Tuesday, March 29, 2016

A Ham's Best Friend

We had a couple of visitors the other day.
Yes, this nice pair really enjoyed themselves in our pool. Our presence didn't seem to phase them in the least.
Nor did the dogs.
However, past experience has taught us that allowing such creatures take up residence in your backyard is not a good thing. Especially when they decide to hatch nine little ducklings and teach them to swim in your pool. Sure they're cute, but boy do they make a mess.
After quite a bit of prompting, they finally flew away.

Okay, show of hands here. How many of you had ham on Easter?

Yes, my hand is in the air. And whenever I serve ham, there's one side dish that's the perfect accompaniment. However, I think this dish needs a new name, because Onion Shortcake just sounds kind of weird. So I'll share the recipe, then maybe we can rename this delicious side.

You're going to need:


1 large sweet onion, sliced
1/4 cup butter
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 15 oz. can cream-style corn
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon dillweed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Sauté onion in butter until soft and translucent.
These are almost there.

Set cooked onions aside.
In a medium size bowl, mix together muffin mix, egg, milk and creamed corn.
Pour mixture into greased baking pan, an 8x8 or something thereabouts works well.

Rinse bowl and reuse or simply grab another and mix your sour cream, salt, dillweed and half of the cheese.
 Now add the onions and stir until blended.
Spread onion mixture over the batter, being careful not to disturb the corn mixture.
Top with remaining cheese.
Bake 25-30 minutes.
I think it's the hint of sweetness in the muffin mix that compliments the ham, but it really is the mixture of flavors going on here that is so delicious.

So about that name, Onion Shortcake. What say you? Good or needs to be changed?
Any ideas?

17 comments:

  1. Wow. This looks awesome. I'd call it onion cornbread.

    Pass the onion cornbread, please and thank you.

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    1. I like that, Tina. Cornbread is definitely more suitable than shortcake.

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  2. Oooh, this does sound amazing! I've never had anything like it. Will definitely try it!

    I agree with Tina. Or maybe be more specific: cheesy caramelized onion cornbread. :)

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  3. I like Missy`s name -- I was going to say cheesy onion cornbread, but adding the caramelized part makes it gourmet!

    Love your duck visitors!!!! I can imagine the mess they leave though. The college I used to work at had a courtyard and the library windows overlooked it. The horticulture students used the area as an outdoor classroom and one year they created a lovely pond including a waterfall. It was gorgeous. Of course, a Mallard couple thought the same thing and moved in. Perfect habitat -- no predators, their own little Garden of Eden protected by four walls. Mamma had her ducklings and we got to watch them grow up all summer and into the fall. The college was nice enough to blockade the use of the courtyard for the whole season. We all grew attached to the menagerie but once they flew South the horticulture students hustled to dismantle the pond and waterfall before the snow hit. No water meant now ducks the next year. :-(

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    1. They are fun to watch, Kav. I remember the mama urging her ducklings into the pool. They looked so cute swimming around. Problem was, they couldn't get out and we had to start scooping them up with the pool net and putting them back in their nest. Of course, you know what happened then. The little stinkers turned right around and hopped back into the pool.

      Then one day, the mama marched her little family toward the fence, then under the fence, and we never saw them again. The next spring, and every spring since, we're quick to chase off any ducks that come into our backyard.

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    2. Guess that's where that 'like a duck to water' expression comes from. LOL Our mama duck taught her ducklings how to fly by marching them up a hill and pushing them off. She goosed their little backsides and they started flapping their wings and hydroplaning down the hill (just a little hill -- no ducklings were harmed in the flying lessons). Oh and that little ornamental waterfall? The ducklings used it like a water slide. Too cute. so interesting to watch. An opportunity of a lifetime.

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  4. Oh, this looks GOOD, Mindy.

    I made the ham (didn't eat it).
    Made the cornbread (didn't eat it).

    Have to watch the sodium these days and ham just has way too much. :(

    DD2 and I made an artichoke/onion/asparagus quiche-like thingie (vegan so not really quiche) that I had instead.

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    1. Mary Cate, you can't even have ham sometimes? Like on a holiday? Or is it not a big temptation? Because that quiche-like thingie just doesn't sound near as tasty. But then, I like my meat.

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    2. It's a very big temptation, Mindy. That's the problem. :( I love ham. But one serving of ham is like a day's worth of sodium. I'm really sensitive to sodium so it's just not worth it.

      The joke in our house is that the Easter ham is what turned my vegetarian back into a meat-eater. I remember the year she called me aside at Easter dinner and asked me not to judge her, but she couldn't resist the ham.

      Vegan daughter who befriended pigs when she worked on an animal sanctuary suffers no such temptation. Hence the vegan quiche which was good, but I agree, it's not ham. ;)

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    3. That is too funny. Well, not the part about loving ham and not being able to eat it.

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  5. I read "Make Way for Ducklings" to my Sunday School class in honor of spring a couple weeks ago, and this post fits right in!

    Our duck pairs aren't nesting yet. The weather is too cold and unsettled. We usually have a couple fly through over the creek behind our house when they're looking for nesting spots, but it isn't a safe place for them, and they know it!

    And this cake/bread/thingy looks delicious. The family wouldn't like it, so it's going to have to be a carry in dish for church some time.

    Yes, I know. I have picky eaters in my family! One would pick out the onions, another wouldn't eat the corn...cretins.

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    1. Jan, I don't think I realized you had so many picky eaters. NO CORN?! That's just so un-American. I have one who hates raw onions, but loves this recipe. Matter of fact, she makes it every Thanksgiving. Go figure.

      As for the ducks, they can nest anywhere they please. Except my backyard. Now once we move to the ranch, that won't be a problem. They can nest at their own risk. Or they can simply do it by the lake.

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    2. Some people just have good taste and don't eat things just because someone else says they are good. Corn and onions are additions to, not the main ingredient in civilized eating.

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  6. This is a must try! We have a fun corn casserole that's similar to this without the onions, but with jalapeno peppers chopped into it, and it's marvelous... but Dave will go bananas over this onion version! I'm so glad you posted this. Happy dancing in upstate!

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    1. Corn Pudding is another holiday favorite, Ruthy. Hubby loves it. But this one is a little sweeter, making it perfect with ham. Hope Dave likes it.

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