maple syrup

Sault Ste Marie Hot & Sweet Breakfast Sausage

Nick, my husband’s Canadian coworker, is rapidly becoming a favorite and preferred contributor to Sadie’s Nest. I’ve told you before about the great support I receive from my husband’s colleagues. It’s awesome. This is the second recipe Nick has passed along. (The first is a bread recipe which I have yet to post… Some of you know my mental angst with my bread making skills.) Not only did he give step-by-step instructions for the sausage, but he sent pictures! And btw, it’s really delicious. I love this simple spicy and sweet breakfast sausage, but not nearly as much as I love Nick’s description, “Enjoy with a loved one. Goes with anything: coffee, red wine, white wine, gin and tonic, beer, eggs, homefries, can also have for breakfast, lunch, supper, snack.” How can I beat that? Brilliant. Thank you Nick!

3.3 lbs (1.5 KG) hot italian sausage
1/4 cup Fennel
2/3 cup Maple Syrup
Remove sausage from wrapping. (I used a knife… Nick used scissors… Whatever works for you!)

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Add fennel (adjust amount as you like)

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Add syrup.

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Mix by hand.

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Make a ball about size of a baseball. (I laughed really hard at this instruction.)

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Put 3 in a large frypan at med heat.

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Cook for 1 min, flip, flatten with spatula for faster cooking.

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Cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook for 5 minutes more.

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Move to a plate and let sit for a few minutes.

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Enjoy with a loved one. Goes with anything: coffee, red wine, white wine, gin and tonic, beer, eggs, homefries, can also have for breakfast, lunch, supper, snack… I enjoyed mine with a large slice of raw milk organic cheddar and a biscuit. It was stellar.

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Thanks again Nick!

Maple Raisin Scones

Scones, either you get them or you don’t. It’s like jazz. I love ’em both. I was trying to explain them to my kids, “They’re kind of like a cross between a cookie and a biscuit, a muffin-cracker…” I appreciate their dryer and less sweet nature. I love that you can load them with fun dried fruits and citrus zests. And of course I think anything that complements my cup of coffee is pretty fantastic.

As organic as possible:

1 cup Whole wheat flour

1 cup Flour

2 tsp Baking powder

2 Tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup Butter (cold), cut into cubes

1/2 cup (rounded) dried Raisins

1 1/2 Tbsp Lemon zest

1 Egg

3 Tbsp Maple Syrup

3/4 cup Cream

 

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Whisk the dry ingredients; whole wheat flour, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt. Using a pastry blender or two table knives cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles pea sized crumbs. Add the raisins and zest, toss until evenly distributed.

In a small bowl whisk the egg. Add the maple syrup and continue to whisk until blended. Pour in the cream and whisk a little more.

Add the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently stir until all is combined. Then place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle. (An oval will do fine, just try to cut even pieces.) Using a dough lift or knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise and across the center width making 4 small rectangles. Then cut those small rectangles in half through the width (making 8 squares). Next cut diagonally from corner to corner (making 16 triangles). Use the lift and place the triangles onto a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes. Until the bottom is just browning.

Enjoy warm with cream… and a cup of coffee.

Adapted from Brown Eggs and Jam Jars Make Ahead Currant Scones

The Richmond Avenue’s Cottage Cheese Oatmeal Pancakes

At first glance these pancakes looked like something I had to try. I know what most people were thinking, “these sound weird,” because Jasmine wrote that they did. But not me, I was thinking these sound unique, I love cottage cheese and look at that picture! I want to eat that! Of course that’s what I think about most of the food from The Richmond Avenue, which is why I selected this recipe for my WordPress Cooking Challenge!

When I started to collect the ingredients I would need to make these pancakes, my first thought was I need to get a new food processor with a larger capacity. Which actually has no connection with this recipe because the instructions clearly state to combine the ingredients in a blender, which I did. However, that was my first thought none-the-less.

It was when I began to pour the ingredients into the blender, I actually started to question “how is this going to work?” I understand that the oats were taking place of the flour (of which there is none) and I think it’s pretty cool that this is a gluten-free recipe. But there was no oil or melted butter, the only fat was in the cottage cheese. The baking powder and vanilla were normal for me (because I make pancakes on a weekly basis), but when I went to throw in a pinch of salt I had to stop myself… no salt in this recipe either! I figured the cottage cheese is probably salty enough and I started feeling healthier by the second. I have to confess- that I used three whole eggs as opposed to 6 egg whites. It was a calculated decision based on four things: firstly, I know from experience that it will add the same amount of moisture: secondly, the recipe did not call for me to whip the egg whites and gently fold them in, so although it may have been lighter I really didn’t feel I was messing with airy-ness: thirdly, I’m not worried about the amount of cholesterol I am eating, although I respect that as a healthy option: and lastly, I love my organic eggs, I don’t have any recipes in the line-up that call for yolks, and I didn’t want to waste them. But honestly all of this inner turmoil isn’t worth it! I did add the optional tablespoon of sugar- because that’s the kind of girl I am.

As I was heating up the griddle and watching my butter foam in readiness for the batter I actually got excited to see how this was going to turn out! And as I watched for the bubbles to cue me that it was time to flip the pancakes, I was happy to see the beautiful golden color that occurred on the first side! So far so good! As I moved my first round of pancakes to a side plate I had to pinch a piece off of one to see how this was going to taste. It was sweet, salty, and just like a pancake, except healthier and full of protein! It’s a delicious recipe and it even got more fun with all of the fresh fruit toppings!

For the original recipe and picture check out The Richmond Avenue

1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup oats
3 Tbsp almond or skim milk
6 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar (optional)
Strawberries for topping (optional)
Blueberries for topping (optional)
Maple syrup for topping (“optional, but not really” – love that BTW!)

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and let it do its thing! Scoop 1/4 cup of the batter at a time on the prepared griddle (with butter or baking spray). Flip when you see the bubbles… Serve warm!
Enjoy! I know I sure did!