Government-style Breakfast Reminiscent of the Reagan Era

Government-style Breakfast Reminiscent of the Reagan Era

Gotta Make Do: A Tale of No-Frills Recipes, Sparked by Hardship

Hey there, let me spin you a yarn about a culinary creation born out of necessity. The Reagan era, with its government aid in the form of cheese, bread, and canned goods, presented some tough times during my young life. Yet, I'm living proof that "necessity, they say, is the mother of invention." And humility, I found, is the foundation for true gratitude.

Here's an easy-peasy, 15-20 minute recipe that tells this tale:

Serves 4Difficulty: Easy as pie (or is it cake?)Time: 15-20 minutes in total, active time same as total

Ingredients (7, just the right amount):

• 1 slice of bacon
• 1 Small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of what we called Government Flour*
• 1 tablespoon of water, because we had to make do
• 1 cup of Government Cheese, shredded(See the Footnote)
• 2 tablespoons of Government Butter**
• 3 Eggs, the simple, versatile, magical eggs

Yankee Doodle Dish:The following is a basic recipe for a Government Cheese Scramble, along with some ideas for variations.

Instructions:

1. Dice the bacon and cook it till it's all crispy.
2. Mince the onion and sauté it in the bacon's fat.
3. Add the Government Flour to the mix and start making a sauce, adding water as needed.
4. Time for the star of the show: the shredded government cheese. (It was its own peculiar creature, doing odd things depending on how you cooked it.)
5. In the pot (since we only had one skillet), melt the pats of government butter.
6. Beat the 3 eggs in a bowl, then add them to the melted butter and scramble them.
7. Plate the scrambled eggs, top 'em with the cheese sauce, and watch the smiles light up on the kids' faces. #NoMoreGovtCereal
8. For lunch, use the very same ingredients, but with some additions: scrambled eggs are out, and a baked potato takes center stage for each child. Scrape out the insides of the potatoes, layer the cheese sauce, and sprinkle on some dehydrated chives for good measure. #LunchTimeItIs

Footnote:The term "Government Cheese" usually refers to a type of processed cheese provided in food assistance programs in the United States. It's often associated with thrifty meals and can be used in a multitude of dishes.

• A humble, bland flour used as a staple during the Reagan years due to its low cost and availability.

** Government Butter is the name given to available butter during the Reagan years, usually from government surplus programs.

*** Government Cheese is a type of processed, shelf-stable cheese provided in food assistance programs in the United States during economic hardship periods.

1. In the recipe titled 'Yankee Doodle Dish', the main ingredient is Government Cheese, a type of processed cheese often associated with thrifty meals and used in a variety of dishes.
2. The nutritional content of the recipe might be uncategorized, as it was born out of necessity during the Reagan era and uses unconventional ingredients such as Government Flour and Government Cheese.
3. The Government Cheese Scramble recipe serves as a testament to the creativity and resourcefulness that can come from poverty, as it uses simple, affordable ingredients like bacon, onion, and eggs.
4. The given recipe section (1 tbsp) includes Government Flour, a staple used during the Reagan years, and water, a necessity when making do with limited resources.

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