It’s no secret that I love potatoes. The way Bubba feels about shrimp in Forrest Gump is the way I feel about potatoes: I love them in every form and cooked in every way. 

I learned a new way to cook them recently. My friend’s friend’s Mom made them for us last weekend and I am so excited to pass along this new level of potato love. 

It seems like potatoes have gotten a bad reputation in some circles and I want to take a minute to clear the air for them if I can. While their tuberous troubles can be traced back as far as the Irish Potato Famine in the 1800s, I think the real culprit is the low carb trends that were very popular in the 90s and early 2000s. Yes, potatoes have a lot of carbs. No, that does not make them a bad food. 

Along with being high in carbs, they also have fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin K, along with several essential minerals, including potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. They even have a small amount of protein! So while I am not suggesting that you base your entire diet around potatoes, they certainly can be a part of a versatile, whole-food diet. 

The way they are cooked is another factor in their challenging timeline. Potatoes that are boiled, roasted, or baked are better than those that are fried or cooked in weird, mysterious oils. There are plenty of oils that are considered healthy, but in regards to potatoes it is best to keep them as close to their whole-food form as possible. And eat the skins! The skins have a lot of nutrients. 

One more point and then I will get off my potato box: the bigger problem is more likely what else you’re NOT eating (a variety of vegetables, perhaps??), not the potatoes that you are eating. 

Ok, back to the main event. These are smashed potatoes. Not to be confused with mashed potatoes. You’ll see… 

Ingredients: 

Yukon Gold taters - how many is entirely up to you 

Olive oil 

Salt 

Pepper 

Directions: 

First, boil the taters until they are soft all the way through. This took about 40 minutes on my hot plate. It will depend on the size of your potatoes. 

Once the potatoes are boiled and have cooled, cover a baking sheet with olive oil. Place each tater on the sheet and smash it! That’s right, just take a spatula and give a good smush. Sprinkle more olive oil on top along with some salt and pepper and place the sheet in the oven. Cook at 450 degrees until the edges are a little crispy. This took around 15 minutes in my toaster oven.

The crispy part of the cooking doesn’t take that long. So if you are trying to time them to be ready for an extra special dinner (which I absolutely expect to be invited to), I would boil them ahead of time and just smush and cook closer to dinner time. 

Enjoy, potato heads.