Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Sausage!

I got tired of reading sausage labels months ago. With my long list of forbidden ingredients, it became one futile exercise after another. I cooked bacon with my eggs. I used it on my pizzas to add that salty pork taste I craved. But then . . .

My fennel blooms turned to seed . . . almost. I like them a little green. I get all the flavor of fennel seed without the crunch of the dry seed. And the sage I'd cut weeks ago was dry, ready to rub between my palms. The two herbs that give sausage its distinctive flavor were right outside my back door. So it was time for me to enjoy sausage once again, without all the frustrating label-reading.

I ground some pork shoulder with my grandma's old meat grinder. I fried it with salt and pepper. Then I added my little green fennel seeds and rubbed the sage leaves over the pan.


I cooked it until the fennel seeds lost their green color.


Then I scrambled some eggs and buttered a fat slice of toast. I love me some sausage and eggs for breakfast!


I froze the rest of the tasty crumbles for later use on pizza. I've been craving a sausage and mushroom pizza since January. I think I'll take my own slice to the last night of bowling next Monday. Yes, I'm still in the "pizza and beer" league. I usually grab a snack before I leave home, so I'm not hungry when the pizzas arrive. And All Star Bowl ordered a case of Red Bridge gluten free beer just for me. So bowling night is not painful like it was when I first went gluten free. I'm enjoying it. I even hit a new personal best - 183! That's 23 points higher than my previous best. My average is 108, so that was a really good game.

Until today, November has been a really dry month in Indiana. Birds have been flocking to my little pond. Daddy Cat noticed the trend and found a good hiding spot for birdwatching.


A few weeks ago, after we roasted marshmallows over my great bonfire, Rich tossed a bundle of short copper pipe pieces into the hottest part of the fire. It turned the flames blues, greens, purples and reds. That was a really good fire!

4 comments:

Vittoria said...

OH! That looks so good. I'm going to have to try something like that too. Now, not only do I have garden envy, I have bonfire envy as well.

Shirley said...

Now that's taking the bull my the horns ... I mean hog. ;-) You are so right ... when we do it ourselves, we sure know what's in it! Cool that your bowling alley got you some Redbridge AND that your bowling score has improved!

Anonymous said...

I don't eat meat but congrats to you for making your own sausage. That sounds really intense!

And also what a beautiful photo of your bonfire!

Gluten free Kay said...

Hi Vittoria - Rich built the fire and took the photo, but I cut down all the kindling! Ha! I still claim the fire because it was at my house.

Shirley - Alas, the bowling league has ended and my average remained the same. Rats! I have to remind myself - it's a GAME!

Hi Dana - I'm testing some meat-free recipes. I'll post soon!