Happy Friday! Hope everyone is having a wonderful last weekday and has fun (or relaxing!) weekend plans. Lately, Robert and I have had weekends that seemed just as chock full of plans as did our weeks, and between weddings and travel, we have quite a few more busy ones on the horizon. This weekend is completely plan free (so far!) and I’m determined to keep it that way…well almost…we DO have a planned stop by the hospital right after work today. Before you get too worried, this is a HAPPY hospital stop! Remember when I threw this baby shower for our sweet friends Ben and Annie?!?

Well I am happy to announce that their darling baby girl was born yesterday afternoon! I know they will be the BEST parents and Robert and I can not wait to meet sweet baby Cooper later today! I have already let them know that we are on call to babysit for their first date night so we can check out this parenting thing for ourselves

Speaking of babies, I got a call from the opposite of one yesterday, my grandfather! Was that the weirdest segue ever or what? Sorry. Back to that phone call, I love talking to my grandparents and try to call them weekly to catch up. These phone calls typically take place during my commute which my grandma seems fine with but the second my grandpa gets on the phone and finds out I’m driving he ends the conversation as quickly as possible. Always worried about my safety, that one. So sweet. Anyway, I was excited and surprised to hear from him yesterday while I was preparing dinner. Even though I was safely in front of my stove rather than behind the wheel, he kept the conversation brief and let me know that he was only calling to let me know that it was time to dig up my potatoes.

My grandfather has the greenest thumb around and often shares plants and goodies from his garden with me. Last time he came to visit, he brought me a seed potato. To me, said “seed potato” looked exactly like every other small red potato I’ve ever seen in the grocery store, but what do I know. It must have been special because it proceeded to sprout into a lovely green plant….or at least I think it did….i could very well be seeing tall weeds growing in the pot with it, guess I’ll find out tonight when I dig it (them?) up!

This phone call couldn’t have come at a better time as I was literally in the process of marinating a flank steak for tonight’s dinner when the phone rang. By Friday, my fridge is looking a little bare and I was thinking I would probably have to make a trip to the grocery store after work today to find something to accompany our flank steak and broccoli. I mean really, what’s a steak dinner with no starchy side?

Assuming my little garden potatoes are viable, I will probably be preparing them in Robert’s current favorite way. Crispy smashed potatoes were inspired by a Pioneer Woman recipe and man are they good, and easy! I’m sure I’m not the only person who gets sick of easy but boring mashed and baked potatoes. I don’t think I ever get sick of french fries but that’s neither here nor there. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, these smashed potatoes are kind of a mashed/baked/fry hybrid. I know, amazing right? They won’t give you super powers but they will fill your tummy and impress your dinner guests!

 

Give these a try next time you need some spud-spiration. Ok, I’m really done now. Two corny jokes in one post is two too many. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

 

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

6-8 Small Red Potatoes (I would serve 2-3 per person as a side dish depending on size of potatoes)

Olive Oil Spray

Salt and Pepper

Herbs of Choice

 

Directions:

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil, add potatoes and boil until tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. You should be able to insert a fork easily.

2. Preheat oven to 450. Drain potatoes and spray a baking sheet with olive oil. Place potatoes on the baking sheet, being sure to leave plenty of space between them.

3. Use a potato masher, or the bottom of a glass, and gently smash each potato, breaking the skin but not separating the potato. The more surface area you create, the crispier your potatoes will be!

4. Spray the tops of the now smashed potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and herbs.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until your potatoes are golden and edges are crispy. Enjoy!