Iowa Corn

(This recipe was first posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad Week of 4/1/12 - 4/7/12)

I hesitate to call this "creamed corn" because so many of you were scarred for life after eating the canned stuff as a child.  I never had the pleasure of sampling it when I was younger, so to me, the words "creamed corn" mean this delicious, homemade version.  A word of warning:  any health benefits derived from the corn itself are most definitely crowded out by the rich and creamy sauce.  But sometimes, you just gotta go for broke!  And besides, if you don't end up liking this recipe, you've only wasted five minutes of your time throwing it together.
 

Ingredients:

2 - 16 oz bags frozen corn
1 stick margarine OR real butter
1 -  8 oz box cream cheese
2-3 Tbsp sugar

Directions:
Pour frozen corn into a medium-sized crockpot.  Put cream cheese and margarine/butter into a microwaveable glass bowl (a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup works well).  Microwave on high for approximately 60 seconds (cover with a paper towel to prevent splattering).  Stir with a fork to combine cream cheese and margarine.  Return to microwave for a few more seconds if not fully melted.  Pour mixture over frozen corn.  Cook on low 3-4 hours.  Just before serving, add sugar to taste.  Stir well and enjoy!

Options and Tips

• I usually don't have a preference when it comes to store-brand or name-brand ingredients, but for this recipe, I prefer the Freshlike corn.  I have used the Meijer brand corn many times, and while the recipe still turns out OK, the corn itself doesn't cook up quite as well in a crockpot.  Using Meijer brand corn also seems to make the sauce a little watery. 
• This is the perfect side dish to throw together on a Sunday (or Easter) morning.  When you get home from church, your corn will be ready to serve with dinner!
• If you happen to forget to turn the crockpot on before you leave for church (guilty, here!), you can put everything in a large saucepan and cook it on low for about 30 minutes.  Just make sure to stir it often, and don't get impatient or it will burn.
• My mom has also baked this in the oven...not sure about the temperature or cooking time.  Mom, maybe you can shed some light on this??
• All crockpots yield slightly different results, so you might notice that at the end of 3 hours, the corn in the middle is still slightly cool while the corn on the outside is cooked perfectly.  Just stir in the sugar and make sure to toss the corn around really well.  Put the cover back on the crockpot, and by the time you get the rest of the food on the table, the corn will be ready.
• This recipe can be halved, doubled, or even tripled (use a VERY large crockpot).  Cooking time may need to be adjusted accordingly.  If you are making a really large batch, make sure to stir it once or twice during the cooking time.
• This corn is a great potluck contribution, and is the perfect side dish for everything from burgers and pizza to roast and ham.

I got this recipe from Alice Joostens.  I have passed it along to no less than 20 people over the years, so I feel a little silly posting it on here, because so many of you have it already!