Southwestern Sausage Casserole (Crockpot)

 

The southwestern-inspired flavors in this dish are phenomenal! After having two heaping portions, I had to pull myself away from the crockpot so I could ensure I would be able to enjoy the leftovers the next day.

It's not the easiest dish to photograph, but I promise you won't be disappointed in the flavor. The contrasting textures of the sausage, beans and peas, and cornmeal casserole are wonderful!

Southwestern Sausage Casserole (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned
·1½ cups milk
·½ cup water
·1 egg
·¾ cup cornmeal
·1 small red onion, diced
·1 cayenne or hot pepper, diced
·1 – 10oz. bag frozen peas
·1 – 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
·1 – 10.5oz. can diced tomatoes and chilies, drained and rinsed
·½ batch of homemade taco seasoning (recipe below)
·Toppings: Mexican style shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions

Directions:
Place browned sausage in the bottom of the crockpot. In a small bowl, combine milk, water, egg, and cornmeal. Dump liquid mixture over the sausage and add remaining ingredients from onion to taco seasoning. Stir together and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
*Note: I only used half of the seasoning batch below for my Southwestern Sausage Casserole crockpot recipe. I often make a double or triple batch and store it in the spice drawer to be easily used for tacos or other Mexican-inspired recipes.
Ingredients:
·1 TBS dried onion
·2 TBS paprika
·1 tsp ground cumin
·1 tsp dried oregano
·½ tsp cocoa powder
·½ tsp sugar
·½ tsp chili powder
·¼ red pepper
·½ tsp sea salt
·1 tsp cornstarch
·1 tsp garlic powder
·1 tsp onion powder
·½ black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Use as needed in desired recipes.


I've also shared this recipe on: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, This Week's Cravings