Disclosure: I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Influence Central for P.A.N. Cornmeal. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
Having two smaller children in the house can make some meals interesting. If I’m not careful, they will have nothing but cereal, waffles, yogurt and sandwiches to eat all day long. Not that any of that is bad, but I do try to get lots of colorful foods in my kids diets and a variety of flavors, colors and textures. So I try to make mealtimes fun and this summer it’s been necessary to cultivate a little more creativity to get them excited about new things. My kids love corn dogs, they also love sausage, eggs and toast for breakfast. It wasn’t long before I had a magical idea that transformed breakfast for us all.
It all started with this little bag of cornmeal. P.A.N. Cornmeal is a staple in many South American homes. In fact, it’s the number one selling brand of cornmeal in all of South America and is so versatile. You can use it for a variety of meals, whether it’s for breakfast (or brunch), dinner, or even dessert! I came up with a delicious batter that would be amazing for corndogs, but I decided to use it for little breakfast bites instead. Little bites of sausage wrapped in an egg scramble and covered with this cornbread batter. Then I pulled out the deep fryer to get a nice crisp texture with a delicate and tasty middle. Just as I thought, the kids love it and gobbled it right up. I already have requests for other filling ideas, but I quite like this recipe as is.
Now the batter can be a bit tricky since it is a sticky one. Once you get it down, it’s super easy and the breakfast bites will be smooth and golden. Since there are some rising ingredients, you really only need a thin layer of the batter before it’s dropped into the fryer, the breading will expand and puff up into a beautiful golden bite of deliciousness. Are you ready to try? For more delicious cornmeal inspiration, check out the P.A.N. Cornmeal tumblr page.
Sausage and Egg Filling Ingredients:
- 1/4 red bell pepper
- 1/4 green bell pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- 6 maple flavored sausage links
Cornbread Batter:
- 1 cup all purpose flour, divided
- 3/4 cup P.A.N. cornmeal
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- canola oil (for frying)
How to make the breakfast bites:
Begin by adding both bell pepper portions to a food processor until diced. Lightly saute in 1-2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat.
Crack the eggs in a bowl, then whisk them until blended. Add the eggs to the pan with the bell peppers and lightly scramble. Spread around the pan and continue to cook on low when the eggs are still loose and uncooked. Let sit until eggs are cooked through in a flat layer.
While the eggs are cooking, brown your sausage in another pan. I use just a bit of water and olive oil when browning my precooked sausage. Cook these as you normally would.
Once the eggs and sausage are done, fill up your deep fryer with oil and set the temperature to about 360 degrees. While the oil is heating up, add 2/3 cup of the flour, the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika and baking soda to a dish. Mix the ingredients until well combined.
Add both eggs and mix well, then slowly pour in the milk. Get a second dish to put the remaining 1/3 cup of flour in.
Mix it all together until batter is relatively smooth. It will be sticky!
Break the egg mixture into about 12 pieces and cut each sausage link in half. Wrap the egg portion around the sausage, then roll in the remaining 1/3 cup of flour.
Tip: Before you start dipping the breakfast bites in the batter, it helps to spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray.Since the batter is so sticky this really helps make the batter pliable and smooth so it won’t stick to your hands. Be sure to spray your hands between each breakfast bite too!
Gently work the batter around the sausage and egg, forming a thin layer around the mixture.
Drop each battered ball into the oil, shaking them around every minute or two. After about 3-5 minutes each breakfast bite will be done, be sure to try to get an even golden color all over.
Remove each bite from the oil and place it on paper towel to catch any remaining grease. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Once done you can serve with salsa, ketchup, even maple syrup!
I prefer the more savory taste, and these were absolutely delicious with salsa!
Just dip..
…and enjoy!
These breakfast bites are similar to a little breakfast corn dog bite! Filled with maple sausage and a tasty scramble, they're sure to be a new brunch fave!
Ingredients
- 1/4 red bell pepper
- 1/4 green bell pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- 6 maple flavored sausage links
- 1 cup all purpose flour, divided
- 3/4 cup P.A.N. cornmeal
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- canola oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Begin by adding both bell pepper portions to a food processor until diced. Lightly saute in 1-2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat.
- Crack the eggs in a bowl, then whisk them until blended. Add the eggs to the pan with the bell peppers and lightly scramble. Spread around the pan and continue to cook on low when the eggs are still loose and uncooked. Let sit until eggs are cooked through in a flat layer.
- While the eggs are cooking, brown your sausage in another pan. I use just a bit of water and olive oil when browning my precooked sausage. Cook these as you normally would.
- Once the eggs and sausage are done, fill up your deep fryer with oil and set the temperature to about 360 degrees. While the oil is heating up, add 2/3 cup of the flour, the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika and baking soda to a dish. Mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Add both eggs and mix well, then slowly pour in the milk. Get a second dish to put the remaining 1/3 cup of flour in.
- Mix it all together until batter is relatively smooth. It will be sticky!
- Break the egg mixture into about 12 pieces and cut each sausage link in half. Wrap the egg portion around the sausage, then roll in the remaining 1/3 cup of flour.
- Gently work the batter around the sausage and egg, forming a thin layer around the mixture.
- Drop each battered ball into the oil, shaking them around every minute or two. After about 3-5 minutes each breakfast bite will be done, be sure to try to get an even golden color all over.
- Remove each bite from the oil and place it on paper towel to catch any remaining grease. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Once done you can serve with salsa, ketchup, even maple syrup!
- I prefer the more savory taste, and these were absolutely delicious with salsa!
- Just dip..
- ...and enjoy!
Notes
Tip: Before you start dipping the breakfast bites in the batter, it helps to spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray.Since the batter is so sticky this really helps make the batter pliable and smooth so it won't stick to your hands. Be sure to spray your hands between each breakfast bite too!
[…] using cornmeal that was a twist on a classic dessert. I also shared a fun breakfast recipe for cornbread battered breakfast bites with sausage and egg that my kids just loved! I decided to make a more traditional recipe for the P.A.N. Cornmeal since […]