Damn Good Succotash

[Thanks to Terri Roberts (www.myspace.com/tei321) for this recipe]

Damn Good Succotash

[Acknowledgements]
This recipe based on p. 169 of "the big book of casseroles," by maryana vollstedt (the cover is all lower-case just like this). Text c.2000 to author, ISBN 0-8118-2260-5.

[Ingredients]
1.5 c. fresh or 10-oz pkg of frozen lima beans (I use baby backhook frozen limas)
1.5 c. fresh corn kernels or one 10-oz pkd of frozen corn kernals (I use frozen)
1/4 c. chopped sweet red bell pepper (I chop this into approx 1/4" squares. Any smaller and you lose their flavor, but any larger and then it doesn't blend right with the other vegggies)
1 tbsp. real butter (you can use margerine if you like but I prefer the richness of the butter's flavor in this dish)
1/2 c. finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 c. half-n-half (from the milk section of the groc in those small cartons. Store brand is fine. If you prefer you can use regular milk--but again, you will lose some of the richness of flavor)
1/2 tsp. of sugar or Splenda
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 c. water

[Instructions]
Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Add the water to a medium saucepan and bring water to a boil over med/high heat. While the water is warming, make a small slit (to vent) in the bags of frozen limas and corn, toss them in the microwave and heat for 3-4 minutes at 60% power to thaw--but not cook the veggies.

When the water comes to a boil, add LIMA BEANS only, then cook uncovered approx 5 minutes. Then stir in corn and chopped red pepper and cook until all veggies are "tender-crisp", think al dente. Depending on your microwave, this will take 3-6 minutes cooking in the pan. Drain veggies (I recommend using a collander for better drainage.) Rinsing and reserve the saucepan.

Use spray-on oil to lightly coat a 2.5 quart glass casserole dish. Add drained cooked veggies to this dish and set aside.

Now place the rinsed saucepan back on stove over medium heat. Add butter and melt; then add onion and saute until tender, ~5 min. Stir in half-n-half, sugar, and desired amt of salt (I use abt one pinch) and fresh ground black pepper (I use use more pepper since I like it a lot. Approx 1/4 tsp. or so). Simmer for ~2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and gently pour mixture over veggies in casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, then stir well and bake another 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let dish cool slightly (5-10 min) prior to serving. Refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hrs of cooling.