One of my favorite side dishes is corn pudding.

This first recipe is from a cookbook published by the Junior League of Memphis, Tennessee, copyright 1952.

Easy Corn Pudding
1 can cream-style corn
(1/2 green pepper, finely chopped)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Paprika
Bread crumbs
1 teaspoon bacon fat to grease the dish

Grease baking dish with bacon fat. Put the corn in the dish and green pepper if desired. Break in the eggs and stir until mixed. Pour in the milk; while stirring add sugar, salt, and sprinkle top with dry bread crumbs and paprika. Put dish in a pan of hot water and bake 1 hour in a 350 degree oven. Serves 4 to 6.

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Spoonbread is a southern side dish that is more of a pudding than a bread, that's why the spoon.

Corn Spoonbread

3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups corn meal
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons cold water
2 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 400∫F. In pan, heat milk, salt and sugar to a moderate temperature. Add corn meal and cook as mush (about 5 minutes). Beat together eggs, baking powder, water and butter. Add to corn meal mixture. Pour into buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

I bought a packet of polenta (the dry version, not pre-made) at the 99 Cent Only store yesterday, along with a jar of eggplant and parsley pasta sauce. Mr. Kitchentales is not a big fan of eggplant, but I don't expect he'll know it is in there because it just looks like a tomato sauce with chunks.

Sauteed Polenta with Sauce

1 cup cornmeal or polenta (coarse-ground cornmeal)
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions

In a mixing bowl combine cornmeal, cold water and salt. Grease a square baking dish. Bring the remaining 3 cups of water to a rolling boil and stir in the cornmeal mixture. Bring the mixture back to a boil while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in the cheese.
Let the mixture simmer for 20 to 30 minutes; stirring frequently. Allow the polenta to simmer until it becomes very thick. Spread the mixture into the pan and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

To prepare: use a coffee cup or glass to cut rounds of polenta. Lay out overlapping in a baking dish, brush with olive oil, and bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve as you would pasta with a sauce or sauteed peppers and sausage.