Sunrise Skillet Breakfast

Eggs are abundant around here - and heading out to collect them in the mornings brings me such joy.  Especially on a beautiful winter morning like this.

This wasn't today, but it's one of my favorite snowy morning photos from earlier this winter.  On the cold mornings I try to collect eggs twice a day so they don't freeze and bust.  And, they get a handful of MealWorms for extra protein to help them keep laying in the winter.

This recipe is an easy, everyday skillet breakfast.  I used my small cast iron pan so I could finish it off in the oven and perfectly cook those eggs.  

I started with a small handful of hot sausage.  We raised two pigs here on Rockfish Farm last year and ended up with about 100lbs of sausage.  50lbs mild and 50lbs hot.  They're both great but the hot brings so much flavor to the eggs without being overly spicy.  I'll spare you the picture of the pigs in a recipe post.  They were really great to raise and we're about a month out from getting the next round of pigs.  I miss having pigs on the farm.  

Chop the sausage into small pieces in the pan on low heat and let cook almost completely.  Add in chopped green peppers - about a tablespoon.  If you're using a yellow or sweet onion, you can add that in now.  I used spring onion, and wanted them not so cooked, so I added them last.  

Then, turn off the heat, add in a handful of spinach (it cooks down, so get your greens in for the day and go for the 1/2cup), two scrambled eggs, green onions and top with cheese.  Place into a 350 degree oven for about ten minutes until eggs are cooked and cheese is bubbly.  Let cool, and enjoy! 

Sunrise Skillet Recipe:

1/4 cup of hot or mild sausage

1-2 tablespoons chopped green peppers

1/4 to 1/2 cup spinach

2 eggs 

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook sausage, chop into small pieces as cooking.  Add in the green peppers.  Cook sausage almost completely.  Turn off the heat and add in layers: spinach, stirred eggs, chopped onion and top with cheddar cheese and salt and pepper.  Place cast iron pan into 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes until eggs are set and cheese is bubbly.  Enjoy! 

Cherry Cola BBQ Pork

Dinner by 10 is the rule I live by to keep our budget in check.  I love to cook, but after long days I'm tired, my brain is tired and my children are tired.   The last thing I want to do is to prep dinner - especially when my children are in their "needy" time of the day.

My rule is to have dinner planned and prepped by 10am.  When I used to work full time it would be 10pm the night before.  I chop all the vegetables I can, measure out all ingredients I can and have as much mixed as I can so when dinner time comes around it's just pulling it all together.  It makes after dinner dishes much easier too!

This recipe is adapted from the Southern Cast Iron Magazine from May 2018.  Here is how I prepped it to have my dinner ready by 10am.

First, let's prep those Picked Red Onions and get them in the refrigerator.



In a small bowl, or I used a mason jar - fill with 2 cups of thinly sliced red onion.  Then, on the stovetop combine 2 cups of water, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook for 1 minute and then let cool completely.  Pour over the sliced red onions, cover and place in refrigerator up to 5 days. 

Pork Rub:
 1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Now, let marinate the meat.  The longer it sits, the better it tastes! In a small bowl combine salt, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper and ground coriander.  Rub into the pork, cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

BBQ sauce:

Combine:
3 cups Cheerwine or Cherry Cola
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard


Here are your cooking options.  I usually throw into the crockpot because it just makes my life so much easier on busy days.

Cook on low 6-7 hours in a crock pot - pork should easily shred with two forks when its done. If possible, I add the sauce about halfway into cooking - giving it plenty of time to thicken.

If you're not able to add in the sauce, cook sauce on stovetop for about 20 minutes, then when ready to eat combine sauce and pork.

And, lastly if you have the time and a good cast iron dutch oven pot - you can throw the pork in there and put in the oven at 450 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Then, turn the oven down to 325 degrees and continue to cook for about 2.5 more hours.  Pork should register to 185 degrees and easily fork shred.

Shred your pork and add your sauce!

To assemble sandwiches, start with a good crusty hamburger bun, top with pork, sauce, pickled red onions, pickles and enjoy!