Creamy Pan Fried Potatoes

Potatoes are a favorite among everyone. Fried, mashed, boiled or baked, the lowly potato can be a featured dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner. On camping and rafting trips, the potato rules. Easy to pack and store, that starchy tubor is king on overnight and wilderness trips. Keep them dry or they will deteriorate. We used to keep them in ammo boxes so they were locked and kept dry on extended trips through the Grand Canyon, Middle Fork Salmon and American river trips. But now, there are so many high-tech containers to keep stuff dry on water, that I highly recommend bringing that potato along. Start with this breakfast hash... the rafters and campers will love it.

Creamy Pan Fried Potatoes

large frying pan or dutch oven

1/4  cup + 2Tbsp olive oil (or your fav oil)

2 med diced yellow onions

1 cup of chopped raw bacon (or vegan substitute)

10 large potatoes diced into 1/2 inch cubes

1 cup of water

pan lid or dutch oven lid

salt and pepper to your liking

1/2 cup of chopped parsley (Italian is good) or lemon thyme

options: cheddar cheese (or vegan sub)

options: eggs (or vegan sub)

Prepare all chopped ingredients first, set aside. Heat pan to medium. Add olive oil. Add onions. Carmelize onions slowly by letting them cook until edges are dark and center is translucent. Push to the side of the pan. Add bacon and cook thoroughly. Mix the onions and bacon together and push to the side of the pan. Add additional oil to the empty side (if real bacon, you won't need the oil). Add potatoes and coat with oil. Mix pan ingredients together. Heat until pan is hot again. Add water and cover immediately. (Be careful, steam will rise when you add the water) Hint: don't open the lid for 5 to 8 min or you will have to add more water. Check potatoes with the tines of the fork for softness. Uncover when potatoes are done. Add salt and pepper. Toss the ingredients. You will notice they are very creamy. (I hate dry potatoes) No fat or dairy, just water will bring out the starches and creamiest to this dish. Add parsley and serve.

Optional eggs: when the potatoes are done, push to the side. Add as many eggs as you like at the empty side of the pan. Add a bit of salt and pepper on top of the eggs. Let set then scramble. When eggs are set, toss the entire pan ingredients together into an egg potato hash. Add parsley. Serve immediately. (should serve approx 8 people... yeah right... rafting guides say about 4-6 hardy eaters Haha!)