Breakfast of Champions (Breakfast Kebabs)

At the beginning of the summer, J and I decided to purchase a new grill, and ended up with a large Weber charcoal grill. Something about grilled food, especially on natural charcoal, really makes my mouth water, so I was anxious to put it to use. Even more so, I didn't want to put myself within the limitations of standard thought and focus solely on lunch/dinner dishes, so I planned for a grilled breakfast.

Now THAT'S breakfast

Mom was going to join us, and being awake to cook an impressive or large breakfast in the early morning is not really my forte. To make things simple, and take full advantage of the grill, I decided on breakfast kebabs- a mixture of breakfast-related items on skewers that requires little prep and minimal attention while cooking.

Grilled pineapple was a great contrast to bacon and sausage

Another wonderful thing about kebabs for breakfast is that they're extremely versatile - you can choose from a large variety of items to include, or even allow guests to build their own kebabs with their favorite items.  Additionally, you can prep the kebabs the night before, reducing time in the morning.

Grilled to perfection

Breakfast kebabs

Naturally, as J and I were cooking the kebabs, we decided simply grilled kebabs could use a little punch, so we came up with a delicious, sweet/spicy sauce.

For the kebabs:

1 green bell pepper
1 red onion
10 oz fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
3-4 sweet Italian sausage
1 package bacon
Skewers - metal or wood (if using wood skewers, check the packaging the night before - they probably need to be soaked overnight)
Grill - charcoal or gas
Extra virgin olive oil spray (to coat the grill)

For the sauce:

3 tbs raw honey
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp chile flakes

If you're using a charcoal grill, first begin by preparing your coals (if you have one, a charcoal chimney works wonders to speed up the process).

Part of the crew

Cut the bell pepper, red onion, pineapple, and sausage into chunks. Be sure to keep in mind that you want the items to cook evenly, so it's helpful to cut things into similarly-sized bites. Pre-cook the bacon in the microwave for approx. 3 minutes (you want it to start to be cooked, but still flexible). Fold the bacon accordion-style.

Some assembly required

Assemble the kebabs by pressing the cut ingredients onto the skewer. I used metal skewers, which, if you weren't aware, are quite sharp. I know this from experience.

Once your coals are ready (they should be glowing and grey, no longer black), place the kebabs on the grill. Using a pair of tongs, rotate the kebabs occasionally to ensure even cooking. Cook through, about 10 minutes.

Just a little mixture

Remove the kebabs and set them on a plate to rest, covering in foil. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce and whisk thoroughly to incorporate.

Saucy

Drizzle sauce over kebabs and serve.

Cheers!