It was just before dawn on a bleak Sunday. After a week of sleepless nights and worry over our seriously ill cat, my husband finally drifted into the kind of deep sleep that made me check, more than once, that he was still breathing. I couldn’t bear lying awake any longer, so I slipped quietly out of bed with a small plan: surprise him with breakfast in bed.
That week had worn us both thin. Caring for a sick pet—one we love like family—had emptied our reserves of patience and energy. We’d been on edge and exhausted, and I hoped a warm breakfast might lift the cloud that had settled over us.
I opened cabinets and peered through the fridge, searching for anything that could become something special. I wasn’t looking for a perfect spread—just one little thing that would say, “I love you,” without words.
At the back of the fridge bin I found one lonely russet potato, leftover from a casserole. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a start. I checked the pantry and discovered a can of corned beef hash tucked away on a lower shelf—something we’d bought ages ago and forgotten.
With eggs and bread already on hand, the pieces fell into place. Hash browns with fried eggs and toast would do the job. But I wanted to make it a bit different, something to coax a smile out of both of us. Inspiration struck: hollowed-out, twice-baked potato halves filled with corned beef hash and an egg baked in the center. Simple, comforting, and a little playful.
I kept the preparation unfussy. My nerves were still taut, and I wanted breakfast to feel warm and reassuring, not overworked. I scooped out the potato flesh, sautéed it with a pat of butter, browned the hash in another pan, and built a nest of hash inside the potato shells before cracking an egg into each well and sliding them into the oven.
While they baked, I browned the scooped potato bits in a skillet so there would be crispy “home fries” on the side. Once the eggs set and the potatoes were nicely golden, I plated everything with a piece of buttered toast.
Just as I finished, my husband appeared in the doorway. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek—no fanfare, just a quiet moment that said everything: things would be better, together.
Update: It’s been almost two and a half weeks since Gilbert became so ill. I’m relieved to say he’s improving. He still has a tough road ahead, but for now he’s more comfortable, and we’re doing everything we can to keep him happy and spoiled for the rest of his life.
Twice-Baked “Egg in the Nest” Flannel Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 large russet potato, baked
- 1 (15 oz.) can corned beef hash
- 3 Tbl. butter, divided
- garlic salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 small eggs
- garnish with snipped green onions or chives if desired
- (toast for two if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Slice a pre-baked potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides, leaving a 1/4″–1/3″ shell. Place the potato halves on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Put the scooped potato flesh into a small sauté pan with 2 tablespoons of butter. Season both the potato flesh and the potato halves with garlic salt and pepper to taste.
- In a second sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the corned beef hash and cook according to the can’s directions until heated through and slightly browned, seasoning with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Divide the hash between the two potato halves, mounding some to form a tall edge that leaves a well in the center for the egg.
- Crack an egg into the center of each prepared potato half. Sprinkle with pepper.
- Carefully place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the egg whites are set and opaque, about 15–20 minutes.
- During the last 8–10 minutes of baking time, heat the reserved potato flesh in the sauté pan over medium-high heat. Let it brown on the bottom, flip to brown the other side, then remove from heat.
- Toast the bread.
- Serve the flannel potatoes with the baked eggs alongside the browned potato bits and a slice of buttered toast.
Notes
*I bake my potatoes wrapped in foil in a 425º oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
**You can customize the corned beef hash by adding finely chopped onion, cooked bacon, diced peppers, tomatoes, hot sauce, or ketchup if you like.