Frugal: Hamburger Hash

My partner, The Lad, suggested we make hamburger hash for dinner tonight. I was a jerk and I didn't take any pictures. I should do that so you can see what a mess I make in the kitchen!
I spent most of my day in a robe. That'll tell you what kind of time I have on my hands.
I did manage some shorts and a t-shirt to prepare dinner. Spectacular!

Okay, recipe time.

This one constitutes an entire meat dish. I suggest some greens on the side for added nutrient value. The Lad had some mixed greens salad with his. His mouth was a happy place and he managed to have a little too much of the hash. I do good things with food, yes?

Hamburger Hash: echobunny Style
Cooking time: approximately an hour unless you're not running away from the kitchen constantly like I was.
Tools

• a knife
• a high-sided frying pan or heavy bottomed cooking pot
• a spoon or spatula to move things around while they're cooking
• a cutting surface
• stove

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (about .454 kg)
• 3 golden potatoes, cubed (I used some sort of yellow/Yukon of a medium size. The Lad bought them.)
• a "regular" can of corn (I used Peaches and Cream style)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely sliced onion (I used a 1/2 of a medium sweet onion)
  
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder (you can use a couple fresh cloves, if you fancy! I was being lazy)
• pinch of salt (I used some kosher salt)
  
• a few grinds on the peppermill (maybe about a teaspoon worth)

Order of Operations

1. Wash and cube your potatoes. Or, approximate cubing. I do this by slicing my taters in half, lengthwise. Then, I slice it lengthwise several times and then widthwise to make little cubey chunks. I'll try to add some pictures down the line.
2. Rinse the extra starch off your potato pieces.
   
3. I put those potatoes in a large measuring cup (use any fitting microwave safe bowl) and covered them with water.
4. Nuke potatoes on high for about 10 minutes. The idea is to soften the potatoes so they'll cook faster in the pan, later. This time may vary according to the power of your microwave.
5. While the taters are in the microwave, add your oil to the pan and heat it up.
6. Add onions. I kept the heat down to about 4 or 5 on my stove and SLOWLY browned the little onions. This process took the better part of a half hour. Maximum flavour, minimum stove-sitting. Come back on occasion to agitate your onion bits with the spoon to keep them from sticking and burning.
7. When your potatoes are done, rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set them aside until your onions are done.
8. When the onions are nice and brown, toss in your potatoes and give it a good stir. Then, leave them alone! They'll slowly brown. If you want to keep a close eye on them, turn up the heat and agitate on occasion.
9. Add garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper here.
10. Stir.
11. When the potatoes look cooked, shove them to the side and throw in your ground beef. Turn up your heat to about 6 or 7 (medium high) and let it brown.
12. Start to incorporate all the parts of your hash in the pan. It's not pretty but, goddamn it tastes so good.
13. Dump in your can of corn.
14. Stir and heat everything through. This should be about 2-5 minutes.
15. Serve with ketchup and some sort of green veggie for balance.

Hope you enjoy a little easy slow cookin'. Yum!

-echobunny