Spicy Sausage Omelette

I used to be so afraid of cooking omelettes. They always either stuck, fell apart, or ended up way too thick. But what I was doing wrong was not using a really good non-stick pan, and not covering the pan to make the eggs cook quicker and more evenly.

Cut up the smoked sausage and brown over medium heat. Instead of cutting up tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos, I opted for the shortcut of fresh store bought salsa. I love a time saver, especially in the morning. Not to mention this "Nature's Kitchen" brand of salsa is so good. The hot variety is not for the faint of heart, though. It's really spicy. So buy the mild if you don't like it hot. Throw some salsa in with the sausage to warm it up.








Make sure to whisk the eggs really well, so there is no separate white and yolk. Add a dash of salt & pepper to the  eggs. Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Once its coated, pour in the egg mixture. I cover the pan immediately and let it cook about 5 minutes. You'll be able to see when its ready when the eggs start to set. (I really wish I had some chopped green onions to scatter in the eggs at this point but I didn't.)








Some people say only to put cheese on half of the omelette, but we love cheese in our house, plus it helps hold it all together, so I say put cheese on the whole thing, & the rest of the toppings only on half.







Cover it again just for a minute to help the cheese melt before folding the omelette over. I always give a good shake to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pan.(If yours has scratches on the bottom it is likely to stick- don't use this pan for this dish.) Fold the omelette in half and let it cook one more minute so that it melts together before serving.

I served the omelette with more of the fresh spicy salsa because I love it, and eggs & cheese stand up well to the heat. Hubs left out the additional salsa, because he doesn't love it like I do. I also wish I'd had an avocado to slice up & serve with it because I love avocado in the morning. Next time. 

Spicy Sausage Omelette
2 servings, 225 calories per serving
5 minutes prep, 10 minutes cooking time

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup shredded chedder cheese
• 1/4 cup smoked turkey sausage
• 1/4 cup fresh hot salsa, divided  
• salt & pepper

Lobster and Crab with Sweet Corn Ravioli

I do make ravioli from scratch sometimes, but this not one of those posts. Today's ravioli were store bought from the one & only Trader Joe's. I've tried pretty much every fresh stuffed pasta they carry and have yet to be disappointed (with a few of my personal favorites being the Butternut Squash Triangoli and Ricotta and Lemon Zest Girasoli). I'm weirded out by the bright red stripe on their Lobster Ravioli, but the yellow one on this Sweet Corn, Burrata, & Basil version didn't bother me a bit. It was really good.

I may used pre-made pasta but I did pick the crab meat myself. (Only one shortcut per meal.) I used 2 frozen clusters and steamed them for 8-10 mins in a steamer basket. Remove the clusters from the pot and let cool some before picking the meat. Make sure to get all body meat as well as the meat from the legs, claws, and knuckles. Yes, you can buy lump crab already picked at your local seafood market and most grocery stores, and I admit I have done this before, and though it is a less messy time saver, it honestly is not quite as good nor is it cheap. But whatever you do, DO NOT substitute imitation crab. It may be delicious in/on sushi rolls, but that is the pretty much the only place it belongs.

Use the same steamer for the lobster tails. Usually lobster tails are frozen when purchased. Thaw them in the fridge or in a baggie in a bowl of cool-room temp (not warm). To prep them, just cut down the top of the shell with a pair of kitchen shears (this will allow you to rinse the meat itself before cooking as well as make it easier to remove the meat once cooked), rinse, and stick a skewer down in length-wise to keep them from curling up while they cook. Steam them for 6-8 mins.

While the lobster is steaming lightly boil the ravioli according to the package (make sure to salt the water). At the same time, melt the butter, add the garlic, peas, and white wine. Cook over medium 3-5 mins then add the crab meat and seafood seasonings. Scoop the raviolis into the sauce & stir to coat them, cooking them another minute or so in the sauce before serving. Pop the lobster meat out of the top of the shells and put a 1/2 tbsp of butter on top of each to melt into the meat. Serve the tails over the ravioli. 

Lobster and Crab with Sweet Corn Ravioli

2 servings, 520 calories per serving

20 mins prep, 10 mins cooking time

• 2 medium lobster tails
• 2 clusters snow crab legs
• 1 package sweet corn, burrata, & basil ravioli
• 2 tbsp butter, divided
• 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
• 1/8 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp old bay 
• 1/2 tsp seafood magic seasoning

Hamburger Steak with Asparagus & Carrots

I grew up eating hamburger steak pretty often as a kid, but nowadays I don't make it enough. Every time that I do, Hubs & I agree that I should more. It is so good, super quick & easy, & totally fulfills a burger craving while sparing all the carbs. And it goes with really any vegetables. All around win.

Start by seasoning the hamburger meat with Montreal steak seasoning and Worchershire sauce then forming it into patties. Cook in a cast iron skillet for best results over medium-high heat for 5 minutes each side. If it starts smoking a lot turn it down to medium. Smash the burgers with a spatula once as soon as you flip it. Set them aside but don't clean the cast iron.

Add the mushrooms and onions to the cast iron with just a small dollop of butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. As the mushrooms release their juices, make sure to scrap up all the browned bits from bottom of the pan because that is where all the flavor is. When everything is nice and caramelized, add the meat back to the cast iron to warm them up.

Once you start cooking the mushrooms and onions, get the rest of the veggies roasting. To know where to cut the asparagus, bend one and where it breaks is where to cut the rest of them. Spread the asparagus on one side of a baking sheet and the carrots on another. Drizzle both with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 15 minute, stirring once halfway.

All together this entire meal takes less than 30 minutes to prepare making it a perfect weeknight meal. Smother the hamburger steaks with onions & mushrooms and serve with the other veggies on the side. You could always omit the onions and/or mushrooms for those who do not like them. 

Hamburger Steak with Asparagus and Carrots 

2-4 servings, 250-425 calories per serving

5 minutes prep, 25 minutes cooking time

• 1 lb lean ground beef 
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small yellow onion
• 1-2 tbspWorcheshire sauce
• 1-2 tsp Montreal seasoning
• 1 cup baby carrots 
• 1 lb. asparagus 
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Shrimp, Sausage, Corn, Cabbage, & Sweet Potato Stir Fry

I love shrimp so much. So does my husband. This is a meal that we eat a good bit at our house. Its  quick, easy, tasty, and pretty (yall know me, I like a pretty plate!). Not to mention its full of veggies, leaner proteins, and colorful carbs (I try to keep my white carbs to a minimum). 

So I call this is stir fry, because it is all finished in the same pan at the end, but half of the ingredients are cooked in the oven. This is both for ease and for flavor. If you haven't tried roasted cabbage, you really must. It is totally different from boiled or braised cabbage and you just might like it way better. Chop the cabbage and separate the pieces onto a baking sheet. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into inch cubes. Do the same with the peppers and spread onto another baking sheet. Drizzle both the potatoes and cabbage with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and creole seasoning and stir to coat evenly. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. 

While the sweet potatoes and cabbage are cooking, cut the smoked sausage into coins and brown over medium heat. Since its turkey the fat content is low so you will need to add a little butter or olive oil to the pan. Cut the corn off the cob and add it to the pan. As the juices start to cook out of the corn it will loosen the brown bits from the bottom. 

Peel the shrimp and season them with Tony Chachere's, Creole seasoning, seafood magic, or the seasoning of your choice. After about 20 minutes of stirring the corn & sausage occasionally it should be pretty much done. Add the shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes until the shrimp done. Add the cabbage, sweet potatoes, and peppers to the pot and stir together. 

Shrimp, Sausage, Corn, Cabbage, & Sweet Potato Stir Fry

2-3 servings, 320-450 calories per serving

15 mins prep, 30 minutes cooking time

• 1 lb large shrimp 
• 1/4 smoked turkey sausage
• 2 ears of corn
• 1 small head of cabbage
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 red bell pepper or 3-4 smaller peppers
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp creole seasoning
• 1 tsp herb & garlic seasoning
• salt & pepper to taste

Pork Roast with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and Brussels Leaves

If you haven't tried Hormel's Always Tender Roast Flavor Pork Roast, you need to. I mean you really need to. It's name is a total giveaway, because that is exactly what it is. This roast is affordable, flavorful, juicy, and ultimately foolproof. Its only downfall is that it does take 70-80 minutes to cook, so its not the quickest, but it is as easy as it gets. So start by opening the package and putting it in a 350 degree oven. You'll want to let it rest for 5-10 mins before slicing it to serve.

Pick the leaves off of the brussels sprouts one at a time and rinse them in a colander. Let the leaves dry completely then toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, & pepper until evenly coated. Spread the leaves into a single layer on a baking sheet. When there is 15 mins remaining on the roast add them to the oven. Cook for 20 mins total. These leaves get super crispy and so delicious. Its a fun change from roasted brussels sprouts.




While the leaves are drying cut up the cauliflower, onions, and potatoes. These can be a rough chop since they will be whipped once cooked. I like to leave the skin on my potatoes to make them seem more potato-y than cauliflower-y. My preference is Yukon Gold but red potatoes or even Idaho will work.

Bring a pot of water to a boil (throw in a bouillon cube if you feel so inclined) then add the cauliflower, potatoes, and onions. Boil for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain the liquid and put back in the pot. Add the butter, milk, & sour cream and puree with an immersion blender. You can use a normal blender and do this in batches, but immersion blenders are not expensive and are really convenient. Buy one off of Amazon. You'll love it. Cut up the green onions and stir them in. When you plate it up, pour the extra juice over the meat and enjoy with a glass of white wine!

Pork Roast with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and Brussels Leaves
3-4 servings, 370 calories per serving
15 mins prep, 80 mins cooking time

• Hormel Always Tender Pork Roast
• 1 small or 1/2 large head of cauliflower 
• 2 medium yukon gold potatoes
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/2 lb. brussels sprouts 
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 green onion
• 1/8 cup sour cream 
• salt & pepper to taste 

Duck Confit & Cassoulet

I can not tell y'all how excited I am to finally have found a way to eat the ducks that my husband and bird dog proudly provide! For years I have tried eating the seared breasts when he cooks them (with my favorite so far being stuffed with jalapenos and creamed cheese & wrapped in bacon but even then a lot of times I'd pick at it & leave most of the duck). I did once roast them whole with a maple glaze and berry sauce of sorts which was delicious, but apparently cleaning them for this preparation & plucking all of the feathers to keep the skin on is a giant pain so hubs really prefers to not cook them this way. I typically like duck in restaurants, especially duck confit, so I was determined to attempt this at home with his wild ducks. 

The key is the duck fat. We do not cook enough ducks to render this much fat ourselves, nor do wild ducks have the same fat content as domestic farmed ducks because they have to work harder for their food, escaping predators, etc. I ordered this duck fat off Amazon and it was exactly what it was supposed to be. It isn't the cheapest, but can be used reused. After the duck confit is cooked, let the fat cool some, then strain out the solid particles with a fine strainer. Let it cool completely so that any juices from the duck separate from the fat before adding back to the tub. Also, the duck confit will easily keep for a month stored covered in fat in the refrigerator, so save a little of it for that before putting it away. I only used half with this recipe. 

Begin by preparing the duck the day before. Pat it dry and season with salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs de provence. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 24 hours for the meat to cure (draw out the water which is where micro-organisms live therefore preserving the meat so that it lasts longer). Before cooking the duck, dry the meat and place in a single layer of a baking dish. The tighter the meat fits in the dish, the less duck fat will be needed to cover it. Heat the duck fat in a saucepan into its liquid form so that it pours easily into the baking dish to fully cover the meat. Put the dish into a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 225 for another 2 hours. 

While the duck is cooking, prepare the cassoulet. This is not exactly the traditional recipe, but I wanted a quicker version. This one turned out very good. 

Start by browning the sausage. Cut up the carrots, celery, and onion (mirepoix - the traditional vegetable blend used in French cooking). Set the cooked sausage aside and sweat the mirepoix in its grease over medium heat for 10 mins. Add the garlic and saute another 3-5 mins until browned. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. 

Rinse the beans under water in a colander then add them to the saute pan. Return the sausage to the pan as well and add the chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a low boil for 15-20 mins until the liquid begins to thicken. Remove the bay leaves and pour it into a casserole dish. Bake the cassoulet uncovered with the confit for the last hour.

When done, take the duck out of the oven and let them rest in the fat bath for 5 mins, then remove and let them rest on a plate for another 5 minutes. Serve the duck confit over the cassoulet. 

Any pieces not eaten is best to pull the meat from the bones & shred the breasts with forks then store the confit in the fat to help preserve it (it can last up to a month in the fridge). To reheat, spread on a baking sheet and warm in a 350 oven for 15-20 minutes to be used in tacos, salads, sandwiches, etc. 

Duck Confit & Cassoulet 

4 servings, plus 2 servings of duck leftovers 

5 mins prep 1 day before, 15 mins prep day of, 2.5 hours cooking time

• 6 wild ducks 
• 1 lb. duck fat
• 1/2 lb. sausage
• 2 stalk celery
• 2 carrots
• 1 small onion
• 2 cans cannellini beans, drained
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic 
• 1 cup chicken broth
• salt & pepper to taste