Southern Made Simple

Keeping things simple with a smidge of Southern charm

Breakfast

Venison Sausage Balls

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We’re currently in the heart of deer season here in south Alabama, and my husband has been in the woods quite a bit lately trying to make sure our freezer is stocked with venison to last us a full year until next year’s deer season begins. These venison sausage balls are a quick, simple, no-fuss and no-fail appetizer that I love to whip up any ol’ time, but especially on game days when college football is on the big screen.

Venison Sausage Balls

These sausage balls only call for a handful of ingredients, and they take about 15 minutes to cook all the way through in the oven. My husband loves to eat them by themselves, but I personally love to dip them in a little bit of pepper jelly or drizzle a smidge of syrup over them to give them a bite of sweetness. If I’m lucky and there’s any leftovers the next morning, I love to pop them in the microwave and have them for breakfast!

Venison Sausage Balls

While this recipe calls for ground venison sausage, you can easily adapt this recipe to use pork sausage. If you want to spice things up a tad, spring for a spicy sausage blend instead of using mild! I use a combination of shredded cheddar and shredded mozzarella in the mixture because I believe the mozzarella adds in a little extra moisture to keep them from feeling dry. You can experiment with different cheeses if you so choose, and even add in a little creole or cayenne pepper to give them so extra flavor!

Venison Sausage Balls

To make sure my sausage balls are even in size so they will all cook evenly, I love to use a click-release cookie scoop and plop them right on top of the baking sheet without getting my hands dirty. If you happen to have any leftovers, just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll keep for 4-5 days, but they’ve certainly never lasted that long in my household!

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

Venison Sausage Balls
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups Bisquik baking mix
  • 1 lb ground venison or ground pork sausage
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2/3 cup whole milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F
  • Using a stand mixer, combine all ingredients and blend until well combined
  • Use a cookie scoop or your hands to roll out dough into ping-pong sized balls and place on a greased baking sheet
  • Bake for 15-17 minutes
  • Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

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Venison Sausage Balls

Looking for more great venison recipes? Check out these recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Venison Meatloaf | Grilled BBQ Bacon Venison Burgers | Venison Country Fried Steak | Bacon Wrapped Venison Tenderloin | Venison Pot Roast | Venison Taco Bites

And while you’re at it, check out this roundup of other amazing venison recipes!

Do you have a favorite venison recipe you’d love to share? Or maybe a favorite game day (or any day) appetizer that’s your go-to this time of year? What would you pair with these venison sausage balls? Leave a comment below and share the love!


Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

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The house is quite as I’m sitting here typing this, sipping my coffee. My children are nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of every single toy they circled with a red crayon in the Target Christmas Catalog dance in their heads. The aroma coming from the kitchen is slowly creeping its way throughout the rest of the house, and I can hardly wait to sit down at the table with my family and a bowl full of this Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole. Oh, if only I could capture the scent of this dish in a candle. It smells exactly like Christmas, and not the candy-cane or evergreen tree scent so many people try to make it. It smells like true homemade holiday magic, and the smell isn’t even the best part!

Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

French toast casseroles are pretty popular around here. I make them for my family quite a bit. I’ve made Strawberry French Toast Casserole, Mixed Berry French Toast Casserole, and I’ve even made a Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole, but there’s just something about this gingerbread version that really steals the show. Personally, I’m a huge fan of molasses and ginger together. Gingerbread in general gives me those warm-fuzzy Christmas feelings, and adding a little powdered sugar and maple syrup on top? Honey, that’s some sho’ nuff certified goodness.

Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

I typically use a loaf of Italian bread from the bakery at my grocery store to make any french toast casserole. Walmart always sells their loaves for $1 each, which is much cheaper than what you’ll find down the bread aisle! I simply slice the bread into thumb-sized pieces and toast them in the oven for about 15 minutes. Next, I whip up the egg mixture with a variety of spices typically found in gingerbread. Of course, molasses and ground ginger are a must in this recipe. I recommend using a milder version of molasses over blackstrap for this recipe.  Then, pour the egg mixture over the bread crumbs, cover, and refrigerate overnight for best results before baking.

Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

Try not to get too hung up on the “overnight” part of this recipe, though. If you don’t have that kind of time, don’t worry about it! You can certainly pop it into the oven right away if you need it in a hurry. It’ll still be fabulous, I promise! 😉 

Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

The cinnamon sugar crumble on top is probably my favorite part of this recipe. It gives a slight crunch that soaks up the warm syrup perfectly. Here’s a copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole
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Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

For French Toast Casserole

  • 1 loaf Italian bread cubed
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

For Crumble Topping

  • 1 stick cold salted butter cubed
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Instructions

  • Cube loaf bread into small pieces and toast in over at 300 F for 15 minutes
  • Remove from oven and pour bread cubes in a greased 9x13 casserole dish
  • Preheat oven to 350 F
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, molasses, vanilla and spices
  • Pour egg mixture over the bread. Cover dish and set in refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours. See note.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, then add topping and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
  • Serve with maple syrup and/or powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Notes

For best results, allow bread mixture to set in refrigerator overnight or for a few hours before baking. However, baking at this point will be fine as well if you are in a hurry.

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

What do you love to make for breakfast during the holidays? Leave a comment below and share the love!

Looking for more recipes similar to this Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole? Check out these favorites found right here on Southern Made Simple! 

Strawberry French Toast Bake | Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake | Mixed Berry French Toast Bake | Molasses Cookies | White Chocolate Drizzled Gingerbread Stars

Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce

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This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TogetherWithRedDiamond

As I curl up in a blanket on my couch and pause for a moment to begin planning our holiday meals for my family, I can’t help but be swept away with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Sure, our time with our extended family has been put on pause, and our traditional large meals gathered around the dinner table during the holidays will look a little different for now, but changing my perspective to focus on the positives of this year instead of the negatives has really helped me draw from a place of gratitude for the things that I have rather than sadness over the things I cannot have.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce

One positive is that even though I won’t be fixing meals for a larger number of people, I am still able to fix some of my all-time favorite seasonal meals for my immediate family this season, and nothing makes us all feel the goodness of fall quite like my Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce. I’ve always been big on making breakfast time extra special during the holiday season, and there is nothing better than having a warm slice of this French toast goodness with a hot cup of coffee in hand.

And speaking of coffee, the star ingredient of this French toast bake is a salted caramel coffee sauce to pour over each slice in place of traditional syrup. The caramel has just enough hint of coffee flavor in it to make any coffee lover smile, and swirling a bit of it into my cup takes my morning coffee time to a whole new level.

Hover over the image above to find Red Diamond® Coffee products at a store near you!

My husband and I love to enjoy a morning cup of coffee together each day, and I always keep my coffee bar stocked during the holiday season so any guests or family members can help themselves to a fresh pot while they’re here. Lately I’ve been brewing Red Diamond® Classic Blend Ground Coffee, and each sip has been just like a warm and much needed hug from an old friend.

As a native Alabamian, it always makes my heart happy to support businesses that are here in my own state. Red Diamond Coffee is roasted right here in Alabama, and it’s made from the highest quality 100% Arabica coffee. Only the best high-grown coffee beans are used, and they’re all handpicked and roasted in the world’s finest Scolari Roasters. The fresh and warm flavors are something I can truly appreciate during this season, and this coffee makes for a perfect pairing with a plate of this French toast bake!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce

Making this Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake is very simple and straightforward. This dish feeds our family of 4 with plenty of leftovers, so if you’re visiting with a few extended family members this season, this bake is perfect for feeding several people. To get started, you’ll want to use day-old bread or a loaf of French or Italian bread cut into cubes and toasted at 300°F for 15 minutes, or until firm.

Next, cube a brick of cream cheese into small pieces and toss them in with the bread crumbs into a 9×13 casserole dish. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, 1 can of pumpkin puree, sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and pour over the bead cubes. For the very best results, I like to let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking, but if you’re in more of a hurry you can go ahead and pop it in the oven at this point.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce

While the casserole is baking, go ahead and combine all of the listed ingredients for the crumble topping. Once the casserole has baked for 20 minutes, add the crumble mixture on top and bake for another 25 minutes. The casserole will make your entire house smell absolutely wonderful, and sinking your teeth into a warm and gooey slice of this French toast bake will make you wish the autumn season could stick around all year long!

But the very best part of the dish is the icing on the cake – or should I say the caramel on the casserole! The salted caramel coffee sauce is absolutely sensational, and using Red Diamond Coffee inside the caramel sauce gives it an extra special touch. I love that Red Diamond is real coffee – handpicked from the world’s finest fields and crafted without compromise. Perfect’s not easy, but honestly this coffee makes perfection seem effortless! I always pick up my Red Diamond Coffee at my local Publix, but you can check this store locator to see where Red Diamond Coffee is sold near you!

Once the Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake is out of the oven, drizzle the homemade salted caramel coffee sauce on top, and don’t forget to add a smidge into your coffee, too!

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try:

Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce

Ingredients

For French Toast:

  • 1 loaf Italian or French bread cubed and toasted at 300 F for 15 minutes
  • 1 8 oz plain cream cheese cubed into small pieces
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

For Topping:

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 stick salted butter cold and cubed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

For Caramel Sauce:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbs Red Diamond Classic Blend Ground Coffee
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 5 Tbs butter cubed
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

For French Toast Bake:

  • Cube loaf bread into small pieces and toast in over at 300 F for 15 minutes
  • Remove from oven and place in a greased 9x13 casserole dish
  • Preheat oven to 350 F
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla
  • Cube cold cream cheese and sprinkle amongst bread cubes
  • Pour egg mixture over the bread. For best results, allow bread mixture to set in refrigerator for a few hours before baking. However, baking at this point will be fine as well.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, then add topping (below) and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

For the topping:

  • While french toast is baking, combine all topping ingredients into a large bowl.
  • Using a hand or stand mixer, combine all ingredients until a crumbly mixture forms
  • Sprinkle on top of french toast bake and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
  • Serve with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce and enjoy!

For Caramel Sauce:

  • Line a coffee cup with a doubled coffee filter. Pour 2 Tbs of Red Diamond Classic Blend Ground Coffee into the filter.
  • Heat 3/4 cup water in saucepan on stove to boiling. Remove only 1/4 cup of water and pour over coffee grounds. Allow to steep for a few minutes until cooled down slightly.
  • While the coffee grounds are cooling, whisk sugar into remaining water and bring to a rapid boil. Cover and boil for about 6-8 minutes, or until the sugar and water begin to turn an amber brown color.
  • While the sugar mixture is simmering, remove coffee filter and grounds from coffee mug and gently squeeze the grounds to get any excess liquid out. Discard grounds and filter.
  • Very gently add cubed butter into the boiling sugar mixture, making sure not to splatter the mixture onto your hands. Whisk vigorously as the mixture will begin to bubble quickly.
  • Then slowly add in the heavy cream and whisk until foaming mostly subsides.
  • Add in vanilla, coffee and sea salt.
  • Bring mixture back to a boil to thicken, then remove from heat and allow to cool before serving.

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce

I’ll be passing this recipe along to my out-of-town relatives that we will not be able to gather with this year. While we’ll be missing them in person, it warms my heart to know that they’ll have a belly full of goodness to keep the smiles going!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce

This fall family-favorite really has a way of bringing us all together, even if we do have to be a little bit farther apart for right now. Brewing a fresh pot of Red Diamond Coffee to pair with it makes this holiday season feel extra nice, and I can’t wait to share a cup with my family this holiday season, even if it is through a computer screen!

If you’re getting a head start on your holiday menu planning like me, be sure to print out a copy of this Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake with Salted Caramel Coffee Sauce recipe and grab all of the ingredients needed to make it. And while you’re at it, make sure you pick up a canister of Red Diamond Coffee to go with it!

 

Butternut Squash Muffins

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These Butternut Squash Muffins are a scrumptious way to start the morning. Each bite is cinnamon-y sweet, and the fresh butternut squash baked right in makes them perfectly moist. The sugary crumble on top is absolutely irresistible, too! Butternut Squash Muffins

Alright, before I really dive into sharing all of the sweet details of this recipe, you and I need to make a pact, okay? Hold up your right hand and repeat after me: “I (state your full name) do solemnly swear that I will not tell Laura’s 5 year old daughter that these muffins contain a vegetable. I realize that in doing so I am jeopardizing the peace and harmony that she experiences at the breakfast table each time she prepares these muffins, and the last thing 2020 needs is a stealer of the peace. 

Okay, phew. I feel like I can proceed now. Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, butternut squash. My fall-time favorite. 

Butternut Squash Muffins

My butternut squash plants have done quite well this year, considering I planted a batch in the spring knowing good and well they’re a winter squash. I was just curious to see how they’d do, honestly, but I’ve still been pulling squash off of the vine here and there, and I’m hopeful to have an even bigger harvest this fall. Butternut squash are a cousin to pumpkins, and their flavors are quite similar. For all of those glorious “pumpkin-this” and “pumpkin-that” recipes circulating around Pinterest, you can use cooked and mashed butternut squash and make nearly the same thing. I do it all the time!

These are a petty basic muffin when it comes right down to it, but the cinnamon-y crumble on top always makes me come back for more. The added butternut squash makes these perfectly moist, and my kids devoured 2 a piece before I could even finish photographing them. Of course, I had to call them “magical unicorn sparkle muffins” in order for my 5 year old to eat them. One mention of butternut squash and she would hit the ground running. Y’all pray for me. 

While it seems that my Instagram feed is already beginning to flood with fall decor, it’s kind of hard for me to get into the fall mood when it’s 100ºF in the shade here in south Alabama. Because these muffins are a little bit lighter on the fall flavors, I think they’re a good transitional treat to start baking this month, and especially as butternut squash is becoming more readily available in the supermarkets and in the garden.

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Butternut Squash Muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 3/4 cup mashed cooked butternut squash
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Crumble Topping

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cold butter cubed
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F
  • In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.
  • In another bowl, combine eggs, mashed butternut squash, corn syrup, butter, oil and vanilla
  • Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
  • Fill greased muffin tin or paper-lined muffin cups about halfway full.
  • In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon
  • Cut in butter until crumby and sprinkle over each muffin tin
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool before removing from pan. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

To make these mini muffins, just adjust the cook time to 10 minutes.

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

If you plan on doing some fall baking this upcoming season, here are a few of my must-haves in the kitchen, especially if these Butternut Squash Muffins are on the menu!

 

Butternut Squash Muffins

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other great recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash | Butternut Squash Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Cinnamon Raisin Buttermilk Muffins | Snickerdoodle Mini Muffins

Mixed Berry French Toast Bake

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The post is sponsored by the Be the Best You promotion at Publix. The opinions and text are all mine. 

My morning routine is very important to me. It’s quiet time I have to myself to dream, reflect, meditate and create. Taking time first thing in the morning to do things for myself sets the tone for the rest of the day and allows me to be my best self and start the day on a positive note. Breakfast plays a big role in my time spent with myself, and I love getting creative in the kitchen to fix my family a special breakfast before their day begins, too.  This Mixed Berry French Toast Bake is usually devoured by everyone in no time at all, and the fresh berries tucked inside add a pop of joy to every bite!

 

Strawberry French Toast Bake…

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Snickerdoodle Mini Muffins

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These Snickerdoodle Mini Muffins are bite-sized portions of sugary sweetness to make your breakfast or brunch extra delicious!

It’s been a roller coaster of a week. Earlier I shared about my recent myopic macular degeneration diagnosis, and it’s been a pretty tough week trying to wrap my head around the risk of losing even more of my vision. The Lord has made himself very clear that I am not to allow doubt, fear and dread steal the joy of the promises the Lord has already made for me, and the best thing I can do is to align myself with His word and to keep pressing on and enjoy the life He’s given me with the talents he’s blessed me with.

Snickerdoodle Mini Muffins…

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Glazed Sweet Potato Doughnuts

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I’m all for sharing recipes that are on the simple-side (hence the name Southern Made Simple.) Having 20 different steps in a recipe is not typically how I roll, because I’m a firm believer you can achieve big flavors without jumping through circus hoops to get there. And while all of that still remains true, it’s necessary to make an exception from time to time. Some recipes just require a little bit more love to make, but those recipes are often some of the very best recipes, and the work put in is always worth the reward! These Glazed Sweet Potato Doughnuts are one of those recipes – made with a lot of love, a little elbow grease and a whole lot of goodness!

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Apple Cider Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

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Hello, Autumn! Nice to finally see you! We hit our first “cold” front of the season, and feeling the temps drop down just a few degrees to make the mid-afternoon heat tolerable has certainly been well welcomed! We live in the middle of a field of planted pines, so not many of the trees that surround our house ever change colors. It’s pretty much green outside all year, so I always make sure I go the extra mile to make things really feel like fall around here. Yesterday afternoon that meant breaking out the apple cider and getting a little creative in the kitchen, and these Apple Cider Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts have been the perfect treat to help us welcome in the season!

Apple Cider Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts…

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Cinnamon Sausage Pull Apart Bread

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TennesseePrideFlavor #CollectiveBias

Saturdays are truly something special in our household. They’re like a hidden gem tucked into the week that we finally get to uncover after a busy work week has ended. We crave the days that we don’t have a calendar full of events scheduled for our Saturday mornings, because we prefer to reserve that time for extra cuddles, extra sleep and extra time gathered around the breakfast table to enjoy something hot and fresh out of the oven (like this Cinnamon Sausage Pull Apart Bread, of course!)

Hover over this image to shop Odom’s Tennessee Pride Country Sausage and revamp your breakfast game!…

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