Smashed Potatoes

As a child I have nice warm memories of Sundays.  We got up in the morning and went to church.  Then usually my dad would make a big brunch-like poached eggs and toast or pancakes.  My mom was always the helper and did the dishes.  By the time brunch was cleaned up my dad would be preparing dinner and getting it in the oven.  Sunday dinner was always a special meal-usually a roast, meatloaf, or a chicken or turkey. Someone would go to the town bakery and pick up a fresh loaf of bread and my dad would cut it with his electric knife.  The house smelled so good.  I remember it being a quiet, calm day.  I would often curl up with a book until it was time to set the table and eat.

I like to do the same with my family on Sundays-I love to cook a nice Sunday meal and sit down as a family, around the table to eat and talk.  

Yesterday I made meatloaf.  I usually make mashed potatoes with meatloaf-they just seem to go together.  As I started to peel the potatoes I decided I wasn't in the mood to peel-and besides I had some nice red skin potatoes that would be good with the skins on.  So I decided to make "smashed potatoes".   I thought they turned out wonderful and my family loved them.  Heres how I did it.  

First I washed the potatoes and then put them on a plate and cooked them "fork tender" in the microwave.   Due to the fact that we are such a large family I had a full dinner plate so it took about 20minutes on high to cook the potatoes.  These were also fairly large potatoes so I cut them in half to smash them.  

I drizzled some olive oil on a cookie sheet then placed the potatoes on the sheet.  I used a mug to gently "smash" each potato. 

Next I drizzled some olive oil on the potatoes then sprinkled coarse salt and rosemary and chives.  

I then baked them in a 425 degree oven for about 25 min.  I was looking for them to be crispy and have crunchy edges.

This is how they turned out-the picture doesn't do it justice.  They were wonderful and even T who doesn't usually like potatoes of any kind commented how good they were!