Hash Brown Sausage Skillet

Hash brown skillet ready for the oven. Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     Recently a few of the girls at work needed more ideas on, what thanks to TV, we'll call "semi-homemade" meals. It's the art of taking something store-bought, adding a touch of this or that and coming up with something interesting, easy and edible. There's nothing like a challenge.
    After much thought, I tried a skillet dinner with hash brown potatoes in the oven. You see, the whole family likes hash browns, but I can't do them. I fiddle with them too much. I can't help it. So I opted for my cast iron skillet and baking them. This way I couldn't fiddle, no flipping, just mix, pour and cook.
    It really worked pretty well. I put the hot skillet full of goodness on the bottom rack of the oven on high heat to crisp the bottom and then moved it up in the oven so that broil could melt the cheese and finish off the potatoes. It turned out to be an easy but good skillet dinner that most Midwesterners would like.

Hash Brown Sausage Skillet
1- 20 oz. pkg. hash brown potatoes (not frozen)
1- 14 oz. pkg. smoked sausage (cut in 1/4 inch slices then quartered)
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 T. parsley
1 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp. each)
1 T. oil
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Set top oven rack 8-10 inches from top broiler.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In medium bowl, combine potatoes, sausage, pepper, onion and spices. Stir well.

Pour oil into cast iron skillet. Place on bottom oven rack. Let heat 5 minutes or so until oil almost smokes. Remove from oven and pack with potato mixture. Return to bottom rack and cook 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. Turn oven controls to low broil (if you have that setting). Top dish with shredded cheese. Return to top rack and cook 15 minutes more until cheese is slightly browned.

Serves 8.

Skillet just out of the oven.