Southern Roast Beef Hash!

This "Southern Roast Beef Hash" is a meal my mother always made if we had leftover roast beef. Usually it was when she had cooked a chuck roast with carrots and potatoes around it.  It's a great way to use all of the leftovers...the beef and the vegetables, but it doesn't taste like the same leftovers. I like to serve it with beans and Cornbread Hoe Cakes!

I asked my husband when we first got married if he like hash.  He just had a blank look on his face, so I described it.  He said he had never heard of it.  I thought that was odd, because I knew his mother cooked roast, carrot and potatoes, but then I realized that they had 6 people in there family, so I bet they never had any leftovers.  I made him some and now he just loves it.

You can use any type of roast for this.  For this one, I had made The Mississippi Roast and cooked carrots and potatoes around it and it is so good that way.  Here is what you will need:

2 Tbs. bacon drippings or oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups carrots, diced

3 cups, potatoes, diced

3 cups roast beef, cubed

salt to taste

black pepper to taste

In a large skillet heat the bacon drippings or oil.  The bacon drippings give this such a great flavor. Add the onion and uncooked potatoes and carrots and saute them all just until they are starting to get soft. 

Add the beef and if you have any left over carrots and potatoes, dice them up and add them also.  You should have some gravy or beef juices left also so add some of that.  You don't want this to be too soupy so maybe not all of it.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook on medium low until the potatoes and carrots are tender.  It takes about 30 minutes.  

Uncover and turn the heat up and cook until it thickens up and it has a hash consistency.  Turn it frequently, because it can burn on the bottom.  

It's ready to serve!  See how quick and easy that was!  Sometimes I enjoy this more than the original roast!  This is just good country food!

Cheesy Fried Tater Skillet!

This "Cheesy Fried Tater Skillet" takes fried potatoes and kicks them up several notches!  This is good any meal of the day and it can be served as a main course or a side dish!   It's wonderful breakfast recipe served with biscuits and gravy...yummy!    I love one skillet or dish meals and recipes that call for things you always have on hand!  

 Here is what you will need:

5 slices bacon (if serving for a main dish you might fry a few more)

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

3 Tbs. vegetable or canola oil

4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

salt

black pepper

seasoned salt

1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheddar cheese blend

chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Fry the bacon in a large skillet, preferably an oven proof one.  I just used my large iron skillet!

Add the vegetable oil to the bacon drippings in your pan.  If you cook more than the 5 slices of bacon called for, you might not need the extra oil, but with just 5 slices you need a tad more to fry the potatoes in.  Add your diced onion and saute just a bit before you add the potatoes.

Add the potato slices to the skillet and sprinkle with salt, seasoned salt and plenty of black pepper.  With a spatula, turn potatoes over making sure to get the onion off the bottom of the skillet.  Try to get all of the slices coated with the oil.  Cook on medium high for about 5 minutes!

Turn the heat down to about medium and cover with a lid.  Since I am using a cast iron skillet I just covered with a lid from one of my other skillets.  Let them cook covered for 10 -15 minutes!  The steam makes them soft on the inside.   Check halfway through to see if they need turning. Don't over steam them, they will fall apart.  When they are soft, remove the lid.   Turn the heat back up a bit and turn them in sections with your spatula.  Cook until just browned.  You might need to turn them one more time.  Don't turn too much though, because you want the slices to remain slices.  There is no set time for this, because depending on the type of skillet and potato you are using, it will vary.  I would say around 5 minutes.

Sprinkle 1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheddar Cheese blend over the top.  I like to run this in the oven at 400 degrees for 5 -7 minutes to get the cheese nice a melted and bubbly.  If your skillet is not oven proof, you can just cover it until the cheese melts

Crumble the bacon over the top and garnish with a little chopped parsley!  The parsley is totally optional! 

Serve immediately!  This one was a winner for sure!!!