K-cup Red Eye Gravy, Ham and Grits

Remember my bright idea to use a second brew from a K-cup to make red-eye gravy? I finally got some ham and gave it a try. While it was delicious I think my first experiment with K-cup Sausage Gravy and Grits was my favorite. The sausage gravy was savory and very rich. The red-eye gravy was lighter and had some sweetness to it. My favorite part was how rich my cup of coffee tasted after having a few bites of my breakfast. This just proves coffee is a huge part of any breakfast. Whether you drink it or eat it; it just makes your morning better. I think I will continue to use K-cups to enrich my recipes. It really adds complexity to gravies or sauces. I hope you will give it a try for yourself. Be sure to come back and let me know how it improved your recipes.

K-cup Red Eye Gravy, Ham and Grits
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 tsp. butter or margarine, divided
1 slice ham
1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1 short second brew from K-cup
1/4 cup quick grits
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Splash of heavy cream

Directions

Melt a tsp. of butter in pan over medium heat. Add ham to pan, cook over medium heat until brown on both sides. *CAUTION* The ham will splatter, pop and spit at you. Be careful!

Add chicken bouillon and brown sugar to a coffee cup and brew a second cup of coffee over the top. Use the picture of a tea cup or the smallest cup setting on a Keurig. 

Place grits, 1 cup of water and salt in a 2 cup microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave 1 minute. Stir again and microwave one more minute. 

When ham is browned, add the coffee, sugar and bouillon mixture and simmer until reduced by half. Season with black pepper to taste.

Season grits with remaining butter, cream and additional black pepper (optional), stir to combine. Serve along side of ham and topped with red eye gravy.

Linking to:
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?

Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Spatulas On Parade: Wonderful Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Love Bake Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

K-cup Sausage Gravy and Grits

When I first got my Keurig people kept telling me that they would brew two cups of coffee from one K-cup. I tried it and I was less than impressed. The second cup was too weak for my taste. Then this morning it came to me, I wonder if you could use that second brew for red-eye gravy? Well I didn't have ham, but I had turkey breakfast sausage. So the experiment began. I placed two slices of sausage in a pan and using a spoon I crumbled it as it cooked. Then I put some beef bouillon in a coffee cup and brewed a second cup of coffee over the top. I used the picture of a tea cup or the smallest cup setting since I was making one serving. I also put on some grits to cook. When the sausage was browned I added a little butter and flour and cooked stirring often until I could no longer smell the flour. Then I added the coffee and bouillon mixture and simmered until nice and thick. It was well seasoned because of the bouillon and all it needed was black pepper. It made a deliciously rich and dark gravy. It did not taste like coffee, it just had a deep, rich, flavor. It was delicious! I loved it over the grits. Such a warm and savory breakfast courtesy of a K-cup. I can't wait to bring home some ham and try a red-eye gravy. So run, don't walk to your Keurig and use that K-cup from your morning coffee to brew up something tasty for breakfast. You will not be disappointed.

K-cup Sausage Gravy and Grits
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 slices turkey breakfast sausage
1/2 tsp. beef bouillon
1 short second brew from K-cup
1/4 cup quick grits
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tsp. butter or margarine, divided
1 tsp. flour
Black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. heavy cream

Directions

Place sausage in a pan, cook on medium high breaking up with a spoon until crumbled. 

Add beef bouillon to a coffee cup and brew a second cup of coffee over the top. Use the picture of a tea cup or the smallest cup setting on a Keurig. 

Place grits, 1 cup of water and salt in a 2 cup microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave 1 minute. Stir again and microwave one more minute. 

When sausage is browned, add 1 tsp. butter and flour. Cook stirring often until it no longer smells like flour. Add the coffee and bouillon mixture and simmer until thick. Season with black pepper to taste.

Season grits with remaining butter, cream and additional black pepper (optional), stir to combine. Serve topped with sausage gravy.

Linking to:
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Daddy Cooks Fresh Sausage and Grits

Today my sister and I went over to our parent’s house for breakfast. Mom is still off her feet for several more weeks. Daddy wanted to share some fresh sausage from Jacob’s with us. HE COOKED IT!!!!!! Mom talked him through it from her chair. When I arrived he had the sausage cooked, the grits cooking, he was doing a great job. I asked to make the eggs for him but he wouldn’t let me. He said he knew how she liked them. We are all lucky girls.

Now let me tell you about Fresh Sausage. It is mostly beef sausage that is not cured, pre-cooked or smoked in any way. It is a little spicy and flavored with garlic. My family has always browned it in a little oil on both side in a cast iron skillet. When it is good and brown in color water is added to the pan and you continue to cook it covered until cooked through. The result is perfectly cooked sausage and a thin brown gravy that you can pour over grits. It is a treat for us and definitely delicious.

Fresh Sausage shown in my Great Grandmother's Cast Iron

After a great breakfast, a little coffee and quick kitchen clean up, I began cooking Shrimp and Corn Soup. Another family recipe I will share in my next post.