Buttermilk and Bacon Smashed Potatoes

When I make homemade mashed potatoes it doesn't usually "act" like a side dish with my family.  They want it piled high, front and center.   This time I added some bacon and there was more reason to load up their plates.  We did eat it with a quick stove top chicken gravy, but it was good straight out of the pan.  So next time you want to have a fun side try a little buttermilk and bacon with your potatoes.

Ingredients:
2lbs of white potatoes (peeled and boiled)
1 cup buttermilk (more depending on your consistency preference)
4 slices of bacon (baked) and crumbled
1 tsp garlic powder
Butter to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Scallions sliced for ganish

Directions:  Boil the cleaned potatoes until they are tender.  Bake your bacon--see directions below.   Put all ingredients in a pan and mash with a potato masher to your desired consistency.  Mix in crumbled bacon and serve with scallions on top. 

To do the bacon:
The easiest way to make bacon is to bake it in the oven.  You will get perfectly crispy bacon and you don't have to do anything but let it bake.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  You will need a baking tray and some cooling racks placed on top of it or you can use your broiler pan that is slotted with a drip pan.  Lay your bacon across the cooling racks.  Place them in the oven for 15 minutes or until the bacon is fully cooked and ready to crumble.  The bacon will be crispy, perfectly straight and all the oil will have dripped to the lower tray.  I love this method. 

Enjoy as a side dish.  Top with stove top gravy if you like. Serves 4 people.