Chile Corn Que?

TGIF!  It's early here still.  Only one kid is up.  Time to squeeze a post in just in case I don't have time to do it again at work today.  Yesterday was a little *off* at work.  We were short a medical assistant, so my co-worker went down to the "other side" to help out.  It wasn't overly busy on my end, but it was steady enough that I didn't have time to do my post.  And then when I got home last night, and after cooking dinner and giving the boys a bath...by the time I was finished with my chores, I was done.  I watched a couple episodes of Grey's Anatomy and then went to bed.  Fell asleep watching Conan and his jeggings.  Wow, Conan.  Just wow.

I was going to share this recipe with you the same day as the Sour Cream Fruit Salad, but the computers at work were having sharing problems.  We have Macs and sometimes Macs don't play well with others.  So, here I am today.  Better late than never, right?  This is one of my favorite family recipes out of The Aunties' Catering Company Cookbook (compiled by my Aunts).

Chili Corn Casserole
Prepare white sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt

Melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour.  Add the milk and salt.  Stir together.  Then whisk in 2 eggs slightly beaten.  (Those instructions might not be exact, but it's better than what the recipe says which is: Prepare as white sauce)

To the white sauce, add:
2 drained cans of corn
1 can (4 oz) Ortega chilies, drained

1/2 lb grated Cheddar cheese
bread crumbs

Layer in ovenproof dish:
corn mixture
bread crumbs
cheese

Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake 45 minutes to an hour at 350.

NOTES:  See.  This is why I love and hate family recipes.  I've wanted this recipe for as long as I could remember, but nobody had it written down and nobody took the time to do so.  The recipe calls for Ortega chilies, which, if you don't have access to fresh green chili like I do, it works fine.  But...if you buy a can of Ortega chili in New Mexico, you will be stoned at the register.  True story.  We use nothing other than Bueno green chile.  It's law in my house.

I know the recipe says to top with buttered bread crumbs, but I like it better just topped with Cheddar cheese.  I don't know how much I used as I just kept piling it on until it looked "right".

I used to only get the Gilli Chili Corn (what I call it) when I'm home, which really means every other Christmas.  I am so happy to have this recipe.  I made this for Thanksgiving this year and FIL liked it (the boys wouldn't touch it).  I used mild chile...next time I'll use hot.

An 8 x 11 pan was the perfect size for this recipe.  I do have an addition to the recipe that increases the size to "family size" and then you need a big foil lasagna pan.  You could just double it and use a 9 x 13 pan - I did that for the hubs' office Christmas party last year and I came home with an empty dish!  Seeing this (even before 7 in the morning) makes me want to get all the ingredients and make it again this weekend.  HURRY UP CHRISTMAS!

So...any good things going on this weekend?  The holiday parties begin on Saturday for us.  Next weekend is my office Christmas party (and then I have to work both weekend days - suck!).  The following weekend is the hubs' office Christmas party on Friday night and then we're having family over on Sunday.  Then the next weekend is Christmas.  How is that even possible? *sigh*

We'll, it's time to go get Mason up.  Let's hope that he's bouncing on the side of his crib, happy to see me, rather than curled up in a ball because he's fast asleep.  He's much happier when he wakes up on his own (just like his mama).