Crash Hot Potatoes

Crash Hot Potatoes

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds new or small red potatoes (around 12, depending on size)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Dried thyme, about 1/2 tablespoon (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs of your choosing)

Method

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Place the potatoes in a large pot with cold salted water to cover about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium (water should still be at a hard simmer) for about 15 minutes, until just fork tender (if they are larger, they could take up to 20).

Scoop the tender potatoes out of the water with a slotted spoon and place on the cookie sheet, leaving plenty of room between each potato. With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, then rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato with the olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt and whatever herb(s) you are using. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.

NOTES

Crispy in the bottom and sides, creamy in the middle. What more could you want out of potatoes, right?

I probably make these twice per month. They were an absolute gem of a discovery, an easy and delicious (and healthy!) alternative to mashed, roasted, mashed, roasted, over and over. I bless the day I found them on Ree's site.

Mexican Beef or Chicken Bowls

Mexican Beef or Chicken Bowls

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef (or beef-venison mix) OR 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon each Kosher salt, cumin and Mexican oregano
1 cup white rice
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced (or combination of colors)
1 jalapeno, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon New Mexican chile powder
1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juices
3 cups water (or stock)
1 cup corn kernels cut fresh from one large ear (or sub frozen)
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Suggested garnishes: salsa or hot sauce, Hatch chiles in season

Method

Heat large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Season the meat with 1 teaspoon each Kosher salt, cumin and Mexican oregano. Add to pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. If using beef, break the meat up into chunks as it cooks. Using a slotted spoon, remove meat to a bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Set chicken aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add rice, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic and 2 teaspoons Kosher salt. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables have begun to soften. Stir in the tablespoon each of cumin, Mexican oregano and New Mexican chile powder, then add the diced tomatoes and water, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring the rice mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until rice is completely cooked through. Check on it once or twice to make sure it's at a low simmer and the rice isn't sticking.

Once the rice is done, remove cover and stir in corn, beans, scallions, cilantro and reserved chicken or beef. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until everything is well combined and heated through.

Serve immediately with desired garnishes.

NOTES

With my well (WELL!)-documented love of one-pot dishes, I am a little flabbergasted that I did not yet have a Mexican-style one posted here. This corrects THAT oversight. Further, when by force of habit I Googled for what I thought I wanted to make, I discovered that no one else had a dish quite like this posted, either. So, this corrects the internet's oversight, too. HA.

Anyway, bottom line: it's a delicious, easy, one-pot, low-cal-yet-large-portion bowl of goodness. Great for dinner, great for leftovers, can easily be adjusted for spice and salt to your personal preference. Make it.

A Taste of Home Cooking Celebrates!

I'm so happy to be guest posting today over at my dear friend Sarah's blog, A Taste of Home Cooking. Sarah is celebrating 6 years of food blogging this week (6 years!!) and has asked me and some of her other food friends to cook up her recipes and say a few words to honor the occasion. I was thrilled to be a part of it.

Come check out my post on her page, learn more about my dear friend and her wonderful food - and get a great recipe for Skillet Chicken and Broccoli Pasta while you're at it!