My Prairie Cookbook (5 page)

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until sizzling. Place a single layer of potato slices on the bottom of the pan. Add a light layer of sliced onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add another layer of potatoes, another layer of onion slices, and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Keep layering until you've used up your potatoes and onions.

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Lower the heat to medium and cover the skillet. Let it cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes, until the potato layer at the bottom is nicely browned. You can move it aside a little bit with a spatula to see if the bottom edges are browned.

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Gently flip the potatoes over, a section of the pan at a time, so that the layer that was on the top is now on the bottom and the browned potatoes are now on top. (Or, if you're feeling daring, invert a dinner plate over the skillet and flip the whole thing over, then slide the potato cake back into the skillet.) Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, coaxing it to the bottom of the skillet. Cover and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the bottom layer is browned.

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Remove the lid and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Slide the potatoes onto a platter and cut it into servings. Serve immediately.

I start this hearty country dish on Christmas Eve to serve on Christmas morning. It's a family tradition as well as a family favorite. There's usually an army at my house—my boys, their women, my husband's kids, and their significant others. But this is especially great for a company breakfast any time of year. You can cut this recipe in half if you have fewer than the twelve mouths that I have to feed.

Serves 12

3 pounds (1.4 kg) ground bulk breakfast sausage of your choice

18 large eggs

6 cups (1.4 L) milk

3 teaspoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons salt

8 slices white bread, torn into pieces

1 cup (4 ounces/115 g) grated cheese (I like sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack for a little extra spice)

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Brown the sausage well in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain thoroughly.

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Beat the eggs, milk, mustard, and salt together in a very large bowl. Add the bread, cheese, and sausage and mix to combine. Pour the mixture into two 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) glass baking dishes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

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Remove the baking dishes from the refrigerator to take the chill off and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the casseroles for about 50 minutes, until firm throughout and browned on top. Serve hot.

My friend Amanda is one of the funniest and most creative people I know. We've been friends since I met her on the set of
Touched by an Angel
. She is also the fittest person I know. Her philosophy—and mine—is to eat foods as they are intended. For example, sugar instead of artificial sweetener, nothing reduced fat, no chemical alterations, nothing genetically modified. Just eat in moderation. Amanda, whom I've nicknamed Fancy Hands because she is a remarkable massage therapist, made these eggs for me the day before I opened in the
Little House
musical a few years back. Now, I don't drink alcohol, but Amanda insists that I tell you to “Enjoy with a Bellini!”

Serves 4

8 large eggs

1 cup (240 ml) milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 wedge Brie cheese (6 to 8 ounces/170 to 225 g), cut into chunks

1 large ripe heirloom tomato (one of those big ugly ones), sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Beat the eggs and milk into submission in a large bowl.

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Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring. As it begins to set, add half of the cheese and continue to cook and stir. Remove from the heat when the eggs are fluffy but not dry.

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Add the remaining cheese to the hot eggs and quickly stir for a moment. Place 1 or 2 slices of tomato on each plate and top with the chunky eggs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe is one of my favorite breakfast recipes of all time. It's great for a big crowd. I first had it when visiting my friend Brian Wimmer in Sundance, Utah. A whole bunch of us, about ten adults and about twenty kids, got together at our friend Kelly Warnick's place in Wales, Utah. We all went out for pizza and to a drive-in movie and we all stayed over, some in the house, some in the tree house, some in tents, and I slept in the back of Kelly's vintage pickup truck.

The next morning, we were all starving, and Kelly served us these eggs, which are so rich and warm and yummy, and so simple. Kids love them, and so do adults!

Serves 6 to 12