Texas Home Fries

I love diners. More to the point, I love home fries at diners. Slightly wet, full of flavor and oh so delicious, it’s one of my favorite ways to eat potatoes. That being said, it’s not exactly always the healthiest way to eat potatoes, but all things in moderation. As long as we’re not making a regular habit out of it, I’m not going to lose any sleep over it, and neither should you.So when I spied the picture and accompanying recipe for Texas Home Fries in a recent issue of the Taste of the South magazine, it should come as no surprise that it landed on our dinner menu. With only two tablespoons of butter (although I needed a smidge more) in the whole recipe, this is a fairly healthy version that is very reminiscent of the ones you enjoy at your local diner.

Soft red bell pepper bits, caramelized onions, potatoes and gently spiced, you make quick work of the recipe by boiling the diced potatoes first. Although I added a little more butter than the recipe called for (mostly to keep the potatoes from sticking and get up those great browned bits on the bottom of the pan), I doubled the amount of red pepper and onion, so doubt it subtracted any healthy aspects of the finished dish. A little dollop of ketchup on the side, these Texas Home Fries are perfect for sitting alongside your eggs in the morning or accompanying a main course at the dinner table. More importantly, a thumbs up all around the Sweetnicks table, even from the I-only-like-roasted-potatoes-and-french-fries Husband.

Texas Home Fries
Recipe courtesy of Taste of the South magazine

Yield: 4 servings
Preparation: 15-20 minutes
Cook: approximately 30 minutes

6 large red potatoes (such as Texas Red Bliss), diced, but not peeled
1/2 yellow onion, diced (I used a whole small/medium onion)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (I used a whole pepper)
2 tablespoons butter (I used about 4)
1 tablespoon paprika
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large pot of boiling salted water, boil potatoes for approximately 4 minutes, or until barely cooked. Drain well in a colander. In a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet (I used a regular skillet), saute onion and bell pepper in butter. When they are tender, add potatoes and cook until golden brown. (Potatoes will brown faster if you don’t move them around too much.) Add paprika, season with salt and black pepper, and serve hot.

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