Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Parmesan

So far, 2013 has left me with barely two weeks of health. I literally have caught every sniffle, cough or respiratory infection that happened to float my direction. I'm so tired of being sick and not having my normal energy level that I decided to treat myself to the ultimate comfort food, potatoes! Not just any potatoes, but potatoes with bacon, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Yum! I could have made something up myself, but instead I went to the professionals at Epicurious and picked their Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Cheese and Parsley recipe. Here's the link: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Potatoes-with-Bacon-Cheese-and-Parsley-240561 .

Not only were these potatoes like a warm blanket easing my head-cold weary soul, they were also the perfect food to put my new cast iron skillet to the test.
If you missed my blog about seasoning cast iron, it only took two weeks and seven rounds of seasoning to get my pan ready...and now the moment of truth has arrived for my new cast iron skillet, let's get cooking. (I imagine horns sounding..da-ta-ta-da!) Enjoy!!

 

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Cheese and Parsley (Slightly adapted from epicurious.com)

3 pounds baby Yukon Gold and Red potatoes, quartered 

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lowest position.

Wash and quarter baby potatoes and cover potatoes with cold water in a 4-quart pot and add 1 tablespoon salt.

Bring to a boil, simmer until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a small sharp knife, about 12 minutes. Drain. Cool potatoes to warm.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until cooked through but still flexible. Drain on paper towels, reserving fat in skillet. (See my new skillet handling that bacon like a champ...no sticking! Yay!)

 

Add garlic to skillet with reserved bacon fat and saute for about two minutes.

 

 

Add potatoes and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and arrange, cut sides down, in cast iron skillet.

 

 

Bake until undersides are golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Turn potatoes over, then sprinkle with cheese, bacon, and garlic.  Bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.