Broccoli & Corn Casserole

Getting Real here has broccoli in season. It has been coming out my ears so to speak this last weekJ.

But even throughout the year, fresh broccoli is frequently on sale.

I almost always have cheeses in the freezer. I stock up when they are on sale for $3.00/ lb. or less.

Creamed corn is almost always in my pantry. It is a favorite of my family (as opposed to canned peas, spinach and mushrooms). I buy canned goods by the flat when they are on sale. It used to be you could buy them for 3 or4 to the dollar. Not anymore L.

And my new favorite this year is Panko bread crumbs. I had seen them in the magazines and my mother mentioned them. Then I saw them at the “Dented Can Store”. I bought several packages and have been hooked. They are light and crispy. They just seem to make a dish more elegant. I did some research and have made them at home. The secret is to use a hearty coarse grained white bread – unbleached, buttermilk or sourdough – doesn’t matter so much as the texture. Slice it, trim the crusts, cube it and let it dry out a bit. Then crumble it in a blender or food processor. I keep them handy in a bag or jar in the freezer door.

I have also included the original recipe that inspired this one so you could see the type of changes I make in ingredients and methods. Thanks Jenn!

2 heads broccoli
1 cup (4 oz.) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 egg
1 can (14 ¾ oz.) cream style corn
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coat a 10” square glass baking dish with canola oil spray.

Trim broccoli into spears and steam until bright green but not quite tender when pierced with a fork, about five minutes. (See my recipe for Steamed Broccoli.)

Arrange steamed broccoli spears in prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle cheese over broccoli.

Beat egg in 1 ½ quart mixing bowl. Stir in creamed corn and pour over broccoli and cheese.

Put margarine in 1 quart microwaveable bowl. Cover with wax paper. Heat on defrost for one minute. Stir.

Pour Panko crumbs over melted butter. Toss lightly with fork to mix. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole.

Bake about 40 minutes or until almost set, when a knife inserted in center comes out fairly clean.

Serves 6 to 8.

Adapted from:

Subject: [dailyrecipes] Broccoli-Corn Casserole
From: “Jenn Bartimus” jlbart74@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:57:03 -0500

Broccoli-Corn Casserole

2 (16-ounce) bags frozen broccoli flowerets -- thawed and drained
2 (14 3/4-ounce) cans cream-style corn
2 eggs -- slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine -- melted
3/4 cup herb-seasoned stuffing crumbs

Heat oven to 350F. Mix broccoli, corn and eggs in ungreased 3-quart
casserole or rectangular baking dish, 13 × 9 × 2 inches. Mix butter
and stuffing; sprinkle evenly over vegetable mixture. Bake uncovered
about 1 hr or until stuffing is golden and vegetables are hot.

Yield: 8 servings.