Gotta Love Breakfast!

Hello Saturday! And welcome to October – the bewitching month. Did you know that today is National Pumpkin Spice Day? Yep. But you won’t be getting any pumpkin spice recipes from me today.

Just walk around the grocery markets and you’ll get your fill of pumpkin spice. It’s in the coffee, the donuts, the cereal and the ice cream. Pumpkin spice galore. Yeah, I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice and that’s only because I’m not a fan of pumpkin pie or pumpkin dishes in general. The one exception would be pumpkin soup. Hubby tells me that I bake an amazing pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving. I wouldn’t know, since I’ve never actually eaten it. Every year he insists I take a bit – and that’s more than enough pumpkin pie for me. Although one year I did make a pumpkin flan instead of a pie, and that was good. And I have a candle that I like to burn all throughout October – it’s a pumpkin spice candle. Let’s face it, the scent of pumpkin spice is the scent of autumn. All warm and cozy.

Today is also National Home-Baked Cookie Day. Now I suppose we could bake some Pumpkin Spice Cookies and get two National Days checked off with a single recipe. But we did that last year, remember? Pumpkin-Spice Cookies with Cinnamon Sugar was the post of the day. My guys said they were delicious. You know me, if they are happy, then I am happy. (Don’t tell them, but sometimes I’m just happy for the sake of feeling happy even when they are grouches).

The very best part of any weekend is having breakfast. Most days I have breakfast anyway, since I’m retired. While the spring and summer keeps me busy in the mornings with gardening, come fall the mornings are all mine. A little coffee, a little breakfast and a little time to spend reading scripture. Nothing else compares. On the weekends, I still get my coffee and morning read in while the guys are sleeping. I love that quiet time when the first rays of golden light splash across the dawn of a new day.

Once my guys are up and moving, I love the rhythm of our day. Hubby putters over the week’s shopping list and my Honey-Do schedule. Kiddo starts his weekend with a shower that is so long, I swear we’ll run out of hot water. And I get breakfast on the table. Breakfast gives us time to be together in the morning, to check in and to plan our day. It need not be a fancy meal. Just one that’s delicious and satisfying. Like potatoes and eggs. Sometimes I’ll make toast, sometimes I don’t. It just depends upon the mood of the day.

Hope you enjoy your day. Hope God blesses you and yours. Be happy.

Breakfast Skillet Potatoes
2 lbs small Potatoes
2 small Red Peppers
Vegetable Oil as needed
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Note: Potatoes can be red or gold or a mixture of both, whatever you have on hand. The peppers can be jalapeno, serrano, Cajun Bell. Any spicy pepper to your liking will do.

Scrub potatoes and cut half or quarters depending upon size. Place potatoes in the steamer basket of an Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of water to the insert, place basket inside.

Lock lid. Select PRESSURE COOK, POTATOES, 2 MINUTES, HIGH PRESSURE. Press START.

While the potatoes cook, dice peppers and set aside.

Once potatoes have cooked in the pressure cooker, manually release pressure. Remove basket from insert and set aside.

Add oil to a cast iron skillet, just enough to coat the bottom. Heat oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and diced peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Press potatoes into the skillet and cook undisturbed for about 6 minutes, just until browned. Turn potatoes, continue to cook another 3 minutes or so, until browned with a crust on the outside, soft inside.

Remove from heat, keep warm while the eggs are fried.

Dirty Fried Eggs
4 tablespoons Bacon Drippings
Vegetable Oil as needed
6 Eggs
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Heat bacon drippings in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add enough oil to dripping to coat the bottom of the pan about 1/8 inch deep.

Crack eggs into the skillet one egg at a time, holding the egg in place with the shell until it the whites begin to turn cloudy. This will keep the egg from running all over the skillet. Once all the eggs are beginning to fry and the outer edges are firm, use a wooden spoon or the back of a spatula to “splash” hot grease over the eggs until the whites are cooked through while the yolks are still runny. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, plate eggs with potatoes. Enjoy!