By New Year's. 2023. I'm standing in my kitchen at midnight, holding Megan, watching fireworks through the window that faces the lake. You can see them if you lean right and squint. They're not spectacular from our apartment — distant, small, mostly just pops of color above the rooftops — but they're ours. Everything in this apartment is small and ours and I wouldn't trade any of it.
New Year's resolution: figure out the sour beer program. Wild Patience was a success — the three hundred bottles sold out in two weeks — and the head brewer has greenlit a second batch. But I want more. I want a program, not a one-off. A rotating lineup of sours that gives Lakefront a reputation in that space. It's ambitious. It's probably too ambitious for an assistant brewer. But ambition is just a pierogi shop dream in a different hat.
The first week of January is brutal. Minus fifteen on Wednesday. The Jeep made a noise when I started it that sounded like a moose in distress. Megan said, "You need a new car." I said, "You need a new opinion." The Jeep is fine. The Jeep has character. The Jeep will outlive us all. Probably.
Made a pot of split pea soup because January demands thick, green, soul-warming soup and split pea is the king of thick, green, soul-warming soups. Ham bone from the O'Briens' Christmas ham, split peas, carrots, celery, onion. Simmer for two hours until it's thick enough to hold a spoon upright. Season with salt and pepper and a prayer for spring. Babcia didn't make split pea soup — she made grochowka, the Polish version, with smoked pork ribs. Same spirit, different translation. All good soup comes from the same place: a cold day and a desire to feel warm.
Split pea soup handles dinner, but those minus-fifteen mornings need their own kind of armor. When it’s so cold the Jeep sounds like it’s filing a complaint with HR, you need something hot and crispy and filling before you even think about stepping outside. These breakfast potatoes became my January morning ritual—golden, seasoned, ready in a skillet before the coffee finishes brewing. Different meal, same philosophy: a cold day and a desire to feel warm.
Breakfast Potatoes
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the potatoes. Wash and dice the potatoes into even 1/2-inch cubes. Pat them dry thoroughly with a clean towel—dry potatoes crisp better.
- Start the skillet. Heat olive oil and butter in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and foamy.
- Cook the potatoes. Add the diced potatoes in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes until golden on the bottom, then stir. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until potatoes are golden and nearly tender.
- Add the vegetables. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
- Season. Add the minced garlic, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Serve. Transfer to plates and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot alongside eggs, toast, or whatever else January demands.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 180mg