Breakfast is definitely my favorite meal of the day.

I love mornings.  And I love starting my day out with a great cup of coffee and a wonderful breakfast.  Even if most of my breakfasts are eaten in my cubicle at work.

But let’s be honest.  I’ve always been more of a bacon lover.

Breakfast sausage just really isn’t my jam.

But I need something more than johnnycakes with hard boiled eggs, cinnamon rolls, oatmeal, and homemade breakfast sandwiches.  And I need something that can be prepped ahead of time, transports well, and doesn’t become inedible after being reheated.

You see, years ago after I had Audrey, I decided not to return back to the workforce immediately, and became a stay at home mom and a full-time student.  I would generally wait until Audrey fell asleep before I began my school work and then would spend hours completing my coursework – sometimes not finishing until 4 am the next morning.  I would wake up whenever Audrey would wake up and make breakfast – which was, more often than not, pancakes.  My life was full of leisure, to say the least.

When I re-entered the workforce, I began in retail, which allowed me the opportunity to wake up later and make those lavish breakfasts I had become so fond of (aka: pancakes).  But once I transitioned to a new career path, that completely changed my daily routine.  I could no longer not set an alarm, workout, shower, and eat a large breakfast.  Nope.  Now I was waking up (instead of going to bed) at 4 am, scrambling around getting ready, and unable to fit a breakfast at home in the mix.  And while some of my co-workers are content with pop-tarts and pre-packaged honey buns, I’ve grown accustomed to my rather decadent breakfasts.

Insert these delectable little bites.  They are easy to make.  Easy to take.  And with the added fruit – a little more sweeter than your standard breakfast sausage.

Something I’ll never complain about.

Apple Pork Breakfast Sausages

makes 16 balls

• 1 lb. ground pork
• 2 pinches each of oregano, sage, nutmeg, and cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 apple
• 1 garlic clove

Place the pork in a bowl.  Sprinkle with the spices, salt, and pepper.

Peel the apple.  Using the largest holes of a box grater, grate the apple.  Next, put the clove of garlic through a garlic press.  Add the grated apple and garlic to the pork mixture.

Using your hands, mix thoroughly.  Divide the mixture into four parts, and roll each part into four balls (giving you a total of 16 balls).

Put the sausage balls into an unheated cast iron.  Cook over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally so that the balls brown evenly.  Cook for about 10 minutes, until the centers are no longer pink, and the sausage balls are cooked all the way through.