I think I might be one of the only women my age that doesn’t get Pinterest. I love Instagram, I do a fair amount of Tweeting, and I’m on Facebook at least once a day. But for some reason I can’t seem to get into Pinning. Honestly, I’m just not a crafty person…. I don’t own a hot glue gun, sewing machine, or a paintbrush, and I couldn’t tie a bow on something if my life depended on it. What can I say… My sister got all of the crafty genes.

Yes I know Pinterest isn’t just about crafting but in my mind that’s all it was.

Last week I invited my in-laws over for dinner and a game of dominos. I already had most of the menu planned out in my head… Grilled pork chops, cornbread, salad and some type of potato dish.  I was craving baked potatoes but I knew I didn’t want that much food and I always hate having the dinner table cluttered with extra condiments (cheese, bacon pieces, green onions, sour cream). Every idea that I came up with I ruled out because it was either too rich, too much work, or just didn’t sound good.  It had been a long week and my brain was not functioning and that’s when I did something I never do…. I turned to Pinterest and searched potato recipes.

Every other recipe seemed like it was for these little roasted smashed potatoes and I knew almost instantly what I was going to make. I read a few recipes, figured out the method on how to make these and added my own toppings. These Cheesy, Garlic, Roasted Smashed Potatoes were a delicious hit and we devoured them all.

So Thanks Pinterest for Saving the Day!

If you would like you can follow me on all my social media accounts (just click on the icons at the top of the page)  And maybe some of you ladies can teach me how to be a better Pinner 🙂

Have a great Friday!

Cheesy Garlic Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

10-12 Yukon Gold Potatoes, about 3 inches in diameter

4 Tablespoons Butter

3 Cloves of Garlic, smashed

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme

1½ Cups of Grated Sharp White Cheddar Cheese

2 Tablespoon Minced Chives

Salt & Pepper, to taste

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub the potatoes clean of and dirt and rinse the potatoes well. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil and boil the potatoes until just fork tender.

Heat 4 tablespoons of butter with 2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the 3 cloves of smashed garlic. Once melted set to the side and let the flavors infuse.

Drain the potatoes well and place them on a greased sheet pan (or non-stick mat) equally spaced apart. Then using a potato masher smash down once on each potato and drizzle with the butter, oil, and garlic mixture. Sprinkle each potato with salt, black pepper, and the fresh thyme.

Roast the potatoes at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the edges turn golden brown. Then sprinkle the tops of the potatoes with a healthy amount of grated sharp white cheddar cheese and roast them for another 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top the cooked potatoes with minced chives and serve.