Savory Cornbread 2.0

I felt that I had created a great flavor combination with the last rice dish I posted. It would have also been a complete meal according to the food chart they taught us in the 80’s. I started wondering what else I could do to make a complete meal. According to the original meaning of the word ‘mess’, these recipes probably qualify. Most modern cooking would probably be considered. Now if you’re the type of person who likes their food to stay on it’s own side of the plate, you could say you don’t like a mess, but if you’re a fan of pizza, lasagna, and chili you’re out of luck. This recipe is also pretty advanced. The amount you dessicate the tomato spinach mixture will affect your final baking time. Anyway this is where the term mess hall comes from and on to the recipe.

Ingredients:
Condensed liquid add in:

• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 9 oz bag spinach
• 2 Tbsp hot sauce
• 4 cloves garlic minced

Dry ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups cornmeal
• 2 1/4 cups cake or all purpose flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp baking powder

Liquid ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

‘Filling’:

• 1 lb sausage
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 8 oz bag of shredded cheese

Instructions:

1. Brown sausage in large frying pan.
2. Mix in medium bowl with sour cream and cheese.
3. Set aside.
4. In sausage oil over medium heat add diced tomatoes and spinach.
5. Cover and steam spinach until it is wilted.
6. Simmer, dessicating the mixture. When mostly dry and creating paste on the surface of the pan add the tomato sauce, hot sauce, and garlic. I have found a rubber spatula works best when trying to dessicate a mixture.
7. Repeat the drying until you think you have the majority of the water removed or you feel you are in danger of burning.
8. Set aside and allow to cool.
9. Mix together dry ingredients with whisk in large bowl.
10. Set aside.
11. In medium bowl beat eggs. I used a fork.
12. Add buttermilk and oil.
13. Continue beating until emulsified.
14. Add tomato spinach mixture.
15. Mix well with rubber spatula.
16. Mixing with rubber spatula add 1/3 of liquid and tomato spinach combination into the dry ingredients.
17. Mix well.
18. Repeat until all of the liquid is incorporated into the dry ingredients. This is your cake batter.
19. Pour 1/2 of cake batter into 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread level.
20. Layer ‘filling’ over top of first half of batter.
21. Add remaining cake batter over filling and level.
22. Place in preheated 375 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown.
23. Allow to cool to eating temperature. Serve and enjoy.