Bauernfrühstück

I had this years ago in Solvang, California at a little restaurant there.

The recipe is based on memory and evolution over a couple of decades. Perhaps its not authenticly German any more. Perhaps you will like it as much as I do anyway.

On Sunday's, sometimes, I will cook a pot roast with carrots, potatoes and onions. We have some left over so I do the following on Monday morning:

Begin with a skillet. I like to use cast iron for some reason. Medium heat.

• 3 Tbsp olive oil or butter

Start with the stuff leftover and already cooked. How much of each depends on what's left over and what you like best. It doesn't much matter. About a cup and a half is about enough for 4. Measure by eye.

• pot roast (beef)
• whole or halved potatoes
• half onions
• whole carrots

Chop roughly and and brown it just barely in the pan. It should all be hot but do not cook too long or it will get dry and tough.

Remove this part from the skillet. You can put it on a serving plate or drain to get rid of a bit of the oil.

At this point you have two choices. You can either cook some eggs in that same pan which I prefer for scrambled eggs or you can use another pan and forego the brown bits in the eggs.

For four people:

• 6 eggs
• 1/4 c buttermilk (or use milk or even room temperature water)
• salt
• pepper

Scramble the eggs however you like them--soft, hard or in between. (You could fry the eggs too or even poach them.)

Serve with some of the the meat and potatoes mixture topped with the egg(s). Its really good with some crispy sourdough bread toast with or without butter.

Be sure to eat it before it gets cold.

Hot Chocolate and Coffee

I have a new favorite chocolate coffee drink. This one isn't too sweet and is just chocolaty enough. You can adjust how strong of coffee you want.

Start by adding this stuff to a glass measuring cup

• 1 heaping Tbsp chocolate - Take a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Semi-sweet is important here. Crush them with a mallet or the side of a heavy knife or a can of soup. Then you measure.
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 c milk

Microwave until hot but not boiling. In my microwave it takes about 1 minute 40 seconds.

Stir well and pour into a good sized mug.

• Fill with strong hot coffee. Remember that the milk will dilute it. Pour directly from the pot or make it directly from the Keurig (or similar) machine right into the mug.

Top with

• whipped cream

It looks nice with a pinch of chocolate dust on top. Usually there's a little left from crushing the chocolate chips.

Drink and enjoy.