A Night of Meat (and Potatoes) Filed under ( bacon, Beans, main dishes, my life, Potatoes, ribs, side dish )

(I'm the short one with glasses!)

A few Saturdays ago I ran a 5K with a few of my friends. It's become a bit of a tradition that we started last year, and hopefully with every year my time will improve. The weather could not have been more beautiful and we had a great time, there's nothing like starting your day then with a good run. I can see how people get addicted to this running business.

So after the race, we did what any good food lover would do, cooked about ten pounds of ribs and ate them with our friends!

Ah ribs, truly God's gift to the carnivore. Is there a more succulent meat on this earth?

Ribs are surprisingly easy to prepare. The trick is just giving them enough time to cook low and slow. Whether you rub, sauce, or grill is up to you!

But what I really want to talk about are these bacon smashed potatoes. I had found a recipe in my Taste of Home magazine, glanced over it, misunderstood it, and now I like my version better! You can use red or russet potatoes (I like red). Boil them until they are tender enough to smash. Put them in a casserole pan.

And them smash the crap out of them.

I then drenched them in Italian Dressing, then sprinkled a generous helping of chopped crispy bacon, chopped parsley and shredded cheddar cheese. Bake them uncovered at 400 for about fifteen minutes, or until potatoes are heated through and cheese is melted or bubbly. These will disappear fast, I guarantee it!


I also served my all time favorite baked beans ala Paula Deen. Packed with things like crushed pineapple, molasses and french onions, these could practically pass for a dessert. Check out the recipe here.


The pictures might not be so great, but as evident by the big plate of bones, everyone was left completely satisfied! A very fun day (and night) indeed.