From messed up to marvelous

Me & recipes, I just don't know what it is.  I don't think I could follow one to save my life...well maybe my life, or my husband & kids, but not anyone else.  Sorry. 

I am a rule follower by nature, so you think I could follow a silly little recipe.  That is a big fat nope!  I start off following it & then either forget to refer back to it or just change it altogether.  Is anyone feeling me out there, or am I just wandering alone in the forest of doing my own thing?

Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, is a wonderful cook and posts many recipes to her blog.  The one I have been meaning to try since the summer is Hot Crash Potatoes.  Doesn't that just sound fun?   It is fun, you get to boil potatoes and then squash them before you cook them again.  It's a very easy (and very good) recipe if you follow the directions, but if you don't you're left with some funky potatoes that are a little dry. :/

I started off great.  I went over the recipe so as not to miss anything.  I did this as I was working out this morning at 5am.  (that could be fault #1)  I took the recipe into my bathroom after I worked out so I wouldn't leave it on my elliptical hence forgetting where I had left it.  (fault #2)  Well, there it stayed until after I had finished cooking the potatoes.  (and fault #3 not that I'm keeping count.)  Yep, I'm great at following directions.

What I noticed first was my potatoes were a tad dry except in places.  Directions say to take a pastry brush, which I have, and liberally coat the crushed potatoes with olive oil.  I drizzled, I didn't coat, I needed to coat.  I also didn't put enough spices on them, note to self, more spices on potatoes.  I cooked them the recommended time but they could have cooked another 10 minutes.

It's a good thing I did a dry run today b/c I'm going to be serving these to my supper club for our annual Christmas Party.  Needless to say, I will follow the directions on these a little closer on Sunday, or maybe not.  ;)  You'll be happy to know that I've taken my dry, funky looking potatoes and 1. liberally drizzled more olive oil on them; 2.  more spices have been added; and 3. placed them back into the oven to cook a little longer.  

What ever happens today, I know Sunday will be a marvelous dinner because I'll be sharing it with some wonderful friends & celebrating the Joy of Christmas.  Merry Christmas sweet readers!  I pray you will be blessed as you remember how 'the Word became flesh'.  Christ does make things that are messed up to be marvelous!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure & Merry Christmas,
~ashley