The art of frying potatoes

I think there is an art to frying potatoes.  You know the kind of potatoes I am talking about.  Slices thicker than chips, fried crispy with a little softness inside.  I was never very good at it; they were too greasy and soggy, or burned.  Never could I find that happy medium. Someone taught me once how to make the perfect fried potatoes.  I watched in horror as the potatoes danced in a pan of so much oil that if spilled, the EPA would declare an oil slick.

But when I tasted the golden beauties, they didn't taste greasy at all.  The outside crunched and the inside melted in your mouth.  The perfect blend of textures and flavor. And you could taste the potato! Yum.....

Not so when I do it.  Just this morning I tried again.  When I finished eating, I commented to my husband that now I understand why I only make these once a year. If I ate them more often I would have a heart attack for sure.  Now that I am following a much healthier diet, even a piece of bacon feels too heavy and greasy. So why did I think that eating a half of a fried potato and 4 pieces of bacon would feel good?

I know if I made them more often I would master the art of frying potatoes.  In the past year I have practiced patience and learned to "live in the moment", appreciating simple pleasures and living a simple life. Paying attention to what you are doing and patience are two very necessary skills for frying the best potatoes. I stood by the pan, turning my little treasures, reminiscing about the importance of special people in my life and spending happy time with old friends. Perhaps that was the experience I was after, thinking about people I haven't seen for too long. I didn't burn anything, but unfortunately, once again my potatoes were soggy.

I guess that is my cue to let others do what they are good at and spend my time concentrating my efforts doing what I do best. It is okay to not do everything well, especially when you only spend 20 minutes a year trying.  We spend time with family and friends so we can experience the best we all have to offer.  Sometimes it is special recipes, but most of the time it is the gift of time. 

Avery enjoying a ride in a wheelbarrow

Yes, I will stick to favorite and much more healthy activities that I do relatively well and enjoy practicing. Like walking through the yard and following my granddaughter around with the camera.

She loves bugs

Yesterday we spent time with my son, Nik, who absolutely adores his niece and spending time with her.  He gave her rides in the wheelbarrow and you would have thought she was the queen.  Well she was actually. 

This queen loves bugs and is not afraid to touch them. She enjoys spending time in outside with nature.  She loves spending time with the people who love her. 

As she grows she will learn valuable lessons from all of us.  She will spend as much time with us as we can give her. I will teach her how to cook some of the same recipes my Grandmothers taught me, like homemade chicken noodle soup, bread, brownies, cookies, and crazy cake.

But I won't be teaching her how to fry potatoes.