Curried Cornbread Pudding with Sausage, Apples and Mozzarella

Source: An Award Winning Recipe ... 1996 Jones Dairy Farm B&B Recipe Contest Winner. Featured on PBS-TV's Country Inn Cooking with Gail Greco - from The Inn at 410, Flagstaff, Arizona

Pudding:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 (12 ounce) package Jones All Natural Roll Sausage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups day-old cornbread cubes
3 cups shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese
10 large eggs
2 1/2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
Pumpkin sauce

Pumpkin Sauce:
2 cups canned pumpkin
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups skim milk

Measure all of the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan, stir together and cook over medium heat until heated through. Serve warm with curried cornbread pudding.

Makes: 4 cups sauce.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the chopped onion and sausage until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, then remove from heat. Drain well.

Spray muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Divide the cornbread cubes evenly among the 24 muffins cups. Next, layer the sausage, then the cheese. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, skim milk, coriander, cumin, ginger, dry mustard, curry powder and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. Beat for 5 minutes. Pour about 1/4 cup of the egg-milk mixture into each muffin cup. Top each muffin cup with 3 to 5 apples slices arranged in a pinwheel.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until pudding is "set." Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

For each serving: Run a knife around the edge of the muffin cups. Carefully remove 2 "bread puddings" and set on a plate. Serve warm with a pool of Pumpkin Sauce on the side.

Makes: 24 muffin cups = 12 servings