Growing up, potatoes were a staple in our house. I can remember a giant 10-pound bag of Russet potatoes always in our pantry right next to the 10-pound bag of yellow onions. The potatoes were served up in various styles – mashed, baked, or pan-fried with butter and onions. The pan-fried version I could get behind if my Dad made them extremely crispy (basically burned). The other styles were a total no-go for me. My parents, to this day, laugh about how much I didn’t like potatoes as a kid.

As an adult, potatoes are still not really my thing; however, bacon is my thing (very much my thing). Bacon-roasted Fingerling Potatoes are salty, crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside making them the perfect side dish for just about any meal.

It’s a pretty rare occasion that I crave potatoes, but when I do it’s hands-down these Bacon-roasted Fingerling Potatoes. They’re so easy to make – you literally mix everything in a bowl then put it in the oven – look beautiful for serving purposes, and can be doubled or tripled if you’re making them for a crowd.

Coming from a non-potato lover, I’m telling you these are GOOD.

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Bacon-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Bacon-roasted fingerling potatoes are salty, crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside making them the perfect side dish for just about any meal.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Author: Justin Atkinson

Ingredients

• 1.5 Pounds Petite Fingerling Potatoes If you cannot find petite fingerling potatoes, regular will work great, too. Slice them in half lengthwise to accommodate the cooking time.
• 2 Slices Thick Cut Bacon, chopped If you are not using thick-cut bacon, increase to three slices.
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Herbs (for a garnish at the end) Recommended: Parsley or Basil
• Coarse Sea Salt (for a garnish at the end)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
• Select a baking sheet that will allow the potatoes to be spread out, not crowded, ensuring you’ll get the desired crispiness.
• Chop your bacon into 1/2 - 3/4 inch pieces.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Combine until all potatoes are equally coated.
• Pour the potatoes onto your baking sheet.
• Place the chopped bacon over the potatoes with even distribution.
• Place the baking sheet with potatoes and bacon into the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Stir the mixture and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
• After the 15 minutes have passed, insert a fork into the potatoes. If the potato easily releases from the fork, they're fully cooked and can be removed. If the potato hangs on the fork a bit, stir the potatoes one more time and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
• Once fully cooked, remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

Serve these potatoes hot out of the oven, sprinkled with coarse sea salt and a fresh herb garnish such as parsley or basil. 

It’s been just over three months since I became a new mom, we became a family of three, and the world got brighter and sweeter. I have no idea where the time has gone and yet it feels like it’s gone slowly. Some days I can’t remember life before Hudson and other days I long for life before Hudson. 

Many people have asked me about “mom life” and “how it’s going?” (in reference to being a new Mom), and “Do I love being a Mom?” Each time I answer, but not before I feel myself pause with uncertainty… because I’m not entirely sure.

What is “Mom life?” For me, it’s been a period of reinvention. I’ve had to learn to give so much of myself in entirely new ways to an entirely new person who has needs that I don’t always understand or know how to provide for (thank goodness for Moms on Call!). I’ve felt love and a sense of protection that I never knew was inside of me. I’ve made a new best friend (sorry, Justin!) and he’s so darn cute!

“How’s it going?” Well, it’s wild and I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’m exhausted. So exhausted! I also feel like each day is Groundhog Day and wonder if that’s normal for this season of life and this stage of motherhood. 

“Do I love being a Mom?” I think so. I was never a woman who dreamed of becoming a Mom or saw myself as a mom, so when these last several months of my life as a new mom became only about being a new Mom it’s was hard for me to accept and allow myself to adapt to that role and this new life. I love Hudson deeply, but do I love being a Mom? I think so, yes. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done and I’m always wondering if I’m doing it right.

There have been countless moments of hilarity starting on day one in the hospital when we tried to send our child to nursery so we could try to sleep, only to have him return less than an hour later because he was inconsolable… so much for sleep! Or, five minutes before I resumed writing this reflection when Hudson smiled at me then puked on me then smiled again and I literally said, “Oh good job, buddy!”

I can say with absolute certainty that I never ever thought I’d cheer someone on with such gusto when they’re taking a poop while sitting on my lap, or get so excited when I see Hudson’s little face turn red because he’s trying to poop. I exclaim, “Oh! You’re pooping! Yay!”

Oh, and I can’t forget Hudson’s first smiles and the first laughs. I still find myself lost in the memories of them happening and the looks on all three of our faces. So much fun and so much happiness.

The moments that are scary and downright frustrating are there, too. Like when Hudson and I spent the day just the two of us and had the best time to be followed by me taking his pint-sized t-shirt off for bathtime, which triggered 30 minutes of straight screaming… in my ear… for no apparent reason. The bewilderment of why I couldn’t console him in that time still haunts me as does the fact that there will be so many more times like that.

I also feel constant embarrassment and disappointment that my body let me down… and quite honestly let Hudson down. I thought I would be able to rely on my body to produce breast milk and be able to breastfeed our baby, but my body let me down. 

Not only was I not producing nearly enough breast milk to feed Hudson, but the production of milk and the act of breastfeeding triggered such strong physical nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that I had to stop. It scared me. I’ve had to overcome these moments and find comfort in the fact that they are part of my motherhood journey. To be honest, I’m still working on overcoming these moments, each and every day. 

Baby Hudson asleep in my arms is literally something I can feel when I close my eyes. I look forward to it. I cherish it. When he’s asleep in my arms he is in total bliss and I feel in love, relaxed, and oh so blessed. These types of moments – the ones where he seeks out the comfort only I can provide him – are the stuff motherhood is made of. When I can make him laugh a little baby belly laugh, or stop crying instantly just by talking to him or simply placing his head on my naked chest. When I’m having an off day, Hudson’s smile will make it better and so will his sweet snuggles. 

Reflecting on these last several months has brought forward new emotions, helped me to reminisce about many sweet moments, and given me a great deal of comfort in the honesty of it all. Being a Mom – especially a new Mom is a relentless, unforgiving, emotional pursuit. It is full of ups and downs, twists and turns. It is beautiful, terrifying, and perfect all the same time. I have no idea if my motherhood journey is typical, right, or wrong. But it’s mine and if there is one thing that I’ve taken away from all of this is that I’m one lucky woman to be Hudson’s mom.

I relish feeling productive and knowing that I’ve made the most of my day. Nothing bothers me more than when the day has come to an end and nothing on my to-do list is crossed off. Of course there’s always balance between a to-do list that’s 20 items long vs. a to-do list that’s actually accomplishable in a day (especially a day that involves the cutest little baby). I’ve made some adjustments to what my list looks like and how I plan out my tasks. Since doing so, I’ve discovered how to be effective and productive in five minutes or sometimes less. These are things that make a difference and allow me to cross something off my to-do list, leaving me with that oh-so-amazing productive feeling.

Here are five things you can do in five minutes while you’re at home. 

1. Laundry. Let it be known that I do not like doing house chores, but I do like the feeling I have when house chores are done. A conundrum, I know. This means that I often over-dramatize how long they’ll take which prevents me from getting them done and often leaves me without clean underwear or wearing the jeans I hate. Not any more! Since buckling down on my day, laundry is a task that I can get done (throughout the day) in five minutes or less. In my first five minutes, gather all the laundry and sort. In my next five minutes, throw in one load. In the five minutes after that, switch from washer to dryer; hang up the clothes that must air dry; add the next load. You get the idea… essentially going through the paces of laundry five minutes at a time. It makes me dislike the task less and it is done by the end of the day. Win, win. 
2. Move your body. Since Hudson was born, I find that I’m often sitting. I’m sitting while feeding him, playing with him, etc. So, sometimes, when I have five minutes free I make it a point to move my body. Sometimes that’s just stretching (because holding a baby makes your muscles cramp up!). Other times it’s a series of Chaturangas to get my blood flowing. You pick what it looks like, but move! 
3. Empty the dishwasher. My husband recently told me that running the dishwasher every night, no matter how full, is actually more efficient than hand-washing dishes periodically  and running the dishwasher every couple of days. I bought into this hook, line, and sinker… no clue if that’s actually true. This means that the dishwasher must be emptied daily and guess what, it’s completely accomplishable in five minutes or less and is yet another thing that’s helpful to both of us. 
4. Recognize gratitude. I keep a daily journal and one of the things I write in my journal are my gratitudes. Five things I’m grateful for. I learned about and took on this practice after reading and hearing about it from folks far more accomplished than me. These things aren’t necessarily ground breaking. Most days, coffee is on my list along with other things like my health and sunshine. Of course, there are always a couple of things that are much bigger and more impactful, but the point remains that recognizing gratitudes doesn’t need to be mind blowing, just there. This practice fills my heart and reminds me of all the good that’s going on in my life. 
5. Reach out to someone. Do you ever randomly have someone pop into your mind? You wonder how they’re doing or maybe it’s because you haven’t spoken to them in days / weeks / months. Take your free five minutes to send a text, write a thoughtful email, or even pick up the phone and say “hi.” Since I’ve been intentional about this I’ve noticed how much it has impacted me personally and how meaningful it is to my friends and family that I’ve contacted. Give it a shot… I think you’ll feel the payoff tenfold.