My Prairie Cookbook (4 page)

6 large eggs

¼ cup (60 ml) milk

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash of vanilla extract

1 large loaf crusty French bread, cut into 1- to 1½-inch (2.5- to 4-cm) slices

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Confectioners' sugar, for serving

•
Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a large bowl. Pour them into a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish. Add the bread slices and soak the bread in the egg mixture for about 5 minutes on each side (the bread should absorb all of the liquid).

•
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the bread in batches until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

•
Serve immediately, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

I always loved shooting breakfast scenes on
Little House
. The whole soundstage would smell of sausage, bacon, eggs, biscuits, and whatever else we were eating in the scene. There was often plenty left over, so when the scenes were over, I would eat and eat and eat. Breakfast sausage has always been one of my favorite choices, so I started playing around with a recipe for homemade sausage and started pairing it with various flavors. The combination of the smokiness of the pork sausage patties with the sweetness of the apples makes a great energizing start to a busy day. Or it can be served as part of a larger spread with eggs and biscuits—or serve it with my French toast (
this page
). It's also the perfect beginning to a cozy stay-in-your-jammies Sunday.

Serves 4 to 6

2 pounds (910 g) ground pork shoulder

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

3 Pippin or other firm, tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

•
Mix the pork, sage, salt, nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne (if using) in a large bowl. Form into 8 patties.

•
Fry the patties in a large skillet until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

•
Cook the apples in the same skillet in the sausage drippings, turning them over until they are evenly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples and cook for a few minutes longer, until they are glazed.

•
Return the sausage to the skillet to warm it before serving with the apples.

Now
this
is prairie food. I've actually eaten biscuits and gravy from an authentic chuck wagon. I'd eat biscuits and gravy anytime, anywhere. Though if I did eat biscuits and gravy as often as I'd like, my rear end would be as wide as the prairie itself. I've included a recipe for from-scratch biscuits here, but true confession: I love the recipe from the Bisquick box. Serve this with fried eggs, if you like.

Serves 8 to 10 in a normal home, but 4 to 6 with my dudes

12 ounces (340 g) hot bulk sausage

12 ounces (340 g) mild bulk sausage

¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour

2 quarts (2 L) milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stovetop Biscuits (recipe opposite)

•
Put both kinds of sausage in a large pot and cook over medium heat until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the fat, and then add the flour to the sausage. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the sausage is well coated with the flour. Add the milk and cook, stirring, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it reaches the desired thickness.

•
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the biscuits.

Makes 12 biscuits

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup (50 g) cold lard or vegetable shortening, cut into bits, plus more for the skillet

1 cup (240 ml) milk

•
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the lard and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture is mealy. Add the milk and mix until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough in half, and form each half into 6 balls. Flatten each ball to be about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.

•
Melt a tablespoon or two of lard in a medium castiron skillet over medium-low heat. Add 6 dough pieces and fry on both sides until browned, about 6 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining dough pieces.

This recipe is so yummy and really easy. It's a great basic technique to master, and you can dress it up any way you want. Add fried eggs and your favorite shredded cheese on top, or sprinkle with chopped smoked trout and sour cream. You can mince some bell pepper or cooked chopped bacon and add it to the onion layer while cooking. You could even serve these home fries for dinner with a steak and gravy on top. Be creative and have fun, and your family will thank you.

Serves 2 to 4

3 tablespoons grapeseed, canola, or peanut oil

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about ⅛ inch/3 mm thick)