Recipes Series #1: Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Introduction

This is the inaugural post in a series I will write from time to time about recipes that are staples in our household. Although my wife is quite a good cook herself, I typically do all the grocery shopping and cooking for our family. Maybe it’s a bit non-traditional, but that’s how we roll!*

I see a future where my son moves out on his own and this recipe series is printed out, e-mailed, or (maybe by then) just downloaded straight into his brain so that he can make do in a serviceable way. Although, maybe by then they’ll have made pills or nutrition bars that simply provide perfectly-balanced nutritional sustainment and he’ll have no need for recipes. At least in that instance, can’t say I didn’t try! *shrug*

Until then, I think everyone should be able to cook (at least a few things) well. Not only is it a great way to control what kind of ingredients go in your body, but it also helps you avoid spending beaucoup bucks on dining out. Nothing screams “helpless” to me more than someone who can’t cook.

Regardless of whether you’re one of these poor, helpless souls or a great cook in your own right, give these tried-and-true recipes a shot.

Let’s kick off the series with a look at how I do oven-roasted baby red potatoes…

Choosing Your Potato

I read somewhere along the line that baby red potatoes are the best out there for roasting. You’ll probably notice if you ever order roast potatoes at a restaurant—that’s what type you normally get, too. Probably for good reason.

I found an article by Diana Rattray on The Spruce’s website to back this up. The best kind of potato for roasting they call “new potatoes,” which are just baby or young potatoes. These little fellas are thinned out from the main crop during growth to allow for the other potatoes to mature. The reason they’re so good for roasting is that they are firm and waxy.

In case you want to know what they say about the best cooking methods for other potato types, here you go:

• Baking: Russet, long white, Peruvian
• Boiled: New potatoes, round red, white
• Fried: Russets, white
• Roasted: New potatoes, russets, Peruvian, long white
• Mashed: Russets, long white, yellow

Prep

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Often, I’m able to find baby red potatoes that are the right size to cut in eight pieces (halve the potato three times). The size of your pieces should be about three-quarter- to one-inch, or, small enough to fit two pieces in your mouth in polite company without looking like a jackass.

Once you’ve cut the pieces up, toss them into a bowl with salt, granulated garlic, rosemary, and olive oil. If the bowl has a little puddle of olive oil in the bottom, you’ve added too much. Not to worry, use a colander to drain it.

Now that you have a good coating of seasonings on your taters, line them up on a baking sheet skin-side down so that the pieces aren’t touching.

Cooking

Pop those bad boys into the oven at 400 for about 40-45 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when they have a nice golden-brown color to them. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes when you pull them out of the oven and then enjoy!

So there you have it–the first in the Recipes Series. Simple and easy. What do you think?

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*And I’ve not heard a single complaint from her about it! 🙂