Favorite Fall Foods

I love fall so much. I think a lot of it is to do with the tables full of food, laughs, family, friends, and the same stories that have been told a million times but never get old that inevitably accompany the season. There is something so good for the soul, something so life-giving and warm about a table full of people you love eating food that says, “I am home” while the cold winds blow outside. Whether it’s friends over for a football game, chili and cornbread on the stove for refills throughout each quarter, or a Friendsgiving celebration packed full with family favorite dishes -many of which you have never tried before, the familiarity of Thanksgiving Day, or anticipation of all the Christmas parties to come- there is something so good about a table of food and people.

Thanksgiving is no doubt my absolute favorite part of fall, though. Waking up Thanksgiving morning to the smells of decadence and sour cream, pumpkin pie, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mamma’s house for lunch and Grandma’s for dinner, and momma’s corn casserole. She makes “Laurie’s Corn Casserole” every year, a recipe she found in a random cookbook and gave a shot at years and years ago because, well, her name is Laurie and she admittedly thought it seemed easy enough. And thank goodness she did, because I literally can’t remember a single Thanksgiving that we haven’t had this corn casserole on the table. It’s my favorite, and I crave it as Thanksgiving day inches closer. Thanksgiving wouldn’t be right without it.

As for pies, I shared my apple pie recipe last year here. I love pie and I especially have found I love making them. I really only want pie during fall, though. Nothing feels as “fall-y” to me than a warm apple or pumpkin pie next to a fire playing a card game with people. Baking a pie feels like the epitome of mastering the oven, and even somewhat mastering being a woman (at least to the best of my ability). Totally in a non-sexist, women belong in the kitchen way. I just think there is something awesome about a woman who can bake a homemade pie from scratch. Funnily enough, my daddy is actually the pie experimenter in my family. I think it’s adorable. As the holidays approach, so do my daddy’s baking desires. He will come home with a pie crust and a plethora of different pie mix fillings. His thing, he likes to mix and match fillings. Cherry pumpkin or pecan pumpkin, chocolate pumpkin, cherry and apple… and at other times rather questionable mixes I can’t even seem to recall. But, I know they have happened. The holidays aren’t the holidays without my daddy taking to his pie experiments.

I wanted to share my mom’s corn casserole for y’all today. I, like mom, make it now for any holiday party we need to take a dish to and it’s always a hit. I almost feel guilty getting praise for it because of how EASY IT IS, but it really is that good. I will be sharing my favorite family recipes leading up to the holidays with y’all!

Lauries Corn Casserole

1/2 cup butter

1 can (16 oz.) whole kernel corn (undrained)

1 can (16 oz.) cream style corn

1 carton (8 oz.) sour cream

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (I have experimented a 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup sheep’s feta cheese before, and it was AMAZING!)

1 pkg (8 oz) corn muffin mix OR Bob’s Red Mill Cornbread Mix- GF (I use Bob’s Red Mill because of food allergies, and it’s just as good as the original)

Melt the butter. Add cans of corn, sour cream, grated cheese, and cornbread/muffin mix into a large bowl. Mix until no longer clumpy. Place in cookware dish (8 x 11 is best) that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray. Bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes. (Check the center to make sure it’s done- you want a golden brown edge and top!)

xoxo- Han