The inspiration behind my Trashy potato recipe

 

 

As you can see gardening has always been a family affair around here. This picture’s an old one but always makes me smile. My son and granddaughter were sitting front and center watching Jim work in the garden. Earlier in the day I had tossed out some leftover cornbread for the chickens and gave one chunk to our beagle who’s always looking for a handout. Pretty soon the dog was traipsing across the freshly turned earth carrying the chunk in his mouth. About mid-way down a row, he dropped the bread and covered it with the dirt then ran off.

The kids flopped backwards onto the ground laughing and yelled across the yard, “Snippy’s planting cornbread!”

 

 

 

 

My all time favorite vegetable is the red Pontiac potatoes because of the delicate thin skin and delicious sweet taste, especially when dug at the ‘new’ potato stage. The skin on the potatoes are loaded with vitamins so I usually cook them in their jackets.

And I'm sure by now you know that I’ve been lucky enough to have this recipe included in the Passionate Cooks cookbook. I purposely titled the recipe Trashy Taters because 1. it's very eye catching and 2. you  really can add, sprinkle, or toss anything into the spuds during the last stages of cooking. I've used scrabbled eggs and fresh green  onions & crumbled sausage. Or you might want to try them topped with Hormel Chili and cheese.

Really...whatever trips your trigger!

Here’s the recipe and I hope you’ll try it.


Ingredients

3-4 med. Potatoes       salt, pepper, garlic powder  (to taste)

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ bacon pieces

Ranch dressing

 

 

3 or 4 medium size redskin potatoes –scrubbed and quartered 

In a medium size sauce pan add potatoes and bring to boil, cook for 10 minutes. Drain.

Melt 3 Tbsp margarine in a skillet, add par-boiled potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, course ground pepper and garlic powder to taste. Allow to cook over medium heat, browning well on one side before turning achieving a crispy brown coating.  Cook aprox. 10-15 minutes until fork tender. When potatoes are golden brown and fork tender add ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or any type of shredded cheese) and ½ cup real bacon pieces. Cover potatoes with a lid for about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

 Serves 4

Serve with ranch dressing.