Beefing Up the New Year

Day 1: Roast Prime Rib

Day 2: Roast Beef Hash

Retailers have known for decades that consumers are willing to spend money after Christmas on big-ticket items as long as they are on sale at greatly reduced prices.

In the past few years, for instance, grocery stores have kept their pre-Christmas sales running through the new year. This has been a great excuse to splurge on expensive foods such as prime rib. After all, at $2.49 a pound, and at some places even less, it makes sense to buy a couple and tuck one in the freezer.

If you managed to snag a good-priced prime rib for New Year’s or even if you’ve just got extra roast beef around, you should take a look at this beef hash recipe, which is a terrific way to get a good meal out of the end of a roast.

Serve it with an egg on top for brunch, or without if you’re making hash for dinner.

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Roast Beef Hash

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 35 minutes

2 white boiling potatoes

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 pound diced roast beef

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

4 fried or poached eggs, optional

Cut potatoes into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice. Bring potatoes and enough water to cover to boil over high heat, then let potatoes cook 2 minutes. Drain.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and saute, stirring often until potatoes start to get crisp, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, onions and bell pepper. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are tender.

Add beef, thyme and salt and pepper to taste and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Divide hash onto 4 plates and top each serving with 1 cooked egg.

4 servings. Each serving, without egg: 213 calories; 443 mg sodium; 56 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 0.45 gram fiber.