southwestern

Southwestern Breakfast Skillet

By in Breakfast, Main Dish, Mothers Day, Pork 4 Comments Tags: , , ,

southwestern skillet

Going to a diner for breakfast has always been one of my favourite meals to eat out. Nothing like a plate full of grease to get you going in the morning! :) It’s actually been forever since I’ve gone out for breakfast. Somehow getting young kids ready and out the door with grumbling tummy’s just isn’t so appealing. I can’t even remember the last time we went out for breakfast but, I do remember that my favourite thing to order has always been breakfast skillets. And, if given the choice – southwestern please!

Since it’s been so long, I figured it was about time to recreate one at home. They’re so easy to make and since there’s no reason to get dressed before devouring it, you can enjoy your “diner” breakfast in your pj’s, bed head and all. Bonus!

The great thing about these kind of meals is they make quick dinners too. Breakfast for dinner is definitely one of our fallbacks when things are busy.

If you wanted to make this in true diner style you could top it with some homemade nacho cheese sauce. I think that would take it over the top in a major way.

Have a great weekend!

Southwestern Breakfast Skillet

If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet you can assemble to whole thing in a casserole dish before baking.

  • 6 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1/2 pound spicy italian sausage
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 3-4 tablespoons oil
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • salsa and sour cream, to serve

Whisk together eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into preheated 12 inch skillet, coated with 1 tablespoon oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just set. Place eggs in a dish and cover with tinfoil. Set aside.

Wipe out skillet with paper towel, place back over heat. Add sausage, cook until starting to brown then add the onion and bell pepper. Once the sausage is cooked through and peppers are tender scoop into a plate and cover with tinfoil. Leave drippings in pan.

Add a bit of oil to skillet, turn up heat to medium-high and cook hash browns in skillet until brown and crisp. Season with salt and pepper. Once potatoes are ready remove from heat, layer sausage mixture and eggs over top then top with cheese. Bake at 400ºF for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and food is warmed through. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Serves: 4-6

Southwestern Ranch Dressing

By in Condiments, GF Sides, Gluten Free 6 Comments Tags: , , ,

Southwestern Ranch Dressing

When I was pregnant with my son I had major cravings for Mexican food and citrus fruits. The citrus fruits made sense as I must have been needing the vitamin C, but I have no idea what brought on the Mexican cravings. At least I wasn”t craving chalk as I”ve heard some women (particularly teachers) do. :) Ah, the unexplained occurrences that occur in a woman”s body when she is pregnant. Since then my love for everything Tex Mex has not really waned, the problem is I can only handle the spice so much. My body craves what it cannot handle. This Southwestern Ranch Dressing is a good proxy for me because it has all those mexican flavours without too much heat. Not only that, but it gets me eating veggies which always seem to have trouble finding their way onto my plate.

This is better then any Southwestern Dressing I have tried. The bottled stuff just doesn”t cut it for me and I am always left disappointed. The flavours in this dressing were exactly as always I imagined it should be. The smokiness from the cumin and a little spice from the jalapeno and hot pepper sauce add such a wonderful warmth and depth of flavour that is distinctly Tex Mex, while the dill, parsley and garlic powder make it undesputably a ranch dressing. I have made this often since discovering the recipe and will continue to, as it has replaced the old “boring” ranch dressing in my house.

What is your all time favourite dressing that helps give the veggies a shove onto your plate?

Southwestern Ranch Dressing 32

Southwestern Ranch Dressing

adapted from RecipeZaar

  • 1/2 cup mayo

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 2 Tbsp. milk

  • 1 Tbsp. white vinegar

  • 2 tsp. canned jalapeno, minced

  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp. dried parsley

  • 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce

  • 1/4 tsp. salt

  • 1/4 tsp. paprika

  • 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed

  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

  • 1/2 tsp. cumin

  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper

  1. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until well blended.

  2. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving so that the flavours can meld.

Makes: 1 cup

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