Smashing Potatoes and Taking Names

Hey guys. I got my iphone pictures to upload again. Word. The weather in Houston is wet and misty with a side of Flash Flood Warnings. Tonight I made Chicken and Vegetable soup with brown & white rice. This is appropriate food for when it is wet and cold outside. Just in case you were wondering. 

Perhaps you once read my very first blog post. It was, at the time, some big statement about what this blog was going to be about and who I was and other super important things. Then I ended up just kind of letting the blog lead me instead of me leading the blog and things changed. It's nice to have a reminder of where all of this craziness started over six months ago. Let's get back to food for a sec.

I did actually cook in December, despite my lack of posts. One day I found myself staring down a bag of red potatoes and I remembered my epic failure at smashed potatoes because I cooked them how I thought they should be cooked and looked at a recipe after they came out wrong. This time I followed The Pioneer Woman's recipe for Crash Hot Potatoes that I referenced in that very first post. I killed it.

Potatoes boiled in advance. Probably over boiled by me but it didn't matter in the end.

Drizzle a baking sheet with EV Olive Oil liberally. You don't want to peel this stuff off. Then spread your potatoes out as above. 

 

I used a potato masher to start smashing. It worked much better than a fork. It was messy at first, and presentation was lack luster, but I kept at it. 

After smashing, brush olive oil over the top of the potatoes. YUM. 

 

You can use whatever herbs you like, chop them up and sprinkle them on top. I used rosemary and added in a sprinkle of sea salt and some black pepper.

Up close and personal.

Then you stick them in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 450.

 

The crispy delicious end result.

 

The perfect potato close up.

 

The imperfect (but still delicious) potato.

 

We had the potatoes with meatloaf and sauteed kale. And I have DREAMS about how amazing they were. The perfect mix of potato (great start), rosemary, salt, pepper, and the best part, the crispy, crunchy top and edges that the oven gave us. COOK THIS NOW. It's easy and delicious. 

So there you are. I'm still cooking and still learing lessons and becoming more convinced than ever that recipe following is where it's at. 

Sometimes.

-RT