11802 updated post view 4092

A Divine Pan Fried Potato & Mushroom Breakfast Skillet

Potato and Mushroom Skillet

It’s that dreaded day after Thanksgiving and I’m full beyond acceptable measure. It’s not even that I ate a lot. I just nibbled on this and that throughout the day. And the added tasting spoons of my contribution to the table filled me up long before we sat down for dinner at 8. Though I’ve been having a tough time processing it’s that time of the year when we pull all out to create a memorable feast and go broke shopping for the unecessary, I didn’t skip a beat and indulged in everything set out. I’m still trying to get in the spirit of the season. There’s so much more to come! The solution to reverse that may be a spiked jug of eggnog. And some Christmas tunes. That may trigger an affect. Who knows. There’s always something minor that causes my mind to wander and leave the moment. Food never leaves the mind, though. And today I’m tackling an old issue with my meals.

I’ve been known to be a glutton for pain in most areas of my life. But, this particular issue has resurfaced as a result of a recent conversation about the importance of breakfast which I seldom partake in. I was being “told” by a 72- year old. I took mental note and envisioned myself 10 years from now. You know, gravity does not forgive. I really don’t want to see myself working out 3 hours a day or suppressing  my delicious appetite for the sake of maintaining a balanced lifestyle and healthy body. I’d rather get it right now and make it a way of living. It’s just so hard to justify all that food so early in the morning. Especially when I’m as full as I am right now.

But, there was a time when I was enjoying breakfast more than any other meal of the day. I distinctly remember brunching at a childhood friend’s grandma’s house. She lived across the street from my all but 700 sq ft apartment at the time. The main course: some amazing potato dish full of vegetables and cheese. That’s all I remember. All I needed to remember. The woman moved about her kitchen like a culinary school taught chef now 25 years in the industry. I was young then and loved to watch magic happen in the kitchen. I never really took notes outside of my mother’s technique, but I was tickled by the aroma of her skillet.

I started making that dish two weeks later and have never forgotten it. I don’t know what she put in it but I remember the flavors like my black bean recipe.

Potato and Mushroom Brunch Skillet

And so in my effort to enjoy hearty breakfasts and less gorging at night (I have serious fat kid tendencies), I went for this dish yesterday. There was nothing new or ultra special about it other than my new set of pans from Calphalon. In fact, it was probably the most rustic version I’ve made. When I moved back to DC, I sold most of  my pots and pans. They were 12 years old and I was happy to part with them. Mostly because it was time I invested in a new, more sophisticated professional set. Everything else went to storage. Bare essentials stayed with me and are propped up at Mami’s house. It was so on time when Calphalon offered to send me a non-stick omelette pan and stainless steel sauté pan from their Your Set collection where home cooks and foodies can finally customize their own cookware. Options come from the Unison Nonstick and AccuCore stainless steel lines offering very distinct features that complement your cooking needs and style. I have about 4 other Calphalon pieces (my stovetop grill is a killer piece I love!) and have no complaints. The only thing I’ve had to be careful with is washing. I made the mistake of sticking one deep skillet in the dishwasher and it took about 6 months to recondition the core. A royal pain in my arm.

No less, I love the few pieces I have and am thrilled to add these two to the artillery.

I used the new non-stick omelette pan to sauté the garlic and Portobello mushrooms. I used a bit of porcini oil to start the flavoring process. For the potatoes, I tried two approaches. Because they’re pan-fried, pre-cooking them helps with the timing and doneness. If you go straight to the sauce pan (omelette would work too depending on how much you’re making) with raw potatoes, you’ll need far more fat (more porcini oil in this case) and a splash of water. The sauté pan is great for searing meats, etc… but I’ve found the starchy things like potatoes will stick and break down the food if you don’t have enough fat. On my second approach, I poached the potatoes in water for about 10 minutes, drained the water and then started frying with the oil. This worked much better and kept my potatoes in tact.

Cooking is a joy. The creativity and clean canvas that’s inherent in coming up with a dish is the beautiful element of it all. There are no boundaries when thinking of something special to cook. While this potato dish isn’t complicated, it’s fun being able to recreate it  based on a feeling and amazing smell I experienced many, many years ago. Having the right equipment is crucial, too. I mean, mashed potatoes could have been what my fork was sticking to, but I was careful in what pan I used. That’s with any cooking. Knowing what you’re working with is half the battle!

The Calphalon Your Set collection and new site/community has everything you need to make everything you want, the way you want. It’s for the cook that likes to switch things up in the kitchen but still create beautiful, delicious food. Fancy, rustic, simple, elaborate. Whatever your fancy is.  I’m looking at the roasting rack, another skillet, the 4 qt sauce pan and the stainless steel 8 qt stock pot for the days I have time to make beans without the pressure cooker! Yes, I actually cook without the pressure cooker, but it’s got to be right!

Sooooo, guess what I’m doing!?!?! Giving away a $500 gift card to the YOUR SET collection so you can go to their store and create your own set of fabulous gear! Who.Is.In? $500 will get you at least 2 solid pieces from the stainless steel collection and 3 or 4 if you mix it up from both, depending on the size you opt for! I say do it and take advantage. The holidays ARE here and while you’ll be shopping for everyone else, might as well throw something in there for you. Especially if you’ll be doing the hosting and cooking!

CONTEST REQUIREMENTS

You have until December 7th to enter. I’ll choose a winner randomly on the 8th. This is what I’m asking you to do!

* Visit the Your Set site via this link and leave a comment sharing which of the pots from Your Set you’d love to have!

* Follow on Twitter and tweet this post including my handle @BrenHerrera and the hashtag #YourSet so that I can see it

* Like  my Page on Facebook

* Follow on Pinterest and Pin one of my pictures 

* Subscribe to this blog via RSS feed

* Additional entry: leave an additional comment letting me know you’ve done all of the above (just one comment for all)

* All have to be done in order for your entry to be counted. Playing fair here! 🙂

* Open to U.S. residents only. Must be 18 to enter. No purchase necessary. One winner will be selected at random. Fulfillment will be by Calphalon, Inc. Entries accepted through 11:59 pm EST, December 7th, 2012. 

LOOK AT THESE BEAUTIES! Want. Want.

These other bloggers are also hosting the giveaway so check them out for additional chances to win:

Eclectic Recipes  Thai- Basil Pork Stir Fry
Recipe Girl Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Apple Bacon Pan Sauce
Aggie’s Kitchen Spicy Fish Wraps
Good Life Eats Sauteed Garlic- Bacon Green Beans
Family Fresh Cooking Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese
PickyPalate Chicken Ragout
Baked Bree Steak au Poivre Sandwiches

Hope you have a lovely and utterly delicious Thanksgiving! I sure did! More on that next week. You know this Cuban house was out of control 😉

* This was a sponsored post as part of my work with Social Moms & Calphalon, an Atlanta company (yay!). As such, I was compensated. All of my opinions expressed and the recipe are genuine and my own. Always. 

Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

Follow the sexy & delicious fun on

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOOGLE+ |YOUTUBE

follow Bren Herrera on Pinterest

Don't forget to check out my debut cookbook!

Enjoy

PAN FRIED POTATO & MUSHROOM SKILLET

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup porcini oil, divided
  • 1 head garlic, minced
  • 1 cup portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup water
  • 5 large buttery potatoes, sliced into 1/2″
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 medium red onion, sliced
  • 1 medium green pepper, sliced
  • 4 fresh oregano leaves, minced
  • 1 /4 cup Gruyére, shredded
  • 1 tsp. black pepper

Method:

In a 8″ non-stick skillet, over medium heat, heat two tablespoons of porcini oil and sauté garlic and mushrooms for five minutes. In a sauté pan, add water, bay leaf, potatoes, sautéed mushrooms and garlic and rosemary sprig. Season with salt and stir gently with wooden spoon. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Uncover and cook for 5 additional minutes over low-medium. Add remaining porcini oil, and remaining ingredients except for the cheese. Cover and cook for 20 additional minutes or until potatoes are cooked and vegetables are tender but not overcooked. Uncover and add cheese. Stir gently with wooden spoon.

Transfer to serving platter or individual plates. Shred more cheese as desired. Add black pepper.

B’s notes: for heat, add 1teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or stir in 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce when adding in the vegetables. 

172 thoughts on “A Divine Pan Fried Potato & Mushroom Breakfast Skillet

  1. I already have several Calphalon pans, which I love. I think I’d start with the AccuCore Stainless base set and add a wok or the 6-qt. nonstick saute pan. And I’ll be making that potato dish this weekend in one of the pans I already have. Looks delicious!

  2. I would like the Unison Nonstick-Sear 5-qt. Dutch Oven & Cover and the AccuCore Stainless Steel 4-qt. Sauce Pan & Cover — great giveaway – and I love potatoes!

  3. I liked on FB, Followed on Pinterest and pinned, went to website and signed up! I didn’t know that Calphalon was ATL based. Very cool!

  4. Whew! I would love to have the non stick 8 qt. stock pot! I have several pieces already and love them! Followed you on FB – left a comment from Kalamity Kelli, followed you on Twitter and tweeted about you @venuscorpiogirl, followed and pinneed pyrex dished from Kalamity Kelli, got your RSS feed and already follow you on Google+. Most of all, I love the potato recipe! I can’t wait to try it.

  5. I’ve done all of the above including Pin, RSS Feed, following on twitter, facebook and have tweeted about the givaway. What an awesome prize. I hope I’m lucky 🙂

  6. Hi everyone! Thanks for entering! The giveaway is really special and right on time for the holidays. Like I said, I have a few pieces from their new collection and older stuff and they come through every time. Good luck to all!

  7. Did everything as instructed! As you know I’m already a devoted follower on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter 🙂 If I HAD to choose ONE pan it would be the AccuCore Stainless Steel 10″ Omelette Pan because I don’t have any stainless pans and that seems to be the most versatile for our uses… but if I were to win, I’d buy BOTH sets and pay the difference out of pocket. I’m just now discovering my culinary skills as I’m making everything fresh and organic for Isabella so this would be a perfect complement to my new role as mom. 🙂 <3

  8. I could really use a new set of pans. The last set I got was almost 13 years ago when I got married. I could really use an upgrade and some replacements!
    Here is what I want:
    Unison Nonstick 5-piece Base Set$299.99
    Your Additions:
    Unison Nonstick-Sear 16″ Roaster & Rack $149.99
    Unison Nonstick-Sear 5-qt. Dutch Oven & Cover $99.99
    Unison Nonstick-Sear 13″ Wok & Cover $99.99

  9. Love the look of their stock pot! and a new Dutch Oven wouldnt hurt either. Got you covered on the rest of your requirements, wonderful giveaway! Thanks so much

  10. This is a must try Potato dish! I haven’t tried porcini oil and love some Gruy’ere. Bren, I really don’t know how I missed this offer . Glad I revisted. 🙂 Well, you know I’m a groupie of yours so, I’m already follow you everywhere, FB, Pinterest, Twitter, RSS feed, the universe….awh…I’ll stop…lol. 🙂 I posted on Calphalon’s website site…so neat to create your own pieces (mix and match). You know my hubby prefers everything Stainless Steel…the CHEF that he is. I prefer the Non-stick. I need several pieces of the Unison Non-stick collection, especially the Stock Pot. I just made your Chilli the other night and said to self, I need a new Stock Pot this one is done! Plus in that new Calphalon Stock pot, the Chilli would look so pretty 🙂 This is an great offer Bren, I do hope that I WIN!! If not, I will for sure purchase that Stock Pot and the Dutch Oven is so needed!!

  11. Wow…I’m thinking the stainless steel dutch oven, the non-stick wok with cover..and probably the 8 qt stock pan, stainless steel. They are beautiful and would be used a LOT! Awesome prize!

  12. Okay…got all the items accomplished. Even Twitter which I set up ages ago but I’m afraid I haven’t done anything with. So cool that your awesome dish brought me here!

  13. The food looks amazing!! I would definetly purchase the non-stick set! Thanks for the opportunity.

  14. I would start with the AccuCore Stainless 5-piece Base Set and add the AccuCore Stainless Steel Small Combo along with the AccuCore Stainless Steel 5-qt. Dutch Oven & Cover! I think all my bases would pretty much be covered with this pairing!

  15. I completed the list! Thanks for the opportunity to win this great package and nonetheless right before Christmas.

  16. For the first time EVER, I have pots and pans on my Christmas list (which is just my own list that I’ll get to buy from…lol).

    I would get the unison non-stick and the following:
    Unison Non-Stick 5-piece Base Set
    Unison Wok
    Unison Non-Stick Slide Small Combo

    I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed. This would make my Christmas! (tell no one I said this otherwise, I might get an iron for my birthday 😉 )

  17. Completed all though I was trying to subscribe to your RSS via email and didn’t get that as an option (subscribed via Google Reader instead). This is a great giveaway. Thanks, Bren!

  18. Oh, Bren, these potatoes look amazing:) I am with that grandma – teaching my three girls how to take care of themselves early on – and breakfast is so important:)
    I have done everything above and I am keeping my fingers crossed:) It would really make my Christmas to win this!

  19. I would add the Unison Non-Stick Sear 16″ Roaster & Rack and the Unison Non-Stick Slide 12″ Omelette Pan to my set.

  20. Ack ! My comments seem to have vanished so I’ll try again !
    I would like the non-stick sauté pan, the non-stick Dutch Oven, and the non-stick omelette pan.

  21. Ack ! My comments seem to have vanished so I’ll try again !
    I would like the non-stick sauté pan, the non-stick Dutch Oven, and the non-stick omelette pan

  22. Can never get enough of potatoes, they never get old!!!
    p.s. done all the requirements 🙂

  23. Gorgeous looking recipe, Bren! I’d definitely love to try the AccuCore Stainless Steel 5-qt. Sauté Pan & Cover. I need this pan!

  24. That was fun had a chance to repin lots of great photo. By the way i completed all the requirements. Good luck all!!!

  25. wamp wamp tater fried skrillet!!!!!! Wifey would love tje roasting pot and the nonstick omelete skillet. She loves to hook up the eggs for me! requirements done. hopefully ill be whoppin up my own food in these soon

  26. My pots and pans game at home is terrible. I’d mix and match the Unison Nonstick-Sear 13″ wok with the Unison Nonstick Slide combo and finish the set off with an AccuCore Stainless Steel 4-Qt Sauce Pan & Cover. I hope I didn’t go over my limit.

    EP

  27. I would love the Unison Nonstick Slide Small Combo and the Unison Nonstick-Sear 6-qt. Sauté Pan & Cover to get me started. It is definitely time to replace my pots and pans.

  28. Aw, this was a really good post. Finding the time and actual effort to generate a superb article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and never manage to get anything
    done.

  29. Hey! This is kind of off topic but I need some help from an established blog.

    Is it very difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I
    can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about
    creating my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you
    have any points or suggestions? With thanks

  30. My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was entirely right.
    This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much
    time I had spent for this info! Thanks!

  31. I have been surfing online more than 4 hours today,
    yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me.
    Personally, if all website owners and bloggers made
    good content as you did, the web will be a lot more useful than ever before.

  32. Hello there! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form?
    I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having trouble finding one?
    Thanks a lot!

  33. Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s truly informative.

    I’m going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue
    this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing.

    Cheers! ps4 games 185413490784 ps4 games

  34. Wow! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a
    totally different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and
    design. Great choice of colors! ps4 games 185413490784 ps4 games

  35. Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
    you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is wonderful, as well as the content!

  36. I must thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this site.
    I’m hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts
    from you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me
    to get my very own site now 😉

  37. Everyone loves what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work
    and reporting! Keep up the fantastic works guys I’ve included you guys to my blogroll.

  38. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an extremely long comment
    but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear.
    Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted
    to say fantastic blog!

  39. I seriously love your website.. Pleasant colors & theme.

    Did you create this amazing site yourself?
    Please reply back as I’m hoping to create my own personal site and would like to
    learn where you got this from or what the
    theme is called. Thanks!

  40. us immediately. The Sex Offender Registry Board promotes public safety rule 34 porn by educating and informing the public to forestall further victimization.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Theme developed by TouchSize - Premium WordPress Themes and Websites
Show Buttons
Share On Facebook
Share On Twitter
Share On Linkedin
Share On Pinterest
Share On Youtube
Hide Buttons