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Smoky Chipotle Bison Meatballs

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Smoky, spicy, and packed with bold flavor, these Chipotle Bison Meatballs are a unique twist on a classic favorite. Perfect for game day or a weeknight dinner, bold chipotle sauce brings a deliciously spicy twist to a classic favorite.

Bison meatballs with chipotle salsa served with yellow rice.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

If you’ve been wanting to experiment cooking with bison meat, these Bison Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce is a very fun way to start.

This recipe features Southwestern seasoned ground bison, which once rolled into meatballs, are pan fried then simmered in a rich smoky flavored Chipotle tomato salsa style sauce. Adding chipotle pepper in adobo sauce adds a rich, robust and smoky flavor which works well with the hearty meatballs.

Using ground bison to make meatballs results in a healthier option than beef.

Because ground bison is leaner than ground beef, this recipe has been slightly modified to ensure the meatballs remain juicy and flavorful.

Why Choose Bison? Flavor and Texture

  •  If you’ve never eaten bison, it’s very similar to grass fed beef. Makes sense since bison are raised and roam in open pastures.
  • What does bison taste like? Bison is slightly sweeter and richer than beef, which pairs well with this smoky chipotle sauce. Bison has a more dense texture due to being lower in fat.
  • Ground Bison is lean, and offers a less fatty richer alternative to ground beef and brings with it a robust flavor.

Bison Nutritional Profile

  • Is Bison healthy to eat? Bison meat is an excellent alternative to beef. It’s lower in fat and cholesterol. And learning how to cook bison is easy because it’s virtually just like cooking beef. Bison is high in protein and iron and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Source: National Bison Association.
  • The most important thing you need to keep in mind is that with bison’s lower fat content, it will require less cooking time. When pan frying these meatballs watch them closely as overcooking will rob them of their juicy qualities.

Where To Look For Bison Meat

Here in Colorado, ground bison is readily available at large supermarkets. I prefer to purchase the brand offered at Whole Foods. There are also on-line options like North Star Bison who will ship ground bison to your doorstep.

About Chipotle Peppers In Adobo

What Are Chipotle Peppers?

Chipotle peppers are smoked and dried jalapeno peppers. They’re sold as a popular canned condiment packed in an adobo sauce which basically consists of tomatoes, garlic, vinegar and spices. Chipotle Peppers in Adobo adds heat, smokiness and depth of flavor to this Bison Meatballs recipe.

I personally find rolling meatballs to be therapeutic and I make many versions often. I’ll show you below how to make a perfect little meatball. Let’s take a look at how to make Bison Meatballs in Smoky Chipotle Salsa.

Table of contents

Ingredients You’ll Need For Chipotle Salsa

Ingredients to make Chipotle Salsa Sauce.
  • Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: I like Embasa brand simply because there’s an ample amount of adobo sauce in the can. Other varieties can bring a less saucy-er experience.
  • Tomato Paste and Vinegar are VIP’s in the kitchen when it comes to tomato based sauces. The long cooking time used to make tomato paste gives it a concentrated sweet rich flavor. Just a dollop can add a subtle burst of robust flavor and body into just about any soup or tomato based sauce. Vinegar is as important as salt to brighten flavor, They’re both brilliant little culinary tricks.

Ingredients To Make Bison Meatballs

Ingredients to make bison meatballs.
  • Ground Bison can readily be found at most supermarkets. I like to purchase mine at Whole Foods.
  • Chopped Cilantro will add Southwestern flair. Omit if you’re not a fan of the flavor. I will make no difference in the texture of the meatballs
  • Panko Bread Crumbs and Eggs will be used as the binder. There are many binders used to make meatballs, I find Panko to be very reliable for texture and easy to use right out of the box.

Making Bison Meatballs

Chipotle Salsa to make Bison Meatballs.
  1. Step 1: Make The Chipotle Salsa Sauce: Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, tomato paste, Mexican oregano and salt in a food processor or blender. Give it a few pulse whirls just enough to blend, but still leaving it with a chunky texture. This will give this dish a rustic feel.
Step 1 to make bison meatballs.
  1. Step 2: Make The Bison Meatballs: Add ground bison, Panko bread crumbs, onion, cilantro, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican Oregano, black pepper, cumin, salt and egg to a large bowl. Tip: Just like making meatloaf, use your hands to combine the mixture. If you use a spoon you will compress the mixture too much which will compromise the texture of the meatballs.
Uncooked bison meatballs on a white platter.
  1. Step 3: Roll The Meatballs: Use the palms of your hands to roll the bison meat into meatballs that are about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Tip for rolling meatballs: As I roll them I like to count to twenty rolls. That amount of rolls seems to secure a well formed meatball that won’t fall apart.
Bison Meatballs fried in a skillet.
  1. Step 4: Cook The Meatballs: Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. A 12″ skillet should be large enough to fit all of the meatballs, but place them so they don’t touch each other. They’ll brown better that way. Cook on one side until golden, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until browned.
Cooking bison meatballs in chipotle salsa sauce.
  1. Step 5: Simmer The Meatballs: Remove the meatballs to a plate. Add the sauce to the skillet and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

Bison meatballs served with avocado and toasted corn tortillas.
  • Serve bison meatballs alongside Mexican Yellow Rice or even Gulf Coast Style Oven Baked Rice. To make quick yellow rice, cook white rice according to package instructions. Once cooked, add a teaspoon of turmeric and a cup of unthawed carrots and peas.
  • Serve with a side of beans, like these Slow Cooker Frijoles Rancheros.
  • Serve bison meatballs on a warm toasted corn tortilla with a couple slices of avocado.
  • Add a little honey to the Chipotle Salsa Sauce. It will tame the tartness of the tomato and add a sweet tone to spicy chipotle.
  • Turn these saucy meatballs into a Bison Meatball Sub Sandwich.

Questions You May Have

Can I Substitute Bison Meat In Any Meatball Recipe?

Yes, bison meat can replace beef in most meatball recipes. However, due to its leanness, consider adding moisture ingredients to prevent dryness. In this case a good hearty Chipotle Salsa Sauce.

Can I Make These Meatballs Gluten Free?

Panko bread crumbs are available in a gluten free version. Once you’ve made that substitution, these meatballs will be gluten free.

Can Bison Meatballs Be Oven Baked?

Yes, a good reason to skillet fry the meatballs is for the one pan clean-up piece, by cooking the sauce and the meatballs in the same skillet. You can oven bake bison meatballs on a sheet pan that’s been lined with foil and treated with a non-stick spray. Bake meatballs at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Then proceed with the recipe.

Tips For Success

  • To keep meatballs from drying out, avoid over mixing the meat mixture. And avoid over-browning them. Once golden on the outside, the meatballs will continue to cook in the sauce.
  • Practice those knife skills. Chop the onion and garlic as small as you can. Large chunks of vegetables can cause meatballs to fall apart.

Storage and Reheating

  • Store any leftover bison meatballs, in the sauce, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The meatballs in sauce can also be frozen. I like to use a freezer safe zip-lock style bag. Just squeeze the air out and lay flat for optimum storage space.
  • To reheat, let frozen meatballs thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The 50% power feature on your microwave is your best friend when reheating dishes like this. Place individual servings on a microwave safe plate and heat in 30 second increments.

More Bison Recipes You Might Enjoy

And don’t miss this fun recipe for Hawaiian Hotdogs with Pineapple Mango Salsa. The hot dogs are made with Bison Wieners.

And if you’re meatball fans like us, don’t mis one of my favorite meatball recipes for Meatballs in BBQ Sauce. One of my most popular pot-luck recipes.

This bison meatball recipe offers a healthy, flavorful alternative to traditional meatballs, combining lean bison meat with the smoky heat and exciting flavor of the Chipotle Salsa sauce. I hope you give it a try.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Bison meatballs in chipotle salsa served with Mexican yellow rice.
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Bison Meatballs in Chipotle Salsa

Smoky, spicy, and packed with bold flavor, these chipotle bison meatballs are a unique twist on a classic favorite. Perfect for game day or a weeknight dinner, bold chipotle sauce brings a deliciously spicy twist to one of our favorite classic comfort foods.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course Bison
Cuisine: American/Mexican
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 301kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • For The Chipotle Sauce
  • 28 Ounce Canned San Marzano Tomatoes undrained
  • ½ Cup Sweet Onion rough chopped
  • 4 Garlic Cloves peeled
  • 1 Cup Chicken Broth
  • ½ teaspoon Mexican Oregano
  • 1 large Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce veins and seeds scraped out
  • 2 Tablespoon Adobo Sauce Add more to make it spicier
  • 1 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vinegar white or cider
  • For The Meatballs
  • 1 Pound Ground Bison Meat
  • ¼ Cup Panko bread crumbs
  • ½ Cup Sweet Onion fine chopped
  • ¼ Cup Cilantro minced
  • 3 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano or marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil

Instructions

  • For The Chipotle Sauce: Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, tomato paste, Mexican oregano and salt in a food processor or blender. Give it a few pulse whirls just enough to blend, but still leaving it with a chunky texture. Set aside and prepare meatballs
  • For The Meatballs: Add ground bison, panko, onion, cilantro, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican Oregano, black pepper, cumin, salt and egg to a large bowl.
  • Use your hands to gently combine the ingredients.
  • Start rolling the bison meat into meatballs that are about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Use the palms of your hands to give them 20 rolls each.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. A 12" skillet should be large enough to fit all of the meatballs, but place them so they don't touch each other. Once the oil is hot add the meatballs and cook on one side until golden, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook the other side.
  • Remove the meatballs to a paper towel lined plate. Drain any excess grease and add the chipotle sauce to the pan. Stir, scraping up any meat bits and simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Serve with rice or corn tortillas. Garnish with cilantro or sliced avocado. Or both.

Notes

Tips For Success:
  • To keep meatballs from drying out, avoid over mixing the meat mixture. And avoid over-browning them. Once golden on the outside, the meatballs will continue to cook in the sauce.
  • Practice those knife skills. Chop the onion and garlic as small as you can. Large chunks of vegetables can cause meatballs to fall apart.

Nutrition

Serving: 20g | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 3009mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 442IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 5mg

Bison Meatballs … They’re What’s For Dinner

Southwest Egg Bites with Cottage Cheese And Bacon (In Oven)

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These Egg Bites with Cottage Cheese are perfect for a meal prep breakfast to enjoy all week. Packed with Southwestern flavors, who can resist an egg filled cup rich and creamy in texture, cheesy, with bacon and “just right spicy” poblano peppers.

Southwestern cottage cheese egg bites with poblano peppers on a white platter.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

If you’re a fan of Starbucks copycat Instant Pot Egg Bites, you’re going to love this homemade oven egg bite recipe even better. And you purchase egg bites at Starbucks, you’re going to appreciate this cheaper option by making them at home.

Larger Size: The silicone pan that fits inside an Instant Pot makes very small egg bites. I prefer making egg bites in the oven, and using a regular sized muffin pan to give us larger and heartier sized egg bites.

Same Fluffy Texture: This oven version uses a water bath to guarantee that same soft and fluffy texture that the pressure cooker, and what Starbucks offers.

Meal Prep: This is an easy make-ahead meal prep recipe. Make egg cups on a Sunday and enjoy a grab and go breakfast during the week. These are also a popular recipe to serve guests for breakfast or brunch.

Easy to Eat: Egg bites with cottage cheese are delicious eaten hot and fresh, or straight from the refrigerator, re-heated in the microwave, or even re-heated from frozen.

Healthier: So skip the store purchased egg bites which are loaded with salt and unnecessary ingredients. These are easy to make and addicting with Southwest flavor.

Let’s take a look:

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Ingredients

See full list of ingredients and precise measurements in the recipe card below.

Ingredients to make Cottage Cheese Egg Bites with Poblano Pepeprs
  • Eggs: You can have egg bites without them.
  • Grated Cheese: I like to use cheddar for these egg bites, but any good melting cheese will work. Try Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or even Muenster cheese.
  • Cottage Cheese: For ultimate creamy texture use full fat please. However, reduced fat will work here.
  • Red Bell Pepper
  • Poblano Peppers: Poblano peppers can be a bit unreliable in the heat arena, however they are consistently milder than most chile peppers adding a “just right spicy” note.
  • Bacon Bits
  • Onion: I like to use fine sliced green onion, but you can also use chopped sweet or yellow onion. Red onion will be too strong and over power the overall flavor.

Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.

Variations

Egg bites with cottage cheese are incredibly versatile. The sky is the limit for flavor combinations. As long as you don’t over-fill the cups with too many ingredients. Here are some ingredients flavor options.

Chorizo cheese and jalapeno cottage cheese egg bites.

One of my favorite Cottage Cheese Egg Bite variations, and to keep the Southwestern flavor profile, try this combo (pictured above) and using the recipe below: ¼ pound bulk chorizo cooked and crumbled, red bell pepper, 1 jalapeno pepper (seeds and veins removed), ½ sweet onion, chopped, and white cheddar cheese.

More Variations:

  • Cheese: Use any shredded or crumbled melting cheese in place of cheddar. Muenster cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese, Pepper Jack Cheese and even Colby cheese are all good options here.
  • Use Canadian Bacon, chopped ham, Italian sausage or cooked breakfast sausage in place of the bacon bits.
  • Go Italian with cottage cheese egg bites: I’ve made these with Chicken Italian Sausage links, cooked and chopped. Omit the poblano pepper and use only bell peppers or roasted red bell pepper. With a bit of provolone or Parmesan, a small amount of Italian seasoning, they were delicious.
  • Soft Vegetables: Roasted red bell pepper (chopped), chopped spinach, chopped cooked mushrooms, sauteed chopped zucchini are all good options.
  • Vegetarian – These egg bites are easily turned into vegetarian egg bites by omitting the meat.
  • Seasonings: Have fun with seasoning. To kick up the heat, add some pure New Mexico Chile Powder. Onion powder and garlic powder will make them more savory. And I always add some hot sauce.

How To Make Egg Bites With Cottage Cheese

Cutting raw bacon into pieces to fry and make cottage cheese egg bites.
  1. Step 1: Cut the bacon: Use kitchen shears to cut bacon into lardons.
Cooking bacon bits in a fry pan to make cottage cheese egg bites.
  1. Step 2: Cook The Bacon: In a small fry non-stick pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the grease.
Chopped peppers to make Cottage Cheese Egg Bites.
  1. Step 3: Prepare vegetables: Cut red bell pepper and poblano pepper into small squares.
Custard ingredients in a food processor to make cottage cheese egg bites.
  1. Step 4: Make The Custard: Place eggs, cottage cheese, shredded cheese and salt and pepper into a food processor.
Cottage cheese egg bites custard.
  1. Step 5: Use the pulse feature to blend the custard egg mixture. Don’t over mix. Mix just until bubbles start to appear.
Cooked peppers in a fry pan to make cottage cheese egg bites.
  1. Step 6: Sautee the bell pepper and poblano pepper until they are soft and tender. This will take about 7 minutes.
Filling a muffin tin with egg and cheese batter to make Cottage Cheese Egg Bites.
Adding peppers to cottage cheese egg bites in a muffin pan.
  1. Step 7: Build those egg bites: Place the muffin tin on a sheet pan. Fill each muffin ⅔ of the way full with the custard batter.
  1. Step 8: Start adding filling ingredients: Sprinkle the cooked peppers evenly on top of the egg bite cups.
Adding grated cheese to the top of cottage cheese egg bites before baking.
Baked Cottage Cheese Egg Bites in a silicone muffin tin.
  1. Step 9: Finish the egg bites: Continue the toppings by adding chopped cooked bacon, chopped onion and grated cheese. Again, evenly dividing these ingredients to each muffin cup. Use a knife or spoon to push the ingredients down into the custard.
  1. Step 10: Bake: Bake the Cottage Cheese Egg Bites in a 325 degree oven for 30 – 35 minutes, or until custard is set.

Use A Silicone Muffin Pan

I highly recommend purchasing a silicone muffin pan. I’ve used a metal muffin tin to make egg bites, but it can be a chore to remove the egg cups once cooked. Even with a pre-prep of non-stick spray and a sharp knife around the edges, they can still be tedious remove.

A silicone muffin pan is a life saver and works like a breeze to remove the egg bites once they’re cooked. Just pushing up on the bottom of each cup pushes them right out. Be sure to buy a structured silicone muffin pan that allows you to handle it in a stable manner.

Tips For Success

  • Highly recommended: Once the muffin tin is filled with the egg bite mixture, pour three cups of hot water around the muffin tin. This water bath will keep those egg bites moist and fluffy. If you skip this step, the Cottage Cheese Egg Bites will be firmer.
  • Do not try to make these egg bites without cooking the peppers. Both the texture and flavor will be compromised. The poblano peppers will taste grassy and somewhat bitter if not cooked, and the texture will not be pleasant with the creamy eggs. Cook both peppers until they’re very soft.
  • Use a non-stick pan to fry the bacon. Once you drain the grease, there will be a light layer of grease left in the pan. Perfect for cooking the bell peppers and adding some bacon flavor as they cook.
  • Don’t oven blend the egg, cheese and cottage cheese mix. Too much air could cause the egg bites to collapse as they bake.

How To Serve It

The beauty of these cottage cheese egg bites is the grab and go breakfast perk. If you’re looking for turning egg bites into more of a meal, serve them with a simple tossed salad.

Make a heartier option by serving them with Cast Iron Potatoes, or some steamed asparagus drizzled with this easy Balsamic Glaze Recipe.

Serving egg cups for brunch? Serve them with this incredibly popular recipe for Cheesy Potatoes With Cornflakes. A bowl of fresh fruit makes a complete mail.

Want to make egg bites prettier? Top with fine chopped chives before serving. Or even some fine chopped cilantro.

FAQ

How Do I Know If Egg Bites Are Cooked Through?

They’ll puff up a bit, pull away from the edges and have a very small amount of golden spots on the tops. You can use a cake tester, or sharp knife to insert into the center, if it comes out clean, the egg bites are cooked through.A picture of how to tell if cottage cheese eggs bites are done.

Can You Make These Egg Bites In An Instant Pot?

To make Starbucks sous vide style egg bites you’ll obviously need an Instant Pot and a silicone muffin pan made especially for the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot silicone pan makes much smaller egg bites, so you’ll make several batches with this large recipe.

Can You Use A Mini Muffin Pan?

You can, but I wouldn’t. I prefer the larger muffin cups, as they’re easier to fill with ingredients. And the larger size makes a heartier breakfast option.

Can You Freeze Cottage Cheese Egg Bites?

Yes. I would suggest wrapping them individually in plastic wrap. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight for a quick microwave breakfast.

Storage and Reheating

The egg cups will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just cover with plastic wrap to keep them moist.

To reheat them, I like using the microwave. Just place a single egg bite on a microwave safe plate and reheat for 30 seconds. Instant breakfast!

Three Southwest Cottage Cheese Egg Bites on a plate.

More Of Our Favorite Breakfast Recipes

Love eggs for breakfast? Don’t forget to check out some of my popular breakfast recipes.

And don’t miss my category for Breakfast Recipes. You’ll find the most popular and well known Western Breakfast recipe for this authentic Western Omelette. Easy, cheesy, ham-y and hearty.

Cottage cheese egg bites with poblano peppers.
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Southwest Egg Bites With Cottage Cheese

These Egg Bites with Cottage Cheese are perfect for a meal prep breakfast to enjoy all week. Packed with Southwestern flavors, who can resist an egg filled cup rich and creamy in texture, cheesy, with bacon and "just right spicy" poblano peppers.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Breakfast Recipes
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 12 egg bites
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

  • Food Prosessor or blender

Ingredients

  • 8 large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Cottage Cheese Full Fat
  • 1 ½ Cup Cheddar Cheese Grated
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper Or New Mexico Red Chile Powder (more spice)
  • 2 small Poblano Peppers veins and seeds removed, small chopped
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper veins and seeds removed, small chopped
  • 6 slices Bacon chopped and cooked
  • 3 Green onions Tops and touch green part removed. Thin sliced.
  • Dashes of hot sauce
  • fine chopped chives or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Use kitchen shears to cut bacon into lardons. In a small fry non-stick pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the grease but don't wipe out the pan.
  • Cut red bell pepper and poblano pepper into small squares.
  • Place eggs, cottage cheese, shredded cheese and salt and pepper into a food processor. Use the pulse feature to blend the custard egg mixture. Don't over mix. Mix just until bubbles start to appear.
  • Sautee the bell pepper and poblano pepper in the same non-stick pan you cooked the bacon. Cook until they are soft and tender. This will take about 7 minutes.
  • Place the muffin tin on a sheet pan. Fill each muffin ⅔ of the way full with the egg custard batter. Sprinkle the cooked peppers evenly on top of the egg bite cups.
  • Continue with the toppings by adding chopped cooked bacon, sliced onion and grated cheese. Again, evenly dividing these ingredients to each muffin cup. Use a knife or spoon to push the ingredients down into the custard. I like a gentle shake of hot sauce in each cup. Tabasco sauce or Cholula sauce work well here.
  • Place the muffin pan on a sheet pan. Pull the middle rack out of the oven and slide the tray back into the oven. Then pour the hot water around the tray. This makes the water bath process much easier.
  • Bake the Cottage Cheese Egg Bites in a 325 degree oven for 30 – 35 minutes, or until custard is set. Slide the oven rack out and use hot pads to remove the muffin pan from the sheet pan water bath. Let sit for about 15 minutes before removing the egg cups from the muffin pan. Once the oven has cooled, then remove the water and sheet pan. No reason to slop hot water in the oven, or worse yet onto yourself.

Notes

Tips for Success:
    • Highly recommended: Once the muffin tin is filled with the egg bite mixture, pour three cups of hot water around the muffin tin. This water bath will keep those egg bites moist and fluffy. If you skip this step, the Cottage Cheese Egg Bites will be firmer.
    • Do not try to make these egg bites without cooking the peppers. Both the texture and flavor will be compromised. The poblano peppers will taste grassy and somewhat bitter if not cooked, and the texture will not be pleasant with the creamy eggs. Cook both peppers until they’re very soft.
    • Use a non-stick pan to fry the bacon. Once you drain the grease, there will be a light layer of grease left in the pan. Perfect for cooking the bell peppers and adding some bacon flavor as they cook.
    • Don’t oven blend the egg, cheese and cottage cheese mix. Too much air could cause the egg bites to collapse as they bake.
  • How Do I Know When Egg Bites Are Cooked Through? They’ll puff up a bit, pull away from the edges and have a very small amount of golden spots on the tops. You can use a cake tester, or sharp knife to insert into the center, if it comes out clean, the egg bites are cooked through.

Nutrition

Serving: 12g | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 736IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 1mg

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Southwest Cottage Cheese Egg Bites with Bacon … They’re What’s For Breakfast

Cumin Garlic Marbled Potatoes

By 1 Comment

Next time you’re considering a side dish for your favorite Mexican Food Entree, think outside the rice box and consider these Mexican style Marbled Potatoes. Easy to make and seasoned with toasted cumin and garlic.

Marbled potatoes with toasted cumin and garlic garnished with a Fresno pepper.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

First of all, this is a very simple method to prepare Marbled Potatoes. With a quick simmer stovetop, then tossed with oil, toasted cumin and sauteed garlic, a quick trip to the oven broiler and your side dish is ready.

What Are Marbled Potatoes? They’re a waxy variety of baby or small potatoes which are harvested early in the season. They can be purple, red, white or gold potatoes. They have thin tender skins, which make them easy to prepare (no peeling). The skins are very edible and the most nutritious part of any potato.

The key to this recipe is to cook them twice. The potatoes are simmered first, and due to their size, only take a few minutes to be par-boiled tender.

Once cooked, they’re tossed in a mix of toasted ground cumin, sauteed garlic and oil.

Place the potatoes on a sheet pan for a quick trip under the oven broiler and you’ve got a crispy outer skin and creamy tender potato interior.

This recipe for marbled potatoes is inspired from the highly touted cookbook: Mexico: The Cookbook. The definitive bible on Mexican home cooking by one of Mexico’s leading culinary authority, Margarita Carrillo Arronte.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make marbled potatoes.
  • Cumin: Cumin adds an earthy, nutty and citrus note to marble potatoes. And toasting cumin enhances the flavor, releasing oils, resulting in a richer more complex essence.
  • Southwest Seasoning: For this recipe, I decided to finish these potatoes with a Oaxacan Seasoned Salt. A product from New Mexico where coarse salt is mixed with chilaca pepper. This mix brings a smoky flavor. You can also use a Southwest Seasoning .
  • Olive oil is traditional for these types of roasted potato recipes, but try using butter for a more indulgent dish.

See recipe card for all ingredients..

How To Cook Marble Potatoes

How to cook marble potatoes.
  1. Step 1: Start by par-boiling the potatoes. In a saucepan, add enough water to cover the potatoes. Slowly bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just starting to become tender.
How to toast cumin.
  1. Step 2: In the meantime, heat a skillet stovetop over medium heat. Add the ground cumin and toast. Shake the skillet constantly until the cumin is aromatic. This should around a minute.
Cooking chopped garlic to make marbled potatoes.
  1. Step 3: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium low heat. Add the chopped garlic stirring frequently until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden.
Cooking marbled potatoes on a sheet pan in the oven.
  1. Step 4: Toss the potatoes with the cumin, garlic and oil. Put the potatoes on a sheet pan. Cook under the oven broiler for about 6 minutes.

Hint: While the potatoes are cooking under the oven broiler, shake the pan 2-3 times to move the potatoes around. This will help with even cooking.

What To Eat Them With

Since this is a Mexican version of these baby potatoes, I’d suggest:

Storage

Store any leftover potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The best way to reheat is a quick roast in the oven, or in an air fryer. This will keep the skins crispy.

Top tip

When frying the garlic, watch it very close. Don’t let it brown or burn, or you’ll have to start over as it will be cause a bitter flavor.

Questions You May Have

Why Are They Called Marble Potatoes?

Their size, shape, and variation in colors give them their name. They are much smaller than more mature potatoes, however, not as small as marbles.

What’s The Difference Between Potatoes and Marble Potatoes?

Marble potatoes can be a number of potato varieties. Regardless of the color, then. skin is thin and delicate, therefore no peeling is necessary. Sine they are harvested very early, the taste of these small potatoes is buttery and sweet because the sugar in these potatoes haven’t turned to starch yet.

How Long Do You Parboil Potatoes?

Parboiling means that you’re gently boiling potatoes until they’re partially cooked, but not all the way. So you do you know when they’re parboiled? Insert a knife or fork in one of the largest potatoes. If the utensil releases easy, the potatoes are parboiled. Watch these tiny potatoes closely so they don’t overcook. If you see a skin starting to crack, they’re on the verge of overcooking.

Looking for more potato side dishes? Try these:

And don’t miss my category for side dish recipes. You’ll find lots of good recipes including the most popular on my site for Savory Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes.

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Cumin Garlic Marbled Potatoes

Next time you're considering a side dish for your favorite Mexican Food Entree, think outside the rice box and consider these Mexican style Marbled Potatoes. Easy to make and seasoned with toasted cumin and garlic.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4
Calories: 191kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil or melted butter
  • 4-6 Cloves Garlic measure with your heart
  • 1 Pound Marbled potatoes or small new potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin toasted
  • 1 Red Chile Pepper for serving and garnish

Instructions

  • Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Slowly bring to a boil and simmer until parboiled tender. About 5-10 minutes. Drain in a colander in the sink.
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium low heat. Add the chopped garlic stirring frequently until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Don't let it brown or burn, or you'll have to start over as it will be bitter.
  • In the meantime, heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground cumin and cook, shaking the pan constantly until the cumin is very warm and fragrant. Remove from heat.
  • Put the potatoes in a bowl and add the garlic and the oil from the pan, and the toasted cumin. Use a large spoon to mix well.
  • Put the potatoes on a sheet pan. Cook under the oven broiler for about 6 minutes. Shake the pan to roll the potatoes around while they broil.
  • Place cooked potatoes in a serving bowl. Garnish with Oaxacan seasoning, Southwest seasoning, or a coarse flaky salt. Garnish with a slice of the red chile pepper and serve immediately.

Notes

About Parboiling:
Parboiling means that you’re gently boiling potatoes until they’re partially cooked, but not all the way. So you do you know when they’re parboiled? Insert a knife or fork in one of the largest potatoes. If the utensil releases easy, the potatoes are parboiled. Watch these tiny potatoes closely so they don’t overcook. If you see a skin starting to crack, they’re on the verge of overcooking.
Top Tip:
When frying the garlic, watch it very close. Don’t let it brown or burn, or you’ll have to start over as it will have a bitter undesirable flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 535mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

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Marbled Potatoes … They’re What’s For A Side Dish

Huevos Divorciados (Divorced Eggs)

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A traditional Mexican breakfast where two sunny-side up eggs are separated by two delicious salsas, salsa roja and salsa verde. Huevos Divorciados are traditionally served with corn chips and refried beans. Delicious and fun!

Divorced eggs served with two salsas. refried beans and tortilla chips.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Huevos Divorciados can be found in practically every part of Mexico. The dish name comes from the way the sunny side up eggs are served, which are separated by a serving of refried beans, and each egg is drizzled with a different sauce.

Huevos Divorciados literally translates to Divorced Eggs. The dish is similar to Huevos Rancheros, with the difference being the duel sauces.

For serving, the sauces are spooned around the yolks, covering the white. Refried beans are added to separate the eggs. Serve this with corn chips and grated or crumbled cheese.

This recipe comes together easily once you have the salsa’s prepared. I like to prepare my own salsa’s (sauce) as I have a couple of really good recipes. However, you can purchase Salsa Verde, or Tomatillo Salsa along with red salsas on the Mexican aisle at the grocery.

Huevos Divorciados makes an easy Mexican Food breakfast, and can be scaled up to serve to guests for brunch. If entertaining, serve it with Mexican Micheladas.

This recipe comes from the highly touted cookbook: Mexico: The Cookbook. The definitive bible on Mexican home cooking by one of Mexico’s leading culinary authority, Margarita Carrillo Arronte.

Let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make divorced eggs.
  • The Sauces: You can use homemade Tomatillo Salsa (salsa verde), or Homemade Green Chile Sauce. I personally prefer the Green Chile Sauce. Use a raw salsa roja, like this simple Restaurant Style Mexican Salsa. For the red salsa, however added a heaping teaspoon of tomato paste to give it an earthier and richer layer of flavor and deeper color.
  • Beans: Using canned refried beans from the store makes this an easy breakfast recipe. But if you’ve made homemade refried beans and have leftovers, this is a great way to use them.

Steps To Make Huevos Divorciados

Cooking sunny side up eggs to make divorced eggs.
  1. Step 1: Using butter or oil, cook the eggs to sunny side up stage. Once the oil or butter is heated add the eggs. Use a spatula to separate the whites if they run together. Lower the heat and let the eggs gently cook until the whites have set up. It only takes a few minutes. For sunny side up eggs, you want the yolks to be runny.

How To Serve It

Huevos Divorciados on a plate with refried beans and corn chips.
  1. Step 2: Spoon a serving of warmed refried beans in the center of a plate. Place two sunny side up eggs on each side of the beans. Carefully spoon green salsa on the white of one egg, and red sauce on the white of the other fried egg. Add some tortilla chips and sprinkle with Cotija cheese, which is a dry, salty crumbling cheese.

Tips For Success

  • Cooking Sunny Side Up Eggs: Keep the heat low, and when you see bubbles starting to form in the whites that means they’re getting near done. Watch them close and don’t over-cook.
  • Homemade salsas can be made as spicy as you like. Choose mild, medium or hot chile powder or chile peppers to suit your heat tolerance.
  • Prepare your salsas in advance : I like to make my salsas a day in advance. All that’s left to do is heat the refried beans and cook the eggs. Salsas can be made up to 5 days in advance.

Recipe Variations

  • Add some color: Add a couple slices of avocado, or some chopped cilantro.
  • Cheese: Substitute Cotija Cheese with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack.
  • Tortilla Chips: Serve Divorced Eggs over a warmed corn tortillas or flour tortillas. Then add the refried beans between the two.
  • Condiments: Add a dollop of Mexican Crema, Sour Cream or Guacamole.
  • Add a couple of rings of fresh sliced jalapeno pepper, or pickled jalapenos.

Leftovers

More than likely you’ll have leftover salsas. Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

  • Use them to as a dipping sauce for tortilla chips.
  • Make tacos or burritos and drizzle over the filling.
  • Or pour it over a block of cream cheese and serve with tortilla chips
  • Spoon some over fried potatoes, or hash brown potatoes.
  • Sprinkle Divorced Eggs with fine chopped raw sweet onion.

More Mexican Breakfast Recipes

And don’t miss my category for Breakfast Recipes, you’ll find lots of eye-opening recipes including one of the most popular on my site for my Traditional Western Omelette.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Mexican Divorced Eggs served on a plate with corn chips.
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Huevos Divorciados, Divorced Eggs

A traditional Mexican breakfast where two sunny-side up eggs are separated by two delicious salsas, salsa roja and salsa verde. Huevos Divorciados are traditionally served with corn chips and refried beans. Delicious and fun!
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Breakfast Recipes
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 2
Calories: 475kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Neutral Oil for frying eggs. Canola, Vegetable or Avocado oil work well here.
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt a sprinkle for each egg
  • 1 Cup Green Salsa Salsa Verde or Green Chile Sauce or Tomatillo Salsa
  • 1 Cup Red Salsa
  • 1 Cup Refried beans
  • ½ Cup Cheese for Topping Crumbled Cotija Cheese or Grated Cheddar
  • Tortilla Chips for serving

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add the eggs, turn the heat down to medium low and cook until the white is set. Season with kosher salt.
  • Transfer two eggs to each plate. Put a generous spoonful of green salsa over the white of one egg and another generous spoonful of the red salsa over the other egg.
  • Put a spoonful of the refried beans between the eggs and garnish with grated cheese. Add tortilla chips and serve immediately.

Notes

Tips For Success:
    • Cooking Sunny Side Up Eggs: Keep the heat low, and when you see bubbles starting to form in the whites that means they’re getting near done. Watch them close and don’t over-cook.
    • Homemade salsas can be made as spicy as you like. Choose mild, medium or hot chile powder or chile peppers to suit your heat tolerance.
    • Prepare your salsas in advance : I like to make my salsas a day in advance. All that’s left to do is heat the refried beans and cook the eggs. Salsas can be made up to 5 days in advance.
For this recipe I used a recipe for Green Chile Sauce Made from Green Chile Powder, a recipe from Savory Spice Shop.  You can also use Green Chile Sauce. Or a Tomatillo Salsa. 
For the red salsa, I used a regular salsa roja style salsa like my Restaurant Style Salsa. However, I did stir in a teaspoon of tomato paste to give it a richer flavor and color.

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 405mg | Sodium: 3506mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2128IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 4mg

Huevos Divorciados (Divorced Eggs) … It’s What’s for Breakfast

Easy Savory Sausage Pancakes

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By simply adding breakfast sausage and sweet onion to pancake batter, you’ve got over-the-top savory sausage pancakes. Next time you’re craving pancakes and sausage, try combining the two into one simple dish. Putting cooked breakfast sausage in pancakes is our favorite way to enjoy this classic breakfast.

A stack of sausage pancakes

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Whenever I make pancakes, I’m always reminded how easy they are, and then wonder why I don’t make them more often.

This is a super easy recipe for homemade pancakes, made special by adding crumbled cooked breakfast sausage to the batter.

We used to get giddy when someone would sprinkle some chocolate chips into pancake batter. But inheriting the savory gene rather than the sugary one, I’m giddy over adding cooked breakfast sausage and onions to pancake batter.

Pancakes and sausage make a great flavor combination because they hit that perfect balance of sweet and savory. Salty cooked breakfast sausage combined with slightly sweet, buttery pancake batter, the texture the flavor is intoxicating.

This is a homemade pancake recipe without buttermilk. No special trips to the store. I use whole milk in this recipe.

Served and topped with a pat of butter and maple syrup … who can resist fluffy homemade savory pancakes? Not me.

Serve Sausage Pancakes alongside fried eggs and fresh fruit. Breakfast is served

Noteworthy Ingredients

See full list of ingredients and precise measurements in the recipe card below.

Ingredients to make sausage pancakes.
  • Breakfast Sausage: The star of the show. Any breakfast sausage will work, but choosing a Maple flavored brand will bring even more flavor. Jimmy Dean offers maple flavored breakfast sausage and check out Bovine and Swine’s Artisan Maple Sausage Breakfast links.
  • Sweet Onion: Keeping onion small chopped will blend better with the smooth batter.
  • Milk: I’m sure buttermilk pancakes are wonderful, but I’ve always made my batter with whole milk, which I always have on hand.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

Browning breakfast sausage to make sausage pancakes.
Making homemade pancake batter for sausage pancakes.
  1. Step 1: Brown the Breakfast Sausage: Add crumbled breakfast sausage to a non-stick fry pan. Cook until pink is just starting to disappear from the meat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Make the pancake batter: Add the dry ingredients into a bowl. Lightly beat the egg and add it to the milk in another bowl.
Making homemade pancake batter for sausage pancakes.
Adding cooked sausage to pancake batter to make sausage pancakes.
  1. Step 3: Add milk and egg to the dry ingredients and stir well.
  2. Step 4: Stir in the onion and cooked sausage until well mixed.
Cooking pancakes in a skillet to make sausage pancakes.
Making sausage pancakes in a skillet.
  1. Step 5: Cook the Sausage Pancakes: Use the non-stick pan you used to fry the onion and sausage. Add a spray of the oil and once hot, add ¼ cup of the pancake batter. Cook each pancake on one side until bubbles start to show on the uncooked side.
  2. Step 6: Turn the pancake and cook until other side is golden brown.
Keeping sausage pancakes warm.

Tip: When I make sausage pancakes for the two of us, I use a skillet and make 1 – 2 pancakes at a time. Which means I need to keep them warm. As each pancake cooks, place them on a warmed plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel. When feeding more people, you can cook them on a griddle and make many pancakes at once.

Tips for Success

  • Be gentle when cooking the sausage. I don’t like the term “browning” meat. Browned ground meat carries a crispy texture. Cook the sausage just until the pink has been cooked from the meat. The texture will be more tender and will compliment the creamy texture of the pancakes.
  • Use a non-stick spray to cook the pancakes. Avocado oil spray or PAM works well here.

Questions You Might Have

Can You Freeze Pancakes?

Absolutely yes. This recipe makes about 16 pancakes and with just the two of us, I wrap them well in packages of four pancakes, in plastic wrap. They freeze beautifully. Just place them in the refrigerator the night before, then reheat the thawed pancakes using either a microwave or air-fryer.

Can I Use Pre-Cooked Sausage

Yes, and doing so will make this an even easier breakfast recipe. Using pre-cooked links or sausage patties will work well here, just make sure you cut or crumble them in small enough pieces to be manageable in the pancake batter. If I were going to eliminate the step of cooking fresh sausage, then I’d simply omit the step of adding fresh onions.

More Breakfast Recipes

And don’t miss my category for Breakfast Recipes, you’ll find some eye-opening recipes to get your day started. Including the most popular on my site for Pan Fried Biscuits. Made from canned biscuits, these are a true treat.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

A stack of Savory Sausage Pancakes.
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5 from 1 vote

Maple Sausage Pancakes

By simply adding sausage and sweet onion to pancake batter, you've got over-the-top savory sausage pancakes. Next time you're craving pancakes and sausage, try combining the two into one simple dish, Putting sausage in pancakes is our favorite way to enjoy this classic breakfast.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Breakfast Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 pancakes
Calories: 137kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 10 ounces Breakfast Sausage Preferably Maple flavored.
  • ¼ Cup Sweet Onion fine chopped
  • 2 Cups All purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 ½ Cups Milk Drizzle in more milk if batter needs thinned. I think I probably used about ⅛ more cup of milk.
  • 1 large Egg lightly beaten
  • Butter and pure maple syrup for serving

Instructions

  • Add crumbled breakfast sausage to a non-stick fry pan. Cook over medium heat until pink is just starting to disappear from the meat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the dry ingredients into a bowl. Lightly beat the egg and add it to the milk in another bowl. Add milk and egg to the dry ingredients and stir well.
  • Stir in the cooked onion and sausage to the batter and stir until well mixed.
  • I use a spray can of Avocado oil to fry the pancakes. Use the non-stick pan you used to fry the onion and sausage. Add a spray of the oil and once hot, add ¼ cup of the pancake batter. Cook each pancake on one side until bubbles start to show on the uncooked side. Turn and cook until other side is golden brown.
  • Stack cooked pancakes on a plate as you make them, cover with a clean towel to keep them warm until ready to serve.
  • Serve topped with butter and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 16 4-inch pancakes.
Tips For Success: 
    • Be gentle when cooking the sausage. I don’t like the term “browning” meat. Browned ground meat carries a crispy texture. Cook the sausage just until the pink has been cooked from the meat. The texture will be more tender and will compliment the creamy texture of the pancakes.
    • Use a non-stick spray to cook the pancakes. Avocado oil spray or PAM works well here.
    • Any breakfast sausage will work, but choosing a Maple flavored brand will bring even more flavor. Jimmy Dean offers maple flavored breakfast sausage and check out Bovine and Swine’s Artisan Maple Sausage Breakfast links.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

Savory Sausage Pancakes … it’s What’s for Breakfast