Cheesy Garlic Smashed Potatoes

I got a call back. Green Hills. Harmony Dental. The one I wanted. The hiring manager — a woman named Dr. Patel (different Dr. Patel from Jayden's pediatrician; Nashville has a lot of Dr. Patels) — called me on Tuesday afternoon while I was at the clinic. I saw the 615 number and my hands started shaking and I excused myself to the hallway and answered and she said, "Ms. Mitchell, we'd like to bring you in for an interview."

An interview. A real interview. For a real job. In Green Hills. In a practice that said "new graduates welcome" like a prayer I didn't know I was praying.

The interview is next Monday. I need interview clothes. I own: Waffle House uniforms, clinical scrubs, sweatpants, and one champagne-colored maid-of-honor dress that is not appropriate for a dental hygienist interview (though it would certainly make an impression). Tanisha took me to Goodwill on Wednesday and we found a pair of black pants and a navy blouse that fit and look professional and cost a total of $11. Tanisha said, "You look like a dental hygienist." I looked in the Goodwill mirror and saw someone I almost didn't recognize — not a waitress, not a student, not a girl from Antioch who barely graduated high school. A woman in a blouse, going to an interview, about to sit across from someone and say, "I can do this job."

I practiced interview answers all week. In the shower. In the car. In bed at midnight. "Why did you choose dental hygiene?" Because a woman left me a $50 tip and told me I could do two years. I won't say that in the interview. I'll say something about "patient care" and "preventive health." But the truth is the tip. The truth is always the tip.

Thanksgiving is next week. The fridge at Mama's is already full of ingredients she bought on sale. The Mitchell Thanksgiving Machine is in motion. It cannot be stopped. It has never been stopped. Not by Danny leaving, not by poverty, not by pandemic (in three years), not by anything. Lorraine Mitchell will put a turkey on the table on the fourth Thursday of November until the day she dies, and after that, I will do it, and after that, Chloe will do it, and the table will never be empty.

I made a practice batch of cornbread dressing on Saturday — a dress rehearsal for Thanksgiving. It came out golden and perfect. Mama tasted it. She said nothing. NOTHING. Which means it was Earline's. It was Earline's and she couldn't bring herself to say it twice, but the nothing said everything. The nothing is the crown.

While the cornbread dressing was the centerpiece of my Saturday practice run, I needed something to round out the table — something that could hold its own next to Earline’s recipe without trying to outshine it. These Cheesy Garlic Smashed Potatoes fit perfectly: crispy on the outside, pillowy inside, garlicky and golden and unassuming in the best possible way. After a week of interview prep, $11 Goodwill outfits, and the single most validating silence my mother has ever given me, I needed to cook something that felt as grounded and certain as that moment did — and these potatoes delivered exactly that.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs small Yukon Gold or baby potatoes, scrubbed
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for boiling water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Boil the potatoes. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, well-salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 18–22 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain and let sit for 5 minutes to steam dry.
Preheat oven. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil, spreading to coat.
Smash. Arrange the drained potatoes on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a flat glass or a fork to press each potato down until it is about 1/2 inch thick and cracked open at the edges.
Season. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, melted butter, minced garlic, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spoon or brush the mixture evenly over each smashed potato.
First bake. Roast for 20 minutes, until the edges are beginning to crisp and turn golden.
Add cheese. Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the cheddar and Parmesan evenly over each potato, pressing gently so it adheres.
Finish baking. Return to the oven for an additional 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned at the edges.
Garnish and serve. Remove from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes. Scatter fresh chives or parsley over the top and serve immediately, with sour cream on the side if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Cheesy Garlic Smashed Potatoes — The Side Dish That Belongs on Earline’s Table