Line Camp Skillet Supper

     I really loved the history behind this recipe from Jean Anderson's One Dish Dinners.  This was a popular dish among cowhands running fences on the prairie and crewmen of the old Santa Fe railroad.  It is easy to see the appeal of this one dish supper and adding crackers became a good way to stretch a meal.  This would probably come together a lot quicker in a cast iron skillet on your camp stove.  It does take a good 15-20 minutes to cook bacon in a dutch oven, even over a generous amount of coals.  It was very good. The crackers add substance to the eggs and the scallions, bacon and tomatoes are a terrific combination. Cook this over as many coals as you can fit underneath your oven and connect with past with this satisfying scramble.

Line Camp Skillet Supper
6 slices lean bacon, snipped crosswise into julienned strips
6 large scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 medium-size vine-ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded, and coarsley chopped; or one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, well drained
6 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 Saltine crackers, coarsley crumbled

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 inch dutch oven.
     Fry bacon over a full compliment of coals until crispy, about 15 minutes.  Remove to paper toweling with a slotted spoon and drain.  Pour off all but 2 Tblsp of bacon fat.
     Cook scallions in remaining fat until soft.
     Add tomatoes and simmer uncovered until thickened.
     Meanwhile, beat eggs with salt and pepper until frothy.  Pour eggs into dutch oven with tomato mixture and scramble until beginning to set.
     Scatter in cracker crumbs and reserved bacon and continue scrambling until eggs are softly set.  Serves 4.

Saute bacon until crisp, add scallions

Heat tomatoes

Scramble eggs until set, add crackers, bacon and scallions

A hearty scramble for breakfast or dinner