Rise and Shine...

In the course of our nearly two and a half years together, one thing has remained a constant - Sunday morning breakfasts are, and always have been, Justin's domain. Early in our relationship, I suspect Justin assumed this responsibility as a means of impressing me, but now that we've been living together for a year, I think it has more of a practical basis -- Justin always wakes up hungry and wants to eat right away, whereas I am content to grab some extra sleep while he toils in the kitchen, because my hunger instincts don't kick in until later. Still, I appreciate the extra time to lounge in bed, and I still love being waited on by the man that I love.

Luckily for me, I still get a say in what he makes. Sometimes I am in the mood for something classic, like pancakes, or sometimes I request one of my favorites, like the sweet potato and sausage hash we discovered together. This week, however, I had something different in mind, to hopefully further expand our breakfast repertoire. I had filed away a breakfast hash recipe some time ago that employed Brussels sprouts and bacon, and because we had leftover sprouts from my ill-fated salad experiment, and bacon lurking in the freezer inventory, now seemed like the perfect time.

I think Justin got a little annoyed with meticulously slicing the Brussels sprouts into thin ribbons for this dish, but in my mind, it was well worth the effort. Though Brussels sprouts may not be the first thing that come to mind when one conjures up a mental image of hash, or of breakfast in general, I really enjoyed this less heavy take on the dish. A hearty, stick-to-your ribs meal can be a great start to your day, but sometimes you want to eat a breakfast that won't make you want to go right back to bed, and this is it.

Bacon and eggs are a classic breakfast pairing, and bacon and Brussels sprouts are a match made in heaven, so really, what is there not to love about this meal? Whether you have someone making your breakfast and you can make a request, or you have to do all your own chopping and cooking, this recipe is definitely worth trying either way. If the idea of Brussels sprouts for breakfast is just too weird for you, then by all means, make this hash for dinner; it will be equally tasty no matter the time of day.

Brussels Sprout Hash

adapted from Cook Smarts

4 strips of bacon, chopped

12 Brussels sprouts, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 c. pecans, toasted

2-4 eggs

Heat a medium-sized non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add half the oil and then chopped bacon. Cook bacon for about 3 to 4 minutes until the edges start to crisp

Add Brussels sprouts and sauté for about another 2 to 3 minutes. Since the sprouts have been sliced so thinly, they will cook quite quickly. Add the nuts and toss through. Spoon your hash onto a serving plate, and return the pan over medium-high heat

Add a half tablespoon of oil to the pan and crack your eggs into pan. Once your eggs are cooked over-easy, slide it over your hash and sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper.