My 3 favorite potato recipes
Here in Minnesota, it’s so nice being able to enjoy produce that we grow in the summer all year round. Potatoes are a staple for us because of that. There are so many ways to enjoy spuds!
In high school, I took French as my foreign language of choice. When we reached the chapter about food and fruits and vegetables, I laughed to myself when I read that potatoes are called “pommes de terre”, or “apples of the earth”.
We love a good mashed potato or baked potato - and those are often our go-to potato recipes. Check out our favorites below!
Frozen Hashbrowns
The key with freezing potatoes is to wash the starch off, and to dry them so they will not turn brown. This is pretty different from freezing most other veggies.
Wash and peel potatoes.
Shred the potatoes with a cheese grater or a food processor. We often have a lot to work with, so we use our food processor for this task.
Put the shredded potatoes immediately into cold water to wash the starch off.
Squeeze the potatoes dry in a clean tea towel. This step prevents the hashbrowns from sticking together.
Lay potatoes out flat in a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Put cookie sheet in a freezer until completely frozen (about 1-2 hours). Using a spatula, scrape frozen potatoes into bags to store in the freezer. We will use large gallon bags, however any size bags will do!
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
These are a perfect side to any summer grilling!
1.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Wash and scrub potatoes. Add to stock pot, top with water and bring to a boil.
Boil the potatoes until fork tender, 15-20 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Drain remove excess moisture, and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°
Spray the large baking sheet with non-stick spray, set aside. For easy clean up line with parchment paper.
Finely mince the parsley and garlic, combine with the olive oil in a small bowl, set aside.
Once the potatoes are cool, press on the potatoes and smash them until they about ⅓ inch thick. You can use a small glass or a spoon. Place potatoes on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
Drizzle the garlic butter over each potato, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are crunchy and golden brown for maximum crispiness!
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
This classic is my preferred way to eat potatoes! I will often make these as a side for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
3 pounds potatoes
1/2-3/4 cup milk (heavy cream can also be used)
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
Peel potatoes and cut into small chunks. (You can leave skins on if you would like, simply make sure to scrub them well!) Put in a pot of boiling water until you can stick a fork into them easily - for our tender potatoes, this may take 10-12 minutes.
Put milk, butter, garlic, and salt & pepper in a small sauce pan over low heat, stirring occasionally, for the duration of the potatoes cooking.
Drain potatoes thoroughly and leave them in the pot. Pour creamy mixture over the top and mash with a potato masher. Add cheese if desired.