Back to School Brunch: Denver egg scramble, roasted potato hash, and grilled ham

My kids have been back in school almost 2 weeks now and every day it’s the same:  how was your day…FINE.   How was practice…FINE.  How was the pep rally…FINE.  And then into their rooms until dinner and right to sleep after because the late night hours of summer vacation have caught up with them and 5:30 am is sooooooooo early.

For the first week while they’re adjusting I say nothing.  They say “fine” and I go “k”.  Then comes week two and my crafty plan:  back to school brunch.  Guaranteed to make them talk without me having to say a word.  It goes like this…

On Sunday morning when they get up at noon I have this all ready:  Denver egg scramble with melted cheese and salsa, roasted potato hash, and grilled ham (if I want extra information I will also ply them with toasted buttered English Muffins).  We sit down to eat and I say to my daughter “how’s school?” and she sings like a canary…who likes who, who’s in which classes, which teachers are dating each other, why she hates math, blah blah blah and on and on.  Excellent.  And we talk and laugh until we’re full (which for our stomachs  is a long time…lol).  It’s the best kind of morning, sitting with your kids and catching up, and I will cherish these times with them forever. 

When they come home at Christmas from college and I say “how’s school” and they say FINE…how do you like being a Rhodes Scholar…FINE…how was your first case…FINE…how do you like sitting on the Supreme Court…FINE…how are your discounts with AARP…FINE…how’s your arthritis…FINE MOM, GOD… 

Forever  :)

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(what you will need)

3 eggs per person
shredded cheese (I use Colby Jack)
a few teaspoons water
1 ham steak per person (plus one extra for the eggs)
1 green pepper, diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 large russet potatoes, washed & diced (no need to peel)
salt/pepper
seasoned salt (I use Lawry's)
your favorite salsa
1 half small onion, diced very small  (use all or as much as you'd like.  I only use a few tablespoons)
olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
non-stick skillet
optional:  English Muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine diced potatoes and onions on large cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss with your hands to coat.  Sprinkle all with salt and pepper.  Bake for 1 hour.  Depending on your oven you may need some extra time (they're done when a knife can be inserted into both kinds of potato easily).  They should be golden brown on the side that touched the pan.

potatoes right out of the oven

Prep your other foods:
dice the extra hamsteak and green pepper small enough to mix in your eggs
(because this ham is already cooked and going in your eggs, you do not need to grill it)

When the potatoes are almost done, grill your ham steaks.  They are likely already cooked so they just need to be heated through, with nice grill marks.  Cover and set aside.

Approx. 8 minutes before your potatoes are done, start your eggs.
Melt butter in non-stick pan over medium heat (the key to fluffy eggs is LOWER HEAT, no medium high or high). Break eggs into bowl and scramble with a few teaspoons water.  Pour into pan and begin to move around slowly.  Add as much ham and green pepper as you want, sprinkle with seasoned salt, and continue to scramble slowly and on lower heat. When done,  add as much cheese as you'd like over the top, remove from heat, and place cover on the pan so it will melt.

eggs with melted cheese.  fluffy!

Bring brunch to the table and let 'em eat.
Top eggs with salsa after plating, and salt/pepper to taste.

see the melted cheese hanging off the sides? mmmmm...