Rise and Shine – It’s Iowa Day!

Welcome to National Iowa Day. Iowa is Mid-West country. There are more chickens in Iowa than people in California and Texas combined. And more hogs than people in the entire state of Iowa. Which explains Iowa’s corn production. Gotta keep those chickens and hogs fed.

While Iowa is all about corn fields and livestock, it turns out Iowan are fascinated with things that are bigger than life . . .

Crystal Lake is known for some great fishing. It’s also know for as 12-foot long statue of a Bullhead Fish. Turns out it’s the largest Bullhead Fish Statue in the world. Which begs the question, how many Bullhead Fish Statues are out there?

Turns out, Bullhead Fish aren’t the only thing that Iowans feel need to memorialized with a statue. As part of what can only be considered a beautiful marketing strategy, there is a fiberglass statue of a strawberry mounted outside the Strawberry Point building. Wow, if real that would make a ton of jams!

And when it comes to protests, Iowans believe in Go Big or Go Home. Don’t take any wooden nickels refers to the warning don’t be coned or swindled. Don’t be fooled. Back in 2006, the locals in Iowa City were protesting the widening and redevelopment of a highway. To express their views, Jim Glasgow erected at 4,000 pound wooden nickel along the stretch of highway in question. I’m sensing a theme here . . . You guessed it. The sixteen-foot round wooden nickel is the world’s largest such nickel.

Most of us know that Iowa gave the world John Wayne. But did you know that President Herbert Hoover, showman Buffalo Bill Cody, television host Johnny Carson, and Mildred Wirt Benson (aka Caroline Keens, author of the Nancy Drew detective series) were all born in Iowa.

Here’s to the flavors of Iowa – thanks for the bacon, eggs and sliced bread!

Iowa Sunrise Breakfast
12 slices Apple Wood Smoked Bacon or 3 per person
4 slices Sourdough Bread or 1 slice per person
Butter as desired
8 large Eggs or 2 per person
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Jams as desired

Heat oven to 170 degrees. Place a large serving platter in the oven to warm.

Place a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Prime the pan with some bacon drippings. Swirl to coat. Working in batches if necessary, fry bacon in the skillet, turning frequently for even crispness. When bacon is cooked to your liking, place in the oven on the platter to keep warm.

While the bacon is frying, toast the sourdough bread. Butter lightly, placing buttered sides facing each other. Keep warm on the platter in the oven until ready to serve. Remember to leave room for the eggs unless eggs are plated individually.

Pull empty skillet used for the bacon from the stovetop to allow the bacon drippings to cool just a little. Crack eggs, one at a time, in a small bowl and then place in the bacon renderings to cook. Return the skillet to medium-low heat.

Let eggs cook undisturbed until the whites have set. With a spatula or wooden spoon, baste the eggs in the bacon grease until tops are cooked while the yolks remain runny. With a slotted spoon, remove eggs from the skillet. Plate on the platter or individual plates. Season with salt and pepper. Breakfast is now ready to serve. Don’t forget the jam for that warm toast!

Enjoy!