Nuggets of Love

Although my daughter is white potato intolerant, we (thankfully) can still have them in the house. As long as she doesn’t ingest them, she’s good to go. That being said, I don’t serve them up very often. They have almost become a treat around here, especially for my sweet husband… who absolutely loves potatoes. Doesn’t matter how you serve them to him – mashed, hashed, baked or fried - he’ll love them. He worked in a restaurant as a teen and basically mastered the home fries. There is a standard in Tim’s eyes about how the precious potato should be cooked. And though he loves all potatoes, if served a substandard potato, you might catch a slight look of disappointment in his green eyes. It’s very slight, since he would never want anyone – friend or restaurant cook – to have their feelings hurt.

(Truth be told, he’s become a little bit of a potato snob as of late, but don’t tell him I said that. He will vehemently deny it.)

There is one potato recipe that, to me, is cream of the crop. Truly, they are nuggets of love. I say that not only because I love them, but because they are little high maintenance. They are needy.

You need to pay lots of attention to these little guys. They demand center stage. If you give them the attention they crave, I can promise you this… you will not be disappointed. You will end up with crispy-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside-ever-so-slightly-garlicky-with-hints-of salty-goodness potatoes that you will immediately fall in love with.

Are you wondering how I can say that with such confidence? Because my potato expert husband is always thrilled to hear I am making them. There is not one glimpse of disappointment in those green eyes when these hit the table.

If that doesn’t convince you, then I challenge you to a potato cook-off.  Make these, eat them… and let this gluten free girl know if they weren’t as amazing as I said they would be.

Gluten Free Roasted Potatoes

12-16 small red bliss potatoes

6 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil (see below)

Black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (can use the canned stuff, if needed!)

To make garlic infused olive oil:

Warm 6 TBSP olive oil in a small sauce pan. Add 3-4 cloves of garlic that have been smashed open but are still in one piece. Allow the garlic to soften 10 minutes. Remove garlic cloves and  - VOILA! – garlic infused olive oil.

To make the potatoes:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Adjust the oven racks to the top and bottom positions.

Place the potatoes on a lipped sheet pan, pour 3/4 cup water over the potatoes and cover tightly with foil. Bake on the bottom rack until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, drain any remaining water and let rest 8 minutes.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil over the potatoes, making sure they are evenly coasted. Space the potatoes evenly on the sheet pan and, using a potato masher, flatten the potatoes to about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with pepper. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over the potatoes and roast on the top rack for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip each potato over. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Roast on the bottom rack until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Can eat plain or with sour cream, bacon, scallions, etc… use your imagination!

On a Side Note...

I confess that more often than not I totally forget about side dishes. I’ll get so involved in making a new gluten free main dish that the notion of having something along with it goes right out of my head. (Perhaps this is the reason I love the one-dish sort of meal. Everything is thrown together and served in bowls with a spoon! Side dishes need not apply.)

When I actually DO remember to throw some side dishes together, I find that I am bored stiff with them. I try to always have a green veggie at dinner. After a while, salad or steamed broccoli or green beans (the main veggies everyone likes – except for the picky toddler) get old. Boring. Bland. That’s when I go on the hunt for inspiration… a way to spruce up my boring veggies!

It’s got to be easy, though. I don’t want to spend as much time on my side dishes as I do my main dish. I want to be able to pop my main in the oven and whip up my sides while it bakes. (Did that last sentence create a picture of cooking frenzy? I’ve been told that others should just stay out of the kitchen when I’m working, lest someone gets run over.)

I recently went on the hunt for a creative way to serve fresh green beans. I found many – an overwhelming amount, actually – and ended up tweaking one to make it my own. Hence, a very pretty side dish that offers a change of pace!

Is your dinner fare lacking these days? Need a little something new thrown in there to wake up the taste buds of those who gather around your table?

I’ve got your back.

Gluten Free Green Bean with Tomatoes

1 ½ lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into two-inch pieces

1 ½ cups water

4 Tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp pepper

½ tsp Italian seasoning

2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped into large bite-size pieces

Place green beans and water into a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, pepper and Italian seasoning and stir until garlic begins to soften. Add tomato chunks and stir gently until just soft. Add the green beans in and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately. (Garnish with parsley, if you so choose.)