Homemade Breakfast Sausage

I'm on a big breakfast kick lately, and sausage is one of my favorite breakfast foods.  I always like a little bit of sweet and a little bit of savory on my breakfast plate. I am, however (being preggars and all) making a concerted effort to eat less processed foods, so I thought i'd try my hand at a homemade sausage. 

If you've never made homemade sausage patties, I think you'll be surprised how simple it can be.  The most important thing is creating the right spice mixture.  I used lots of fresh herbs, seasoned the ground pork up with fennel seeds, and added red pepper for a little heat.  Sauteed onions and fresh garlic add a nice texture and flavor as well.  For a sweet and spicy version, try adding a tablespoon or two of maple syrup. 

The best part is, these can be made in advance.  I put these patties together Saturday afternoon so Sunday morning all I had to do was brown them up! 

Ingredients (makes 6-8 patties, depending on size):

*3/4 lb. ground pork

*1 sprig each of fresh thyme, oregano, rosemary, finely chopped

*3 sage leaves, finely chopped

*1/4 tsp. fennel seeds

*1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

*1 garlic clove, minced

*1/2 c. onion, minced (about half of a small onion)

*1 tbsp. olive oil

*cooking spray

*salt, pepper

Crush fennel seeds and red pepper with a mortar and pestle, or use a knife to roughly chop them.  Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and sauté until soft.  Add garlic, all herbs, fennel, and red pepper flakes.  Saute one minute, then remove from heat.  Let cool slightly.

Season ground pork with salt and pepper.  Stir in onion mixture.  Form into patties and refrigerate for 15 minutes, or overnight if making ahead.   To cook the patties, heat a non stick pan over medium high.  Coat with cooking spray.  Cook the patties roughly 5 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and cooked through (ground pork should be fully cooked to 160).  Enjoy!