Crock pot garlic potatoes gives more to ?clove?

I don?t know about all of you, but I was almost relieved that Mother Nature finally decided it was summer this past week.

I?m not a huge fan of the heat, but my allergies were thankful we weren?t swinging back and forth between cool and hot days.

This past week, I had the opportunity to spend a few days out at Camp Mennoscah (a church camp out in Murdock, for those who aren?t familiar). I was lucky to be able to spend a few days playing with some really cool kids, and I was extremely thankful for our team of volunteer cooks who kept us very well fed while we were there.

Visiting the camp kitchen makes you glad you have an air-conditioned kitchen back home, but I still often balk at turning my oven on during these days when the heat index is over 110 degrees.

That?s when having a crock pot is a glorious thing. I decided to try out something new, since I normally only make soups or chili in mine. It was time to get a bit more creative.

One of my favorite new recipes is making garlic potatoes in my crock pot. I found the recipe on the blog ?Damn Delicious.? You can find the original post at http://damndelicious.net/2014/12/23/slow-cooker-garlic-parmesan-potatoes/. I changed my version a bit, including dumping in way more garlic and eliminating sprinkling the potatoes with parmesan when they were done.

*?*?*

Crock Pot Garlic Potatoes

Ingredients

2 to 3 pounds potatoes, cut into about one-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon basil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Spray your crock pot with non-stick spray.

Add all your ingredients and stir a bit to coat the potatoes in the oil and spices.

Cook on high for two to three hours or on low for four to five hours or until your potatoes are fork tender.

*?*?*

I used Russet potatoes for my version. The original used small gold potatoes, which would be delicious as well. The nice thing about this recipe is you can use what you have on hand, and the seasoning options can change based on what you like. I think some red pepper flakes would be really good in this, too, if you like a little kick.

When I made these, we paired the potatoes with some yummy grilled chicken breasts, and it was a fantastic summer meal.

I won?t miss the heat when the season changes in a few months, but in the meantime, I?m thankful for all the fun that summer brings as we all try to survive the rising temperatures and for at least a small reprieve from my allergies?even if it?s only temporary.

When not helping husband Joey with newspaper work, Lindsey teaches speech, debate and forensics at Haven High School. She can be reached at lindseyclarion@gmail.com.

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