Loaded Smashed Potatoes

Easter at Mama's. We went to service at Greater Grace at 8 AM. Mama wore the same hat she's been wearing on Easter for twenty years. The whole family at her duplex for dinner — ham, mac and cheese, greens, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls. Lemon cake for dessert.

Pop's in the recliner. Tigers on. Sugar in range this week. Sunday at Mama's. She made greens with hambone the way she has since 1985.

Fried chicken Saturday. Buttermilk overnight. Seasoned flour. Cast iron at three-fifty. Drained on a rack. Aiden and CeCe split the wings.

Aiden's 11. The youth basketball league. I'm coaching. He's the best player on the team and he knows it. Zaria's 8. Helps me cook on a step stool. Has opinions about the seasoning.

I went to bed Sunday at 10. Slept eight hours. The body said thank you.

Mama left me a voicemail Wednesday. She said, "DeShawn. Don't forget Sunday." I had not forgotten Sunday. I have not forgotten Sunday in twenty years. The reminder is the love. I called her back.

I cleaned the smoker Sunday morning. Brushed the grates. Emptied the ash. Wiped down the body. The smoker repays attention. So does most everything that matters.

The block had a small drama Tuesday. Somebody parked in front of Ms. Diane's driveway. Ms. Diane addressed it directly. The car moved within the hour. The neighborhood polices itself on small things.

A reader wrote in about the smothered pork chops. Said her late husband loved them. I wrote back. I told her about Pop. We exchanged three emails. She's in Saginaw. She's coming to the city in the spring.

Watched the Tigers Sunday afternoon. Lost in extras. Detroit reflex. I yelled at the TV the way Pop used to yell at the TV. The TV did not respond. The bullpen will probably not respond either.

The drive home Friday was the long way around. I took Outer Drive past the lake. The water was still. I do not always notice the water. I noticed Friday.

Aiden had practice Tuesday and Thursday. I drove. He shot threes for an hour after.

The kids next door knocked over my trash cans Tuesday night. Their dad made them help me clean up Wednesday morning. Good man. The kids apologized. I gave them each a Capri Sun. Cycle complete.

The Lions on TV Sunday. Lost on a missed field goal. Detroit. The neighborhood collectively groaned at the same moment. You could hear it through the windows.

A neighbor down the street gave me a tomato plant Saturday. He grows them on his porch. Said he had extra. I put it next to the back step where it gets the afternoon sun. Detroit gardens are improvised victories.

A song came on the radio Tuesday — old Stevie Wonder — and I had to sit in the truck for the rest of it before I went into the store. Some songs do that. Detroit is a city of songs that do that.

Mr. Williams across the street had a heart scare. He is okay. We are all watching each other now. I took him a plate of greens and chicken Wednesday. He said, "DeShawn. You're a good neighbor." I said, "We're even, Mr. Williams. You shoveled my walk in 2024." He laughed.

I read for an hour Sunday night. A book about the auto industry. Half memoir, half history. Made me think about Pop and the line and the fragile contract that built the middle of this country. I underlined the parts that hit.

I made grocery lists on the back of envelopes the way Mama did. The list this week was short — onions, garlic, half-and-half, cornmeal, a pound of bacon. The list is the recipe of the week before it happens.

The fried chicken gets the credit, but it’s always the sides that hold a Sunday table together — the things that fill the plate and keep people seated a little longer. After a week of coaching, neighbor check-ins, and taking Mr. Williams a plate just because it was right, I wanted something I could put in the oven and forget for a minute while the cast iron cooled. Loaded Smashed Potatoes are exactly that: humble going in, satisfying coming out, and the kind of thing Zaria will climb her step stool to help finish.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs small baby or creamer potatoes, scrubbed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

Boil the potatoes. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook 15–18 minutes, until fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain well and let steam dry for 5 minutes.
Preheat and prep. Heat oven to 425°F. Drizzle a large rimmed baking sheet generously with olive oil, spreading it to coat the surface.
Smash the potatoes. Arrange the drained potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Using the bottom of a sturdy glass or a flat spatula, press each potato down firmly until it spreads to about 1/2-inch thick. You want them flat but still holding together.
Season and roast. Brush the smashed potatoes with melted butter and remaining olive oil. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; sprinkle evenly over the tops. Roast 20–25 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and crispy.
Load them up. Remove the pan from the oven. Scatter shredded cheddar evenly over the potatoes and return to the oven for 3–5 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and beginning to bubble.
Finish and serve. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with crumbled bacon, a dollop of sour cream on each potato, and a generous shower of sliced green onions. Serve immediately while the edges are still crisp.

Nutrition (per serving)

Loaded Smashed Potatoes — The Side Dish That Holds the Table Together