Roast Beef Biscuit-wiches -- Slow Cooked Tri-Tip Roast

Yesterday I placed a 3-pound tri-tip roast in my crock pot and cooked it about 12-14 hours. I used a very simple rub that I made using 1/2 teaspoon each of sea salt, cracked black pepper, smoked paprika, ground ancho chile pepper and 1/4 teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder -- you can use more or less of the spices to suit your own taste. I sprinkled the seasoning all over the roast and rubbed it in a bit to stick. I sliced an onion and placed it in the bottom of the crock pot and then placed the seasoned roast on top and turned it to high for the first hour and then down to low for the remainder of cooking. I added 1/4 cup water to the crock pot since I wasn't going to be home...but last time I didn't add any additional liquid and it came out delicious with flavorful au jus. I had planned to make my Parmesan Cauliflower Mash to serve with it, but my cauliflower had started to go bad so I tossed it out. I had a test batch of buttermilk biscuits that I am tweaking my recipe to on the counter so I split them and heated them for a few minutes in the oven and then topped them with a couple thick slices of beef and added melted pepper-jack cheese on top...and Voila...Roast Beef Biscuit-wiches! They were delicious and made me glad the cauliflower went bad...LOL. The more detailed roast recipe is here: Slow Cooker Spice Rubbed Tri-Tip Roast. I snapped a quick photo below to share...now off to some late night Costco shopping for me this evening! Enjoy!

Chicken-Apple Sausage & Sprouts

This evening I wanted to make a fairly quick and simple dinner. It was a bright, sunny and cold day here in the Atlanta area and a rare snowy morning. The Atlanta area was socked with a storm yesterday and last night that brought sleet, ice and a few inches of snow. Unfortunately, it also brought treacherous road conditions with it since we are not prepared for winter weather and most of us don't get the opportunity to ever really learn how to drive in it either. There were people stranded along the roads trying to get home from work, school, etc. and there were some that were stuck in their cars for up to 24 hours. It has been a frightening and stressful time for so many Atlantans and their families -- because families got trapped apart from each other rather than trapped at home together. Parents were separated from their kids, many kids got stuck having to sleep at school overnight, people were stuck in their cars on slippery interstates unable to move, hundreds of accidents, people running out of gas after sitting for 16+ hours and many forced to abandon their vehicles and walk for help or shelter in 11 and 12 degrees temps last night. The timing of the storm couldn't be worse because it happened while people were at work and kids in school all were desperately trying to get home to each other and to safety. About 1,000 kids had to spend the night at school and there were so many folks unable to get home and people that were forced to give up and abandon their vehicles and walk for miles to get home or to shelter. I have never seen anything like what we experienced here. While I have seen more snow n my lifetime, I have never a bigger mess than what we just endured. I am glad that it is now behind us.

Dinner tonight was simple -- lightly steamed brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved) sauteed in butter tossed with sliced Aidell's Smoked Chicken & Apple Sausages and thinly sliced onion. It was easy and delicious and a great combination of flavors. I snapped a few photos below. Enjoy!

Good Morning, Atlanta!

Good Morning, Atlanta!  Cranberry Lemon Macaroon Muffins...with hot coffee served in a seasonally appropriate mug, of course. It's 12 degrees this morning but I am not complaining today...I am thankful that I am home, warm and safe unlike many of my other fellow Atlantans, some of whom are still trying to get home from YESTERDAY! Be safe!

Sloppy Joes -- Italian Style

This evening I made a quick and simple dinner using the leftover thick meaty sauce from last night's pasta dinner. It was a spicy arrabbiata type sauce (Del Grosso's Fireworks sauce). It was loaded with sauteed red and yellow bell peppers, mushrooms and over 2 pounds of Italian chicken sausage and chicken breast that I had added to it before simmering it uncovered for over an hour to reduce, thicken and meld all the flavors together when I made it yesterday. It was a super thick and chunky sauce.

When I got home from work this evening and pulled the bowl of leftover meat sauce out of the fridge, I spotted the plate of biscuits I made this weekend on the shelf beside it. It got me thinking that together they would probably make awesome "Sloppy Joes" with an Italian twist. I thought about it for a moment and decided...why not? Sloppy Joes are basically just ground meat in a thick and rich tomato based sauce with onions, peppers and some spices. I sliced and heated the biscuits and warmed up the sauce. I cut a couple slices of mozzarella cheese into thin strips, then pulled out my shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. I topped the biscuits with the meat sauce, mozzarella and a sprinkle of shredded cheese...and Voila...mini Italian Style Sloppy Joes! They were absolutely delicious. It reminded me of using bread to mop up the delicious sauce left on your plate...only this was doing it "sandwich style". I will definitely make these again next time I have leftover meat sauce. I snapped a couple photos for you to see below. Enjoy!

BOOM!

Sunday's Pasta Night -- Family Dinner

This evening the family got together to celebrate my youngest son's birthday. He requested pasta with spicy sauce filled with chicken breast chunks, Italian chicken sausage, yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, and diced zucchini. He wanted it over whole wheat penne (my family is not wheat free). It was an easy meal to prepare so that I could eat it too with very little effort. Except for the pasta, everything was the same -- I simply enjoyed mine over "angel hair zucchini pasta" instead (cut with my julienne vegetable peeler). It was delicious! This is a good example of how easy it is to eat wheat free even when you are surrounded by family or friends that still eat wheat -- I have actually been doing this for over 1-1/2 years and it is second nature now. While they were enjoying garlic rolls with their meal, I enjoyed a biscuit with mine. Everyone just left so I'm going to post a quick picture of my meal. Enjoy!

      

Hot Chocolate & Saturday's Mish-Mosh

Today we ran a bunch of errands and made our Costco run. I snapped a few photos of some of our Costco finds today -- don't worry, I didn't photograph all of them!  ;-)  I also snapped a photo of my lunch and weird dinner (it was our "clean out the refrigerator night" meal) and my delicious cup of hot cocoa I had for dessert made with unsweetened almond milk, Scharffen Berger unsweetened cocoa (my favorite cocoa) and confectioners Swerve with a pinch of Celtic sea salt for good measure! The hot cocoa was absolutely delicious, especially on this chilly evening. Check out the photos below. Enjoy!

2 heaping tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa, 2 slightly rounded tablespoons of confectioners Swerve mixed with a few tablespoons of water to form a smooth paste; whisk in 1 cup of hot unsweetened almond milk and a pinch of Celtic sea salt...it's like drinking a chocolate bar w/ almonds (adjust cocoa and sweetener as desired)

Lunch - Greek yogurt mixed with mashed strawberries and a dollop of fresh cranberry sauce

I love pink yogurt!  ;-)

This is what "clean out the fridge" dinner looks like! "Baked Cauli-roni & Cheese" with "Stir-fry Beef, Broccoli & Brussels"

Last but not least...a few of my Costco buys today...

This will go into my crock pot this week -- Tri-tip roast ($6.99/lb)

4 pounds of brussels sprouts -- my sugar-free M&Ms (the green ones always were my favorite)...LOL ($4.29 each)

Have been wanting to try this so finally picked some up...($15.99)

Hubby's favorite ($7.69)

Until I can find fresh wild salmon, canned wild Alaskan salmon will have to do ($12.99)

My favorite flax and a great price, too. ($6.99)

Scrambled Eggs w/ Pepper-Jack and Biscuits -- Saturday's Simple Breakfast

Happy Saturday! It's a bright and sunny morning here and 25 degrees. Before getting started with our Saturday errands, I decided to make a quick and simple breakfast to keep us going until later this afternoon. I scrambled each of us a couple of organic cage free eggs and cooked them in organic butter. As I stirred them around in the pan, I added a bit of shredded pepper-jack cheese for some spiciness and an added "wake-up call". I had some of my Easy Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits leftover that I simply split and heated up a bit. To add a bit of "sweet tart" flavor to contrast the spiciness of the eggs, I placed a small dollop of my fresh Cranberry Orange Coconut Sauce on my plate to enjoy along with my breakfast. That and a cup of Nantucket Blend coffee and I am good to go! Grain free breakfasts don't have to be complicated to taste good and you don't need wheat, grains or sugar to have a really delicious plate of food to enjoy. Once you eliminate the sugar and junk carbs from your diet, you reawaken your taste for simple, real fresh foods that don't come from a drive-in window or from a box that lists 50 ingredients you can't pronounce or comprehend. I snapped a couple quick photos below. Enjoy!

Stir-fried Beef, Broccoli & Brussels -- "Chinese Take-in" (Low Carb & Wheat-free)

This evening I was in the mood for "Chinese". Hubby and I used to love "Chinese take-out" on Friday night's after a long work week. Tonight, I made the "next best thing"... "Chinese take-in" in my wok. It's a frosty night here in the Atlanta area and currently only 21 degrees outside. It was 11 degrees when I went to work this morning which makes "take-in" all the better tonight, prepared in the comfort of my toasty warm kitchen. I had a package of pre-cut stir-fry beef (beef round steak) and a big bag of fresh broccoli florets that I planned to use to make Beef & Broccoli Stir-fry. But, as I rattled around in the fridge, I found a partial bag of fresh baby brussels sprouts and a red bell pepper and decided to toss them into my stir-fry as well. This is the first time I've added brussels sprouts to one of my Chinese style meals, but figured...why not? I'm always looking for another way to sneak sprouts into a dish and get them on my plate! 

My stir-fry consisted of: 1-1/2 pounds of beef strips, 2 cups of fresh broccoli florets, 1 cup of sliced fresh brussels sprouts, half of a diced red bell pepper, 2 sliced green spring onions and 2 cloves of minced fresh garlic (and 1 wok). I made the sauce using a combination of chicken stock (you can also use beef stock), organic gluten free Tamari sauce (soy sauce without the wheat) and used organic peanut butter as my thickening agent in place of corn starch. I used organic virgin coconut oil, rich in MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) as my stir-fry oil. Hubby ate his on top of steamed organic brown rice and I had mine "as is", topped with a few roasted peanuts. As much as I used to love "take-out"...I'll settle for "take-in" any  night of the week. I know exactly what's in it, and I got to prepare and eat it wearing my p.j.'s and pink fuzzy slippers...and on this chilly Friday night, that is a wonderful thing!  :-)  Here's a link to another similar stir-fry I made if you want an idea of how I prepared it ---> Beef & Veggie Stir-Fry. Enjoy!

   

Chicken Coconut Curry Soup -- Thai Style

Last night I made a large batch of chicken stock (about 12 cups). When I got home this evening I took the chicken off the bones and strained the stock. I froze half of it to use at a later time and used 6 cups of it to make soup for our dinner tonight. I wanted something a little different so I made Chicken Coconut Curry Soup and gave it a Thai twist. It was so simple and easy to make. I added a can of unsweetened coconut milk to the chicken stock and a little bit of carrot and green onion and some sliced fresh mushrooms. I seasoned it with red curry paste and fish sauce (both found in the Asian or ethnic section of your supermarket). I initially took 2 cans of coconut milk out of the pantry to use but decided to use just 1 can instead and add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthum gum whisked into the soup to add a slight bit of viscosity (thickness) to the soup -- just enough to give it a bit of body and richness. If you've never used xanthum gum...less is more and too much is not good. The texture was perfect for me. Near the end of cooking, I squeezed the juice of a small lime into the soup. The combination of chicken, coconut, curry, and lime flavors go well together to make a "Thai style" soup. It was a perfect night for a bowl of hot soup since we didn't make it out of the 30s here temperature wise today and it looks like tomorrow will be another cold day, too. I snapped a quick photo of the soup below. Enjoy!

Chicken Coconut Curry Soup -- Thai Style
Makes approximately 4 servings

5 to 6 cups chicken stock
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
4 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
4 green spring onions, sliced
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (I used Native Forest organic)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (found in the Asian section of the supermarket)
2 to 3 tablespoons red curry paste (more or less depending on desired spiciness)
1/4 teaspoon xanthum gum, optional
5 ounces fresh baby spinach (half of a 10-ounce bag)
Juice of 1 lime
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced

Heat chicken in a stock pot over medium high heat until boiling; add sliced carrots and reduce heat; simmer until carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and half of green onions; simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and red curry paste and whisk until blended Bring to a boil; whisk in optional xanthum gum, half at a time; simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Stir in lime juice and taste for seasoning. Add chicken and cook until heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish with remaining green onions.

Bountiful Salad Bowl -- Quick & Easy

This evening I put together a quick and easy dinner by using up the leftover Cashew & Coconut Crusted Chicken left from earlier in the week. I sliced it and placed it on top of a big bowl of artisan romaine, red cabbage, thinly sliced carrot, and cherry tomatoes. For the dressing, I just mixed together a simple vinaigrette to put on top (olive oil, pomegranate infused red wine vinegar, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper). It was a nice change of pace from some of the rich meals we've had recently (I enjoyed the leftover beef short ribs and cauli-roni with cheese for lunch again today). There is nothing better than a simple big fresh, colorful salad filled with nature's "jewels". I snapped a few photos below. Enjoy!

Boneless Beef Chuck Short Ribs -- Slow Cooker/Crock Pot

Last night I made Slow Cooker Boneless Beef Chuck Short Ribs for dinner. I picked them up at Costco this past weekend. They turned out great. They were super tender and extremely flavorful and unlike some cuts of short ribs, they were not unusually fatty which is a good thing when cooking them in a crock pot (unless you like grease soup...LOL). Rather than go with a tomato based type barbecue sauce, I opted to go with a lighter sauce that has a touch of vinegar and hint of sweetness. It's sort of a twist on North Carolina style barbecue that uses a vinegar based thinner type sauce. Hubby lived in North Carolina for a few years and really developed a taste for that style and flavor. I didn't want to go too vinegary so I added a bit less. This was a very simple recipe to put together. I chose to brown the ribs well and caramelize them to add both color and flavor. Other than some seasonings and spices, the only other added ingredients (besides the ribs) were a bit of onion and the sauce ingredients. I wanted to add a bit of smokiness, so I used smoked paprika as well as ancho chile powder which has more of a smoky flavor than it does spicy like Chipotle. I wanted to use a bit of chili sauce to add to the stock along with the vinegar, but didn't have any so I improvised by mixing a few tablespoons of ketchup (with no HFCS) with a bit of Asian style chili-garlic sauce. I had originally considered using 1/4 cup of that (and no ketchup)...but after taking a tiny taste of it and realizing how hot and spicy it was, I decided to only use 1 tablespoon of it and mix it with a little ketchup for flavor and only a hint of spiciness.

They turned out excellent...super tender and very rich tasting. I think you could easily add a few more tablespoons of vinegar (I used red wine vinegar) without it being too much...but I liked them as is. I also added a little Swerve Sweetener for a bit of sweetness to balance the vinegar flavor. I will definitely make these again. The recipe made plenty of very flavorful "au jus" that hubby enjoyed spooned over his ribs (you could also reduce and thicken it, too, if you preferred). I am not a big gravy or sauce person, so I opted to eat them "au naturale". They went very well with my Baked Cauli-roni & Cheese casserole. I snapped a few photos below as well as the super simple recipe. Enjoy!

Browned and placed into the crock pot to cook all day

  

Slow Cooker Boneless Beef Chuck Short Ribs

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless beef chuck short ribs, cut in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 - 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
3 tablespoons ketchup (with no high fructose corn syrup)
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian section of the grocery store)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
1 cup beef or chicken stock

Directions:

Using paper towels, pat ribs dry. Season both sides with salt, pepper, ancho chile powder, and smoked paprika. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large dutch oven until hot. Brown ribs on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Place ribs in bottom of a 6 to 7 quart slow cooker.

Using same pot ribs were browned in, add diced onion and cook over medium-high heat until tender-crisp and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Spread cooked onions on top of ribs.

In a medium bowl, combine ketchup, chili-garlic sauce, vinegar, sweetener and beef stock and mix well. Pour over top of ribs. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

      

Baked Cauli-roni & Cheese

When I got up this morning, I immediately got my dinner started in the crock pot. I made Slow Cooker Boneless Beef Chuck Short Ribs using some beautiful ribs that I picked up from Costco this weekend. I debated what to serve along with them. I initially thought about making a cauliflower mash with extra sharp white cheddar cheese, but changed my mind and decided to go with Baked Cauli-roni & Cheese casserole instead (a mock macaroni and cheese). I had a large head of cauliflower in the fridge that needed to be used as well as a brick of extra sharp white cheddar cheese. While shopping at Penzey's Spices yesterday, hubby pulled off a recipe "tear-off sheet" for "Baked Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower". This recipe had both macaroni and cauliflower in it...so obviously I wasn't going to be making that recipe.

My personal favorite mac and cheese recipe was from one of my older Southern Living Cookbooks that I've made for over 20 years now. You know how once you find "the recipe"...you pretty much stop trying or looking for the perfect one? Well, that mac and cheese recipe was "the one" for my family and I for a very long time. Unfortunately, besides using the obvious wheat based macaroni, that recipe also used a blend of natural cheese as well as Velveeta which I don't eat any more either. So, I decided to come up with a delicious cheese sauce to enrobe my chunks of cauliflower cooked to perfect al dente (just until barely tender). I made a beautiful thick and delicious white cheddar sauce to bake the "cauli-roni" in and then topped it with shredded yellow sharp cheddar cheese. It was gorgeous and turned out absolutely delicious. It was the perfect "wheat and grain free alternative" for traditional macaroni and cheese. I snapped a few photos below as well as included the recipe for my Baked Cauli-roni & Cheese. I will post my recipe for the short ribs tomorrow. Enjoy!

Ready to be steamed

Steamed, drained and waiting to be sauced

Freshly shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese

The cheese sauce is ready

Sauced and ready to be topped with more cheese

Ready for the oven...

Baked Cauli-roni & Cheese, Slow Cooker Boneless Beef Short Ribs, and Steamed Green Beans

Baked Cauli-roni & Cheese

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces brick-style cream cheese
1-1/4 cups half-and-half (or substitute light cream or whole milk)
1 teaspoon ground mustard (powdered)
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons blanched almond flour
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (powdery style)
12 ounces of block-style sharp cheddar cheese (yellow or white), shredded (about 3 cups), divided
8 cups cauliflower florets, steamed until just tender or al dente (approximately 1 large head cut into 1-inch chunks)
Paprika, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add cream cheese and whisk until melted and smooth. Gradually pour in half-and-half or milk, whisking until combined and slightly thickened. Add mustard and salt and pepper, to taste, and whisk until combined, stirring frequently just until heated but not boiling. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and whisk vigorously into beaten egg in a small bowl. Pour beaten egg mixture back into sauce and whisk in until smooth. Heat 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Whisk in almond flour and Parmesan. Add 2 cups of shredded cheese (reserve 1 cup for top of casserole); stir just until melted. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, as necessary.

In a large bowl combine well drained steamed cauliflower with cheese sauce until well combined. Pour into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole or baking dish. Top with reserved 1 cup shredded cheese and sprinkle lightly with paprika, if desired. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. If desired, run under the broiler for a few minutes for additional browning. Let sit about 10 minutes to allow cheeses to set.

*Note: Freshly shredded cheese melts better and more smoothly when making a cheese sauce because it doesn't contain added starches and anti-caking ingredients that commercially prepared shredded cheeses do. It's important to make sure cauliflower is well drained to prevent casserole from becoming watery.

         

Chicken Biscuit Sandwiches -- Low Carb & Wheat Free

Happy Monday. I am home today, so I was able to sleep in a bit and had time to get my dinner started in the crock pot so I don't have to think about it again until dinner time! I was rattling around in the fridge trying to decide between Greek yogurt or eggs for breakfast when I spotted the platter of leftover Cashew & Coconut Crusted Chicken cutlets (I still had 5 left from last night). My eyes darted over to the leftover Easy Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits on the counter, and well...1 + 1 = Chicken Biscuits!!! Before going wheat and grain free, hubby and I would occasionally treat ourselves to Chick-fil-a's chicken biscuits on a Saturday morning if we were out running around. We knew they were not good for us...but they sure tasted good. So, I realized that sitting there right in front of me was a really quick and simple way to enjoy that old favorite in a healthier way. The best part about it though was that I didn't need to make anything...simply slice, heat and eat! If you are missing "chicken biscuits"...and if you happen to be living in the south, you probably are...it's as easy as combining two leftovers into one "old favorite"...WIN/WIN! I snapped a quick photo below. Enjoy!

Cashew & Coconut Crusted Chicken

Today was a beautiful day here. We ran lots of errands this afternoon. I have wanted to go to Trader Joe's for a while now to get a couple bags of their raw cashew meal to use as breading for chicken. Cashews are a little milder and sweeter than almonds. It is priced very reasonably at $4.99 for a 1-pound bag. We also stopped at Penzey's Spices and Costco and a number of other stops...it felt like we were all over the place today. While out today, I picked up some butternut squash to roast for dinner. I bought it already peeled, seeded and cut into large chunks that I cut into smaller cubes. I don't eat it very often, but I absolutely love it roasted with a bit of oil, salt and pepper. I decided to "break my cashew meal in" by using it to bread the package of chicken cutlets I had in the fridge. I had 7 nice sized cutlets. I combined the cashew meal with some very finely shredded unsweetened coconut, a bit of salt, cayenne and a bit of sweetener. I wanted to complement the natural sweetness of the cashews with a little bit of sweetener and thought it would go well with the coconut, too...and I wanted a little contrast, so I added a bit of cayenne and sea salt. It turned out good with a delicate backdrop flavor of coconut. I also cooked the chicken in coconut oil which enhanced the subtle coconut flavor. Hubby liked it a lot. The butternut squash is so simple to make, just cube or dice, toss with a little oil to lightly coat and season with salt and pepper, then roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, depending on how large your cubes are. I toss and stir it around half way through cooking. The key to caramelizing it a bit is to make sure you roast it in a single layer and allow it to brown slightly before tossing or stirring. I steamed some fresh thin green beans (haricots verts) for 3 minutes and then completed cooking in a bit of butter in a skillet, tossing with tongs and seasoning with salt and pepper. Preparing them this way maintains their beautiful bright green color and the tender crisp texture I like. We had an absolutely delicious meal that was made using all simple single ingredient foods...basically meat and veggies with a bit of nut and coconut to embellish it a little. It was a simple and quick meal to put together but tastes like it took much longer. I posted the super simple recipe for the chicken below. Enjoy!

Spicy Sausage & Baby Brussels Sprouts -- Breakfast Side Dish

This morning I am up bright and early after falling asleep early last night. This past week has been very busy and emotionally exhausting for my family and I am glad to see it behind us. But, this morning is a new day and it is a beautiful morning to wake up to. I planned to make eggs, but also had part of a bag of tiny baby brussels sprouts in the fridge that needed to be used as well as a few links of Aidell's Smoked Chicken Sausage w/ Habanero and Pepper Jack left that needed to be used (once you open the package they should be used within a few days since they aren't filled with preservatives). I used some of them last week in my Spicy Sausage & Spinach Pie. 

I trimmed and halved the baby sprouts and placed them in a covered casserole dish along with a few tablespoons of water and steamed them in a microwave for about 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened but not cooked, then drained them and set aside. I sliced the sausage links diagonally and stir-fried them in a bit of oil in a non-stick skillet until they were heated and lightly browned, then added the sprouts along with some butter and cooked and lightly browned everything together, stirring frequently. I served these along side fried eggs along with one of my Easy Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits. It was a great way to start this morning. I snapped a quick photo for you to see below. I have made this dish before for dinner, and also added onions but since hubby isn't fond of onions, I try not to add them to everything. I have also been working on a bread recipe -- this one has chocolate chunks in it. It's good but before I post the recipe, I want to make it again and tweak a bit to perfect it. I was pleased with how it turned out on the first attempt. As many of you know that have tried making grain free loaf bread...it is hard to make what I call a "nice loaf". They are typically puny and don't rise much. I am going to share a couple of sneak peeks so you can see what I mean by being pretty good for the first attempt. I will post the recipe once I get it just right -- no use in all of us wasting good ingredients trying to get it "just right". Happy Sunday...Enjoy!