Camper’s Hearty Breakfast Scramble (no campfire needed)

Good morning! You’ll have to excuse me, I’m actually eating this Camper’s Hearty Breakfast Scramble, as I type this out. And OMG, does it hit the spot! It is everything a breakfast should be, hearty, tasty, loaded with eggs, bacon, potatoes and smothered in cheese. Honestly, I’d be happy if most of my meals were like this. Diet be damned!

This breakfast is one of those meals that holds fond memories for me. You see, one of my best friends and I first made this while on a camping trip. She was living down east, this is what we, Canadians, call the Greater Toronto Area and I was still living in my home town. She was flying to Thunder Bay, so we decided to make a weekend of it! Camping just outside of the city. We rented a small cabin, I was driving, so I was able to stock up on supplies.

We planned out our meals. Well, for the most part, we knew we wanted taco dip, spinach dip (these two are staples, whenever we get together) and Walleye! Fresh Walleye, from Rainy Lake, is amazing. The mild tasting fish attracts thousands of anglers each year. It’s kind of what we’re known for. The area itself is beautiful and surrounded by lakes. Summers are stunning, warm days and gorgeous sunsets. Yes, winter’s are cold, but we survive.

Can you tell, I’m missing this? Thankfully, this breakfast takes me right back. We didn’t live solely on those three foods, although, that would’ve been ok with us! I brought some spices from home and we bought a few things in Thunder Bay, so we could create a meal or two on the fly.

As proper campers, we used the fire to cook our meals. When you’re camping, this is a must. There is nothing better than a meal cooked over an open flame. Whether you’re cooking over a campfire or on the stove, like I did this morning, invest in a solid cast iron pan. This gem is undeniably one of the best tools you can have in your kitchen. This is the one (affiliate link) I have and use weekly.

We had a plan to go tubing all afternoon on the Saturday. So, that morning we decided to make a big breakfast. We hoped to be meandering down the river for a while, so we wanted something that would fill us up. That’s where this breakfast was born.

We got the skillet nice and hot and started frying the bacon, once that was almost cooked, we tossed in leftover potatoes from the night before, fried those for a bit. Pushed everything to the side and added the eggs, scrambled those and mixed everything together with some spices we had on hand. I had brought green onions for the spinach dip, so we threw some of those on and then of course topped it with loads of cheese. It was by far the best camping breakfast, I’ve had. So, good in fact, that I now recreate it indoors, without the campfire!

I wanted to share this recipe with you today, because: a) I’m eating it (full disclosure, I’m on my second helping), b) Spring is right around the corner and I think Mother Nature needs a little push to help bring in those warmer temps and c) for you to have in your arsenal when camping season hits. Now, just to be clear, this isn’t only for campers. This breakfast is perfect for anyone with an appetite!

How to make Camper’s Hearty Breakfast Scramble

Heat a bit of oil in a cast iron pan. I had leftover bacon in the fridge, so I didn’t have to fry any, but you can use a couple tablespoons of bacon grease in place of the olive oil, if your bacon needs cooking. If you’re like me and have pre-cooked crispy bacon, now’s the time to add your partially cooked potatoes. I’ve been known to microwave mine for 5-6 minutes just to soften them up. I’m a little too impatient to wait for potatoes to cook in a pan. So cooking them first saves a ton of time, or better yet use leftover boiled or baked or even roasted potatoes and cube those.

Fry your potatoes with a bit of butter (as well as the oil) and your spices until they start getting a nice golden brown colour, some of the potatoes will fall apart and that’s totally ok! Once you’ve got a bit of colour on these, push them all to the side and crack in your eggs. Give these a quick scramble and let them cook, stirring occasionally, once these are almost set, mix the potatoes and eggs together. Add in the bacon, green onions and one cup of cheddar and mix together until everything is hot and the cheese is melted. Now top with the remaining cheese and let this melt through the dish.

I think the best part of this is the crispy bits at the bottom. The cheese sort of melts through the potatoes and eggs and makes a crust at the bottom of the pan. It’ll make you want to scrape the bottom of the skillet and devour every little morsel.

This morning, I made this on my stovetop. A simple, Camper’s Hearty Breakfast Scramble without the campfire. However, if get a chance to make this outside over a flame, the recipe is the same. Just keep a close eye on the fire. They’re hard to control, so you’ll want move your pan around the grate to keep everything from burning. Take it off the flame for a minute or two to let things cool a bit and give it a good stir a few times. The heat can get incredibly tense when you’re cooking over a flame, so just use extra caution. And remember the handle will be pippin’ hot too, so don’t grab it with your bare hands.

I love that you can make this breakfast indoors, but yet it still carries that outdoor vibe. It’ll practically transport you to your campsite and remind you of long ago summer days. Are you camper? I’d love to hear some of your favorite places to camp and the food you make! If you don’t, no worries, don’t be shy, this is not a campers-only breakfast. It’s truly for anyone with a big appetite and who isn’t afraid of a few extra calories. If that’s you, hello, I’m Tanya, your new bff! Enjoy your morning, we’ll catch up soon.

Did you love this Camper’s Hearty Breakfast Scramble? Check out these other delicious breakfasts, I’m sure you’ll enjoy:

• Grandpa’s Cabin Pancakes
• Sweet and Savoury Fully Loaded Breakfast Sandwich
• Ham and Swiss Pinwheels

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If you get a chance to make this or any other recipe on the blog and want to share. Please feel free to tag @candyjarchronicles or use #candyjarchronicles on Instagram, so I can see your post. I’d love to see what you’re cooking in your kitchen!

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