Perfect Crispy Hashbrowns

1.  Is it odd that the smell of brand-new American Eagle jeans makes me homesick and nostalgic for school shopping all at the same time?

I didn't think so.

2.  We've got a bit of a True Blood obsession going on 'round here.  I had Netflixed the first couple of episodes of Season 1.  The mail wasn't fast enough for Scott.  We bought Seasons 1 and 2 at Wal-Mart the other night.  I love it.  (yes, "Netflixed" is a verb)

3.  When I was 13, I had ripped off the majority of my big toenail playing soccer.  It hasn't been right since.  Lately, I've been plagued by an ingrown toenail.  Seriously impacting my running.  Not.  More like giving me another reason to sit on the couch with True Blood.

Too much information?

Sorry.

4.  I went through a phase in 2008 where I loved baked potatoes with all of the fixings.  Especially the ones that came with The Wallaby Darned from The Outback. So I used to eat a lot of baked potatoes at home.  Dining at The Outback is not good for a college student's budget or waistline, as I learned in both cases.  But better than baked potatoes?  Crispy hashbrowns.  Here's a recipe for perfect hashbrowns.  The steps themselves are more important than the ingredients, so it really doesn't matter what kind of potatoes you use. 

Perfect Crispy Hashbrowns


4 medium-sized potatoes*, washed and poked with a fork to allow steam to escape
olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
2 T. butter
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc.

*I used small red potatoes.

Cook the potatoes in the microwave until they look like this.  For me, this took about 7 minutes on high.

           Put them into a frying pan, in about 2 T. of olive oil, over medium heat.  Stir in the spices.  

Put 1 T. of butter on top of the potatoes so it melts down over them.  Cover the pan. 

 Meanwhile, take your onion and 1 T. of butter and put it in a pan.  The lowest heat possible is ideal.  Cover it and stir every few minutes.

 After about 20 minutes, your potatoes will look like this.

  You can turn off the heat, but cover to keep warm.

 It might take about 30 minutes but, on the lowest heat possible, your onions will caramelize nicely.

 Mix the onions in with the potatoes.

Top with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

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