Hasselback Potatoes

I had planned to blog about a sweet memory of digging potatoes with my grandpa.  I just fed the dogs and was headed back into the pantry to grab some potatoes to work with.  I turned the corner AND THERE IT WAS.

A MOUSE

A filthy mouse with a tail and everything, under the bird cage RIGHT NEXT TO THREE DOGS.  The dogs were so busy with their food they never even noticed.  I screached, the mouse ran, the dogs didn't break stride in chowing down.

Dave had to go to the store THAT VERY MINUTE to get  some mouse traps.  (Yes, I am yelling a lot today, but I had A MOUSE  in my house (and no it wasn't as fun as a Dr. Seuss book)).   He got home, loaded the traps with peanut butter and we waited...

We have caught one mouse in the last week.  I am hopeful that there was only one.  But where there is one - there is two, and where there is two - there is twenty.  I have started bleaching everything in the house and checking the corners of all the rooms and closets for signs of mice, but nothing so far.  I think he must have just moved in, since the weather has been so warm this fall, and he hadn't had a chance to really settle in and explore (that's what I'm going with and don't give me any mouse facts that might ruin my delusion).

So here is the damn potato I made for dinner that day.  I'll tell you about digging potatoes with my grandpa when I'm finished bleaching the house.

Hasselback Potatoes

2 slices bacon, diced and fried crisp, reserve bacon fat
4 medium russet potatoes
thinly sliced garlic
cheddar cheese, sliced very thin
salt
pepper
4 Tbsp. heavy cream

Sour cream, optional topping
chives, optional topping

Preheat oven to 400 °F.  Wash and dry potatoes, do not peel.

Slice potatoes vertically, almost all the way through but leaving the bottom attached (I use the old wooden spoon trick).

Place a slice of garlic between several slices of each potato.  Place a slice of cheese between several slices of each potato.  Drizzle with bacon fat (or olive oil if you aren't using bacon).  Bake in oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, pour 1 Tbsp. heavy cream over each potato, making sure it drizzles down into the slices.  Return to oven and bake for 20-30 more minutes, until potatoes are baked through.  Remove from oven.
Top each potato with a dollop of sour cream, crumbled bacon, and chives.  Serve.

November 6, 2013    Daylight 7 hrs, 14 min, 8 sec.  Temp.  H 15/ L 8°F