Bacon-Wrapped Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme

Another recipe from The Crock Pot Recipe Collection . This one caught my eye because it combines two of The Critic's favorite things: bacon and potatoes. I showed it to him and he agreed. But first, we had to figure out what the heck fingerling potatoes were. Turns out, they're just a small type of potato that can be used like any other potato. We found them at the local grocery store a week ago, for $4/1.5 lb, but didn't buy them then - something we were glad for later, when we found them at Costco for $5/5lbs. Score!

So I got these babies home and grabbed the recipe. It should be noted that this recipe takes a lot of "pre-crock" work. But since it was a Saturday afternoon and, well, I didn't have anything else going on, I went for it.

Bacon-Wrapped Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme

1 lb fingerling potatoes, washed, dryed, and with stem ends trimmed

1 tbsp minced fresh thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 lb fatty bacon strips

1/4 cup chicken broth

1. Toss potatoes with thyme, olice oil, black pepper and paprika in large bowl. Set aside.

2. Cut each bacon strip in half lengthwise; wrap half slice bacon tightly around each potato.

3. Heat large skillet over medium heat; add potatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until lightly browned and some bacon fat has rendered out. Bacon should sear "shut" around potatoes.

4. Place potatoes in 4 1/2-quart Crock Pot slow cooker. Add chicken broth, cover and cook on HIGH 3 hours. Remove from Crock Pot and serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: The Crock Pot Recipe Collection

(There are no toothpicks in this picture. I was still optimistic when it was taken.)

Ok... So I did this. Or at least tried to. But I put my first, "test" potato in the pan and basically, the bacon started getting floppy and then fell off the potato. So I gave up and put toothpicks through the potatoes to hold the bacon on, then threw them in the pan. I left the toothpicks on in the Crock Pot as well. As far as I could tell, it made no difference.

(In the crock, right before serving.)

The Verdict:

These came out just okay. The Critic was a fan and has requested I make them again. I took the bacon off my potatoes (the soggy floppy bacon just wasn't appealing to me) and ate the potatoes, which tasted like... regular potatoes. I was hoping with the thyme and paprika there would be more flavor to it, but there wasn't.

I think if it didn't require all the "pre-crock" work, I would be more apt to like this recipe more. Also, maybe if I had a second Crock Pot, and didn't have to reserve my lovely Cynthia just for an appetizer/side dish, I wouldn't feel quite so resentful. (And yes, we ate potatoes and bacon for dinner. And then had chocolate pie for dessert. I'm pretty sure I ate like 5 potatoes and asked The Critic, "is it pie time yet?" but whatever.)