Easy Pan Fried Sausage and Potatoes with Cheese Recipe

"Mom would make this dish all the time when I was growing up. Every weekend, we traveled to our second home up north (northern MI); and, because we weren't there all the time - pantry items were very important to have on hand. Potatoes were always one of those items. We added them to soups, dumplings, potato pancakes, breakfast, or simply pan fried. This dish was one of our favorites; often topped with a fried egg to make a complete breakfast. Now, back in the day ... Mom would cut up some peppers, onion; and, many times celery (or what was on hand from the summers harvest). Today, you can buy a 'seasoning blend,' right in most grocery stores freezer section. It is a mix of onions, peppers, and celery; which is perfect for this dish."

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Sausage ... Cut off the end of the sausage link and squeeze out the sausage. Add to a nonstick saute pan on medium heat, along with a light drizzle of olive oil. Saute slowly breaking up the sausage as it cooks. Once the sausage is golden brown, and no longer pink; transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain while you cook the potatoes. You should be left with about 1 tablespoon or less of pan drippings - this will be used to cook the potatoes and vegetables. You don't want any more than 1 tablespoon.

Step 2

Potatoes and Vegetables ... Add the seasoning blend (which is nothing more than some onion, and mixed peppers - sometimes celery), a pinch of both salt and pepper, to the oil along with the potatoes and cook on medium high heat, stirring now and then. As you cook the vegetables and potatoes, the potatoes will start to break down; but, don't be afraid to break them up a bit with your spoon. You want them to get a nice crust on them. Remember, these potatoes are already cooked - you are just browning them. Once, you get some nice color; add the sausage back in, and toss to combine. Then, let it cook another couple of minutes just to blend all the flavors. Check again if any additional seasoning is needed.

Step 3

Finish ... Top with the cheese, cover and remove from the heat. Now, if it were me ... fry up a couple of eggs and serve on top of the potatoes and sausage. What a fantastic breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner!

Step 4

Serve and ENJOY! ... Garnish with the chives; and serve right from the skillet. And have fun with it. Try adding some sour cream, some jalapenos, mushrooms, etc. You can really make it your own.