I don’t know about where you live, but here in the Midwest people often express their love through food. Having a gathering of some sort? The number one question you’ll get after the date is, “What can I bring?” Did a loved one pass? Best clean out your fridge because you’ll get enough casseroles to last a few weeks. Have a new baby? Congrats! Here’s a full three-course meal so you don’t have to worry about cooking.

It’s truly awesome, and one of the things I love most about the people that live here. It also completely confused my husband and in-laws when they first moved to the U.S. Things work the exact opposite in The Netherlands; the people hosting, having the baby, etc. are the ones that also supply all of the food. It’s kind of a reverse mindset…instead of “Hey, I’m happy/sad for you, let me feed you to make things easier!,” it’s “Hey, I’m happy/sad and want to celebrate/commemorate by feeding my friends and neighbors!” Both are great in their own ways.

This Baked Blueberry Oatmeal was a case of a Midwesterner showing us their love. After our youngest VandeLittle made her earlier-than-planned appearance, or sweet neighbor dropped off enough food to get us through a whole day (bless her!), and this oatmeal was our breakfast. We ended up sticking it in the freezer for a couple of weeks, and man was I happy to have it when I needed it! All of us (well…at least all of us that were eating solids anyway…) absolutely loved it, and I’ve made it many times since!

Looking for more great breakfast or brunch ideas? Try one of these!
–Smoked Salmon Flatbread
–Fruit and Yogurt Dream
–Ham and Cheese Quiche from The Farmwife Cooks
–Blueberry French Toast Casserole from The Farmwife Cooks

Ingredients Needed for Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

• Eggs
• Oil – I use vegetable oil because that’s what I’ve always got on hand. Use whatever you prefer, as long as it’s very mild in flavor. In other words, no olive oil!
• Granulated Sugar
• Chopped Nuts – Use what you like. I usually use pecans and almonds.
• Milk
• Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Butter
• Vanilla
• Almond Extract – Optional. I usually leave this out.
• Sliced Almonds
• Old Fashioned Oats – Do not use instant here!
• Blueberries

Tips for Making Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

-Don’t like almonds? No worries! Leave them out and use a nut you do like. I personally prefer to top this oatmeal with chopped pecans.

-If you don’t use almonds, leave out the almond extract. I like to add 1 tsp of cinnamon instead.

-Change up the fruit if you want. Try apples or maybe raspberries!

-We like this Baked Blueberry Oatmeal topped with maple syrup. You could also try it topped with honey, or even with a side of vanilla yogurt!

-This oatmeal freezes really well. Use a foil pan for easy clean-up. Prepare all of your ingredients as directed, but freeze before baking. Then pull it out of the freezer the night before you want it to let it thaw, and bake as directed!

How to Make Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 baking pan.

In small skillet, melt the butter and toast the almonds until they are lightly browned, being careful not to burn them. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and granulated sugar. Stir in the oatmeal, baking powder, salt, vanilla, almond extract, milk, and nuts. Gently stir in the blueberries.

Pour the mixture into the greased pan. Top with the toasted almonds then the brown sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden.

Serve topped with maple syrup!

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Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

This easy, healthy Baked Blueberry Oatmeal is a great make-ahead breakfast idea! It even works well as a freezer meal!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword almonds, blueberries, freezer food, healthy breakfast, Make Ahead, oatmeal

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Meagan – The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1/2 C Sliced Almonds
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 2/3 C Oil, such as vegetable
• 2/3 C Granulated Sugar
• 1 C Chopped Nuts
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 C Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Almond Extract
• 4 C Old Fashioned Oats
• 1.2 C Brown Sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking pan.
• In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the sliced almonds and toast them until they are lightly browned, being careful not to burn them. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and granulated sugar. Stir in the oatmeal, baking powder, salt, milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the chopped nuts. Carefully stir in the blueberries.
• Pour the oatmeal mixture into the greased baking pan. Top with the toasted sliced almonds and the brown sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
• If desired, serve topped with maple syrup, honey, or vanilla yogurt.

The post Baked Blueberry Oatmeal appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

Who doesn’t love a great brunch on the weekend? It’s seriously one of my favorite meals and one I would enjoy on the regular when I lived in and around Indy. Unfortunately, I don’t get to go out to brunch often…there aren’t exactly a lot of joints slinging Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s within an hour of where I live now. If I want brunch, it’s up to me to make it happen.

I’ll usually make a big breakfast/brunch situation happen once a week, but with three little ones running around anything I make HAS to be easy. And quick. This Smoked Salmon Flatbread fits the bill perfectly. It is so simple, takes no time at all, and makes me feel like I’m doing a fancy brunch (or lunch!) at some nice restaurant with my girlfriends again!

I discovered this beauty on one of our previous trips to The Netherlands. JW’s sweet sister, Hanneke, took us to lunch at this amazing convent turned into park and restaurant that’s just down the road from where she lives. The enterprising nuns that still call the property home turned the old barns in to an adorable restaurant and shop. They still farm there, but on a smaller scale. It’s absolutely beautiful and the food is *chef’s kiss*! This flatbread is SO simple, but the flavor combination is outstanding and I knew I had to recreate it as often as possible at home!

What you Need for Making Smoked Salmon Flatbreads:

• Flatbread: Use whatever type is easily available to you! these are great with home made, pre-made, frozen, naan bread….anything that can be baked until good and crispy.
• Cream Cheese: softened a little so that it’s easy to spread. If you want to mix it up and use a flavored cream cheese, such as chive and onion, have at it! You do you, friend!
• Red Onions: Slice these bad boys into thin slices. If red onions are too much for you, it’s possible to mellow them out by soaking them in cold water for about 30 minutes.
• Capers: Now, hear me out. I’m not a caper fan, but for some reason they just WORK on this. Give them a chance. If you still hate them after trying it, leave them off. They can be found in most grocery stores with either the pickles or the Italian foods.
• Smoked Salmon: Find it in the “fresh” seafood section of your grocery story, usually at the end of meat section.
• Dill: Fresh, dried, freeze-dried…whatever you’ve got on hand.

How to Make Smoked Salmon Flatbreads:

There really isn’t a “recipe” for these flatbreads. That’s how simple they are!

First, bake your choice of flatbread until it’s good and crispy. Let it cool slightly, then spread some cream cheese on top, as thick as you please. Place thin slices of smoked salmon around, then top with the onions, capers, and dill. Cut the flatbread in to manageable sliced, and dig in. Enjoy!

Looking for more great salmon recipes? Try one of these!
-Baked Salmon Poke Bowls
-Salmon Salad

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Smoked Salmon Flatbread

Elevate your brunch (or lunch!) game with this elegant, delicious, and super easy flatbread pizza!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 person

Author Meagan – The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1 Flatbread Pizza Base
• Cream Cheese, slightly softened
• Capers, drained
• Red Onion, thinly sliced
• Smoked Salmon
• Dill

Instructions

• Bake the flatbread according to the package directions, or until crispy. Allow to cool slightly.
• Spread a layer of cream cheese, as much as desired, on the baked, cooled flatbread.
• Top with thin slices of smoked salmon, capers, sliced red onions. Sprinkle with dill.
• Cut pizza into slices and enjoy!

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As I’ve mentioned before, I worked at an amazing Italian restaurant through much of my college career. I was obsessed with Italian food before, but working at La Scala definitely took that obsession to a new level…and added a deep love of wine to the mix.

What does this have to do with an authentic Mexican dish such as chorizo and potatoes, you ask? Well, see, the funny thing is that the chef/owner of La Scala is from Mexico City. Yep, a chef from Mexico opened an authentic Italian restaurant. And ROCKS at it.

Every year at Christmas time we’d have a big party, and there was always the most delicious, and traditional, Mexican food. One of those tasty treats was almost always sopes, which are kind of like little tart shells made out of masa, lightly fried, and filled with savory goodness like refried beans, meat, and all the toppings. Yum.

It wasn’t until much later that I had sopes filled with Mexican chorizo and potatoes. It took about half a bite to make me a believer! And then I found out that chorizo and potato hash is delicious in other forms, like topped with an egg for breakfast. Or in tacos. Really any way you can think of, it’s GOOD STUFF.

TIPS FOR MAKING CHORIZO AND POTATO HASH:

-Make sure you buy Mexican Chorizo, not Spanish hard-cured Chorizo for this dish. Mexican Chorizo is like sausage seasoned heavily with paprika and other spices. Spanish chorizo has more the texture of hard salami. It’s delicious, but it doesn’t crumble and wouldn’t work well in this recipe.

-You can find Mexican chorizo just about anywhere. I usually get ours at out local international market (local being about an hour away…) simply because they have the brand I know we love. I’ll usually stock up and put any extra in the freezer. You can find chorizo at Wal-Mart or most local grocery store chains, though.

-Go for mild or hot chorizo…whatever you love. We like mild and then we spice it up with toppings.

-Top your hash with goodies like avocado, cilantro, diced onion, a squeeze of lime, and some Queso Fresco (Mexican white crumbling cheese). We also like Valentina Hot Sauce (we get the mild stuff that isn’t very hot, but has awesome flavor). And an over easy egg. Or in a sope shell with refried beans. It’s all good, baby.

HOW TO MAKE CHORIZO AND POTATO HASH:

Peel and wash two large potatoes, and dice into small pieces (like 1/4 inch or so). Crumble the chorizo into a large skillet and start to cook at medium heat. You’ll want to put a slice in the casing and remove the sausage from the casing. Continue to crumble the sausage as it cooks. Add in the onion and potatoes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes have softened and the chorizo is cooked through. Put it in a tortilla, on some sopes, or on a plate topped with an egg. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, diced onion, queso fresco, and a squeeze of lime.

**This post is sponsored by The Glass Barn, Indiana’s Corn and Soybean Growers, but all thoughts and opinions are my own, ya dig?**

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Chorizo and Potato Hash

Everybody loves a dish that works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner…right? This super easy and versatile Chorizo and Potato Hash is great any time a day!

Course Breakfast, Brunch, lunch, Main

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Chorizo, potatoes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 2 Large Potatoes, Peeled and Diced
• 1 Lb Mexican Chorizo
• 1/2 White Onion, Diced

Instructions

• Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes into a 1/4 inch dice. Dice the onion.
• In a large skillet on medium heat, crumble the Mexican Chorizo.
• Add the onion and potato to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook until the potato softens and the chorizo is cooked through.
• Serve topped with avocado, cilantro, diced onion, a squeeze of lime, Queso Fresco, and hot sauce.

The post Chorizo and Potato Hash appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

I’ve found that there are two schools of thought when it comes to fall flavors. Either you love apple, or you love pumpkin. Of course, there’s a small number of folks that happily float between the two (I personally belong to this camp), but most prefer one or the other.

For those of you that fall into the “pumpkin obsessed” category, these pancakes are for you! And for those that don’t?….well…these pancakes are for you, too! These pumpkin pancake are decadent, just sweet enough, and slightly addicting. They are spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and make your kitchen smell like heaven when they’re cooking.

Now, let’s be real here: I only cook a ‘real’ breakfast once a week if my family is lucky. I love breakfast, don’t get me wrong, but I am NOT a morning person (despite my dairy farming roots/life…go figure). So for me, getting up every morning and making a big breakfast just isn’t in the cards. That’s another thing that’s great about these pancakes though; you can make a batch and freeze whatever you don’t eat! Then, on a busy week morning when you want something satisfying, just pop one or two in the toaster and in no time you’ve got delicious pumpkin pancakes on your ho-hum Tuesday morning!

Many of the pumpkin pancake recipes that I’ve tried are really thick and stodgy. These are slightly denser than a regular pancake, but something about the vinegar reacting to the baking soda and powder helps lighten them up. The lighter the pancake, the more you can eat…right?

They really are super easy to make. First, whisk together your wet ingredients (milk, pumpkin, vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, and egg) in a bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Then stir in the brown sugar. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Don’t overmix here or your pancakes will be tough! Just make sure everything is evenly combined.

Heat a little oil in a nonstick pan. Use 1/4 measuring cup to portion the batter into the pan. The pancakes are ready to flip when the edges are slightly cooked and the surface is bubbly, just like a normal pancake. Keep in mind that these guys will brown pretty quickly due to the sugar content, so make sure your heat isn’t too high.

Top with butter (or cinnamon butter if you’ve got it!), maple syrup, and pecans. Add a little whip cream if you’re into that sort of thing. Yum.

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Pumpkin Pancakes

Calling all pumpkin lovers! Breakfast (or brunch!) is the perfect time to celebrate fall's favorite flavor with these yummy Pumpkin Pancakes!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword Easy Breakfast, Easy Brunch, freezer food, Make Ahead, Pancakes, Pumpkin

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups Milk
• 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tbsp White Vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Egg
• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (milk, pumpkin, vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, and egg) until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt). Stir in the brown sugar.
• Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, stirring until the ingredients are just combined.
• Heat a small amount of oil (I use a spray of Pam) in a gridle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Use 1/4 measuring cup to scoop pancake batter on to the griddle/skillet. Cook until the surface becomes bubbly, then carefully flip. Cook on other side for a minute or two.
• Serve topped with maple syrup, butter or cinnamon butter, chopped nuts (such as pecans), and/or whipped cream.

The post Pumpkin Pancakes appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

Have you ever noticed that there are some forms of food that are universal? Take dumplings for instance. If you look at most cultures around the globe, they all have some sort of dumpling as part of their cuisine. Many also have some sort of slow roasted meat cooked with fire, what we would call barbecue. It also seems like a lot of cultures have some form of pancake.

Now of course the American pancakes we all know and love are light, fluffy pillows of blueberry or chocolate chip filled heaven that are typically drenched in butter and dripping with maple syrup. Then there are Chinese scallion pancakes, savory and delicious. North Africa has Beghrir, a pancake made with semolina flour. In Europe, or at least in France, Belgium, and The Netherlands, pancakes are thin and often served in a variety of ways that include both savory and sweet options.

Dutch pancakes, or pannenkoeken (not to be confused with Dutch Baby Pancakes, which are actually German), are a lot like the crepes you see in France and Belgium. While the batter is slightly different and crepes are typically folded over to resemble a triangle to be served, pannenkoeken are often rolled around whatever filling your little heart desires. Fillings can be savory or sweet–in fact, we always eat pannenkoenen for dinner and for dessert on the nights I make them! In The Netherlands, they often either top their pancakes with a squeeze of lemon juice and some powdered sugar, or a thick apple syrup called Appelstroop. If you want to try it, you can find it here.

I always seem to do a buffet of toppings, and you can do the same! I usually set out ham, cheese (go Dutch with some delicious Gouda! I also love to use Muenster), sauteed mushrooms and onions, cinnamon apples, Nutella, peanut butter, jam, powdered sugar, and, of course, appelstroop. Get creative! The pannenkoeken themselves don’t have a lot a flavor, so they’re pretty much a blank canvas. I might try doing a lox style one next time, with smoked salmon, cream cheese, onion, and capers. Who knows. We’ll see where my mood takes me.

The pancakes themselves are very easy to make, if a little time consuming thanks to only being able to cook one or two at a time. You’ll need a large non-stick pan for this; I use two 10-inchers. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and my personal American touch, sugar. If you look, you won’t find a traditional Dutch recipe that adds sugar, but I feel like it adds a touch of flavor. If you want to leave it out, feel free. In a large measuring cup, measure 2 cups of milk and whisk in two large eggs. Now, combine the wet and dry ingredients, adding the wet in batches. Whisk well, making sure there are no lumps. If you want to use the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer, feel free, but this is one recipe that I usually just mix myself. The batter will be runny…don’t panic! That’s how it’s supposed to be!

Heat a little oil in your skillets (on my stove I go for just a tick over medium heat. Just enough to make the pan hot, but not screaming, smoking hot). I usually just use a spray of Pam, but use vegetable or canola oil if you’d prefer. As soon as your pan is hot, add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter to the pan (I just use a ladle) and swirl the batter so it ends up covering the entire surface of the pan. Nice and thin.

The pancake is ready to flip when you see the edges start to pull away from the pan, and if you shake the pan the pancake has released from the bottom. If you’re fancy and talented, just pick the pan up and flip the pancake. If you’re super duper clumsy like me, a spatula/turner works jjjuuussstt fine. The pancake will need less than a minute on the opposite side.

To keep the finished pancakes warm as you prepare the rest, either stick them on a plate in a warm oven (my lowest setting is 170 degrees), or keep a pan with some water simmering on the stove, put a plate over the water (but not touching the water), and as you stack your pancakes on there, cover them. When they’re all done, take the stack to the table and dig in!

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Pannenkoeken - Dutch Pancakes

Dutch Pancakes, not to be confused with Dutch Baby Pancakes, are similar to crepes and can be filled with both sweet and savory fillings. Go international for dinner tonight and try some Pannenkoeken!

Course Brunch, Dessert, Main

Cuisine Dutch

Keyword Dutch Pancakes, Pancakes, Pannenkoeken

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Pancakes

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Milk
• 1 tsp Sugar
• A Pinch of Salt
• 2 Eggs

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
• In a large mixing cup, measure two cups of milk and whisk in two large eggs.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients, whisking until completely smooth.
• Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Add a bit of the oil of your choice. Once the oil is hot, use a ladle to add about 1/2 cup of the batter to the pan, swirling the pan as you add it so that the batter spreads to the edges.
• Cook the pancake until the edges start to pull away and the bottom releases from the pan. Just shake the pan and if it moves, it's ready. Flip the pancake and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute.
• To keep the finished pancakes warm while you cook the rest, either stack on a plate in a warm oven, or place on a double boiler set-up and cover.

Notes

To serve, fill the pancakes with your choice of toppings. Ham, cheese, sauteed onions, mushrooms, jam, peanut butter, Nutella, and lemon juice and powdered sugar are all good options!

The post Pannenkoeken – Dutch Pancakes appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

Is there anything that you grew up eating and calling one thing, only to realize that basically everyone else in the world calls it something else? About once a week for dinner, mom would make what we always called seasoned potatoes, better known as home fries. They were different from fried potatoes or hash browns. Seasoned potatoes were in big chunks rather than shredded or diced small, and they still had the skins on. Looking back, I’m pretty sure I know my mom’s reasoning behind that last bit: it was easier (peeling potatoes after a long day is not what I would call fun), the crispy skins tasted good, and it was just about the only way any of us kids would actually eat the skins. Smart woman, my mom.

These potatoes are incredibly easy to make. You just need to keep an eye on them and make sure there’s enough butter in the pan and that all side are browning evenly. And they’re super fast thanks to a special trick my mom came up with to lessen cooking time! They’re one of my favorite sides to make when I’m needing to throw dinner together quickly. I know most people enjoy home fries as a breakfast or brunch food, and you can certainly do the same with these, but we almost always have them at supper time.

Start by giving the whole potatoes a good scrub under cold water. Since you’re going to be leaving the skins on, you’ll want to make sure they’re good and clean. I usually figure about one medium to large sized potato per person. Once they’re washed, use a sharp knife to cut a small slit in the middle of each potato to allow steam to escape.

Then…get ready for this…put the potatoes in plastic baggies (however many will fit per bag. I can usually get 2 in) and partially seal the bags, but not all the way. Put the bags in the microwave in one layer, and heat the potatoes for 3-4 minutes. When the microwave dings, flip the potatoes over onto the other side (be careful, the bags will be hot!!) and heat them for another 3 minutes. Carefully remove the potatoes from the microwave using a dry kitchen towel or an oven mitt to protect your hands. Dump them out of the baggies onto a cutting board, and let them cool down until you can handle them.

When they’re cool enough to handle, use a very sharp knife (a dull one will rip the skins off), cube the potatoes in 1-2 inch cubes. You’ll want to keep the knife clean; I usually keep a paper towel on hand to wipe the blade down every so often because trust me, you want those skins on there! Melt a good tablespoon of butter in a non-stick skillet, and put your potatoes in it in a single layer. I usually start most of them on the skin side so it can get good and crispy. Season with seasoned salt and garlic salt, making sure to get a little on every potato.

Let them brown for a few minutes, then gently flip to another side. Keep an eye out; you’ll probably need to add a little more butter here and there as the potatoes cook.  Keep flipping until all of the sides have a nice, golden brown color to them. Grab you a plate full and dig in!

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Seasoned Potatoes (Home Fries)

Growing up, we always called them Seasoned Potatoes, but most would call them Home Fries. Either way, these potatoes, with their crispy outsides and soft insides, are lip smacking good!

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Side, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Fried Potatoes, Home Fries, Seasoned Potatoes

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes
• 2 tbsp butter divided
• 2 tsp seasoned salt approximate
• 2 tsp garlic salt approximate

Instructions

• Wash the potatoes well under cold water. Cut a slit in the middle of each potato to release steam, and place into plastic baggies (usually 2 per bag).
• Microwave potatoes for about 3-4 minutes on both sides. Carefully remove from microwave and baggies, and allow to cool slightly.
• Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a very sharp knife to cut the potatoes into 2 inch cubes.
• Melt about a tablespoon of butter in a large non-stick skillet. Place the potatoes in the skillet in a single layer and brown on one side. Season with garlic salt and seasoned salt, making sure there is some seasoning on every potato.
• Gently turn potatoes every few minutes so that they brown on all sides.

The post Seasoned Potatoes – Home Fries appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.