Mendel's Jar: Food Friday: Fried Potatoes

When we were first married we didn't have a lot of money, and at various times throughout the last 15 years we have struggled financially. During those times we have had a few inexpensive meals that we depended on. Macaroni and cheese, buttered noodles, and fried potatoes being chief among them. For several months, we practically lived on fried potatoes. Sometimes we were able to get an onion to put in, and if we were really lucky we could afford an onion *and* a cheap pack of sausage.

I don't miss those days at all, and we have come a long way since then. However, we like potatoes fried with onions so much that sometimes we eat it just because, which was the case a couple of days ago. And this time, I had both an onion and sausage for it. :)

Fried potatoes (with onion and sausage)

Once in the past, I sliced the potatoes and put them in a single layer on a baking sheet and baked them until they were browned, then added them to the already cooked onion. It was okay that way, but I prefer everything all cooked together. I think it tastes better that way.

What you need:

Potatoes, sliced into rounds (I buy the cheapest 5 pound bag I can find. We prefer Yukon gold, but really whatever is cheapest is fine. Also, how many you need kind of depends on how many people you are feeding. I used about four pounds and had enough leftovers for two of us for lunch the next day.)
1 large onion, sliced
1 package (12-14 ounces) of turkey smoked sausage, sliced into rounds (this is what I use. Feel free to use kielbasa or beef/pork smoked sausage if you prefer, or even better, leave it out!)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil or butter or nonstick spray

What you do:

Add olive oil/butter/nonstick spray to a large skillet or other large pan, set over medium low heat while you prepare the food. Slice your onion into thin rounds and add to the pot, then slice the sausage and add on top of the onion and let that cook for a few minutes while you slice the potatoes.

We are sliced potatoes. We are not photogenic.

Give the onion and sausage a good stir and then add the potatoes and stir again.

Cooking in equal parts olive oil and butter. Yum. :)

Season as you desire with salt and pepper. I don't normally use much salt, but I did sprinkle in some pepper and a healthy dose of garlic-herb seasoning I picked up at the City Market and store in a re-purposed jar.

I am not really Hungarian paprika. I am garlic herb seasoning.

Stir the seasonings in and plop a lid on and walk away. Go do something else for about ten minutes, then come back and stir it. Stir every ten minutes or so until the potatoes are as done as you would like them. It normally takes about a half hour over medium low heat.

Serve with ketchup if desired, and in our house, all three of us add ketchup, some of us more than others.

(I'm not naming any names here, but my son drowns his in ketchup).