Sausage Corn Tart !

Well.... Sausage Corn Quiche is probably more accurate since I don't have a tart pan. (Santa, if you are reading this, you have another idea for under the tree. Wink. Wink.)

Yet another recipe from the Tabasco Cookbook. That cookbook gets a real workout around our house. This tart.. ahem.. quiche is perfect for breakfast or even a lunch or dinner with a green salad on the side. It is a colorful dish so you can feel confident serving it to guests.

And away we go....


Some items you will need: Hot Italian Sausage, red bell pepper, green onions, corn, one ready made pie crust, eggs, salt, Tabasco sauce, dry mustard, kosher salt. Items not shown: milk and flour.

Sausage Corn Tart

* 2 cups fresh corn kernels (I used frozen and just cooked til tender)
* 1/2 pound hot Italian sausage
* 1 small red bell pepper, diced
* 1 green onion, sliced
* Prepared pastry for single-crust pie
* 3 large eggs
* 1 cup milk
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon Original TABASCO® brand Pepper Sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon salt



Place corn in a 2-quart saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes until corn is tender. Drain.



Remove casing from sausage. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until well browned on all sides, stirring to break up sausage; remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.



In drippings remaining in skillet, cook bell pepper 3 minutes;



add green onion and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.



Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom (or use a 9-inch pie pan like I did) with prepared pie crust. Line the pie crust with wax paper and fill with rice to keep the crust from bubbling and losing it's shape. Bake 10 minutes. Remove rice and wax paper.



In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, flour, TABASCO® Sauce, mustard, and salt until well blended.



Stir in corn, sausage, and red pepper in to the mixture



and pour into prepared pie crust. I used aluminum foil on the edge of the crust to keep it from browning further.


Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake tart 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.



Makes 6 servings.

All Wrapped Up

It is SNOWING here in our little south Texas neck-of-the-woods!

In honor of this rare occasion, and due to the time of year where gifts are given and after Christmas sales are looming in the not too distant future, I bring you some comfy and cute sweaters.


Wrapped In Ruffles Cardigan from Anthropologie. It is made of boiled wool so it has warmth and the ruffles make this a cute alternative to the basic cardigan. It could easily go with skinny jeans and boots or you could top a pencil skirt with tights and pumps. It comes in several colors, so choosing just one can be rather difficult....but I may be up for the challenge...hmmmm.... should I pick the teal or purple or black? Oh, my!



The J Crew long cashmere cardigan is a more basic cardigan, but with a boyfriend twist and the warmth and softness of cashmere. This sweater is a favorite of celebrities, including Reese Witherspoon. It comes in a load of color options, so you are bound to find one that you love.


Ribbed Cowlneck Sweater from Banana Republic. The soft drape of the neckline along with the ease of the overall shape, makes this a winner for lounging around the house, running errands or it can be dressed up with a cute skirt or dress pant. It comes in Light Grey Heather, Oatmeal Heather or Black. I love grey, but I am a little partial to the Oatmeal with this one.


For more casual Holiday events, the Chiffon Rose Cardigan from Ann Taylor Loft would be a cute topper to just about any bottom you want to party in. It comes in Vintage Plum, Pale Rose and Black.

Corn and Chicken Chowder or Baby, it's cold outside!

Here in south Texas, we have officially started the Christmas season with a cold front. The tree is up, the sweaters are on, and now I'm ready for a bowl of something hot that has a little kick to it!

Today I made Corn and Chicken Chowder from the Tabasco Cookbook. My husband has had this cookbook since before we started dating, and I have to say, it may be one of the reasons we started dating. He made some yummy stuff on one of our dates and I haven't left yet. I know, I could have bought my own copy, but a cookbook won't let you put your cold feet on them to warm them up on a cold night. That and my husband will cook while the cookbook just sits there. Take THAT, cookbook!

Let's start...

Some of the items you will need:1 pound of chicken breast, leeks, potatoes, butter, chicken broth, paprika, green bell pepper, corn, and Tabasco sauce. Not shown: flour, salt and half & half. (Heavy whipping cream muscled in on the photo-op, but H&H took HWC behind the workshop and gave it what for! Therefore, HWC will not be seen elsewhere in this recipe.)



Corn and Chicken Chowder

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
  
• 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  
• 2 medium leeks, sliced (about 2 cups)
  
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  
• 1 large green pepper, diced
  
• 2 tablespoons paprika
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 3 cups chicken broth
  
• 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Original TABASCO® brand Pepper Sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup half-and-half
  

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.


Add chicken and cook until well browned on all sides, stirring frequently. With slotted spoon, remove chicken to a plate.



Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to drippings in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium; add leeks, potatoes, and green pepper and cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.



Stir in paprika and flour until well blended; cook 1 minute.


Add Corn...


...chicken broth, and TABASCO^® Sauce, salt....


...and chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.


Stir in half-and-half and heat through.


Get a bowl and spoon, and dig in!
Makes 8 cups.