Slap-Dash Hot Crash Potatoes

Sorry about not blogging for a couple of weeks. We have all been sick on and off and have had many large events going on. I'm exhausted! I had considered putting up a recipe of something I like to serve when my kids are sick, and then I realized: I hate sick food. Chicken soup, jello, seven-up...they make me sick just thinking of them. When my kids are sick, they don't get to eat. Or I say, toast or applesauce, you choose. I guess I'm a very impatient nurse. When I'm sick, I either don't eat at all or I eat regular. Bleh, chicken soup.

In any case, since St. Patty's day is coming up, and everyone knows potatoes are Irish, I will instead regale you with a recipe that changed the way our family eats potatoes. (The recipe is, however, Australian, not Irish.) Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, put this recipe up at her blog already, but since I modified it for my own tastes and time constraints, I'll give you the Slap-Dash version.

Slap-Dash Hot Crash Potatoes

* 12 whole red potatoes (or however many you want to eat)
* Olive Oil
* Stick of butter, melted.
* Kosher Salt to taste
* Black Pepper to taste
* Dill (or rosemary, if you like that better)  to taste



Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender. I actually microwave mine in my large micro-cooker from Pampered Chef, with a half-cup of water or so in the bottom. It's WAY faster.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again.  They should look a little like cookies-- separate from the others but with lots of what Ree calls "Crispy, Flavorful Surface Area".

Pour butter all over the tops of the potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and whatever green bits you like to make it pretty and smell nice. I like Dill best, as we've discussed before.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.




Mmm, they get so crispy around the edges and are soft and full of flavor in the middle. Seriously, my family only eats potatoes another way if we have to. These are really impressive for guests and they go with any meat or any style of dinner. Feel free to serve them with your Corned-Beef and Cabbage tomorrow (just know, I personally won't be eating those no matter what holiday it is!).