Breakfast Sausage Spice Mix

I have been using this sausage spice blend for several years now.  It all started when the brand of breakfast sausage that I bought for E that was MSG free, all natural, blah blah blah increased in price to $7 a roll! A. ROLL.

Um. No.

I knew I could create a blend that was TRULY all natural, with no chemicals and full of delicious flavor in addition to being inexpensive!  The really great thing about these, as with all of my spice mixes, is that you can adjust and experiment to find a flavor combination that fits your family's tastes.

Sausage Spice Blend

What you need:

• T Tbs each sage and granulated garlic
• 1 tsp each granulated onion, fennel seed, salt and pepper
• 1 pound fresh ground pork
• 1 egg white
• 2-3 Tbs oil, plus enough oil to fry the sausage

What to do:

• In a small bowl mix the spices
• Add the pork to a medium bowl 
• Sprinkle about 2 Tbs of the spice mixture over the pork
• Add the egg white and oil to the pork and mix well*
• Form the pork into patties, you should be able to form about 6 patties
• In a pan with about 2 Tbs of oil over medium heat, add the patties and cook until done. About 5-7 minutes per side depending on thickness

*Wet your hands with water to prevent the pork from sticking to your hands

You may also like:

Taco/Chili Seasoning Mix

Homemade Seasoning Salt

Tandoori Spice Mix

Happy Monday!

Cinnamon Crumb Cake

So we have previously established that I am not a baker. So when I find a pastry or cake or sweet treat that turns out really well, I make it over and over again.  See Fresh Lemon Tarts or my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Luckily, the folks in my house don’t mind.

We have also established that I love, love, love Cui.sine at H.ome magazines.  It is my favorite, by far, of any food related magazine I have ever received.  I’ve been getting these for years now.  It is completely ad free, the magazine teaches technique, offers unbiased kitchen equipment buying guides, tips tricks, etc. It is a full color, unpretentious cooking magazine! I totally fan girl over it.  Additionally, every recipe I have ever tried out of any of their issues has required very little tweaking and has always been delicious.

This crumb cake was one of those recipes that I make over and over again.  This easy and delicious cake was a hit with the elders for Mother’s Day and the sweet tooth fiends in my house. It is rich and moist and just plain old good!

Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Adapted from http://www.cuisinerecipes.com

What you need for the crumb topping:

• 1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (8 Tbsp.)
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

What you need for the cake:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. baking soda
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 325° with rack in center position
• Coat an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter and flour
• For the crumb topping, combine brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, and ½ tsp. salt; add melted butter and stir to combine. Stir in 1½ cups flour until mixture forms moist clumps.
• For the cake, whisk together 1¼ cups flour, baking powder, ½ tsp. salt, and baking soda in a bowl.
• Cream softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, beating just until incorporated. Add sour cream and beat just until blended.
• Beat in flour mixture in three additions on low speed just until incorporated.
• Transfer batter to prepared dish; smooth top. Crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Completely cover cake with crumbs (topping will be thick).
• Bake cake until topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 45–50 minutes.
• Let cake cool completely before serving.

Happy Monday!

Sweet. Sticky. Spicy.

These fried chicken strips were seriously delicious.  It was all in the sauce.  

However, I seriously don't know what to call the sauce. Maybe I will think of something by the time I make it to the end...

So we had this for dinner last night the sauce tasted like the sauce from General Tso chicken but it was so simple I can't even call it that! It seriously has four ingredients. FOUR! Brown sugar, hot sauce, pepper flakes, water.

Chicken Sauce? It would be good on beef strips, in a stir fry.

Multi-purpose Sauce? Brown Sugar Chicken Sauce?

I'm trying y'all! LOL  How bout I just tell you how to make the sauce and you can call it what you like and put it on what you like? 

Spicy Brown Sugar Sauce!

What you need:

• 1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 6 Tbs of your favorite hot sauce
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 3 Tbs water

What to do:

• Place all of the ingredients in a heavy bottom sauce pan
• Bring to a boil until sugar melts
• That's it!

Happy Monday!

via

Happy Monday!

via

Cinco de Drinko! - Pineapple Jalapeno Margatini

Anybody that's spent any amount of time with me knows I love a good cocktail.  I mean I will pick a restaurant based solely on how the bartender pours. #WordLife

I am always looking for a good cocktail to make at home as well, cause for $10 a drink I can just buy the bottle! LOL So when I came across this marvelous drink recipe I could not resist. I already had every single thing in my liquor closet pantry!

Let me tell you, that jalapeno hits you right in the back of your throat...the sweet, the spicy the fruity all work well in this cocktail that will definitely be a repeat! I could absolutely see me using the jalapeno simple syrup in other drinks. Also, I may or may not have used more than 2 ounces of tequila...

Pineapple Jalapeno Margatini
http://www.tasty-trials.com/2012/04/crazy-days-and-pineapple-jalapeno.html
Makes 1 serving

What you need:

• 1 oz jalapeno-cilantro simple syrup (recipe follows)
• 2 oz pineapple juice
• 1.5-2 oz tequila blanco
• 1/2 oz triple sec
• Squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice

What to do:

• Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice
• Shake well
• Strain into a pretty cocktail glass. Enjoy!

Jalapeno-Cilantro Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over high heat.
• Let boil for a few minutes until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear and slightly thickened. Strain and let cool.

Originally posted 5/9/2012

Cinco de Drinko! - Classic Margarita

Before moving to Texas I'd never heard of zydeco music, eating crawfish (we used to fish with them) or ever 'celebrated' Cinco de Mayo, among other things.  

While I will never be first in line to purchase a zydeco CD, I will eat my weight in crawfish and I will throw a couple back for Cinco de Mayo.

Cinco de Mayo is actually, "the date that is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.  Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day—the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico—which is celebrated on September 16." Source

Knowledge is power.

In order to help you throw a few back how about a drink recipe a day through Cinco de Mayo?  First up, a classic margarita with fresh lime, silver tequila (my favorite) and a little triple sec.

Classic Margarita
Makes 1 cocktail

What you need for the drink:

• Juice of two limes, about 1/4 cup
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 4 ounces tequila
• 1 ounce triple sec

What to do:

• In a small sauce pan gently heat the lime juice and sugar until sugar is dissolved
• Place two tablespoons of the lime simple syrup, the tequila and the triple sec into a shaker with ice
• Shake vigorously and pour into a cocktail glass rimmed with sugar or salt