Our age of technology brings with it new words and sometimes old words with new meanings. Why just the other day I learned that an electronic device (like a smartphone or tablet) that has been rendered inoperable is often referred to as a bricked device. I wondered about the term – bricked. After some research I learned that the root of the analogy is this: An electronic device that does not work is – as useless as a brick.
Useless as a brick…? I’m shocked and appalled that this kind of hurtful language has gone without criticism from the PC police. When did brick-shaming become okay? Bricks have contributed to the building of this great nation since its beginnings. They have served well as exterior and interior walls; as road pavement (especially the yellow brick) and as bake ovens for Dean and Betty Arnold. And let us not forget that it was a brick house that saved little pig # 3 from the clutches of the infamous BBW killer.
So in the interest of social justice I’m calling for an end to this anti-brickite language. From now on let us agree to refer to disabled devices with the less offensive term – cemented.
Today’s povertystew recipe celebrates the contribution of America’s bricks.
Need This
2-15 ounce cans of corned beef hash (preferably Mary Kitchen brand)*
4 extra large (or jumbo) eggs
4 slices of Arnold Brick Oven bread (any variety)
Butter
Do This
Hiss a little cooking spray into a large non-stick fry pan.
Open the two cans of hash. Dump the hash into the pan, mashing it up good with a spatula. Put a medium heat under the pan and fry the hash, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown and takes on a little crunch – at least 5 minutes. This is your mashed bricks.
In another fry pan melt a tablespoon of butter on medium-low heat. Crack and add the eggs to the pan. Fry the eggs until the whites have set (sunny side up).
While the eggs are frying, toast the 4 slices of bread in a toaster until lightly browned. Add a pat of butter to each of the toasted slices as soon as they come out of the toaster so that the butter has a little time to soften.
Warm up 4 plates under hot water (or briefly in the oven). Divide the hash evenly into quarters. Put the hash down on the plates first then the egg on top. Spread the butter over the four slices of toasted bread , trim the crusts, then chop into rectangular planks.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4. My cost approx. $ 7.41 total – about $1.85 per serving.
*Mary Kitchen is an excellent quality canned corned beef hash put out by the Hormel company whose brand name also appears on the label. GMN