This is a simple recipe that I don't even use measurments for. I saw something done similiar on TV the other day through Food Network, and I was laughing because I've been making this for so long now. I think I was 8 years old when my Mom first showed me how to make it. So this recipe has to be old. She made it as a child as well.

There are many names for it and it depends on your heritage. Once I show the ingredients you'll have a name for it that your family has called it - and you'll go "Ohhhhh that!"

So, here we go:

You'll need enough potatoes to peel and slice up (peel if you wish, leave on peels if you want) to layer two to three times in your favorite casserole dish or pie pan. I use a pie pan because we eat this with other items and sides, so we only need a little of it. I make the casserole dish when it's the only part of the meal other than fruit and bread.

Here is a list:

• Potatoes - enough for the entire family, sliced up for layering. (Like scalloped potatoes)
• Milk or cream (calories are up to you...)
• Ham, bacon, sausage, steak...I usually use a leftover meat from the night before. Whatever you have on hand you can use.
• one onion or two (what you prefer) chopped up
• one pepper or two (what you like) chopped up (We use green peppers, hot peppers of varied kinds, and banana peppers too!)
• Lots of eggs, scrambled up real good! (Your preference on how many...)
• bread crumbs or homemade bread chunks (directions below)
• cheese of some kind. Whatever you got in the frige and want to use, use that. This goes with everything from that velveeta stuff (We don't usually use that but we have while camping and making this over a fire.) to nice cheddar cheese. You can even make it a spicey cheese or a flavored one to go along with whatever spices you use to make this taste yummy.
• Spices - your choice. Make it Mexican, Italian....American....Indian..etc.. Whatever spices you use help bring out the flavors in this meal. The potatoes take up the spices like crazy during the baking process and oh my they're delicious! We've done Italian and Mexican, American (usually just salt and pepper with cheddar cheese), Indian, Asian, and even Greek! Experiment!
• butter, about one stick of butter
• water

Mix up the eggs really well and then add in the cream/milk. Mix together and incorporate the two into one. Don't mix up too much air, just stir them up to make a creamy egg mixture like you are going to make a custard.

If you use bread chunks chop up a good piece of bread, white or wheat, it's up to you on what kind. Just the innards, don't use crusts. Shave off the crusts and then cut the innards into cubes. Put these on top of the milk mixture and allow to soak as you prepare the rest of the pieces.

Chop up the vegies, slice the potatoes. Chop up any meats if you need them chopped up. Chop or shred up the cheese you wish to use. Get about three cups of cheese. Have everything near you as you begin working, including your spice mix. Pre-mix the spices you wish to add to the dish in a small bowl to sprinkle on each layer as you add it to the pan.

Just start layering everything in the pan. Potatoes, vegies, meat, cheese, spices, then the butter. Potatoes, vegies, meat, cheese, butter. Do this as long as you need to with the pan. Once everything is in the dish, pour the eggs and milk over the top with the bread chunks. This is also where you can put on bread crumbs and extra cheese.

Then we put it into the oven around 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes. We check to make sure the potatoes are done. If you think you need to add some liquid to help the meal along, which sometimes it can happen, just add a touch of water. That's the only place we use the water is for a little moisture if it's needed.

Remember to experiment with this and you'll enjoy this dish many, many times for a meal or as a side dish. It's a great meal for make-ahead and bake, or bake and freeze for later. And it freezes just fine. We've frozen many of them already pre-baked, and just re-heated, and it's even more delicious due to thawing in the frige and the spices marinate into the potatoes more. Mmmm...