CRISPY BAKED SMASHED POTATOES

This is one of the first things I learned to cook when I became domesticated.  My other half has an obsession with potatoes: baked, fried, smashed, mashed, sauteed.  The only "recipe" I knew was chopping them up, shaking them in a bag with a packet of onion soup mix, and baking them.  Which is delicious, by the way!

Anyway, I had to learn new methods to make my man's favorite food.  I came across this recipe several times on different cooking blogs.  It's simple.  Cook potatoes until they're soft.  Place them on a baking sheet, smash them flat, drizzle on olive oil, season, bake.  The first step is up to you.  Do you have time to boil potatoes, or would you rather microwave them?  I've only done the microwave method, and they've been delicious each time.  Toppings are also up to you.  Salt and pepper, seasoned salt, cheese, bacon and mushrooms are all fine choices.  This is a recipe you can truly make your own.  Just make sure you salt the potatoes well, since salt is a potato's best friend.  You can also use whatever size potato you want.  The smaller ones allow you to eat several and be able to justify it since they're so teeny.  If you go big, you'll probably only be able to eat one or two without feeling shame.  

Ingredients

3-4 small potatoes or 1-2 medium potatoes per person
extra virgin olive oil
coarse kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
seasoned salt, shredded cheese, sauteed mushrooms, bacon, whatever you want to top these babies with!

Preheat oven to 450.  Wash and scrub potatoes well.  Poke holes in each potato with a fork.  Microwave potatoes on plate covered with a paper towel for about 8 minutes, or until fork tender.  Lightly drizzle a cookie sheet or the broiler pan from your oven with olive oil, so the potatoes don't stick during cooking.  Place potatoes on pan, then smash them flat with a fork or potato masher.  The skin will crack open so you'll have yummy soft potato, but also some crispy skin.  Drizzle each potato with about half a tablespoon of oil (enough so they won't dry out, but aren't soaked; use your judgement here) then generously sprinkle on salt and pepper.  Bake for about 25 minutes, or until potatoes are browned and crispy.  Serve immediately.