For so many years, I didn't eat a lot of potatoes. Low carb diets don't have a place for potatoes. They aren't "good" carbs. So if I was out to dinner in a restaurant I would ask them to hold the potatoes and give me "extra vegetables" instead. I wouldn't order french fries with my burgers (burgers without the bun of course). I'd get a Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's and deny myself the hash browns (and the toast). That's just so wrong. Cuz I love me my potatoes and a life without potatoes does not make me happy.
These days I'm learning to compromise. I try to eat "less" carbs or if I eat carbs eat "good" carbs like whole wheat bread. But if it's a choice between bread or potatoes now, I'm going for the potatoes. I just try not to eat as much of them as I used to. Back in the day when my butt wasn't the size of Texas, I would eat potatoes at least once a day. In breakfast burritos. French fries at lunch. Heck, dinner was sometimes just a baked potato with tons of butter (yeah, I could eat all the butter I wanted back then too). Now, potatoes are a "special" occasion dish. If I find a recipe that I want to try and it has potatoes in it so be it. But just having potatoes on hand to cook as a side dish is a no-no. With one exception. The Potato Ho Down. I can cook any dish once a month if it's going to be for the Ho Down cuz I'm a Potato Ho and proud of it. Oh and as a side rule? Should I come across a recipe submitted to the Ho Down that I like? Well, yeah, it's an exception and I can make it. Sigh, that Texas size butt may not be going away anytime soon. But I can always just blame it on my fellow potato hos!.
Pretty much all of the submissions this month looked great. I tried to narrow it down to a handful but there was just to many to list. So I decided to pick the one that looked the most tempting to me. Smoky Smashed Potatoes. It's the one dish I'm currently craving and will probably make sooner rather than later.
You really should check out all the other dishes, especially if you love potatoes cuz they really all did sound good. To find out about all the other entries in this months Ho Down go here. My recipe can be found here. And thanks to Evil Chef Mom for handling this months Potato Ho Down duties! I'm looking forward to next months potato dishes.
I'm making boxed potatoes au gratin tonight. So fancy! ;-)
Posted by: Lara | August 21, 2008 at 07:10 PM
Hey Ho, another great month eh?
Posted by: noble pig | August 23, 2008 at 06:35 PM
These are great with the chipotle..perfect with a steak I say:D
Posted by: B | August 24, 2008 at 06:44 AM