Potluck Fare

It's Foodie Friday again, and it's time for Friends, Food and Fun at Designs by Gollum. It's always a great way to end the week -- by sharing food!

A favorite potluck dish is Smokestack's Cheesy Corn Bake. It's easy and it's yummy and who doesn't like corn? With cheddar AND cream cheese? Oh, and there is butter, too!

A favorite restaurant since I was a child was Smokestack Restaurant. We always loved BBQ and Smokestack was a favorite of ours. Our favorite meal was the 89er sandwich. Beef, pork or ham on a long roll. With BBQ sauce and shredded lettuce and thinly sliced onion. A pickle on the side.

It was called an 89er because it cost 89 cents which actually, was quite a bit when McDonald's was selling their hamburgers for 15 cents. But it was so big that two could share or you could eat half and take the other half home.

It came with one side and I always had a hard time choosing between the cheesy corn or the baked beans.
Over the years I got the recipe for both the baked beans (which are THE best) and the cheesy corn. And I make both at home.

Smokestack is still around but it is now called Jack's Stack and it still serves the cheesy corn AND the baked beans.

No more 89er, however, although they do have other sandwiches. No long buns, no shredded lettuce and onion. Their sandwiches are still my favorite but alas, I do miss my old favorite.
This is a great recipe, it's easy and makes quite a bit. This is a double recipe because I was taking it to a potluck. I came home with one spoonful left! And that spoonful was left because no one wanted to take the last. When nothing is left, I consider it a successful offering.

SMOKESTACK CHEESY CORN BAKE

2 T. butter
4 t. flour
1/8 t. garlic powder
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 ounce package cream cheese, cut up
3 (10 ounce) packages frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
3 ounces diced ham

Melt butter, stir in flour and garlic powder. Add milk; cook and stir over medium heat. Heat until thick and bubbly; stir in cheeses. Cook/stir over low heat until cheeses melt; stir in corn and ham. Bake in 2 quart casserole for 45 minutes at 350.