Smashed Potatoes

My family is definitely a meat-and-potatoes type family, so I'm always looking for new & yummy ways to make use of potatoes.  I also am quite addicted to Pinterest.  I pin, pin, pin, pin.... but I do actually try some of the recipes I find on there.  This one is for smashed red potatoes... or as this lady cook calls it "Crash Hot Potatoes".  I'll give you the link, there are many more pictures on her site than I took of my own potatoes, but the directions & ingredients are pretty much exact.

INGREDIENTS:
9 small red potatoes (or any small potato, I counted out about 3 per person)
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper (Kosher salt) 
Any herb you like, I used fresh Rosemary

DIRECTIONS:
1) Boil salted water in a large pot, then put in as many potatoes as you needed to cook.  Keep them in there until "fork-tender".  This part I found trickier than I had planned.... too hard potatoes and you'll be unable to smash without them flying across the kitchen (Dangerous!!) .... too soft potatoes and you'll end up with somewhat mashed potatoes and not the cute little potato-cookie-like things that the website suggest.

2) Generously oil the cookie sheet.  Not enough oil will make them stick... and again will end up with potatoes flying across the room.... so don't skimp!

3) Place the boiled potatoes on the sheet - spaced out adequately.  Now (tricky part) gently press down on them.  You may use a masher, glass-cup bottom (I found this makes them fly faster, so I stuck to the masher) or whatever else suites you.  Try to keep the peel intact on the bottom of the potato-cookie but the top open & smashed up.  So.... again, gently is the key word here!!

3) Next brush tops with more olive oil (or melted butter, this always adds flavor... and fat... and yumms).  Then salt with your big, chunky Kosher salt (potatoes tend to need quite a bit of salt, so no skimping here, either) and sprinkle pepper.  Then top with your herb(s) you've chosen.

4) Bake 20-25 minutes in an oven set at 450'.  That's it!!

Sorry - I don't have a better "After" picture... the potatoes are hidden behind my tomato basil chicken.  (Wonderful winged-it-recipe I will share with you when I have the time to write it all down)  But surely check out the original link, she's got more pictures and an absolutely YUM "After" picture!!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/

They turned out absolutely wonderful!!  They are flavorful.  They are soft & crunchy at the same time.  Even my oldest son complimented me on them.... normally I just get "mmm"s and grunts.  That's huge!!

Try them!! 

Let me know how you loved this yum!!

Better Than Sex Cake.... Really?

Well.... I've heard about it quite a bit, I've done my research and found many different recipes for it - like most delicious desserts, there are many ways to put it together.  I have to admit - this cake was totally yummy however I can't totally stand behind the given name.  But it sure was better than something... hm.  Here's the version of this cake that I tried... hope you enjoyed it, too!!

** Picture came out so blurry... what a shame! **

INGREDIENTS: 
Chocolate cake (& necessary items to make said cake)
1 can sweetened condense milk
1 small jar of hot fudge topping / sauce
1- 8 oz tub of Cool-Whip
4-5 crushed Health bars

DIRECTIONS:
1) Make cake according to directions on the box

2) Once out of the oven, while still warm, poke large holes all over the top with handle of wooden spoon.  Poor whole can of sweetened condensed milk over the whole cake.  Let it cool completely.

3) Pour fudge topping over the whole top of the cake in an even layer.  Next spread on a layer (thick or thin) of the Cool Whip and then top whole cake with the crunched up Heath bars.

That's it.... Yumm, huh?  I really enjoyed this cake, and also got a number of different ideas on new cakes while making this one.  When I try one of my idea-creations, I'll definitely post them on here and let you know if it's good or fail.  Hehehe - either way, in my house, it'll get eaten.

Hope you're cake is better than something.... 

Just not better than sex.

That'd be a shame!