I’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating: Long weekends are the best. I love having more time to explore and experiment in the kitchen.
Since I banked 360 hours of paid vacation, I took last Friday off from work and ventured to Napa County to check out:
- St. Helena Farmers’ Market
- The Model Bakery – I missed their famous English muffins but snagged a morning bun and bread pudding.
- Long Meadow Ranch – You can dine in the restaurant or steer clear of the crowds and pick up picnic supplies to enjoy at Crane Park.
It was an adventurous and idyllic afternoon. (Eight new destinations down, 24 to go.) Then, to satisfy a sudden craving, I threw together a hearty breakfast: rosemary garlic hasselback potatoes and millionaire’s bacon. You only need a handful of pantry and fridge staples, including The Baconer’s Candied Bacon Rub and XXL Bacon Steaks, to construct the meal.
After prepping the ingredients, the oven does all the heavy lifting. Practice patience and you’ll be rewarded with rosemary garlic hasselback potatoes that are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside …
And millionaire’s bacon that will leave you drooling! (If you want to make and taste millionaire’s bacon for yourself or support a family-owned, Bay Area-based business, use code TWOOFAKINDCOOKS to get 10% off your The Baconer order. Their products are legit!)
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.
- 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into ⅛" discs
- ⅓ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Add potatoes and toss to coat.
- Arrange the potato pieces vertically in a 9" pie plate, working in a spiral from the outside in to the center.
- Bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and sprinkle on Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
- Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the edges are crispy. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
