There are two foods my kids are obsessed with right now – potatoes and rice. This is a new thing for us. And it’s keeping things interesting for me because before this obsession I really didn’t cook potatoes and rice regularly. Now I find myself bookmarking recipes like this homemade rice-a-roni from Heather because I just know it will be a hit amongst the fam.

Now if I could get sweet potatoes onto this obsession wagon I would be a very happy cooking mama. Something about the orange is making the kiddos turn away from their plate. If they only knew and remembered how much they loved that weird orange food just a couple of years ago when they ate them all the time.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

There are a million ways you can season and roast potatoes in the oven. This little roasted red potatoes with smoked paprika recipe has become quite popular on Pinterest. I’ve made it plenty of times, as I have already made this dill version a few times in the past month. I like to change up the shape of how I’m cutting them (crinkle cut is fun like in my perfectly baked Italian herb French fries) as well as the combination of spices every time I cook them.

When you are cutting your potatoes make sure you are using a strong, sharp knife (like a chef’s knife or santuko knife). If you’re looking for a crinkle cutter to change up the shape of your fries, there are some great ones out there!

You all loved these grilled bison burgers, and that made me (and my hubby) happy. We think you’ll also love these potato wedges that are perfect alongside any burger you cook up this summer.

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Eggs are a staple in our house. When I mentioned in my last post that panic starts to set in when we get down to the last two eggs I wasn’t kidding.

Growing up my grandfather was always frying up thinly sliced potatoes and adding eggs to them for breakfast. Potatoes and eggs just go together don’t they? I started making this potato frittata a couple of years ago for a quick and easy dinner and every time I make it it reminds me of my grandfather. Our methods of cooking this up are a little different (he used more oil and I don’t remember him ever putting it under the broiler) but the concept is the same – fried potatoes and eggs. And a touch of Parmesan in my version. I’ll have to ask him if he ever puts Parm in his eggs, I’m thinking not.

When I look at this Parmesan Potato Frittata photo I laugh because it looks like such a fancy brunch plate, but in reality it’s such a simple “peasant” dish. It has just a small handful of ingredients and the recipe cooks in about 15 minutes. It makes a great breakfast for dinner or lunch or of course breakfast or brunch. I actually cooked myself one for lunch just yesterday, cut it in quarters to keep in the fridge and enjoyed it cold as a protein packed late afternoon snack. You can even throw it between two slices of bread or in a wrap and call it a sandwich! Good stuff.

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I’m a such a sucker for well cooked – fried or baked – french fries (who isn’t?). It’s definitely my favorite way to eat spuds, even though the fried version is unfortunately not the most nutritious. I have been baking fries for quite a while now when I need a fix, and I’ve finally gotten them to crisp up just how I like them. Not only do they turn out nice and crisp on the outside – and just right on the inside – but these baked Italian Herb French Fries are irresistibly seasoned too. They get gobbled up quick by the little hands (and big hands) in my home every time I make them.

The trick to making these is cooking them at the right temperature as well as leaving them alone while baking. For some reason I always feel like I need to constantly check in on my fries and give them a toss or a shake. I learned to leave them alone (this may or may not have happened totally by accident) and by doing so their outsides got a chance to really brown up. I do give them a toss about 5 minutes before they are ready to come out just to make sure things even out a little more.

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Gratins are delicious and such a great addition to any holiday meal. This Cauliflower Gratin caught my eye as well as did this Asparagus Gratin.

Potato-Fennel Gratin

Ingredients:

• 2 small fennel bulbs
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 pounds russet potatoes (4 large potatoes)
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (1/2 pound)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter the inside of a 10-by-15-by-2-inch (10-cup) baking dish.
3. Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.
4. Peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand or with a mandoline. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyère, salt, and pepper. Add the sauteed fennel and onion and mix well.
5. Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to smooth the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 1/2 cup of Gruyère and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.

Recipe from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

My family loves potato side dishes and I make potatoes for them pretty often. This Potato-Fennel Gratin is definitely for indulging, but here are a few lighter potato side dishes for you to try out for your everyday meals:

Roasted Red Potatoes with Dill and Cheddar

Roasted Red Potatoes with Smoked Paprika

Roasted Dill Potato Wedges

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