An All American Breakfast to Honor the Day

Today is the 3rd Monday in February. For some folks, it’s a Holiday, part of a 3-day weekend. Schools are closed, most banks and government buildings, too. For people in retail and hospitality, it’s a regular work day. So my guys are working.

I’m retired. Every day is a weekend for me. The only reason I know it’s Presidents Day is because every advertisement out there is either trying to sell me a new mattress or a new car. Why is that? Do people not replace their bedding except on MLK Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day or Labor Day? If that’s the case, then I guess the car makes sense – need to get that mattress home somehow.

To me the most American thing I can do on Presidents Day is to start my day with what must be the most American, Down Home Country thing there is – An All American Breakfast with Potatoes, Biscuits and Gravy, Scrambled Eggs – the works. Yeah, this will get your motor running for all the shopping ahead.

May today and every day be filling with joy, love and happiness. We are all special in His eyes and every life matters to Him who created us.

Hash Brown Potatoes
4 Russet Potatoes
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Onion Powder to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
3 tablespoons Butter, divided
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Peel potatoes, rinse well. Grate potatoes into a large bowl using the large grate. Cover grated potatoes with water and let soak for about 20 minutes to remove some of the starchiness.

Note: While the potatoes soak, prepare the sausage gravy, patties and biscuits for this breakfast. If the potatoes soak longer than 20 minutes, it’s okay.

Strain potatoes using a mesh strainer; pressing down to force out as much water as possible. With paper towels, pat potatoes dry. Sprinkle potatoes evenly with seasonings; toss to mix.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil. Swirl the pan to coat in the mixture. Place the hash browns in the hot skillet; press gently to spread evenly in pan. Cut 1 tablespoon of butter into small pieces, scatter over the top of the potatoes to melt into the hash browns for flavor. Let cook for about 3 minutes or so; until bottom is nice and golden. Reduce heat to medium, continue to cook another 6 minutes. With a large spatula carefully flip hash browns over. Increase heat once again to medium-high. Cut remaining tablespoon of butter into small pieces, scatter over the potatoes. Cook for another 3 minutes until bottom is golden. Reduce heat, continue to cook until potatoes are tender and fully cooked, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and hold in a warm oven.

Country Sausage and Gravy
1-1/2 lb Country Breakfast Sausage, divided
2 tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Flour
2-1/2 cups Milk or as needed
2 teaspoons Hot Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Salt to taste

Divide sausage in half. Set half aside for the gravy, form sausage patties from remaining half. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage for the gravy into the hot skillet. Brown sausage, breaking into smaller pieces as it cook, about 6 minutes or so of cooking time.

Add butter to the skillet; melt. Sprinkle flour evenly over the skillet, stir for 1 minutes to cook off the raw flavor of the flour. Whisk in milk, scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan to enhance the flavor. Bring sausage gravy to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 10 minutes. While the gravy simmers, cook sausage patties in another skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little water to the skillet to steam patties before browning. Keep sausage patties warm until ready to serve.

Note: If gravy becomes too thick, add a little more milk as needed.

Once gravy has reached desired consistency, season with hot sauce, pepper and salt. Let gravy cook 1 minute longer for seasonings to develop. Keep warm until ready to serve over hot biscuits.

Country Sausage Patties
4 large Sausage Patties
Water as needed

Place sausage patties in a cold skillet. Add some water, enough to create a little steam. Cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid, place over medium heat. Let steam for about 8 minutes.

Remove lid, continue to cook until the water has evaporated and the underside of the sausage has browned. Flip, continue to cook for another 2 minutes or so. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits with Home-made Buttermilk
Home-made Buttermilk
2/3 cup Whole Milk
2 teaspoons White Vinegar

Measure milk in a glass measuring cup. Stir in the white vinegar. Set aside for at lease 10 minutes before using.

Southern Biscuits
2 cups Flour
1 heaping tablespoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
6 tablespoons Shortening

Heat oven to 450-degrees. Line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper, set aside.

Measure milk in a glass measuring cup. Stir in the white vinegar. Set aside and let steep for 10 minutes. Whisk just before using.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in the shortening with fingertips. Add buttermilk to create a soft dough.

Lightly four a cutting board. Round up the soft dough into a ball; lightly knead on the floured board for about 30 seconds or so. Roll out or pat dough into a quarter-inch tick disk. With a lightly floured biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, cut biscuits. Regroup any remaining dough, roll out a second time and cut. The total number of biscuits you get will depend upon the size of the biscuit cutter.

DO NOT use any dough remaining after a second knead as it might become overworked and produce less than desirable biscuits.

Arrange biscuits on the prepared baking pan. Place in the heated oven to bake for about 8 to 10 mintues or until golden brown. Keep warm until ready to assemble.

Scrambled Eggs
9 large Eggs
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Butter
1 Green Onion

Lightly beat eggs in a bowl or measuring cup for easy pour. Season with a little salt and pepepr, set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add eggs, let cook for a few minutes to begin to set. Scramble with a fork until fluffy and cooked through. Snip green onion over the eggs once cooked, stir to blend. Serve straight from the skillet or transfer to a bowl as desired.

Serve up this All-American Breakfast and enjoy.

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The law of Your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.