Chef Tess is at our Rancho Cucamonga, CA store today doing some classes. Since not all of our readers could be there we thought it’d be fun if she did a guest post here for all to enjoy! Take it at Chef Tess…
This meal in a jar is too brilliant! You might pass out. It’s gluten free, just add water, and shelf stable 7-10 years. It contains real sausage, potatoes, eggs, cheese, and vegetables. The thing I adore most of all about it is the fact that I don’t have to plan on having any oil in the house to cook the hash browns. Yes. You read that correctly. No need to plan on extra oil in your food storage or cooking supplies anywhere. It is all self-contained in the jar and ready to cook a meal. Are you excited to see the method?!
I keep the egg mixture separate from the potato mixture, since eggs take about 3 minutes to cook and hash browns need to be hydrated and cook with the sausage for 15 minutes.

The first “must-have” for this meal to be amazing is the Ova Easy Egg Crystals. They cook up to taste just like a fresh scrambled egg. I’ve ranted about them in the past but just know that we are very picky about eggs around here, as only a chef could be…and they are outstanding. One #10 can is right around 29$. At first that freaked me out until I realized that there were 72 eggs in a can. So that’s about 6 a dozen. 6 dozen! Shelf stable and not going to kill my family from salmonella. Yup. I’m a fan
With the eggs we’ll be using the beautiful technology of…
Freeze Dried Cheese. Yes. It tastes like cheese, cooks like cheese and works like cheese. It IS cheese. The only ingredient in the can is cheese.
I’m also using the real Sausage . It is shelf stable 10 years or more and remarkable. In this recipe it is NOT okay to use the TVP sausage. It will not work for keeping your hash browns from sticking to the pan the way the real stuff does.
I’m not going to lie…this stuff is delicious.
Please be very careful to use an oxygen absorber for these jars. With the use of the eggs and the freeze dried sausage they are not optional. They are for your safety. Now…to the Oxygen Absorber. What do they do?
Wikipedia says: “An oxygen absorber is a small packet of material used to prolong the shelf life of food. They are used in food packaging to prevent food color change, to stop oils in foods from becoming rancid, and also retard the growth of oxygen-using aerobic microorganisms such as fungi…
Are you ready for breakfast yet?!
2 c Honeyville diced dehydrated potatoes
1 c Honeyville Freeze Dried Sausage (no substitutions)
1tsp Chef Tess All Purpose Seasoning
Small sealable baggie on top of potatoes and sausage in the jar:
1/3 c OvaEasy egg crystals (no substitutions)
1/3 c Honeyville freeze dried cheddar cheese
1/3 c Honeyville freeze dried bell peppers
2T Honeyville freeze dried mushrooms
½ tsp Chef Tess Romantic Italian Seasoning
Top with an oxygen absorber (see the package of the oxygen absorber packets for specific safety on how long those are good out in the air). Seal lid on tightly, screwing on very securely. Make sure the oxygen absorber is not over the lip of the jar or you will not achieve a good seal. Jar lid will “pop” when the jar is sealed, after about 20 minutes. This is how you will know there is not any oxygen in your jar.
Directions to prepare Meal: In a large 12 inch non-stick skillet, combine the potatoes and sausage with 4 cups boiling water. Cover and allow hydrating 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender.Drain any extra water, once the potatoes are tender. The fat from the sausage will keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan. Cook 10-15 minutes over medium heat, stirring once or twice but allowing the potatoes to brown well. The secret is not stirring too often. In separate quart-size bowl, combine the contents of the egg baggie with 2/3 cup cool water, whisking well. Allow to hydrate 5 minutes. In a small separate non-stick skillet on low heat, slowly cook the egg mixture, stirring often. Serve eggs over the potato mixture.
There you go! A Country Breakfast fit for a king. Enjoy!
Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess