You say potato; I say potatoes for breakfast...

I didn't always love Mac 'n' cheese. One great thing about having young kids is they usually like it, so  a parent by default eats quite a bit of it. Eliminating gluten has made it harder to find cheese sauce carriers. Just when I was feeling sorry for myself, we went to Mission BBQ in Laurel, where I spied cheesy potatoes as a side. Yum! A new comfort food. It got me thinking about breakfast and how good potatoes can be. Here are two breakfast/brunch recipes. One of my favorites is skillet hash. Instead of ham, I make mine with smoked turkey or turkey bacon from the Amish market. 

Skillet Ham and Potato Breakfast Hash

Serves 4

Be sure to substitute sweet potatoes for just half of the potatoes here. If you try to replace all of the potatoes with sweet potatoes, the hash will have a very soft, mushy consistency. You will need a 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is traditional, but we prefer a nonstick skillet—the nonstick surface leaves little chance of anything sticking and burning. Try flipping the hash with a stiff plastic spatula.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound russet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 4 ounces bacon (about 4 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 12 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Toss the potatoes with the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl and microwave on high until the potatoes begin to soften, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring the potatoes halfway through cooking. Drain the potatoes well.
   2. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the fat begins to render, about 2 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
   3. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the drained potatoes, cream, and hot sauce. Using the back of a spatula, gently pack the potatoes into the pan and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the hash, one portion at a time, and lightly repack it into the pan. Repeat the flipping process every few minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
   4. Stir in the ham and lightly repack the hash into the pan. Make four shallow wells (about 2 inches wide) in the surface of the hash.
   5. Crack 1 egg into each indentation and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to cook until the eggs are just set, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

BREAKFAST POTATO SKINS

24 small red potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, divided
1/4 cup sour cream
3 eggs, beaten
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika

• Scrub potatoes; place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
• When cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. (Cut thin slices from potato bottoms to level if necessary.) In a large bowl, mash the potato tops and pulp with butter. Set aside 2 tablespoons each of cheese and bacon for garnish; add remaining cheese and bacon to potatoes. Stir in the sour cream, eggs, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into potato shells. Top with remaining cheese and bacon; sprinkle with paprika. Place in an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 12-18 minutes. Yield: 2 dozen. Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/stuffed-baby-red-potatoes#ixzz3Qcp3yKZ1