Blog
The Farm Fresh Direct Blog is dedicated to sharing news from the field, great potato information, ideas about food, farming in America and any other interesting dirt we dig up. We aim to be seriously addictive.
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Winners of the May SnackDown Giveaway
We all have favorite toppings we absolutely have to have on our PotatOHs, and on Wednesday we invited you to tell us your top 3! We had a lot of fun reading all of the different ways you eat potatoes and the delicious toppings you enjoy. Some of you like to keep things nice and simple, and some of you really like to spice a PotatOH up!
Now the time has come to announce the winners! We selected 6 fans at random, and you can read their posts below:
“Man I grew up in the way south and I have to have avocado, pico, and some jalapeno.”
- Jeff Oelerich“My all time favorites are butter (real), sour cream and chili. Just gotta luv ‘em.”
- Dot Hamer“I’m old school. Gotta have butter, sour cream, salt.”
- Diane M“I love black olives, bacon and cheese on mine!!!”
- Daedra“I just like a “little” real buter and black pepper – if you put a lot of stuff you don’t taste the potato.”
- Rose Marie“I love real butter, sour cream and chives on my Idaho potato!”
- Phyllis Newton (Well Phyllis, we’re sending you some Colorado PotatOHs, and we’re betting you’re gonna like them a whole lot more!)
Winners will be receiving a variety pack of Express Bake PotatOHs shipped right to their doorstep. Check your inbox — we’ll be contacting you to arrange shipping faster than it takes for a PotatOH to cook in the microwave!
Congratulations to the winners, thanks to everyone who participated, and keep an eye out for our next giveaway – you could win some of our delicious microwave potatoes! -
May SnackDown Giveaway: Win Free PotatOHs!
There are hundreds of toppings you can put on a PotatOH, but some we just can’t live without — like sour cream, bacon, hot sauce, salsa or cheese! That’s why this month we’re challenging you in a SnackDown of favorite potato toppings!
What are the top 3 favorite toppings you absolutely *have* to have on a PotatOH? Tell us in the comments and you could win FREE Express Bake PotatOHs!
6 lucky winners will receive a FREE variety pack of PotatOHs (2 russets, 2 sweet potatoes, and a tray pack of fingerling jubileez)!
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling us the top 3 favorite toppings you enjoy with PotatOH. Also, make sure to include your email address in the form so we can contact you.
We love all of our fans, but we ship fresh potatoes and like to get them to your doorstep quick, so only potato lovers in the U.S. are eligible. Winners will be announced on Friday, May 18, so check our blog for updates!
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3 Microwave Potato Recipes To Make Mom Smile on Mother’s Day
How many of your favorite childhood memories were in the kitchen or at the dinner table? Do you remember all of the wonderful and delicious meals mom or grandma cooked for you, and the excitement and joy you felt at taking that first bite?
Of course you do, and if you’re looking for a thoughtful way to show your gratitude with a delicious dish, we have three microwave potato recipes that will make this Sunday special for your mom or grandma. No matter which one you choose, these creative, colorful potato and vegetable recipes are sure to make any mom smile on Mother’s Day!
Tuscan Potatoes and Vegetables
If mom loves Italian food, she’s in for a surprise! Potatoes and summer vegetables make a bright and healthy warm-weather side dish. You can use russet, yellow or red potatoes; and with zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and yellow onions, this recipe features plenty of color. Seasoning, garlic and parmessan cheese give it a delicious Italian flavor.
Microwave Baked Potato Salad
If mom loves baked potatoes and potato salad, this dish will give her the best of both worlds. With reduced-fat cheddar cheese, chives and real bacon, she’ll feel like she’s eating a traditional baked potato in a dish that’s just more summer picnic-friendly. The best part? You can skip the oven and cook Express Bake PotatOHs in your microwave to save time!
Potatoes Florentine
With leeks, spinach, roasted bell peppers, fresh basil, parmesan cheese and a hint of butter and milk, these potatoes florentine are a feast for mom’s eyes, as well as her tastebuds.
Like these recipes? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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Farm Fresh Direct at Colorado Spartan Race 2012
Farm Fresh Direct staff, friends and family ran the Spartan Race in Colorado Springs, CO this past weekend, an obstacle racing event benefitting soldiers returning from war. We had a blast and the entire team finished! Check out some photos from the race below.
Game faces on!
Warming up...
We're off!
It's not a Spartan Race without a Spartan!
Climbing = No problem!
Waiting our turn...
Teamwork
Quick stretch
Climbing = No problem!
The end in sight...
No longer wearing white shirts after going through that mud!
Almost finished!
Surge to the finish
Victory!
To see more photos, see the full Spartan Race 2012 album on the PotatOH Facebook page.
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Fiesta! Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With 3 Zesty Potato Recipes
Potatoes were introduced in Mexico by Spaniards in the 16th century, and today they are the best amigos of other favorite Mexican foods, including chili peppers, beans, rice and tortillas. If you’re looking for quick and easy Mexican recipes that are big on flavor and easy on the calories, we’ve got you covered! Here are three potato recipes that will add color, spice and sabor to your Cinco de Mayo party!
Fiesta Potato Smashers
Add spice to your Cinco de Mayo party with these smashers that mix potatoes with sweet peppers, cilantro, sour cream or greek yogurt, and a hint of chili powder. You can use any potatoes you like, and you can get creative with yellow and red potatoes, or Express Bake russets, sweets or fingerling Jubileez. They’re easy to make (smash the potatoes together for added fun!), low on calories (only 50), and big on flavor.
Baked Potato Nachos
With black beans, green chiles tomatoes, olives, onions and shredded cheese, these colorful and delicious spud-infused nachos pack a lot of flavor without the extra calories. Eat them just like that, or add salsa, guacamole and sour cream for extra flavor. Either way, you can’t go wrong! Just be careful when you put them out — your guests may not let them last longer than it takes to dance “La Macarena!”
Quick & Healthy Chili Lime Potato Tacos
Enjoy great Mexican taste with fewer calories. Make them with chicken, vegetarian, and even gluten free! It’s easy to adapt the basic recipe to your liking with the variations on our recipe page.The chili and lime flavors taste truly authentic and with all four recipes at less than 250 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving, they’re perfect for a low-calorie diet.
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Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Buy Potatoes Online
Why buy potatoes online? We’ll tell you why! Here are 3 great reasons you should buy PotatOHs online and forget those packs of frozen potatoes at the store.
PotatOHs Are High Quality Potatoes
Only the freshest and highest-quality potatoes from our farms become Express Bake PotatOHs — and we really mean it! Our russet and sweet PotatOHs are graded USDA No. 1, given only to the most good-lookin’ and healthy potatoes around. And even though Fingerlings aren’t graded, just take one look at our russets and sweets, and you’ll see we only pick the best of the bite-sized.
PotatOHs are The Most Convenient Way To Make Potatoes
With PotatOH, you won’t have to turn the oven on to bake a potato ever again. Double-washed and ready to microwave, russets and sweets are fully cooked in 7 minutes, and fingerling Jubileez in just 5! Best of all, our special, USDA-approved BPA-free SavorSeal™ wrap keeps flavor and moisture, so your PotatOH keeps its natural taste and is nice and soft after cooking in the microwave. Add your favorite toppings and you have a quick and easy meal, or use it as a shortcut for your favorite breakfast, lunch or dinner potato recipe.
PotatOHs Save You Time With Easy Checkout and Fast Shipping
When you buy PotatOHs online, you get to skip the trip to the grocery store, and all the headaches that come with crowded aisles and long lines at the supermarket. Our easy checkout only takes a few clicks and is even faster when you pay with PayPal (Don’t use PayPal? No problem! Simply pay as a guest with your credit card). Also, with our express shipping, you can expect PotatOHs at your doorstep in 2 days! That leaves plenty of time for you to do more of your favorite things.
Hungry yet? Shop now for PotatOHs right here on our site. -
Many Ways To Cook Potatoes
Potatoes are one of the most versatile foods around. Not only are they easily part of almost any meal imaginable — breakfast, lunch or dinner — in any culture across the planet, but they can also be cooked in a variety of ways, too. We’ve put together a list of the most popular ways to cook potatoes, their advantages and disadvantages, and potato recipes for each.
Frying Potatoes
Frying is one of the easiest and most common ways to make potatoes. You can deep-fry, pan-fry, stir-fry, sauté or shallow-fry potatoes for a quick and easy meal. However, frying is not the healthiest method — cooking with oil adds fat and calories to the foods you prepare. One way to lighten up a fried meal is to use olive oil, which typically has less fat and calories than vegetable oil.
Recipes
Grilling Potatoes
There’s nothing quite like the taste of a potato that’s been cooked on a grill, and it’s no wonder they are a favorite food at summertime BBQ parties. You can scallop potatoes or cut up some wedges and throw ‘em on a grill, wrap them up in foil and make a baked potato outdoors, or wrap them up with some sauce in foil to get deliciously marinated potatoes. Grilling isn’t one of the quickest ways to make potatoes, but the smokey and toasted flavors of grilled spuds can be worth the wait.
Recipes
Baking and Roasting Potatoes
Baking and oven-roasting is another favorite and time-tested way to make potatoes, and chances are if you’re looking for a potato recipe, it’ll call for heating an oven. You can make potato casseroles, wrap up potatoes in foil for baking, add potatoes to marinate as part of a meat dish, and much more. However, if you’re looking for a quick and easy meal, you might want to change your plans, and read a book or watch one of your favorite shows, ’cause it’s gonna be a while before these spuds get out of their tanning salon. Also, unless you want some rock-hard potatoes, you’ll have to use at least a little bit of oil to help them cook and stay moist in an oven.
Recipes
Scalloped Potatoes with Chicken and Gravy
Boiling Potatoes
Boiling is an easy way to get spuds soft while cooking, whether you’re making mashed potatoes, a soup or a salad. However, it’s also one of the slowest, especially because potatoes are tough vegetables. Also, boiling is a harsh preparation method and nutrients can be lost in the water while cooking, so it’s important to reuse it. If you’re making mashed potatoes or potato soup, consider adding some of the boiled water to your recipe.
Recipes
CAUSA: Peruvian Mashed Potato Salad Recipe
Steaming Potatoes
Steaming is one of the recommended ways to prepare potatoes by the U.S. Potato Board. Unlike other methods, steaming helps foods retain more nutrients, because fewer nutrients are leached into the water while cooking. Also, steaming allows for a light meal, because you can skip oils or fats and still get moist potatoes ready to eat or add to a recipe. You can steam potatoes for an easy side to a main dish, or as a light and healthy meal.
Recipes
Steamed Fingerling Potatoes in White Wine
Microwaving Potatoes
Microwaving is also recommended by the U.S. Potato Board as a way to cook potatoes. Like steaming, microwaving also helps foods retain nutrients while cooking, since they are not leached into water. Though all cooking methods involve loss of nutrients or vitamins, this is largely determined by the length, temperature and amount of liquid used (using more water can lead to greater nutrient loss). Because microwaving drastically reduces cooking times and does not require water for cooking, foods are allowed to retain more nutrients and are ready to eat in a shorter amount of time.
Microwaving is one of the most convenient and easy ways to make potatoes, so much that it can be a shortcut to some of your favorite recipes that usually involve baking, boiling or steaming. You can make baked potatoes, casseroles, mashed potatoes, oven-roasted potatoes, potato soups, potato salads and much more without the wait when you use a microwave. That’s why we created Express Bake PotatOHs — bringing together microwaving and steaming to give you a delicious and soft potato ready in just 7 minutes — to allow you to enjoy an a quick and healthy meal, or provide an easy shortcut to adding a cooked potato to your favorite recipes. Order PotatOHs right here on our site and try our recipes to see how microwave potatoes can save you time and make life a little easier.
Recipes
Cheesy Broccoli Baked Potatoes
Quick & Healthy Mashed Potatoes
Quick & Healthy Microwave Baked Potato Salad
References
Cooking Potatoes at Potato Goodness Unearthed
New York Times column on the effects of microwaving food
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Get To Know Our Farms and The Potatoes That We Grow
We will soon give you updates each month on what’s going on at our farms. In the meantime, we’d like to show you around some parts of the Farm Fresh Direct site so you get to know our farms better, and learn about the potatoes that we grow.
Our Farms
Most of our farms are nestled in the gorgeous San Luis Valley in Colorado, a tract of land stretching 122 miles long and 70 miles wide, bordered by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the stunning San Juans to the west. We’ve also expanded beyond Colorado, and are proud to have partner farms in Kansas, Nebraska and Nevada. Click through to see our featured farms: Summit, Price, Spud Grower, JDS and Esperanza Farms, and the Three S Ranch.
Our Crops
Farm Fresh potatoes start out on our beautiful farms, where they’re carefully tended by hardworking farmers and dedicated crews. And though growing potatoes is seriously hard work, we love to do it. Our “office” has some of the best views anywhere, and knowing our potatoes feed so many people makes us feel great about what we do. Click through to learn a little bit about what we do through each season: spring, summer, fall and winter.
Potato Varieties
Potatoes come in all shapes, sizes, colors and flavors, and each type has its own taste and texture. Real experts—like our farmers—can even see and taste the difference between two different varieties of russets. These special qualities make different types of potatoes better for certain dishes or styles of preparation. Click through to learn about the different types of potatoes we grow: russets, reds, yellows, fingerlings, purples/blues, whites and sweets.
Express Bake PotatOH
Making a PotatOH is an easy shortcut that delivers all the great taste of an oven-baked potato or your favorite potato dish. Pre-washed and ready to cook, each PotatOH is wrapped in our SavorSeal™, a special, microwave-safe and BPA-free wrap designed to protect foods and preserve their fresh taste when cooked in the microwave. Click through to learn more, and order russets, sweets and fingerlings right here on our site, saving you a trip to the grocery store.
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5 Reasons Potatoes Are Good For Your Heart
February is not only Potato Lovers Month — it’s also American Heart Month! Potatoes contain many wonderful ingredients that make them an essential part of a balanced diet, and many of them also help you maintain good heart health. To celebrate this special month, we’re sharing five reasons potatoes help your heart stay healthy.
1) Potatoes are cholesterol-free and have zero saturated fat
According to the 2010 Dietary guidelines by the USDA and Department of Health and Human Services, potatoes have no cholesterol or saturated fat. While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in cholesterol and saturated fat may reduce its risk.
2) Potatoes are a good source of potassium and low in sodium
Diets containing foods that include potassium and are low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Potatoes with skin are loaded with potassium — more than bananas, spinach or broccoli — and are naturally sodium free.
3) Potatoes are a good source of fiber
A medium potato with skin contributes 2 grams of fiber, which provides 8% of the daily value per serving. Dietary fiber has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including improving blood lipid levels, regulating blood glucose, and increasing satiety (makes you feel full longer), which may help with weight loss.
4) Potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C
Vitamin C protects arteries from the damaging effects of cholesterol. Potatoes rank in the top 5 of dietary sources of vitamin C for Americans, and provide 45% of the daily value.
5) Potatoes are a good source of Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is required for the synthesis of hemoglobin and essential component of red blood cells. It also helps reduce levels of homocysteine, of which high levels have been implicated in heart disease and stroke.
Pressed for time? Heart-healthy eating expert Christine Palumbo, RD explains how potatoes help with heart health in less than a minute.
What better reason to stock up on potatoes than to keep a healthy heart? You can even skip the trip to the grocery store — order PotatOHs in our online shop and we’ll ship them right to your door.
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Colorful and Flavorful Potato Recipes for Valentine’s Day
It’s no coincidence Valentine’s Day falls in February, also Potato Lovers Month — a fun, delicious and playful potato dish is a perfect way to say “I Love You.” If you’re looking for a recipe that will surprise your Valentine, look no further! Here are three recipes full of color and flavor bound to put a smile on your sweetheart’s face this Valentine’s Day.
Fiesta Potato Smashers
Add a bit of spice to your dinner with these smashers that mix potatoes with sweet peppers, cilantro, sour cream or greek yogurt, and a hint of chili powder. You can use any potatoes you like, and you can get creative with yellow and red potatoes, or Express Bake russets, sweets or fingerling Jubileez. They’re easy to make (smash the potatoes together for added fun!), low on calories (only 50), and big on flavor.
Grilled Pesto Potato Salad
This delicious twist on potato salad saves you time by cooking potatoes in the microwave and is a flavor experience your tastebuds won’t forget. The balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, pepper, basil, parmesan cheese and pine nuts on red potatoes are a perfect mix that will keep you coming back for more after the first bite. Great for Spring or Summer, you can make it for Valentine’s Day and again when the weather gets warmer.
Potatoes Florentine
With leeks, spinach, roasted bell peppers, fresh basil, parmesan cheese and a hint of butter and milk, these potatoes florentine are a feast for the eyes, as well as your tastebuds.