~ Breakfast Bacon, Potato, Onion & Pepper Hash ~

Topped with two fried sunny-side-up eggs and any type of toasted bread to the side, this is a tasty way to start the day -- heck you can even make a sandwich out it.  At early morning at-the-stadium tailgates, we used to call it "cowboy breakfast", but, I think that had more to do with the fact that we were cooking it in cast-iron skillets on camp stoves in the great outdoors than it being some sort of official name.  With one gal manning her own station, one of us would make hash, one would fry  bacon and eggs, one would grill bread and one would pour bloody Marys. Cafeteria style, our line of Happy Valley tailgaters filed past as we dished up their grub.

That said, we tailgated for away games too -- in our homes.  The fare we served didn't change, just the way we cooked it.  In the case of this dish, we plugged in our electric skillets and a toaster.  Every one of us owned an electric skillet back in those days, and, like us, our skillets came together on common ground -- wherever the party was held.  

The line formed at one side of any kitchen, each tailgater filed through, stopping along the way to fix his or her own plate.  The kitchen table almost always functioned as a bar/snack station.   Once everyone found a comfortable seat in someone's family room, it was game on -- on the TV.

16 slices thick-cut bacon, about 1 1/2 pounds thick-cut bacon

2-2 1/2  pounds peeled and 1/2" diced gold potatoes

2  teaspoons dried oregano

1  teaspoon red pepper flakes

1  pound thinly-sliced yellow onion

1  pound green bell pepper, or a combination of red and green bell pepper, your choice

~ Step 1.  Place the bacon, in a single, slightly-overlapping layer, in the skillet.  The bacon will shrink as it fries and by the end it won't be overlapping.  Fry over 275 degrees until crispy on both sides, about 12-15 minutes.  Using a long-handled bacon fork, remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain and set aside.  Leave all of the bacon drippings in the skillet.

~ Step 2.  Add the diced potatoes to the salty, smokey-flavored bacon drippings in the skillet. Fry/saute the potatoes, using a large, slotted spatula to keep turning them as they cook, until they are tender through to the center and nicely browned.  This will take 12-15 minutes, or a bit longer, depending upon the size of your dice.  Take a taste, if you think they need a bit of salt, now is the time to season them.  Using the spatula, remove potatoes to a paper-towel lined plate.  Set aside.  It's really hard not to eat these tasty morsels -- show some will-power.

~ Step 3.  Add the sliced onions and bell peppers to the skillet.  Sprinkle the oregano and pepper flakes over all.  Fry/saute theses veggies at 275 degrees, using the spatula to keep them moving  around in the pan as they cook, until they are crunch tender (or to your liking).  For me, this takes 8-10 minutes.  Add and toss the potatoes into the cooked veggies.  Set skillet temperature to warm.

~ Step 4.  On your stovetop, fry or poach 2 eggs per person.  Portion hash into 8 warmed serving bowls and serve each topped with two eggs, two slices of bacon and a piece or two of toasted bread.

Like football, tailgating is a rough, tough sport...  

... and hash is a hearty, tasty way to start the tailgate day!

Breakfast Bacon, Potato, Onion & Pepper Hash:  Recipe yields 8 hearty servings.

Special Equipment List:  electric skillet; long-handled bacon fork; paper towels; cutting board; chef's knife; large, nonstick slotted spatula

Cook's Note:  No matter how you slice or dice them, potatoes are always popular served at breakfast. For one of the easiest potato side-dishes you'll ever make (no peeling or dicing required), check out my recipe for ~ Creamy & Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole ~ in Categories 4, 9, 17 or 20!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2015)

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