I feel like I blinked after the Portland Marathon, only to open my eyes and find that not only had the entire Husky football season flown by, but that it was also Thanksgiving weekend – a weekend devoted to family and friends, rivalries and the Seattle Marathon. You see, November through February represents the “busy season” at the steakhouse and I’ve been spending more time than I’m accustomed to doing this thing called “work.” It’s left me little time to study and research, less time to develop recipes and even littler time to blog about the recipes that I’ve been researching. The good news? I’ve decided to spend all day today – Thanksgiving – at home, where I’ll reboot, recharge, and get ready for my favorite time of the year while catching up on Homeland and Dexter.
Call me crazy, but national security + homicide + Christmas decorations + Paleo blogging = the best Thanksgiving I’ve ever had.
It being Thanksgiving, I decided to sleep in. I turned off my alarm clock last night and left my cell phone in the living room, determined to sleep past 10am. I woke up at 8:45. Is this what it’s like to be an adult? Unable to sleep in when not medicated by a bottle of red wine? I stayed in bed until 9:30, threw in the towel on sleep and shuffled into the kitchen to make breakfast. Upon opening the fridge, I found little to be desired that wasn’t to be saved for tonight’s dinner. SO… I got creative. I found some apples leftover from a trip to Walla Walla in my pantry, some breakfast sausage and bacon in the fridge and a few spices to kick everything up a notch. The results were shockingly delicious and set me up properly for my last Seattle Marathon training run and a day of intense Paleo blogging. Without the eggs, I’d venture to say this would be an excellent side dish for a Holiday gathering or as the stuffing for a bib lettuce taco.
Baked Apple-Sausage Hash
Ingredients:
0.5 lb. breakfast sausage (I used pork), removed from casing
2 strips all-natural bacon, diced
3 eggs
1 medium-sized apple (as mine came from a private orchard, I have no idea of its varietal), diced
Half of a medium sweet potato, shredded
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
1. In a small bowl, toss apple with cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat coconut oil a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add shallots and let cook for a few minutes. Add breakfast sausage and bacon, stirring frequently to break up breakfast sausage. When sausage and bacon are brown, add sweet potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and basil. After a few minutes, add apple to the skillet. Stir to combine and let cook for 5 minutes.
3. Pour everything into a small baking dish (I used an 8×8″ pan). Make three holes in the sausage mixture, cracking one egg into each hole. Bake for 10 minutes, or until eggs are cooked to your preference. 10 minutes was perfect for me, with the eggs coming out over-medium.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 2-3 people