Fried Potatoes

Every dish needs a simple side item. When you are cooking red meat I can't imagine there being a more appropriate side than good old fashion fried potatoes. This recipe will feed two, but can easily be doubled or even tripled.

4 Large Potatoes
1/2 Pound of Hickory Smoked Bacon
Salt
Pepper

Peel your potatoes and then slice them about a quarter of an inch thick. Discard the ends because they wont fry well. Once they are peeled and sliced place them in a bowl and rinse them thoroughly and let them sit in cook water while they wait to be fried.

Chop your bacon into reasonably think slices, but remember it will shrink as it cooks. Fry your bacon in a large skillet, do not drain. Place your potato slices in the pain over med/high heat with your bacon and bacon grease. Cover and fry until all your slices are tender to a fork, and as they fry add some salt and pepper to taste.

It should be noted that you should flip the potatoes several times during the cooking process but there will be some slices that look a bit burned. This is OK and will actually add a lot of flavor, just try to keep them moving every few minutes.

My wife hates onions so I don't use them in this recipe, but they are an awesome addition. If you would like to use them chop about half an onion and saute them with your bacon. Leave them in the pan when you add your potatoes.

Fried Potatoes... Done.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Here is a recipe (well kind of) for garlic mashed potatoes.

Red potatoes (skin on)
Fresh Garlic
Fresh Green Onions
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Butter
2% Milk
Lemon Juice

In a 10 inch skillet add olive oil, and get your pan hot. A lot of inexperienced cooks do not understand the importance of a really hot pan. Never add ingredients to a cool pan unless there is a really fucking good reason. Once your pan is hot add your garlic and saute, then afterward add your green onion (it cooks much faster than the garlic). Remove this from your heat and pour it all into a small container, cover and set to the side.

While you were sauteing your garlic and onion you were bringing your water to a boil and cooking your potatoes weren't you? You did clean them and cube them with the skins still on right? You do know the skins are tasty right? OK. Then we will continue. While your potatoes are cooking (about half way through) add the juice of one quarter of a lemon to your boiling water, and add a pinch of salt as well.

While your potatoes are finishing, in a small sauce pan bring your milk (how much milk you ask? use common sense and make it proportionate to your potatoes) to a slow simmer and add your sauteed garlic and green onions (and the olive oil too, its so tasty). Let that simmer for a few minutes stir constantly and let those ingredients mix and flavor the milk.

Now that your potatoes are tender to a fork drain them and return them to the pot. Add your milk mixture and butter (to taste) and mash (hand masher, no hand mixers here!) them. We are looking for a lumpy mash on this recipe. Now you have tasty garlic mashed potatoes!