Restaurant Style Smashed Potatoes

These were great. I think I put in a little too much sour cream though. And instead of the weird onion straw things, I added cheese. Yes I did serve these with that ranch chicken, it was a bacon heavy meal. Also make sure you cook the red potatoes all the way, I think mine were still a little undercooked so it made not quite as good as it could have been.

Super fast to make though. Once the potatoes are cooked it's a matter of smashing (not mashing) the potatoes and adding all the ingredients. And it's ready! So time it so that they are still nice and warm

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/restaurant-style-smashed-potatoes/

Ingredients

• 5 whole Large Red Potatoes
• 1 stick Butter, Softened And Cut Into Pieces
• 5 slices Bacon, Cooked And Crumbled
• 2 whole Green Onions, Sliced
• 3/4 cups Sour Cream
•  Salt To Taste (add Plenty!)
•  Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste (ditto!)
• 3/4 cups French Fried Onions, More For Topping- I didn't use these
• I did add cheddar cheese

Preparation Instructions

Nuke potatoes or bake in the oven until fork-tender. Add to a large bowl and smash with a potato masher. Immediately add softened butter, green onions, bacon, and sour cream and stir with a rubber spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add french fried onions and fold in.

Serve hot, sprinkling on extra french fried onions and green onions. Yummy with grilled steak or chicken!

Ranch Style Chicken

This was a manly meal. Chicken+bacon+cheese. It was good though. Especially if you buy a thicker cut of bacon. My house smelled of bacon for like 20 hours after which was bad since the next day was fast Sunday :)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/01/ranch-style-chicken/

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1/2 whole (juice Of) Lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
•  Crushed Red Pepper (optional To Taste)
• 6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 pound Thick Cut Bacon
•  Bacon Grease
•  Sharp Cheddar Cheese, to taste
•  Canola Oil

Preparation Instructions

To begin, make the marinade. In a large bowl mix together ½ cup Dijon or country/grainy mustard with ½ cup honey, juice of ½ lemon, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt and whisk until smooth. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne if you like things a little spicy. Set aside.

Next, rinse the chicken breasts, place between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to around ½ to ¾ inch thick with a mallet. Next, add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.

While the chicken marinates, fry up some bacon. When finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the bacon grease and clean out the skillet.

When the chicken is done marinating, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pour off excess marinade. Heat half of the reserved bacon grease with an equal quantity of Canola Oil in the clean skillet over medium-high heat. When the grease is nice and hot add two or three pieces of chicken to it. Cook until brownish/blackish, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Remove chicken to a large baking sheet. If cooking many pieces of chicken, repeat skillet process and remove finished chicken to baking sheet. Place chicken in preheated oven and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from over.

Lay a few pieces of bacon over each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the chicken as generously as you like. Return pan to oven for an additional five minutes until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling. Serve immediately.