Ok so I am combining two ’30-while-30′ dishes into one post because that’s how we enjoyed them.  I think this actually makes a really good breakfast combination – the sweetness of the french toast can be a little overwhelming, but with the spicy sausage by its side it was just about perfect.  I fell in love with cinnamon bun french toast at a little cafe in Wayne, PA called ‘Nudy’s’ – it’s not what you think, it’s actually a very sweet little gourmet breakfast cafe with a lovely outdoor seating section and to-die-for eggs benedict and french toast.  My favorite dish has always been the cinnamon bun french toast – it’s super healthy, obviously, but absolutely delicious.  We once drove from Philly 40 minutes each way just to have this for breakfast.  (As I write this from New England, I am debating driving 5 hours just for cinnamon bun french toast.  It’s that good.)  This recipe was a close-enough approximation – it’s not quite the same, mostly because I used those cinnamon rolls that come out of a tube from the grocery store, so the french toast pieces were very small.  However, they did have the flavor pretty spot-on.

I made turkey sausage because my husband loves all manners of breakfast sausage however I never know exactly what goes into most commercially available sausages so I nearly never order it or buy it when I’m out.  One thing is for sure, I’m sure that long list of ingredients contains some things that are not all good.   I figured making my own I would know exactly what went into it, and therefore would also know that it’s not sooooo bad for me.  It basically just requires a package of lean ground turkey and some spices, and poof you have breakfast sausage.  I personally added more spices than the recipe called for and it was delicious.  If you really wanted to fuss with casings and whatnot, be my guest, but we figured making sausage patties was the way to go.

Cinnamon Bun French Toast

Adapted from Pillsbury.com

• 1 tube of ready-to-bake cinnamon buns
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cups milk

Bake cinnamon buns according to package directions.  Let buns cool, then slice in half crosswise.  Beat together eggs and milk.  Dip each cinnamon bun half in the egg mixture, allowing it to sit for several seconds to absorb.  Cook over medium heat until the slices appear golden.  Drizzle with frosting and enjoy!

Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Adapted from Judy, via allrecipes.com

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.  Create small patties.  Cook over medium heat until all the pink is gone from the meat.  Enjoy!

As strange as it sounds, I was not quite ready for the weather to warm up – don’t get me wrong, the more than 70 inches of snow we had this winter I was more than happy to see melting away, but I really love soup season and will be sorry to see it go.  There are few meals I enjoy more than a bowl of warm soup when it’s cold outside.  The warmth and sunshine today on the 1st official day of spring made me realize that it’s about time to make one last stew before our soup crocks go into hibernation for the summer.  This recipe was very easy to make and was quite hearty.  I omitted half the salt the original recipe calls for and I still thought it could have used even less – I also changed the proportion of sausage to mushrooms a bit to weight it more towards the meat.  Accompanied by a piece of toasted garlic bread, it was a fabulous farewell to cold weather.  While I will miss soup season, I am looking forward to busting out my ice cream maker for the summer!

Sausage and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 links of mild Italian sausages
• 1 tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  onion, chopped
• 3  cloves garlic, minced
• 1 8oz package  mushrooms, sliced
• 7  cups  canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 1/4  teaspoon  dried red-pepper flakes
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 teaspoons  salt
• 1/4  pound  angel hair

•  

  Directions:  In a large pot, brown the sausages until they are completely cooked through (about 10 minutes), then remove from the pan and cool.  Add the olive oil to the pan, and saute the onion and garlic until the onions are translucent – about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden brown.  Add the chicken broth, thyme and pepper flakes, 1 tsp dried parsley and the salt to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.  In the meantime, slice the sausage into 1/8 inch thick slices.  Add the sausage to the soup, and the angel hair pasta.  Let cook for about 3-4 minutes or until pasta is cooked.    Enjoy!