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We all need this comforting Cheesy Potato to begin or end the week. This is a delicious and very easy to make side dish for Holiday dinner.

Potatoes are such a versatile vegetable and it is one of the best choices for appetizers. There are not many people who don’t like potatoes and when cooking for a crowd, this definitely is a choice of vegetable to go. My little one is a die-hard fan of potatoes and would love for me to make it every day. Well, it sort of happens that even the parents love potatoes and when I make them, we end up eating it way more than we should be. These oven baked cheesy smashed potatoes are really addictive and even if you are not a big potato fan, you will end up eating a ton of these. The only consolation I had for myself after I ate way too many of these smashed potatoes were that, at least they are baked and not fried.

I have used the basic seasoning here like salt, pepper and garlic powder for the potatoes, but you could try out different other combinations. I also used some Mexican blend cheeses on top, which can be very replaced with parmesan. All it needed was some sour cream to go with it, but I am thinking of making something more garlicky next time (like garlic aioli) to go with it.

Make sure you shop for some really tiny potatoes. I used red potatoes here, but the yellow potatoes should work well. Just make sure you hunt for similar sized, small potatoes.

My other recipes this Marathon –

Soups

Appetizers / Snacks

Preparation time – 10 minutes

Cooking time – about an hour (includes baking time as well)

Difficulty level – easy

Recipe adapted from – Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients to make Oven Baked Cheesy Smashed Potatoes – makes 15 pieces

Red tiny potatoes – 15

Salt – to taste

Pepper – to taste

Garlic powder – 2 tsp

Olive oil – 4 to 5 tbsp

Mexican blend cheese – ¼ cup

Sour cream – to serve

Cilantro – to garnish

Procedure to make Oven Baked Cheesy Smashed Potatoes –

Boil water in a large pot and add salt to the water. Place the potatoes in boiling water and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Make sure that they are not mushy, but cooked all the way through. It took me about 25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and let it cool down a bit.

Grease a baking sheet and place the potatoes on the sheet.

Using the back of a glass or a cup, press down on each potato to flatten it. Make sure they still are in one piece and just smashed.

Brush liberally with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Bake at 425 F, for about 10 – 12 minutes. Now take the pan out and flip the potatoes and brush them with olive oil again. If preferred, season again with salt and pepper and bake for 10 to 12 more minutes or until golden brown and the edges are crispy.

Sprinkle cheese on the potatoes and bake them for 2 to 3 minutes more or until the cheese has melted.

Garnish with cilantro and serve the smashed potatoes with a dollop of sour cream.