Cornbread Casserole
(Adapted from Earl Brandy, Jr.’s Sausage Pepper Cheese Quiche with Cornbread Crust – 3rd place winner, 2008 National Cornbread Festival)

Cornbread Casserole

Cornbread Crust
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup coarse ground corn meal (or polenta)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (4 1/2 oz.) can diced green chiles, drained

Filling
5 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound pork sausage
2 cups chopped red bell pepper (2 large peppers)
2 cup chopped onion (1 large onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded yellow Cheddar cheese

Toppings
Sour cream
Chopped cilantro

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 3 quart (13×9) pyrex dish; place in oven 7 to 8 minutes or until hot.

Add baking soda to buttermilk; set aside for 5 minutes. In large mixing bowl, combine all cornbread crust ingredients; stir until well blended. Pour into hot baking dish. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.

Reduce oven to 350° F. In large mixing bowl, combine 5 eggs, milk, salt, pepper and cumin; beat well.

Remove the sausage from their casings and brown, breaking it up into pieces. Remove the sausage from the pan, draining excess fat. Sautee peppers and onions.

Layer sausage, peppers, onions, and cheeses over crust. Pour egg mixture over top. Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and set. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of sour cream and cilantro.

(8-10 servings)