Country Breakfast

On Sunday mornings, I cook a large breakfast. Typically, this breakfast is more of a brunch, so I try to make it count. Today, I focused on a Country Style Breakfast.

Required Items
Eggs
Jennie-O Breakfast Sausage
Trader Joe's Ready to Bake Biscuits
Butter
Trader Joe's Strawberry Jam

Start the coffee pot.  Heat the oven to 350. Heat a large skillet over a low medium heat.


Cover a cookie sheet with tin foil and place the Trader Joe's ready to bake biscuits on the cookie sheet. When the oven is heated, place the biscuits in the oven.


Add the Jennie-O Sausage. I place the sausage on the sides of the skillet so I can use the center for my eggs. Let the sausage cook for a about 5 minutes on a low heat.

I prefer eggs over easy so I crack a few eggs in the center of the pan. I season the eggs with Trader Joe's fresh ground sea salt and finely ground black pepper. After about 3 minutes I flip by eggs over gentle.

At this point, you should be ready to go. The sausage is cooked through and the eggs are ready. The biscuits should be just about ready to pull out of the oven. I cut the biscuits in half and add butter and strawberry jam. I close the biscuit back up so the flavors melt into the biscuit.



Notes
1) Natural Honey is a good alternative to strawberry jam.
2) If you like scrambled eggs, crack a 3eggs into a cup, add a 1/4 cup of whole milk and beat the mixture.
3) Skillets are something you develop over time. Try to clean your skillet as little as possible because you want the pan to become seasoned. Keeping a skillet is a bit of an art. http://www.realsimple.com/skillet 101

All Day Parfait

 

Recently, I have been on a "Parfait" kick. I created my own light version that fills you up with fewer calories. I use 1/2 cup of Horizon Organic Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt with 1/4 Kashi GoLean Crunch Honey Almond Flax. Of course, they are many ways to vary the taste. I suggesting buying a variety of fat free yogurts so can change up the taste with little effort. Also, Kashi Crunch also comes in a few different flavors. If you want, you can add a little fruit but be careful of the extra sugar in fruit.

Usable Garden

I am a huge advocate of a usable garden. I grow roses, lavender, tomatoes, blueberries, avocados, oranges and a variety of herbs. This book discusses homeopathic remedies easily grown in your backyard and put to good use. If you don't have a lot of space, chose some of your favorites that will fit the conditions of your situation (sun exposure, watering requirements) and go to a local nursery. Specialists at the nursery will advise you which plants will do well in pots, or small spaces.

Le Whif - Light as Air Chocolate Treat

As you all know, I love chocolate.  I will try this new treat and report back.

http://www.lewhif.com/

Dark Greens and Goat Cheese Salad

I am a big fan of the salad. I grew up eating salad at least once a day so I have had years to play with ingredients.

Ingredients
Bib Lettuce
Fancy Spring Green
Laudemio Olive Oil (or an High quality OO)
Goat Cheese
Truffle Oil Salt
Lemon

I get my green mixes from Trader Joe's but really you can get them from anywhere. The key is to choose dark colored greens. I would stay away from Romaine and Iceberg. Place your greens into a bowl and crumble the goat cheese on top. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the salad and cheese. Add truffle salt at will. Squeeze half a lemon over the top. Toss the salad and you are ready to go.



Tips: (1) It is easier to squeeze out the lemon juice when you roll the lemon first.

(2) Recently, I had a dinner party and used the remaining goat cheese from the night before.



This salad is a great side for comfort food.