Mountain Man Skillet

I can only take half the credit for this recipe.

Growing up, my dad knew how to sneak leftovers into our diet. (Nothing was wasted in our home)

One time he and I were in the kitchen about to make dinner. All I remember was his excitement as he told me we had all the ingredients to make a delicious Asian skillet!

He said I should take out any ingredients from the refrigerator that I want to. The meat from 4 nights ago? You bet. Celery? Why not. Potatoes? Let's give it a try. I'm sure after I was done he went back in the fridge to really clean out the leftovers.

Looking back, I am sure he was thrilled that evening that we were saving leftovers from being wasted. I have no idea what cooking technique we used either. Years later my dad admitted he just threw things in a skillet and hoped for the best. He said he had no real plan :)

The meal was so fun that it made the food taste great!

I'm so grateful my dad turned a very ordinary moment into a fun memory I'll cherish forever.

Now, this recipe does not have Asian flair and I have developed some cooking techniques by now. But it's still extremely adaptable for whatever food you would like to use up in the refrigerator!

I call this "Mountain Man Skillet" because my husband eats like a mountain man. We finished this dish for four between the two of us! He enjoys hearty food, and this recipe provides!

The Recipe

Serves 3-4 Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

3 T lard (or olive oil)

2 medium to large baking potatoes, sliced and lightly dusted with salt and cornstarch or flour

1 to 1 1/2 cups leftover meat (I used steak)

1 to 1 1/2 cups leftover vegetables (I used broccoli)

1 small onion, chopped

5 or so slices cheese (I used cheddar)

4 eggs

salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt the lard and add potatoes. Arrange potatoes so they overlap as in the picture. Flip over when the underside begins turning golden. Add diced onion, salt, and pepper. I used two cast iron pans to cook my potatoes faster.

2. Meanwhile, chop leftover meat and set aside. Chop vegetables into bite sized pieces. I used broccoli and boiled it until it turned bright green and was slightly crunchy.

3. Add all potatoes into one skillet. Sprinkle with meat and vegetables. Add plenty of cheese slices! I found that 5 slices nicely covered the skillet. Turn heat to low, cover with lid, and let cheese melt.

4. In a separate pan while cheese is melting on skillet, fry four eggs in lard or butter (or whatever oil you prefer.) Add the eggs on top of the skillet and serve!

Feel free to serve alongside anything else in the fridge you would like to use up. I had extra asparagus and served that on the side with Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.