Wait, I'm confused. You ask for ideas on how to lighten it, but than say "Rather than make changes that would affect the tast, I'll just continue making it occasionally."
Do you want suggestions? If so, I would replace the whipping cream with 2% milk.
Jo

Jo, I'm aware I could replace the whipping cream with 2% milk, I also know that if you're experienced enough you can figure out ways to change recipes without compromising the taste significantly. However, I am not that experienced as so many of you on the forum are. I didn't mean to confuse anyone. Sorry.

Maybe cut the butter back a little too, try 1/3 cup. I think that with some butter and six eggs you will still have a nice rich tasting dish.

If you try subbing in 2% milk and/or cutting back on the butter, let us know how it works out. Maybe with just a half recipe so you don't have too much loss if it just isn't acceptable to you. It does sound good.

Good Luck

What about 2% Evaporated milk? And I agree with Lee - cut back on the butter. What about replacing one or two eggs with Egg Beaters? And then, how about having the other foods you are serving it with be on the light side. Like grilled chicken or fish? And you said it could be halved. How about enjoying the dish in smaller portions?

Teresa

I'd like to try making the original before I make any suggestions for lightening it up. Need discover how it tastes normally!

Sounds really good, & it must be, since you've been making it since 1985 (& it came out of Southern Living!)

How many bags of frozen corn kernels = 6 cups? Do you thaw them in the microwave, or by some other method? Thanks!

Oh, I have another question. Is this considered a side dish or a desert? Since it has only 1/4 cup of sugar, I think it's meant to be a side dish. If so, what do you usually serve it with? How sweet is it?

Thanks Lee. I had considered half&half or evaporated milk as a substitute but no experience using evaporated milk in that sort of recipe. I may try the recipe again in a few days with some substitutions. Unless we have guests there's just the 2 of us so half the recipe is where I would go. I've always chickened out changing the recipe before.:-)

jude

Jude, I'd take this on. I seldom make corn pudding because it IS so rich and fat filled, but I like it a lot.

I'd cut the butter to 1/3 cup, perhaps even 1/4 cup, but be sure to use real butter. I'd try with 4 eggs too. Evaporated skim or 2% milk in the place of cream, and see how it is.

Usually when I'm trying to "lighten" a recipe, I start with a single component. First I use evaporated milk instead of cream. That's OK? Time to start cutting down the eggs. Use 4 and see if it's good, then 3. Then start working on the butter. As you work on each component, you can decide if the change in texture and flavor is negligible or so major it changes the quality of the recipe.

Good luck, heck, I might even try to lighten it up, I haven't had corn pudding in a long time.

Annie
When

Oh Jude, I didn't think of it when I posted but your idea to try evaporated milk should work really well to. Lots of custards/flans are made with evaporated milk.

Lee

Sometimes you can get away with plucking out a few egg yolks--you might try that before going with fewer eggs altogether.

Good heavens! half a cup of butter, 6 eggs and 2 cups whipping cream!?...I am sure it is good! But I could only eat a tiny portion if I were going to eat anything else at that meal.
I would start by changing the eggs to egg beaters, subbing 2% milk for the cream and cutting the butter to 1/4 cup. And perhaps I would trade out half a cup milk for half a cup of reduced fat sour cream for a richer taste.
Linda C

I wouldn't call the recipe I use exactly light, but it is lighter than the one that you are using. This is a recipe I've been making since 1982.

I made it tonight to serve as a side with a roast.

Because it was for just the two of us, I cut this recipe in half. And I left out the flour. It really isn't necessary.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Corn - Light Corn Custard
=========================
2 cups scraped corn
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash nutmeg
2 tablespoons melted butter/margarine
. Combine ingredients and spoon into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Place in
a roasting pan; pour boiling water two-thirds up side of the baking
dish. Bake in a preheated 350ðF oven for 1 hour or until the top is
golden and a knife tests clean. Serve immediately.

For a smoother more uniform texture, puree corn and add two tablespoons
of flour and proceed as above.

Victory Garden Cookbook 1982

Oh my, I'm going to enjoy this. As I knew you all could, you have suggested many things I could do and as Annie suggested I'll try one thing at a time. Cooking Light's staff has nothing on the Cooking Forum's "staff". These are folks I know and trust!

Stinky-gardener, to answer your questions I think I use 2 large bags of frozen whole kernel corn, thawed in the fridge overnight. It's not all that sweet and definitely a side dish. Almost always I serve it at family gatherings where there is a plethora of foods. It's become a tradition at Thanksgiving and my Family Reunion.

Ann, I will try your recipe, looks good and sounds good, and that meal is starving me. As always your pictures can do that.

LindaC, you entertain a lot, give it a try as is, and eat small portions.

If any of you all do decide to try it, I hope you'll make it as is...even cut in half doesn't change a thing...then try to lighten it.

TeresaMn and Fori thank you, as well.

You all have made good suggestions, some of which I wouldn't have thought of, and I thank you ALL so very much.

jude

Jude, looks like a great recipe and you've gotten some terrific suggestions. I have trouble with portion control and one thing I've found that really helps is to pre-portion the recipe. Instead of making it in one large baking dish, I'll make it in 6 or 8 small ramekins. It's a pretty presentation, and for some reason I'm less likely to take a 2nd ramekin then grab another scoop from a baking dish.

AM

AM, I can sympathize with you on portion control..My doctor suggested I might try using a smaller plate. Smart alec, doctor!:-) Sometimes when I hear Annie talking about all the things she doesn't like, AnnT and her carrots (first thing to come to mind) or leftovers etc... There are others too that seem to be picky. I almost wish there WERE things I didn't like, but except for raw looking steak, sorry you all, but I've seen pictures of some I thought could have been resuscitated, I am not a picky eater. I used to wear it well but I'm afraid that's not true anymore.

Good idea about the ramekins.

jude

Jude31, thank you for answering my questions. I have a lot to learn about cooking (sadly) so things that may seem obvious to many, need to be spelled out for me. Good luck with your lighter recipes. Please post on how they turn out.

Ann t, your version of the dish also sounds (& looks) so yummy. This is something new for me. Gotta try it!

I lighten recipes all the time. Yes you can use whole milk, half and half, and evaporated milk as subs for cream. I'm not sure about 2% because there is some "mouth feel" there coming from the cream, so I wouldn't go that low. Also, instead of six eggs, I would use four eggs and four egg whites. No need to buy egg beaters, they are just egg whites with yellow food coloring. I have a similar bread pudding recipe and I make those substitutions all the time (two egg whites = 1 egg, milk for cream). That has a whole lot less calories. And I never use heavy cream. The heaviest I got is half and half. Also easy to cut down the butter to 1/3 cup. I don't think any of these would affect the taste that much. But also, I would add 2 big dollops of mild salsa to the recipe too. Not sure how big two dollops are, like maybe 3-4 TBLSP.

I agree with Lpink. You can definitely make the substitutions that she suggests. But we forewarned, there is a difference in the finished product. I would rather eat a smaller portion or make it less often than to sub out all the richness. Some things are not nearly as satisfying when major adjustments are made to cut out calories. It isn't just calories that are cut out but also flavour.

If you love that corn pudding and you only make it a few times a year, then I wouldn't worry about lightening it up. Just enjoy.

Ann

Ann, I have one more question. Do you always use fresh corn?

Thanks, jude

Jude, no. I only use fresh corn in season. Otherwise I use either canned or frozen.

Ann

Hey Jude --

Enjoying this thread, but just wanted to mention that your doctor's suggestion of a smaller plate actually has a lot of good research to support it. People who use smaller plates actually wind up eating quite a bit less, generally without feeling less satisfied. On that topic -- as well as many other small ways you can reduce your eating without a lot of suffering -- you might like a book called Mindless Eating. Its by a professor at Cornell who studies the psychology of food and eating, and it's a great, easy-to-read, eye-opening book!

Emily

Here is a link that might be useful: Mindless Eating

Emily, I know/knew the doctor's suggestion was a good one, without question. I was only kidding about it. Thanks for the book recommendation.

jude

Ooops -- Sorry I misread your post Jude! Anyway, definitely looking forward to further posts on this thread... I often run across recipes I just can't bring myself to make because of the amount of fat in them... But of course that doesn't stop me from lusting after them!

I'm with you, Emily. I do have 2 things going for me though. I'm not that fond of sweets but when pictures are posted, I could be influenced and I don't bake all that much. Woe unto me if I did! The picture of the Lemon Pudding cake recipe posted by duocanoe had me licking my lips. I saved the recipe...just in case. Another is LindaC's Apple Cake and Sol's Dirt Bombs. If I have a favorite in the sweets category it's apple. I do love a simple apple pie, not one with a lot of extra stuff.

jude

I think I'll make this tonight, probably with evaporated milk since that's what I've got.

Sheesh. I've been using small plates for years. It DOES get me more exercise since we usually serve buffet style and I have to go back! And I gave away my New Orleans Cookbook because everything in it looked like a heart attack and I didn't want to try anything for fear it would be good. But I can try this because you are going to make it light! (No pressure! Hahahhahaha)

DO report back please, and thanks for sharing.

I made a half recipe with whole evaporated milk (otherwise unchanged) and I don't think it turned out right but I'm not sure HOW it's supposed to be. It was certainly good and we didn't have leftovers but the texture was weird. Or it wasn't. Because I don't know!

Yummy. Ramekins next time. Or a quarter recipe.

Okay, I'm reporting back..I just finished dinner which was Sooz's baked pork chops, which were yummy, corn pudding and green peas. I made half the recipe, and the only change I made was to use a small (5 oz.) can of evaporated milk and finished with 3 oz.s of heavy cream. (why does heavycream, whipping cream etc. have such a long shelf life?) I baked the corn pudding in 6 oz. ramekins,(7 of them) may have been just a tad overbaked, hard to judge the baking time, but it was very good. I have no idea how that computes fat wise or calorie wise but we have 2 more meals to go.

I like using the ramekins and without going back to see who suggested it, I'll just say, thank you very much.

jude

If I'm just making corn custard for dinner I make it in a casserole dish. But if I make it for a slightly nicer dinner or for guests then I like making it in ramekins. Just a much nicer presentation.