BREAKFAST SCRAMBLE

RECIPES FOR DAYS WHEN YOU COME HOME EXHAUSTED AND DON’T WANT TO COOK ANYTHING THAT’S TOO HARD, TOO COMPLICATED OR TOO TIME-CONSUMING.

This is one of those no-brainer recipes that you can do on the spur of the moment with whatever you happen to have on hand as long as you happen to have a few potatoes, a little sausage, a few eggs and some cheese. Anything else is extra and you can throw it in if you feel the urge to splurge a little and fancy it up a bit. It can feed one or two or even more if you put some other things on the plate so they won't feel like they're being cheated. The nice thing is that it's fast, but it looks like you've spent all morning slaving over a hot stove. This is not one of those things that you would serve every morning because it's definitely not a Weight Watcher's Special. However, once in a while it's nice to have something a little different and somewhat special to brighten up your day and make you feel like something good has happened before you start the day. This doesn't necessarily have to be a breakfast dish, either. You could use hamburger in it rather than sausage and turn it into a dinner just as easily and no one would know the difference. Why not? So let's get started and see what we can put together with this:

You will need:

2 potatoes

2 eggs

1/2 lb. sausage

1/2 C. cheese

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped finely

2 T. butter, melted

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash the potatoes, poke them with a sharp fork or knife and bake them in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until they are soft but not mushy.

2. In the meantime, cook the sausage, then drain on paper towels and set aside. In the same pan, cook the onion and green pepper (you can add sliced mushrooms, too, if you want).

3. Clean out the pan and melt the butter in it. Grate the potatoes into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the potatoes start to turn brown.

4. Add the sausage, green pepper and onion. Continue cooking and stirring.

5. In a small bowl, scramble the eggs together. Add these to the potato mixture. Cook for just one minute or enough to set the eggs. They will continue cooking when you put it in the microwave.

6. Spray a 9" glass pie dish with Pam. Put in the potato mixture. Add the cheese on top and put in the microwave long enough to melt the cheese, usually about 1-2 minutes.

7. After the cheese has melted, slip the mixture onto a breakfast plate, slice and serve with toast, fruit or whatever else you want. Serves 2-4. Enjoy!