How to Pimp your Potatoes

You may have wondered why I am the Spud Queen. I am the Spud Queen because I live on a fabulous potato farm! My family pimps potatoes for a living. So that is why this lovely entry is all about potatoes, they are simply the best vegetables on earth! So the next time you eat anything with a potato in it you should think of the farmers who grew what you are eating. Then, you should go find a farmer and hug them (only if you know them otherwise it would be creepy if you hugged a random farmer)  because they are pretty cool and hardworking people!. But before I give you some super potato pimping recipes I am going to give you some potato background!

Here is a fun fact: you can grow potatoes in space. Yep, its been done before. Potatoes are pretty out of this world!

Here is a picture of how potatoes are harvested!:

The tractor and the truck have to stay in sync or else the boom (the arm like thing going into the back of the truck) could be damaged. (photo credit: Jeff)

Here is a picture of a bunch of potatoes in storage! Yes those are all potatoes. This is just not even halfway full potato bin either. We have a lot of warehouses full of bins like these stuffed with potatoes.

 

Another fun potato fact: The leaves of the plant are poisonous. The reason for this is most likely because potatoes are in the nightshade family. So don't eat them.

 

 The most common question I get asked is if I eat potatoes every night. Here is the answer: No I don't, but that most likely will change in college when I cant afford anything but to steal potatoes from the farm. So now you know a little about the life of a potato here are some fun recipes for these little buggers! Now lets begin getting stuffed...

 

Twice Baked Potatoes:

The directions for this recipe I looked at, then laughed at, and then totally stuffed the potato with my own thing which you can totally do too! So here is the recipe for twice the yummy goodness a potato can offer! LOVE A SPUD!

 

• 2 large potatoes, scrubbed (I prefer Allegra or Yukon Gold but use whatever kind you like:)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sour cream  
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (or whatever kind of cheese you would like and however much you like. I put a TON of cheese because I am a cheese addict)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, (plus more for garnish if you want to be on Martha Stewarts and Rachel Rays level)
• Ok here is where you get creative I have put in bacon, garlic, even more cheese, and some different types of herbs (I have used basil and/or rosemary). Do whatever you want!      

Directions

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake on oven rack until tender, 1 1/2 hours. Cool 10 minutes. You can cook them in a microwave too but ovens I think are better for potato cooking!
2. Halve potatoes lengthwise, leaving a thin shell (you don't need to get every last piece of flesh out. Just roughly take enough out to have a good size hole); scoop flesh into a medium bowl. Add milk, butter, sour cream, and 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper; fold in chives to combine or whatever you really want to put in.

3. Step 3

   Scoop filling into potatoes and place in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese (or whatever you want). Bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

This is a really really yummy recipe! It is fast after you get through baking the potatoes!

 

Now onto the next recipe with a ton of room for creativity too and it is very simple!

 

Pimpin Potato Pancakes:

I am posting this sort of boring recipe because you can do so much with them after you make them! From sour cream to tzatziki (ta-ziki) there are a million different combos!

 

•  1 1/4 pounds of potatoes (Whatever kind you like. I use Yukon Golds.)  
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• Whatever topping you want! I have done tzatziki with chicken and cheese on top and I have also done sour cream, cheese, and bacon. It is all up to you on what you want to stick on top! The options are endless!       

Directions

1. Step 1

   Peel potatoes, and grate on the large holes of a box grater. Place grated potatoes in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze tightly, removing all excess moisture.
   
   
    (I put the grated potatoes in a bowl and mix them with a little bit of minced garlic after the first step)

 

1. Step 2

   Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 teaspoon canola oil (I use garlic infused olive oil if I want to get crazy). When the pan is hot, add grated potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula to press potatoes into a flat, round shape. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, shaking pan periodically, until pancake is nice and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip pancake, and add remaining teaspoon of oil, drizzling around the edges of pancake. Gently swirl pan to distribute oil. Season again with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until golden brown and crisp on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes more.

2. Step 3

   put on cutting board and cut into as big of pieces as you want! Then top with whatever you feel like!

Now onto one of the more complicated but SUPER cool recipes!

 

Sliced Baked Potatoes:

One of my lovely friends showed me this recipe! Then One of my other friends gave me a few more ideas to make it even better then the recipe! The potatoes have a odd texture but they are really good all the same! Its more of a chip texture then baked potato texture. Lets get slicey now!

 

Ingredients

6 Medium Size Potatoes
2 - 3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced (or however much you want)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Butter
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

I have also inserted herbs between the slices and if you want to get really crazy stuff cheese between the slices and dump chili all over it when its done baking and eat a chili potato! You would probably stuff bacon bits and cheese between the slices too. just use your creativity!

Method

Preheat the oven to 425. Put the potato on a chopping board, flatter side down (if there isn't a flatter side take a little bit off of one side so it will sit still). Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft. I still cant figure out exactly how much time is takes but just keep checking them until they are crispy on the outside and sort of soft on the inside.

 

Now you know three of my favorite potato recipes! Remember to think of the farmers out there that grew all the food you eat! Support farmers and make everything on my blog!

May the force be with you in the kitchen and thanks for reading:)