February 16, 2011: No Waste Leftovers Breakfast Hash Recipe

I don’t believe in wasting food. Maybe it’s my upbringing – being raised by two Depression-era parents who were taught the old adage of “waste not, want not” but I can’t throw good food away. At a former job, my immediate supervisor absolutely appalled me by saying, “I never keep leftovers. If food isn’t eaten at a meal, I throw it away.” Wow! I can’t even imagine not saving perfectly good food to eat at a later time. Not only are leftovers good for a quick lunch the next day, you can turn large quantities into another meal.

Of course, I have an advantage in that I have two dogs and three chickens. If we have leftover food that won’t get eaten before it spoils, one animal or another will gladly consider it a treat. Protein goes to the dogs; vegetables and carbs go to the chickens. I’ve learned that the color of egg yolks are a direct reflection of what the chickens eat and my eggs are always a deep orange color; I believe it’s because they are free range and eat a variety of foods in addition to their chicken scratch and laying mash.

But even if you don’t have animals to toss your leftovers to, there’s no reason you can’t make another perfectly good meal from the scraps of dinner past. Here’s one recipe that is a great way to use up a bit of extra meat.

Breakfast Hash

Leftover meat (pork or beef, any cut, such as ham, loin, steak, etc.)
Potatoes
1 Onion, white or yellow

This is a simple recipe. Wash, prick, and then microwave a couple or three potatoes (the number depends on how much meat you have and how many people you’re feeding – one is sufficient for two diners) until they are just soft but not cooked all the way through. Dice them into small cubes and do the same for a half to one full onion. Heat a couple tablespoons grease or oil (leftover bacon grease is preferable) in a heavy saucepan and fry the potatoes and onions until crispy. Cube the leftover meat and add to the pan. Continue frying until the entire mixture is crispy.

Tip: Flip the combined mixture only once, if possible, to prevent it from sticking to the pan. You can also add any leftover gravy or sauce to make the hash moister, as my husband prefers. Throwing a bit of grated cheese over the hash after you’ve turned off the burner wouldn’t hurt, either.

Serve the hash with a couple fried eggs on top and toast on the side for a hearty breakfast.