Recipe Post: Garlic Smashed Potatoes

I don't expect to put up a post every day, but I do expect to be honest. So, I have a confession to make.

Monday, I had a weak moment. When I arrived home from work, I discovered that the kitchen was hot and stuffy because the windows had been closed all day and we had an unseasonably hot day. In the five seconds it took me to take off my shoes and put down my stuff, I decided it was too hot and too stuffy to stand in the kitchen and make dinner. So, we went to Pizza Hut instead. Don't judge me.

Tuesday I decided I was not going to be that weak again, and that I was going to actually make what I planned on making the night before. With pictures, this time!

Hopefully the mention of stuffed crust hasn't thrown you off the idea of eating or preparing a home cooked meal.

Tonight's special: Garlic smashed potatoes.

Okay, so more of a side than a meal, but it goes with a lot of stuff! Maybe even pot pie? (Hint, hint.)

We may or may not have been snacking on our last leftover slice of pot pie while making this. Don't tell anyone.

Let's get down to it:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

1 small bag red potatoes (although those pictured are normal-sized red potatoes. I like the little ones better!)
3/4 stick salted butter (or 6 tbsp)
1/2 cup soy milk (or less if moist enough)
1 large clove garlic
1 tsp onion powder
A pinch or two of garlic powder
Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Start with the potatoes. Aren't they pretty?

Well, mostly. Slice off any impurities, dark spots, etc., that you don't want in your smashed potatoes. But please--don't peel! Even if you have always had mashed potatoes peeled, just try it this once. The skin has a lot of nutrients and adds an interesting flavor and texture. If you don't like it after this time, you have my grudging blessing to peel the potatoes next time.

How small you chop your potatoes depends on how quickly you want to boil your potatoes. I like to chop them relatively small--less cook time!

(Why yes, that cutting board is on my clothes dryer. Thank you for noticing! We have a little bit of a counter space issue at our apartment. Just a little.)

2. Garlic next--check out how large that clove is! (Excuse my chipping nail polish.) If you don't have monster garlic like this, use two smaller cloves instead.

Mince it up. I like my garlic chunks a little larger but feel free to mince the heck out of them. If you really don't like garlic chunks, try grating it instead. Same flavor, teeny tiny size.

3. Boil enough salted water to just cover the potatoes. Add potatoes and bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until tender, about 10-15 mins depending on the size of the potatoes.

4. While that's going on, melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Add the garlic when the butter is just about melted. I don't really time this one, I just leave it until the potatoes are done. Just make sure the butter doesn't burn! P.S., your kitchen will smell amazing during this part, like fresh garlic bread.

5. Drain the potatoes and smash out all of your daily stress on them. Just not so much stress-smashing that you don't leave chunks--these are, after all, smashed potatoes, not mashed potatoes.

6. Add the butter-garlic mixture, onion powder, garlic powder, and soy milk. Mix until smooth. Add salt to taste.

Tip: If you have sour cream, of the dairy or vegan variety, throw some of that in there too for some extra tang and deliciousness. I did not have any on hand in the house when I made this, so I did not add it.

Voilà! Garlic smashed potatoes.

Now, try not to breathe on anyone too closely for the next week or so.

Possible kitchen hacks for less time/money:

-Substitute cow's milk for soy milk

-Substitute frozen chopped potatoes for fresh potatoes

-Substitute 1 tbsp prepackaged minced garlic for fresh clove of garlic

Kitchen credits:

-My mom's mashed potatoes have always been my favorite, and I tried to emulate a little bit of those into these.

Enjoy!