Recipe: Sunset Studio and Inn Al Carbo Casserole

AL CARBO CASSEROLE BY SUNSET STUDIO AND INN

2 cups of sausage (1 pound pre-cooked)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
5 to 6 slice of white bread, toasted, cut in 1/2-inch wide strips
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
6 to 8 oz Velveeta cheese, sliced into 1/8-inch thick (very thin) strips
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Adams Malabar Ground Black Pepper
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup green bell pepper
2 fresh Jalapeno peppers, seeded, diced*
Slice and dice green bell pepper and reserve.
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced (for garnish)

Brown sausage very well, drain, cool in refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Spray bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish with PAM. (This dish can also be made using two 9-inch round pie-type deep baking dishes).

Pour butter evenly into baking dish. Cover bottom of dish with toast strips. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on bread. Place cooled crumbled sausage on the bread. Lay Velveeta strips over sausage.

Mix eggs, milk, onion powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and black pepper. Pour this mixtures evenly over the cheese, bread and sausage.

Cover top with sliced mushrooms.

Mix green bell pepper and jalapeno peppers and sprinkle over top. Cover with aluminum foil. Chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Garnish with sliced cherry tomatoes before serving.

*Rubber gloves can be used to protect your hands.

Servings: 6-8

VARIATIONS:
Additional meats can be used. 1/2 pound of mesquite smoked ham cubed can be substituted for sausage. If ham is used add 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard to seasonings.

At Sunset inn we make this a lunch dish by adding an apple, cored, peeled, and finely chopped, at the time the sausage or ham is placed in the dish.

Another variance for a lunch dish is to use ham and add chopped pineapple, drained, (approx. 1 cup) at the time the ham is placed in the dish.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
This is a very interesting dish. It appears that it can be effected by the amount of time it is chilled, by the meat used (sausage or ham) and/or the amount of Velveeta cheese used.

This dish can come out of cooking where the melted cheese makes it "runny", and it can be served this way if desired. Sometimes after cooking it is not "runny". This appears to happen when the sausage is used and the chilling time approaches 15 to 20 hours.

Another serving method is to cover the cooked dish and return it to the refrigerator. When cheese, etc. is firm, slice, microwave for approx. 1 minute and serve (cheese does not melt, just heats).

A third way is to freeze the dish, cut into smaller pieces and store. Then only the amount required for a meal need be removed, thawed and microwaved.