Much like Ron Swanson and Leslie Knope (and the rest of the world, I think), I love breakfast food. How could anyone not like breakfast food? There’s something for everyone. You can have savory eggs, sweet pancakes, or even healthful oats. You can have meat almost anyway you want it – smoky, chewy, crispy, juicy. In some places, you can even get all of these things together at once, for one low price. What do I miss most about my time in Tennessee, you ask? Was it the beautiful landscape of the Cumberland Plateau or the southern hospitality I encountered everywhere I went? No. Those are wonderful and everything, but damn do I miss the All-Star Breakfast at Waffle House. If you don’t order two eggs, grits or hashbrowns, your choice of breakfast meat, toast, a waffle, and a coffee for somewhere in the range of $6-$8, you’re doing it wrong. While this dish isn’t quite as hedonistic as all that, it’s a pretty satisfying brunch to get down with this weekend.

 I’m calling this dish a potato bowl, but it really seems like half hash-half potato bowl to me. It could fall in my new “leftovers” category, but I would roast potatoes just for this dish, so I think we’ll let this stand as its own thing (though I did use leftover potatoes this time). I was inspired by the potato bowl at a cute lil’ eatery in the neighborhood, Café Ghia.

 You can make something like this using whatever you like but I think there always needs to be some succulent and crispy breakfast meat, a sharp and bold cheese, creamy avocado, and obviously a beautifully runny egg. I generally like an egg sunny side up because I love seeing the yolk in all its oozy glory, but a poached egg is also an eggcellent excellent choice.

 In case this potato bowl wasn’t already flexible enough, you can adjust it easily to accommodate any number of people. Yes, I made one serving as I am a single person who likes to cook decadent brunches for myself, but if you have company just add more of everything and maybe stop rubbing it in everybody’s faces. I’m just kidding, of course, I’m glad someone loves you, hahahaaaaaa.

Sausage and Egg Potato Bowl

Serves: 1 totally cool person

Ingredients:

Approximately ½ cup roasted potatoes (alternatively, roast as many potatoes as you’d like to use by chopping into cubes, parboiling until fork tender, and roasting with oil, salt and pepper in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until desired crispiness)

½ pre-cooked sausage link, sliced (I used kielbasa from Trader Joes)

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

¼ avocado, sliced

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese (amount totally up to you – no judgments here)

1 egg

Parsley, to garnish

Maldon sea salt, to finish

Instructions:

1. In a medium sauté pan, heat oil and add the sausage and heat for a minute or two before adding the potatoes. Cook for about 6-8 minutes.
2. While the sausage and potatoes are cooking, fry an egg in a small frying pan. Cook to desired doneness. (If you like your egg cooked easy and have a hard time getting the whites to cook, add a tablespoon of water to the pan and cover. The steam will help the whites to finish cooking without overcooking your yolk.)
3. When the potatoes and sausage are crisped to your satisfaction, pile them on a plate (Or bowl, if you want to stay true to form). Top with your avocado, cheddar, and egg.
4. Sprinkle with parsley and Maldon sea salt then tuck in for a delightful brunch.