Ever feel like having breakfast for dinner?  We do that sometimes (like last night when we had scrambled eggs with sliced Italian chicken sausages and whole grain English muffins…but that’s another post)

Here’s your guideline for a perfect breakfast for two, no matter what time of day you choose to have it.

PERFECT BREAKFAST FOR TWO

The key to this breakfast of fluffy scrambled eggs, home fries, crisp bacon and toast is to follow the techniques exactly. You will be surprised and delighted at what a difference it makes if you’ve been doing things differently.

HOME FRIES

1 large baking potato, unpeeled, cut into small dice, no larger than ½”

1 medium shallot minced

2 Tbsp coconut oil or other vegetable oil

salt, pepper, paprika

3 Tbsp half & half (optional for final step)

Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the shallots to sauté for about a minute. Add the potatoes, stirring to coat with the oil, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and paprika. Continue to sauté about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then lower the heat to simmer and cover the pan. Continue to simmer about 10 minutes, removing the lid a few times shake off the condensation into the sink, and stir the potatoes. After 10 minute remove the lid and raise the heat back up to medium, stirring with a spatula until the potatoes look nicely browned. Taste to make sure they’re soft. As a final touch – this is optional, but really makes a difference – add the half & half, and stir until it’s completely evaporated and has added a nicely crisp coating to the potatoes. Can be kept warm in a low oven.

FLUFFY SCRAMBLED EGGS

6 extra large eggs

1 Tbsp half & half

1 Tbsp + 2 Tsp unsalted butter

½ tsp salt

dash of Tabasco

Beat the eggs with the half and half, salt & Tabasco. Scrambled eggs can absorb only ½ tsp liquid each (gospel according to Julia), therefore do not exceed the 1 Tbsp or your eggs will exude water when you plate them. Heat 1 Tbsp of butter on low simmer, then add the eggs and stir until soft and still somewhat moist. Add the last two Tsp of butter, give a quick stir, and serve.

NO-FUSS PERFECT CRISPY BACON

Heat oven or counter-top toaster oven to 400. Lay bacon strips out on a rimmed cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake undisturbed for 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness of the bacon. There will be no spattering, and the bacon strips will be perfectly crisp on both sides and flat, not curled up. I was skeptical about this until I tried it, and will never do bacon in a fry pan again.

TOAST

No big secret here. We love multigrain bread toasted and spread with Seville orange marmalade or berry preserves.  The only problem is choosing which, since we were gifted a huge collection of marmalades and preserves from Stonewall Kitchen.  Nice problem to have 🙂