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Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes

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This loaded smashed red potatoes recipe is perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or game day treat. Feel free to top these loaded potato skins with whatever sounds good to you!

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes Recipe | gimmesomeoven.com

You know how some recipes are all the tastier because of the story behind them?

Well, this loaded smashed red potatoes recipe is extra-special for me because I literally got to follow these potatoes from farm to table. And then, you’d better believe I enjoyed every last bite at said table. :)

But first, back to this farm…

 

black gold farms

Photo credit: The Noble Pig

It all began when I won the chance to join a group of food bloggers this summer for a tour of Black Gold Farms. I had heard about this epic farm before that grows and ships over half a billion pounds of potatoes each year, and operates farms in 11 states that produce everything from chipping potatoes (they are the largest supplier for Frito Lay!), table-stock potatoes (red, white and yellow potatoes), and all sorts of other things from wheat, to soybeans, to corn, and more.

Clearly, Black Gold Farms has made a pretty incredible mark on the farming industry in the past few generations, so I was excited to visit and learn the story behind the farm.

But most importantly, I was stoked to see where my spuds come from! :)

 

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

So mid-summer, a group of bloggers and I flew into Memphis, TN. And then over the course of 24 hours, we hopped through 3 different states to land back in my home state (go MO!) at the Black Gold Farm in Arbyrd, Missouri. There we were introduced to John and Leah Halverson — brother and sister and great-grandchildren of Hali Halverson, who founded Black Gold Farms about 85 years ago.

Since then, the farm has clearly grown from its humble beginnings. But it was clear from the moment we were given a warm welcome by John and Leah and the team that the farm is still very much family owned and operated. These two were both born and raised on the farm, and now are proudly continuing the family tradition of working to be sure that the farm is as great as it can possibly be.

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

The statistics about the amount of potatoes they produce in a year were mind-blowing. I mean, half a billion pounds? That makes for a lot of those irresistible potato chips!

But while I admired the hard work their family and employees have put in over the decades to grow the business, I was perhaps most excited to hear about the investments they are making in their farm and land for the future. Before it was the hip word, it’s clear that the Halversons and Black Gold Farms are all about sustainability.

In all sorts of environmental, social and economic ways, this is a huge priority for their company. (Especially when you remember that they would probably love to pass the farm down to their kids someday!)  For example, the reason they have now grown to operate farms in 11 states is so that they can actually be close to the markets they supply and cut down on transportation costs/pollution. They are also very committed to taking care of the land, and working to use the latest technology and research to be sure that they steward the land sustainably. But more than anything, I just loved how the farms gave back to the communities where they are located. From serving on local boards, to supporting the arts, and to just generally caring well for their employees, there were countless stories of the ways that they are investing in their people. It was inspiring to hear.

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

Ok, so just how do these famous potatoes grow?

Well, apparently in order to earn some “farm cred”, John insisted that we go out to the dusty potato fields to find out for ourselves!

First, we trekked out to a farm where white potatoes — more commonly known as chipping potatoes — were getting ready to be harvested. Here are Heidi and Sandi harvesting a few for show and tell!

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

It turns out that these “chippers” were given the name because their thin skin flicks off easily so that they can be peeled to make potato chips. The farmers literally determine when they are ready by giving them the “flick test”, which we all of course wanted to try.

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

And then we got a little distracted and speared a few potatoes…

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

…and then took pictures of our shoes…

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

…and of course, took photos of everything!  ;)

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

But back to the farm!

In addition to growing the “chippers”, Black Gold Farms also grows table-stock potatoes, which are the ones that are sold at the grocery store for us to eat at the…yes…table.

These potatoes take a little big longer to harvest. After growing in the field for about 100 days, the green plans above ground are then “killed off”, and the potatoes below ground are left to mature for an extra 14-20 days until their soft skins have grown stronger for harvesting. Then they are ready to go!

Back in the day, potatoes were picked by hand. But of course nowadays, there are some super fancy harvesters which do the work for you. Well, almost. Those harvesters require some very talented drivers…

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

…who graciously took us all for a ride!

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

Sandi and I had a little too much fun riding shotgun with Jesus.

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

These machines are in-credible.

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

After a tasty lunch at a local diner that included my favorite fried treat from college — corn fritters!!! — we headed over to the processing facility where all of the potatoes arrive from the field. There, they are weighed, cleaned, tested, and sorted to either go onto a potato chip plant or right to your the shelves of your local grocery store.

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

Batches of the “chippers” are tested daily in their kitchen to be sure that they are just right for making those famous Lay’s potato chips. (Trust me, I sampled and they passed my inspection.)  ;)

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

Then all kinds of other potatoes are bagged and packaged to go to the store. We saw everything from small bags…

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

…to enormous bags…Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

…to these cute new roasted red potato packs that come with a McCormick seasoning packet. As it says, everything is ready to go and all you have to do is rinse, cube, season and bake. And some tasty roasted red potatoes will be ready to enjoy in no time!

So many thanks to the Halversons and to Black Gold Farms for inviting me on this trip! It was so much fun to get to tour the farm and learn more about where our potatoes come from. But more than anything, I just love that whenever I now bite into a Lay’s potato chip or roast up a red potato, some great memories of some great people will come to mind. The Halversons and their amazing team of farmers could not have been more welcoming and transparent and passionate about farming. So thanks for a great trip…

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

Photo credit: Reluctant Entertainer

…and thanks for giving the chance for us city girls to officially earn our “farm cred”. ;)

Be sure to read more of my fellow bloggers’ posts on the trip here:

Also, to learn more about Black Gold Farms, visit them on Facebook at Better With Reds or follow @BetterWithReds on Twitter.

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

Alright, so back to the “table” where my red potatoes turned into these Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes.

Some days just call for loaded potatoes, right? Well, for a little twist on a classic, I decided to make these with some delicious red potatoes. But instead of your typical baked or mashed potatoes, I decided to go for the in between — smashed!  And instead of smashing them together in one big pot, I decided to keep them as little individual servings for something different. And they turned out so great!!!

I “loaded” mine up with all of my favorite toppings — cheese, bacon, green onions, a little butter, and a little seasoned salt. But then for something different, I decided to throw some avocado on top, which made them extra avocadolicious. Feel free to take or leave any of these toppings, or add in some others.

But bottom line, these smashed potatoes ended up being a smashing success at dinner. I served them as a simple side dish, or these would also be a great appetizer or a fun food for game day.

So get to smashing! :)

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

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Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes

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  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: About a dozen potatoes

Description

These loaded smashed red potatoes are perfect for game day, a side dish, or even a fun appetizer!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs. red potatoes
  • 23 Tbsp. melted butter or olive oil
  • seasoned salt, to taste
  • freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
  • toppings: shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar), crumbled cooked bacon, thinly-sliced green onions, diced avocado, sour cream, extra butter, etc.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Fill a large stockpot 1/2-2/3 full of water (leaving room for the potatoes), and bring to a boil over high heat. Add in potatoes, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
  3. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spray with cooking spray. Place the cooked potatoes about 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Then use a potato masher or a meat mallet to gently press the potato down until it is about 1-inch thick. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with butter or olive oil. Then sprinkle generously with seasoned salt and black pepper to taste.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the potatoes begin are slightly golden brown. Remove and immediately sprinkle with desired toppings. Serve warm.

Notes

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes | gimmesomeoven.com

Disclaimer: I won my trip to visit Black Gold Farms and all of my travel expenses were covered. This is not a sponsored post, but I wanted to share with you all about my trip. All opinions are 100% my own, as always.

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41 comments on “Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes”

  1. It was such a fabulous trip. I’ll never think the same of a John Deer tractor, and the look on Jesus face when we were having TOO much fun! ha ha Great recap post, Ali. And LOVE the potatoes!

  2. What a perfect side dish. Simple and delish!

  3. What a cool experience! I especially love the pictures of the shoes. So many different personalities in that photo! These smashed potatoes are definitely going on my tailgating board to save for game day munching!

  4. Holy cow! These look fantastic!
    I love all the pictures from your trip. What a fun adventure!

  5. I want some of those potatoes!!! Yum. Looks like a fun trip too!!!

  6. I had such a great time on this trip! So glad I got to finally meet you! Love the smashed potatoes and I love the idea of adding diced avocado to them!

  7. These sounds fantastic! I would totally make a meal out of these :).

  8. Great pics, friend! And I am so making these potatoes!

  9. Don’t mind me while I eat that entire tray.

  10. ooooh so making these next game day! Picture perfect potatoes!

  11. Nothing as fun as a trip to a farm! These potatoes are going to have to happen in my kitchen soon!

  12. That was a fun trip! And those potatoes girl… must have!

  13. Whaaat. These are beautious. Potato perfection!

  14. Woah such a cool experience! A town I come from in Poland is actually called Potato Town (not literally, but it is what our town was known for – we even had a Potato Fest every year) so potatoes near and dear to my heart. I LOVE what you did with them and I am looking forward to trying the recipe out!

  15. What a cool trip, I love spuds and could easily destroy a bag of chips in about 1.5 seconds (includes bag opening time)

  16. What a unique adventure Ali. And being that I’m half Irish…I love all things potato… Beautiful summary and recipe.

  17. How fun! Looks like you had a great time! And these smashed potatoes – it has EVERYTHING I love! And I could seriously just gobble these up at midnight right now!

  18. Oh these are adorable – perfect for a football party!

  19. Luv the addition of avocado to your loaded potatoes – they look delish!
    And thanks for sharing the farm pictures! What a wonderful opportunity/trip!

  20. I love smashed red potatoes, but loaded?! Sign me up! These sound amazing!

  21. Wow, these are beautiful! I definitely want to try these.

  22. I love all your recipes, and enjoy your enthusiastic and positive writing.
    You are a bright light! Thank you.

  23. Making these tonight with steaks… Eep! So excited! xo

  24. These potatoes look fantastically delish, and so pretty!! Thanks for the trip recap. I’m happy to hear you found the Halverson family and their potato business as interesting as I did. Great people, great potatoes.

  25. What a fun trip, and an awesome dish!!

  26. Imagine my surprise upon finding out that there is a potato farm in Arbyrd, MO; a town less than 30 miles from me (Steele,MO). Wow! I have lived here for 20 years and had NO IDEA. Arbyrd is one of those towns you have to be going to in order to find yourself there for any reason. ha. I see a Saturday field trip coming up!

  27. Great post! Love the recipe! Avocados look beautiful!
    Thank you for all that you do!
    Pinned!
    K-

  28. We have mashed red potatoes, my husbands loves them.