Cornbread Dressing With Sausage and Collard Greens

The whole is greater that the sum of it's parts.  That is so true of this dish that was miles better than the original dishes.  So I had all these leftover cornbread muffins that were quickly going stale.  I love dressing/stuffing (or savoury bread puddings) but not cornbread dressing,  but it is the only thing I can think of to do with them and I don't want them to go to waste.  So I look around my fridge trying to use up things that are just taking up space.  I was keeping the clutter under control there for a while but they are winning this round. (for now!)  In addition to the muffins, I have collard greens that need to be used, the pot liquor from cooking the greens and like two bags of celery.  I have my husband pick up some raw sausage patties since I know the little bit of bacon in the muffins won't be enough meat for the boys.  This is one of those dishes that you just can't get enough of.  My husband said, and I quote, "that was a stellar meal  all round!"  He also thought it was a shame they were both so good since they kept trying to out shine each other;).  I am so happy that I am doing this blog at this point.  In the past, we have done our culinary version of improv jazz and loved the results.  Now we have the chance to replicate it.  Pre blog we never would have written down what we made.  This will be my breakfast and lunch until it is gone!


Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Collard Greens

½ large onion, chopped
5 stocks celery, chopped
8 ounces of sausage, smoked whole hog patty
4 eggs, beaten
¾ cup of milk (about)
½ cup Pot liquor from cooking the greens (about)
1 cup collard greens, cooked and chopped
7 cups of cornbread muffins, crumbled (spicy double corn, bacon cheddar muffins)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Sauté celery and onion in olive oil until about 2-5 minutes add the sausage crumble up as it cooks. When the sausage is broken into small bits and mostly cooked through, add pot liquor and keep sautéing until the veggies are fairly soft and the liquid is gone.  Add garlic powder and mix.
Beat eggs and milk in a bowl add them to the crumbled up corn muffins and mix through.  Then add, heaping spoonfuls at a time, of the hot sautéed vegetables and mix. (You do this so that the heat from the veggies doesn’t curdle the eggs) Keep adding until they're incorporated all of them and they are mixed well. If the mixture is not very wet, add a little more milk.  Put them in a baking dish. (I used the pan I sautéed in. As it was oven proof). and bake at 350 covered 25-30 minutes. Uncover and bake additional 20-30 minutes or until set and done.