Wisconsin and Fond Memories

Today is National Wisconsin Day. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not really featuring National State Day as I have in the past. I did want to acknowledge Wisconsin and say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Wisconsin gave me Hubby. The love of my life.

I’ve been to Wisconsin three times in my life. It’s green and pretty and I think would be a great place to raise a family. I think most states have great places to raise up well-grounded children, so long as you avoid city life as much as possible. But that’s just my backwoods opinion. Cities can be great places to visit – there are cultural centers in big cities you can’t find in the small hick towns. But small town life is awesome – neighbors know one another. There is a sense of community that is different from life in the city. Strangers have your back, and you have theirs. Anyway, that’s my rant for today.

Truth is I’ve been feeling very melancholy lately. While my life (the one I share with Hubby) is amazingly beautiful, things around us are changing. I miss the way it once was. Once upon a time we had annual Camp Outs at the family farm. The cattle was moved to the back pasture, and the dry lot cleared for all the tents. Family came from all over the country just to pitch a tent and sleep under the stars like we did when we were kids. In the morning Dad would get out the biggest skillet I’ve ever seen (it’s mine now) and cook up a breakfast for the whole gang. I miss those days, when family was everything and life’s nonsense didn’t get in the way. Dad’s divorced now, the farm is gone, and family has scattered to the four winds. What is even worse is that political differences have driven wedges between some of us, and the divorce has created “camps”. In my heart, family is family no matter what. Nothing should change that.

Today’s share is a trimmed down version of Dad’s Camp Out Breakfast. Enjoy!

One-Skillet Scrambled Egg Breakfast
3 Russet Potatoes
4 Green Onions
8 large Eggs
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1/2 lb Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage
4 Flour Tortillas

Peel potatoes, cut into 1 inch-cubes. Potatoes can either be cooked in a Pressure Cooker or boiled on the stove-top.

For Pressure Cooker: Place cubed potatoes in the steamer basket of an Instant Pot. Add 1 cup water to the pot. Pressure Cook High 3 Minutes. Let pressure release for 5 minutes naturally, then release remaining pressure.

While the potatoes cook, trim and slice onions. Lightly beat eggs, season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet cook breakfast sausage, breaking into small crumbled pieces as it browns. Add potatoes to the skillet, stir to mix, then spread out. Let potatoes brown for a few minutes. Turn, continue to brown. Pour eggs over the potato mixture, scramble until eggs are firm. Sprinkle with green onions. Serve straight from the skillet with tortillas.

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This is great for camping. All you need do is make the potatoes in advance, keep them in the cooler until you’re ready to make a meal that the whole camp ground is sure to love.

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Before the mountains were begotten
And the earth and the world were brought forth
From everlasting to everlasting You are God