Recession Hash

I came up with this recipe a few months ago, when my cupboards were bare and it was still a week till payday. I love it because it's so versatile - basically, just a bit of this and a pinch of that, and you've got recession hash.

Here's the way I make it. The kids love it this way, but remember, I have a big family so you will probably need to halve this recipe if you have fewer mouths to feed.

1 Tbs butter
1 small onion, diced fine
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
3 cans sliced potatoes (or 4 large baked potatoes, cooled and sliced)
4 slices American cheese

Heat the butter in a large skillet. Add onion and bacon, cook until onion is translucent. Add potatoes, cook until potatoes are warm through and have crunchy bits on them. stirring as necessary. Place cheese over the potatoes and cover, then turn off heat. When the cheese is melted, mix it all up. It looks a mess but it's quite tasty.

You could substitute fake bacon, sausage, or any other protein you may have. It's good with leftover roast beef, chopped fine. You can add an egg for extra protein too. Asparagus is good in this also.

Here's how we eat this: I serve a big plop on each kid's plate, and then they have a green salad on the side (usually with oh-so-healthy thousand island dressing,) and for dessert they have as much mixed fruit as they desire. Today, for example, I drained a big can of pears, added a pint of washed blueberries, and threw some watermelon chunks in there. Maybe weird, but hey, whatever. So long as they're eating.