezer before you start doing anything. Set slow cooker to either low or high heat. The temperature you choose depends on how long you have until your meal will be ready. A low setting will take the creamed corn 4-6 hours to cook, while a high setting will only take 2-3 hours.
- In a mixing cup add milk, salt, and white pepper, stir until combined. Add corn to slow cooker. Pour milk mixture on top of the corn, making sure to coat all of the kernels. Place the butter and cream cheese on top of the corn mixture in tablespoon square slices. Do not mix the cream cheese and butter with the corn, leave them on top during the first half of cooking. Put lid on slow cooker.
- At the halfway point, stir everything together, then check on it every 20-30 minutes. When the butter and cream cheese are melted and the corn is tender, stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Season with salt and black pepper.
Unlike other recipes, this one comes with a warning:
WARNING! You’re going to love this corn! You’re going to think about it, you might even dream about it, but DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT, make it a regular side dish on your dinner table! WARNING! I literally make this only 2-3 a year MAX, on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and sometimes for a special dinner. Even though it’s one of my favorite side dishes, it’s just too decadent to incorporate into my regular dinner rotation. Also, cooking it only a few times a year makes it that much more of a treat!
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