Hey There Sleepy Head!

Animals can teach people so much. Watch your pet in the morning or after a well-earned nap. They stretch. They linger in that sweet spot between dreaming and waking. Unlike us, our dogs rarely jump out of bed and run headlong into the day. Theirs is a better approach, a healthier and happier way to greet the day.

If we must get up, let’s make something spicy for breakfast. Something that will get the heart racing.

If this recipe seems a little familiar, you’d be right. Both the Red Potatoes and Cajun Sausage were served with our Cajun Eggs Benedict breakfast. Think of this as a simplified Cajun Breakfast, with fried eggs rather than poached. Since it’s a fried egg breakfast rather than Eggs Benedict, there’s no need for the English Muffins or Hollandaise Sauce. Silly me, I thought keeping it simple meant less mess . . . who am I kidding? I don’t know how to cook without creating a mess.

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Bayou Cajun Breakfast
Bayou Red Potatoes
3/4 lb Red Potatoes
2 Serrano Peppers
2 Jalapeño Peppers
1/4 Red Onion
2 tablespoons Spicy Olive Oil
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Bayou Red Potatoes:
Clean potatoes, cut in half or quarter for bite-size pieces. Place potatoes in a steamer basket for an Instant Pot. Place a cup of water in the pot; basket over water. Select PRESSURE COOK, POTATOES, HIGH, 3 MINUTES. Press start.

While the potatoes are cooking, stem and dice peppers. Cut a quarter wedge from the onion, peel, dice and set aside.

Heat a cast iron skillet of medium heat until almost smoking, Add olive oil, swirl pan to coat in the grease. Add the potatoes, peppers and onions to the hot pan. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Lower heat to medium fry potatoes, stirring as needed as they brown. Scrape up any little browned bits as these have flavor. Fry potatoes until hot and crisp, about 10 minutes. Keep potatoes warm until ready to serve.

Cajun Sausage and Dirty Fried Eggs
3 links Andouille Cajun Sausage
6 Eggs
Bacon Drippings as needed
Olive Oil as needed

Cajun Sausage:
Place the sausage in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 cup water, let sausage steam until cooked through and most of the water has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Rotate sausage links ever 5 minutes or so for even cooking. Once the water is nearly gone, remove sausage, split lengthwise. Return sausage to the skillet, cut side down to brown. Keep sausage warm until ready to serve.

Dirty Fried Eggs:
Heat a large skilled over medium heat. Add several tablespoons bacon drippings to the skillet, swirl and let melt. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet well. Reduce heat to medium-low. Fry eggs slowly, basting with warm oil until whites are cooked while the yolks remain runny.

Plate on individual plates, serve with Chickory Coffee and enjoy.

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The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.