Skillet Hash Browns

If you’ve been following along in your songbook, you know that we’re big brunch people here at a glass of milk.  It’s our favorite meal to go out for, and we like to make it once a week on the weekends.  It’s the perfect way to start the day.

When we go out, I always order hash browns, whatever they may be called—skillet potatoes, breakfast potatoes, hash browns, home fries, you name it.  I used to think hash browns were a restaurant only kind of food.  There’s no way I could achieve the perfect balance of crunch and flavor on my little apartment stove.

But hash browns are a breeze to make at home, and will make you feel like a restaurant chef when you artfully serve them at brunch.  Play around with different potatoes to see what you like best.  This time, I used Yukon Golds.

You will need:

A cast iron skillet – Don’t have one?  Use a stainless steel skillet.

• Half a stick of butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 ½- 1 ¾ lbs boiling potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
• a sprinkle of salt and pepper

You won’t believe how easy this is:

Melt the butter in the skillet, then add the remaining ingredients.  Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for about 15 minutes.  To check if the potatoes are done, stick a knife into one until it gives easily.

And that’s all you do!  The secret is in the stirring.  The potatoes get their brown color when you don’t stand over the stove, stirring constantly.  This is not the best recipe for my impatient soul, but letting the potatoes hang out in the skillet to brown will step up the flavor big time.

Serve these with the best buttermilk pancakes ever, or your favorite French toast, round it out with an orange, and you’ll have the best breakfast in town.