Thanksgiving recipe: Corn Pudding Casserole

So I made this for our work "Thanksgiving" and it was a hit.  Therefore I will be making it for all the potluck holiday events because a: it's a one bowl dish that can cook in the crock pot and b: it's a one bowl dish that can cook in the crock pot!

Note:  This is not a healthy, weight watching recipe.  It's yummy and if you drop the spicy stuff, it could be dessert.  I justify it because corn is still listed as a vegetable instead of the starch it is.

Sweet and Spicy Corn Casserole:

(serving for 10-12 people - sorry y'all we're Southern and have big families!)

2 cans creamed corn (you could make it yourself, but why?)
2 cans kernel corn OR 1 16 oz bag of frozen corn
16oz sour cream
1 stick of butter (softened)
1 8oz package of cream cheese (softened)
4 eggs (beaten)
24 oz (roughly) of your favorite cornbread mix (Jiffy works fine, 3 boxes, but if you prefer another go for it.)
1/4 cup honey
(Optional) 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese OR
(Optional) 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
Salt
(Optional if eliminating the spicy) White Pepper

If you're truly looking for a kick, a dash or two of hot sauce is a nice additive, but some people prefer to put it on after it's cooked so it's not all so hot.

OK - so mix it all in a big bowl.  Mix all the wet ingredients first, add in the dry stuff until it's evenly mixed, add salt and pepper to taste.

To bake in an oven: 
Put in a pan or casserole dish and bake at 365 degrees for 45 minutes.  I recommend turning the pan halfway through the baking process.  Depending on where you are (dry hot kitchen versus a moist climate) you may need to cover the dish for half the baking period.  It's a pudding but it's meant to be a firm pudding, so too much moisture can make it mushy.  (It will still taste great, but texture matters to some people.)

MY favorite cooking method - CROCK POT: 
For slow cook, put it in a crock pot.  (Use a liner and save yourself the cleaning hell.)  Low for 6-8 hours.  Crack the lid, drain off any moisture and let it cook on high for another 30 minutes to firm up and get golden brown around the edges. (YUM!)
For quick cook:  High for 2 hours, then crack the lid and let it cook another 30 minutes on high.  This will release the moisture and let it firm up and brown nicely.  IT also gives you a chance to make sure the center is cooked through.  The shallower oval crock pots seem to cook it a bit faster than the round deep ones.

It has been suggested that after the holiday, if you mix the leftover corn casserole (What leftovers?!) with the turkey, cranberry, some of the stuffing, green beans and a little gravy - bake it for 30 minutes in a low oven (350?) - you have a whole other dish that can feed the family for a few more days.  I've never seen leftover corn casserole, so... I dunno about all that.

If you take out all the spicy, however, and leave it the basic mild recipe.  You can make it for a breakfast, add some bacon, scrambled eggs and cheese you have a yummy plate.  (The casserole replaces the grits or potatoes, of course).