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This is also a good recipe for Italian meatballs. You can substitute beef for pork or blend a combination of both.

Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried savory

Chop all in a small food processor to make it finer.

Sausage Ingredients (for 1 pound of meat)
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (from above mixture)
• ¾ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp fennel seeds
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp red pepper flake
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 lb. batch of pork shoulder and add ¼ lb. pork belly fat (skin removed)
• 1 3-foot length sausage casing (29-32mm, 1 1/8″ – 1 1/4″, Natural Hog
• ¼ cup water

Open one end of the hog casing and fill a little with running tap water. Squeeze the water through the case. Do this a couple more times to clean the inside of the casing. Soak the casing in water with a touch of vinegar for an hour. This makes the casing easier to chew when cooked with the casing on.

Cut the meat into ½ inch cubes. This makes it easier to grind the meat through a small grinder setting on a KitchenAid grinder attachment. In the KitchenAid mixing bowl, add the sausage ingredients to the meat and the ¼ cup of water. Attach the mixing paddle and mix the meat, seasoning and water 2 minutes. Place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator. Need to always keep the meat cold to preserve the fat.

Setup the KitchenAid with the casing stuffer and stuff the casing. Roll the casing on the counter to get it even meat. About 4 inches from one end pinch the sausage and turn the link away from you. Another 4 inches down the same but roll the link towards you. Do this until the entire casing is completely linked. Place in the frig in a sealed container overnight if you will use the sausage the next day or you can place the links in a freezer bag and freeze until use.

Note: In the pic above I removed the casing. I will be making a Ragu today and like to brown the meat without the casing on first. If you like serving a link alongside spaghetti, then you might consider leaving the casing on while cooking the sausage in the sauce.

As of 1/22/23

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2 eggs
2 TBSP heavy cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 TBSP clarified butter (I make my own)
¼ inch slice of Swiss cheese from a block, run through a hand cheese grater
1 chive, chopped or the top of a scallion, chopped

Add the eggs, mustard and cream in a bowl and whisk.

Add the butter to a small 8” fry pan. As the butter melts add the eggs and keep scrambling with a small rubber spatula. Add the chives. Add the cheese and keep scrambling into the right consistency. Some people like their eggs tight and completely cooked. If the eggs get too tight you can always add a touch of cream and mix.

Serve while hot.

I serve this with rolled slices of Black Forest ham.

Note: In the picture of the stove, you will see I have cookie sheets over the other burners. I do this for two reasons, 1. To protect the other burners from spatter, but mostly 2. To cool off the pan. If the pan with the eggs gets too hot, I rest the pan on the cold cookie sheet for a few seconds. This draws the heat from the pan. You can control eggs a lot easier by simply removing the pan from the heat and cool it on the cookie sheet or on a cold metal part of your stove top.

As of 1/22/23

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4 eggs
4 TBSP water
½ tsp dried basil
S&P

¼ cup of chopped onion
3 cups spinach, stems removed
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes – julienne cut (not in oil)
Small piece of thick ham
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 TBSP olive oil

Preheat oven to 350° (for you UK cooks that would be gas Mark 4)

In an oven proof small pan (10”) add oil and brown the piece of ham. Remove and chop into small cubes.

Add the spinach to the pan and on medium heat and wilt the spinach a little. Remove. Turn off heat.

In the pan add the onions, ham and dried tomatoes and distribute evenly. Add the spinach evenly on top.

Whisk the eggs, water basil and S&P.

Pour eggs over the ingredients in the pan. Grate the fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Place in oven and cook exactly 17 minutes. Watch out, the pan will be hot, use a thick pot holder, even a towel might not be enough.

As of 1/21/23

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1 cup rice cooked

2 eggs beaten
8 medium shrimp
2 small shallots, finely diced
1 inch fresh ginger, run through a micro-plane
3 cloves garlic, run through a micro-plane
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder
¼ yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 scallion, thinly sliced long ways
½ red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
2 TBSP veg oil
1 dash Shaoxing wine
1 dash soy sauce
1 Dash sesame oil
10 slices of hot pepper Andouille sausage. Or what ever sausage you like if it is not breakfast sausage
Dash of Chiu Chow Chili Oil

In wok over medium heat add a TBSP of oil. Just when the oil starts to smoke add the egg and make an omelet. Remove to a cutting surface. Roll the egg and cut ¼ inch strips. Place in a bowl.

In the wok add the shrimp and lightly cook on both sides until the shrimp turns a light red. Remove and place in the bowl with the eggs.

In the wok add a touch of oil and cook the sausage a few minutes. Remove and add the sausage to the bowl with the eggs and shrimp.

Add a little more oil and touch of Shaoxing wine. Deglaze the wok. Add ginger and garlic and cook until the aroma develops. Add the curry and turmeric.

Add all the veggies and stir fry. Add more Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir fry.

(When stir frying some use a slotted spoon, or a wok spoon, I use a rubber spatula.)

Return the eggs, shrimp, and sausage. Make sure there is enough wine, sauce and oil to make a gravy. If not, add a little water. Stir fry. Place the wok on simmer and cover. Let steam for a few minutes to get hot.

Spoon rice in a bowl and top with a good spoon full of the wok ingredients. Place a little Chiu Chow Chili Oil on top and eat with chop sticks.

As of 1/14/23

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.5 lb. ground beef
4 oz can of mushroom bits (drained)
10 oz fresh baby spinach
1 TBSP olive oil
¼ onion chopped
1 clove garlic coarsely minced
1/8 cup milk
1/8 cup heavy cream
1 oz cream cheese
1 TBSP sour cream
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan

(You can also add a little fresh dill on top)

In large pot of boiling water, cook spinach for 30 seconds. Drain and run cold water on it to stop the cooking.
When cool enough to handle, drain, and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
In the pot add olive oil add the chopped onion and sauté 3 minutes, add the mushrooms and sauté 4 minutes.
Add the ground beef and season, drain off beef juices
Add the spinach and the garlic.
In a separate small pan add milk, heavy cream, sour cream and cream cheese. Simmer slowly until cream cheese is melted. Add the cream to the dish.
Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne.
Combine all.
Top with grated Parmesan.

Note: I would use a dutch oven with tall sides. This is a lot of mixing for a shallow fry pan.

Serves 2

As of 1/9/23