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1
Cover potatoes with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat and drain.
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2
While the potatoes are cooking, saute chopped bacon in a large frying pan until crispy. Remove bacon bits but do not drain the oil. Add the green pepper and a little olive oil to the pan and saute until tender. Add the minced garlic and saute an additional minute.
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3
Lightly grease a jelly roll pan, pizza pan, or baking sheet; you need a flat pan with a raised edge that can go under the broiler. Arrange the cooked potatoes on the pan. Spray the bottom of a coffee cup with vegetable spray and use the bottom to smash the potatoes until they are crushed and flattened in a thin layer that more or less covers the bottom of the pan. Note: Crush -- do not mash -- the potatoes! They should look like you dropped them on the floor, NOT like you ran over them with your SUV.
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4
Drizzle the potatoes liberally with olive oil and sprinkle to taste with salt, pepper and cumin. The amounts listed in the ingredients are approximate. The best way is to start conservatively, taste a bite of the potatoes, and add more spices are needed! Top the potatoes with the green pepper, green onion and bacon bits.
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5
Evenly spread the grated cheese over the top of the potatoes. Place in the oven under the broiler at the LOW setting. You want to bring the dish back up to serving temperature and melt the cheese. The potatoes should look gooey and bubbling with the cheese lightly browned on top.
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6
Make sure you keep the pan low enough (NOT the top rack!) so that the cheese isn't immediately scorched. This dish needs only a few minutes for the cheese to melt and brown slightly, so watch it carefully. Once hot and bubbly, remove from broiler and serve immediately.
