Bauerfruhstuck

(Farmer's Breakfast)

4 medium potatoes

4 strips bacon, cubed

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons milk

12 teaspoon salt

1 cup cubed cooked ham

2 medium tomatoes, peeled

1 teaspoon chopped chives

Put unpeeled potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil, boil about 25 minutes. Rinse in cold water, peel and set aside to cool. When potatoes are cool, slice.

Cook bacon in large skillet until transparent. Add the potato slices, cook until lightly browned. Meanwhile, blend eggs with milk and salt. Stir in the cubed ham. Cut the tomatoes into thin wedges; add to egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes in the skillet. Cook until the eggs are set.

Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

This recipe comes from "Wild West," an original cowboy cookbook featuring recipes from the 1840s, says Maurice Paulk (The Mountain Man) of Wood River.

"This sounds crude, but it is really good," Paulk says.

"A Hell Of A Breakfast"

Potatoes, sliced and soaked overnight in salt water

1 pound of bacon, salt pork or fat back

Eggs (number depends on how many people you are feeding)

Fry potatoes in large skillet; fry bacon or salt pork in another skillet. When both are done, crumble the bacon or salt pork on top of potatoes. Break eggs on top of mixture and let cook until the eggs start getting hard; then stir like crazy until everything is well blended.