My Infamous Breakfast Potatoes

OK, so this isn't a new recipe for me but how can I have a food blog and not mention one of the tastiest and most requested dishes that I make?? It's a recipe that I inherited from my dad, but have tweaked and mastered it to the point that I can comfortably call them mine now. But it all started back when I was a little kid and would ask for "Daddy's home fries" whenever visiting my father. I don't like eggs (never have) and after getting tired of making pancakes he decided to whip up various ingredients to create his version of home fries, which is basically a potato omelette. This was before the days of "skillets" at the breakfast chains but it's a similar idea. When Shawn and I were dating I made them for Christmas breakfast one year and it's been a tradition ever since. Now I usually make it two or three times a year, as it takes forever to make and is so fattening and heavy despite it's deliciousness.

I start by browning bulk breakfast sausage in a large frying pan. I have a chicken fryer pan that works perfectly. I used to use links but find that the bulk sausage disperses better through the dish. Once browned, I remove the sausage and most of the grease, and sautee diced onion and green pepper in the pan. Then I add diced raw potatoes to the pan (red work best, but any type is fine) and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes at medium before mixing, adding the sausage, and turning down to low. Cover loosely, so that steam can escape, and let cook at low for about 30 minutes or so. Turn potatoes, add diced ham salt & pepper, cover and cook another 30 minutes or so. Top with American cheese, cover and cook until melted or ready to serve.

Note- if you cover the dish fully the vegetables will create a liquid which will make the dish very moist. It'll taste good, but there will be a 1/2 inch of water in the pan which will keep it from crisping up.

The key to this dish is patience. The potatoes are ready to eat after 30-60 minutes, but the longer you wait the better they taste. I could never quite get them right and it took years to realize that the main difference between my dad's and mine was about an hour! I find this to be a great holiday dish because we open presents while they cook and eat when we're done. It's also great for a brunch because they can sit on low until people are ready to eat. If you get them just right there's a fantastic crunch layer at the bottom of the pan that people have been known to fight over.

Try out your own variations, too- you can add mushrooms, use different cheeses, etc. I prefer American for the melt consistancy, but many people have tried it with cheddar and enjoyed. Sometimes I use lunchmeat ham, sometimes I use ham steak- have fun!

Breakfast Potatoes

Approx 5lbs potatoes (average 2 per person), large dice. Peel if you want to- I peel about 1/3 of them
1 package bulk breakfast sausage
1 green pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
1/4lb ham, diced
1/4lb American Cheese
salt & pepper to taste

1. Spray a 15 inch frying pan with non-stick spray.
2. Brown sausage on Medium High heat, breaking apart while cooking.
3. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1T of pan drippings
4. Add peppers and onions to the frying pan and sauté on medium high heat for 5 minutes
5. Add potatoes to the pan and stir. Let brown, without stirring, for 5-10 minutes then turn heat down to Low.
6. Add Sausage, stir, and season with Salt and Pepper. Cover, leaving cracked so some steam can release, and let sit on Low heat for 30 minutes.
7. Add ham and flip potatoes, making sure to scrape any crust off of the bottom of the pan. Cover lightly again and let sit on low heat for 30 minutes
8. Flip potatoes, then top with Cheese, cover, and let sit on low for another 20-30 minutes before serving