3 Cheese Hasselback Potatoes

Coming back from blue skies, sunshine, warmth and serenity is always a bit of a reality check that our life isn't a vacation everyday. Which is a bummer. 

But Coming home to the beauty of spring in full bloom is a bit of a cushion to the blow. And our first day back is typically a day of just relaxing and catching up on what the DVR saved for us. And this first day back wasn't much different except we ended up getting caught on the Food Network for awhile instead of catching up on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

We watched Chef Robert Irvine on The Best Thing I Ever Ate : Cheese Episode make these scrumptious looking Hasselback Potatoes. We knew we had to make these and while we were still "unofficially" on vacation since we didn't have to go back to work for 24 hours yet we decided to stay on our Paleo Diet hiatus and indulge a bit more. 

What could be better than two of my absolute favorite Paleo forbidden foods than potatoes and cheese together? 

Not much really. 

So we made them to accompany our Baked Chicken with Honey Chipotle Mustard Sauce. And they were a welcomed addition. As I've mentioned potatoes are truly something I couldn't live without forever along with cheese. Not sure which would be my #1 food love but it would be a tough tie to break. 

They were delish, but I think twice baked might be a better indulgent way to enjoy these two ingredients together. Or even better might be au gratin. But they were a fun change for us to give a try. 

RECIPE:

Three Cheese Hasselback Potatoes ( from Food Network)

6 medium baking potatoes (8 to10 ounces each)
1 ounce lemon juice
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup finely grated mixed Parmesan, gruyere and double Gloucester cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel all the potatoes and, as you peel them, put them in a large container with 1 gallon water and the lemon juice to keep them from browning. Once they are all peeled, remove them from the water and pat dry. Then slice the potatoes about 1/4-inch apart and about three-quarters of the way through to create a series of uniform slices so that they are still joined together at the bottom. This should create a fan type finish to the potatoes.

Next, using a whisk, blend the butter, parsley, salt and pepper. Make sure to mix well. Dunk the potatoes into the butter mixture, making sure that the slits in the potato soak up the mixture as well. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the potatoes, re-heat any remaining butter and drizzle on top. Divide the cheese mixture over the potatoes. Bake the potatoes until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Once melted, remove the potatoes and serve.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robert-irvine/three-cheese-hasselback-potatoes-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback