Home Fries with Sausage and Eggs

A breakfast favorite in my home, I can even get my boys to eat these with no complaining (and I have very picky boys)! You will want to use your largest frying surface to cook the potatoes, either a 12-inch skillet or a large griddle. Cast iron works best for this, but anodized aluminum or stainless steel would also be fine. You probably don't want to use a Teflon pan - they don't brown things very well.

Ingredients

• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and partially cooked in the microwave for 3 minutes.
• 8 ounces of Italian or country sausage (hot or mild, your choice), casings removed and cut/broken into ½ inch cubes/chunks
• 1 onion, frenched - i.e. ends removed, peeled, cut in half longitudinally, and then sliced radially (see illustration)
• 8 eggs
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• salt and black pepper

Illustration: How to "French" an onion

Instructions

Thinly slice the potatoes about ⅛ inch thick (you can use a mandolin slicer or food processor). Put the potato slices in plenty of cold water and soak for 5 minutes to remove extra starch. Remove potatoes from water and rinse in a collander under running water (do not just dump potatoes into the collander or all the starch in the water will collect on the potatoes as it runs over them). Dry potato slices in a spinner or with paper towels. Heat oil in your largest skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and salt and pepper to taste (about ½ teaspoon each). Fry the potatoes until deep golden brown, gently stirring them over every minute or so to ensure even cooking. Meanwhile, put sausage in a large skillet and turn on medium heat. When the sausage is just starting to brown, add the onions. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the sausage is cooked through. When both the potatoes and sausage are done, gently fold the sausage into the potatoes and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Fry the eggs in the other pan. Serve with toast and juice.

Chinese Chimichangas

My wife Michelle plans our meals a few weeks at a time, so she can coordinate grocery lists, shopping schedules, store sales, etc. One Sunday, the meal plan called for "Mu Shu Pork," something I didn't really feel like eating. What I did feel like eating was a chimichanga (a fried burrito). I did the next best thing - I took the ingredients for the mu shu pork and put them into chimichangas. They turned out to be quite tasty - at least tasty enough to include here!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 red bell pepper cut into short strips
• ¾ pound pork tenderloin, cut into short strips
• 1 small zucchini or summer squash, cut into short strips (about ½ cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
  
• 1½ cups fresh shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup plum sauce
• 1 gallon peanut or safflower oil

Instructions
Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown on all sides. Move pork to a clean plate and add bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes and add zucchini. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini softens slightly (about 5 more minutes). Add cabbage, garlic, and ginger. Cook, tossing frequently until the cabbage starts to wilt (about 2 more minutes). Add browned pork and hoisin sauce, cook for one more minute.

Heat oil in deep fat fryer or large dutch oven to 350 degrees. Fill each tortilla with the stir-fry mixture, tightly roll up (securing with toothpicks, if necessary), and deep fry, 2 at a time, for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack

Meatball Subs

Although I've put these yummy meatballs in a sandwich here, they would work equally well on spaghetti or baked into a casserole with noodles.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces lean ground beef
• 4 ounces italian sausage, casings removed
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 8 shredded wheat crackers (like Triscuits), about 1½ ounces
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon basil (divided)
• 1 tablespoon vegatable oil
• 12 ounces spaghetti sauce (about 1½ cups)
• 1 french baguette, split in half lengthwise and then halfed crosswise (making 4 open-faced sandwiches)
• your favorite Italian dressing (I like the Good Seasons packets)
• 1 cup Shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend

Instructions

Mix together beef, sausage, spinach, crackers, eggs, and 1 tablespoon basil in a medium bowl until thoroughly integrated. Shape into 16 meatballs (I use a #40 disher). Heat a medium nonstick skillet (just large enough to hold all the meatballs in a single layer) with 1 tablespoon vegatable oil over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmery and just barely starting to smoke. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, turning frequently. Once the meatballs are brown all over, add spaghetti sauce and remaining basil and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 8 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Cover and keep warm.

Preheat the broiler. Slightly hollow out each piece of bread (save the removed bread, it makes good croutons or breadcrumbs). Put the bread under the broiler until lightly toasted. Remove bread from broiler and brush lightly with Italian dressing. Add 4 meatballs and sauce to each piece of bread. Sprinkle the sandwiches with the cheese and toast under the broiler for 2 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble. Serve immediately with salad or chips.