As it turns out, your brain needs a certain amount of fat to function properly. People on extremely low-fat diets will start becoming cognitively impaired and their thinking will get fuzzy around the edges. If taken to an extreme, they can get lose a lot of their brain’s ability to run their bodies smoothly. So have a little bacon now and then. Turns out it was good for you all along!

You can serve these crispy slow-roasted potatoes as a side dish for any type of meal, from eggs at breakfast to roast beef at dinnertime. The key to their fantastic taste is the extra time they spend roasting, which creates crispy edges that contrast nicely with fluffy centers. That drizzle of bacon grease doesn’t hurt either!

 

INGREDIENTS

½ pound bacon

3 extra-large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½ – ¾ -inch pieces, about 6 cups worth

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend shredded cheeses

3 green onions, sliced thin

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

COOK THE BACON: Spread the bacon strips out across a large, rimmed baking sheet pan and place on the middle rack of a COLD oven. Set the temperature to 400 degrees. Set a timer for 16 minutes and check the bacon. Remove it from the oven when it is as crisp or crunchy as you like. I remove ours at 18 minutes and it’s a great balance of chewy crunch. If you like your bacon crispy enough to crumble, you will probably want to cook it another minute past that.

 

COOK THE POTATOES: While the bacon is cooking, peel and chop the potatoes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. There should be 2-3 tablespoons of bacon grease left on the sheet pan. (If there is more than that, drain off a bit.) Put the potatoes on the pan and toss with tongs to thoroughly coat them in the bacon grease. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes out in a single layer and bake for 20 minutes, stir well and bake an additional 20 minutes. Stir again, making sure that none of the potatoes are sticking to the tray. Bake another 15 minutes.

Chop the bacon into small pieces. Remove the potatoes from the oven, stir again and sprinkle generously with shredded cheese and chopped bacon. Return the tray to the oven and bake an additional 2-3 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Top with sliced green onions just before serving. Enjoy!

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Quick Tip:  These potatoes make a great breakfast burrito if you mix them with some scrambled eggs.

Recipe and image courtesy of Mary at Barefeet in the Kitchen