Day 21 of "25 Days of Angels Baking Christmas Memories!"
Try something new instead of baked potatoes. Instead, microwave, smash and roast them. They have so much better flavor and exciting crispiness!
I love potatoes and like to try them in many different ways - smashed with their "clothes on" with cream cheese, "naked" and diced for soup, baked whole with chili and sour cream on top, microwaved with broccoli, bacon and cheddar cheese and just about any other toppings you can think of. It's also an easy side to make for a holiday meal.
This time I've microwaved, smashed and roasted them at 420F degrees. The high temperature gives them a nice crispy bottom, top and edges. Deee-licious! And, they are EASY!
Makes 3-6 servings
Prep your pan:
Double or triple line a rimmed oven safe baking pan big enough for a few potatoes, with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper is rated for the very high oven temperature of 420F degrees. Check the outside of your pp box - it should have the highest rated temperature printed right on the side. Otherwise, use foil. I prefer pp since the potatoes do not stick to the parchment paper but they do stick to the foil.
Preheat your oven to 420F degrees just a few minutes before you place the pan of smashed and seasoned potatoes in it.
Ingredients:
2 Baking potatoes, large
2 T Extra virgin olive oil
3 T Butter
Spices, herbs, salt and pepper to your taste
½ C Cheddar cheese, shredded (or another favorite cheese)
Nuke and Roast your potatoes:
- Line your oven safe rimmed pan with high temp rated, oven safe parchment paper.
- Spread the extra virgin olive oil on the parchment paper. Set aside.
- Wash your potatoes. No need to peel. The peelings have extra vitamins.
- Poke them with a knife, wrap in paper towels (in case they explode inside the microwave) and microwave for about 3 minutes.
- Test them with a knife which should slide in them easily, but they should not be completely soft. They still need to be somewhat firm, probably about ¾ of the way done.
- Cut each potato in thirds.
- Place the 6 potato chunks flat sides down on the parchment paper lined pan.
- Smash each one with a potato masher or some other broad kitchen utensil such as a spatula.
- Sprinkle a little more extra virgin olive oil on top of each potato chunk.
- Add ½ tablespoon butter to the top of each of the 6 chunks of potato.
- Sprinkle with your spices, herbs, salt, pepper, etc.
- Place them in the 420F degree oven.
- Roast them for 10 minutes. If they are not as crisp as you would like do them longer in 5 or 10 minute increments. No need to turn them over as they will crisp on the bottom as well as the top as they roast.
- At the 10 or 15 minute mark, take them out of the oven and sprinkle the cheese on top and return to the oven for 2-3 more minutes so the cheese melts. (I have also used Gruyere, Parmesan, white cheddar, and many other cheeses, sometimes mixing different flavors for a new taste.)
Serve them up hot:
- Enjoy hot with a homemade meatloaf, chicken, pork chops, ribs, steak or any other favorite meat.
- They are also delicious as a side with a hearty soup.
Optional toppings:
- Before roasting, try the potatoes topped with sliced jalapenos, chopped broccoli, sliced Brussels Sprouts, other cheeses, crispy fried bacon, pepperoni, etc. The sky is the limit!
- After roasting, top them with herbed sour cream or cream cheese.
Whatever way you top your Cheesy Bacon Smashed Roasted Potatoes, create your own flavors and “Bake your own Memories!”