Recipe - YES a Recipe

My second book is finally available! Now the real work starts, marketing it. This includes book launches, podcasts, readings, book fairs, social media, updating my webpage, etc. Marketing is my least favorite thing about being an author. Shamelessly begging strangers to read my book is difficult for me. Those who know me know that I’m not pushy. Pay no attention to what my former employees and coworkers say. I do enjoy doing readings and podcasts very much though. It’s pushing my book to strangers, convincing libraries to stock it, and begging bookshops to let me do readings that irks me.

(Insert shameless plug asking my readers to ask their local libraries to carry my book. Ouch, that was hard. But… please?)

I’m taking a break in all of my marketing efforts today to share something I reference a couple of times in my new book, Of the Struggle: Sneaky Taters.

Sneaky Taters are a kind of potatoes that the main character is introduced to and falls in love with. I personally believe that there is no such thing a bad way to prepare potatoes. Well, maybe one way. In Iceland, I was introduced to their glazed baby potatoes. Picture small white boiled potatoes tossed into a big skillet with butter and sugar and glazed like you would glaze carrots. I’m not a fan of that preparation method. But I digress.

Sneaky Taters is a way of preparing leftover potatoes to make a quick easy meal. My mother made them often, and a fishing float on the Mississippi River also makes them and calls them “The Mess.” Here is the recipe. And by “recipe”, I mean a general, vague suggestion. Serves 4.

Fry 4-6 slices of bacon or sausage links, or any leftover meat, remove from skillet and dice.

In fat remaining in skillet (add butter if there isn’t much), dice up two leftover baked potatoes or a pound of leftover boiled potatoes, French fries, or frozen hash browns.

While potatoes brown, add diced meat back to the skillet and add any of the following ingredients that sound good or are hanging out in the back of your refrigerator (checking for growth of alien lifeforms first): peppers, onions, corn or other vegetables, or jalapeños. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toast two slices of your favorite bread and dice, or use a handful of croutons, and toss on top of the mixture.

When potatoes are browned, break 4 eggs over the top of the mixture in the skillet and stir until everything is coated and eggs are cooked.

Sprinkle with your favorite cheese, diced tomatoes, or scallions if desired and serve.

Before egg prices soared, this was a cheap, quick way to stretch leftovers and turn them into a meal. Now, this dish seems almost decadent.

I’d love to hear from you if you fry this recipe. You can email me at ritawilliamsatkinson@gmail.com. I’ll post some of the more entertaining feedback I get.

Happy creating!