Potato Eggs

If you read my menus, you know we eat breakfast for dinner quite a bit. I don't cook a big breakfast, except on Sunday, and breakfast food is so good (and inexpensive), my husband and kids like eating it more often than once a week.

This recipe intrigued me, just by looks alone. Potatoes and eggs go great together, but an egg cooked in a potato? Really intriguing. Essentially it is similar to a twice-baked potato, but with a hole created in the filling where an egg is cracked and baked. The recipe called for sausage, but I omitted it to make a meatless meal. It would be delicious with sausage, but also with ham or bacon, for a Sunday brunch. I am listing the recipe as I made it below, but if you have ever made twice-baked potatoes, you know you really don't need a recipe. Bake the potatoes, cut off the top, scoop out much of the potato leaving a thin shell, mash potatoes with butter, parmesan cheese, sour cream or cream cheese, or a little milk and some shredded cheddar or swiss. The combinations are endless -- adding meat or not -- just keep the potato mixture rather firm so that it holds the well needed to crack the egg into.

I cooked for four of us, but essentially use one potato, one tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons shredded cheese and even two tablespoons of chopped meat (diced ham, cooked sausage or bacon), plus one egg for each person.

Serve with toast or biscuits, and some fresh fruit.

Potato Eggs

4 baking potatoes, scrubbed, pierced, and rubbed lightly with oil

1/4 c. butter, softened

salt and pepper

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

4 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Bake potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until done.

Remove from oven and cool for about 15 minutes.

Cut off the top of potato, creating a "boat." Scoop potato out of potato and place in a bowl. Repeat with each potato. Add butter and mash potato with a masher until no longer lumpy. Salt and pepper mixture and then add cheese (or other optional ingredients). Stir until well mixed. Spoon potato mixture back into potatoes, dividing among them. Place potatoes in a baking dish, lined with foil, or greased lightly. Make a well in each potato, and crack and egg into each well (depending on size of egg it may overflow slightly -- that's alright).

Place baking pan back in 400 degree oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on desired doneness. Salt and pepper to taste.

Hot dogs and potatoes

From one day to the next I never know how dinner is going to be received in my house. That can be a frustrating thing. You go to all that work and then the kids stick their noses up at it. Not that they are permitted to be rudely critical, but if they don't eat, then that's a pretty clear criticism.

I can take the criticism, but I hate wasted food. Period.

I also hate to fight over food, so I gave up a long time ago making kids sit at the table until their plate is clean. My sanity is more important than my pride.

Anyway...short story long, the other day I was asked, as I am every day, "What's for dinner?" When I said, "hotdogs and potatoes," I was met with mixed comments. I told them all to "Shut it" and they could eat it or not. They all ate it. It was good, simple, and really easy to make food.

The bottom line is, kids like hotdogs (and I use good beef hotdogs) and fried potatoes (and just dice the onions really small and encourage them to cover it in ketchup -- hey, it has lycopene!). So what's not to like? Serve some fresh fruit on the side, like sliced watermelon, or bing cherries, and some yummy buttermilk biscuits with strawberry jam. It's a good, easy meal. And it's cheap. Yey.

Hotdogs and potatoes

oil for frying (I use canola for this dish)

one large white Idaho potato for each person, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced across in 1/4 inch pieces.

1 to 2 T. minced onion for each person

1 to 2 sliced hotdogs for each person

salt and pepper

In a large skillet (non-stick or cast iron, I use non-stick for easy clean up) heat oil over medium high heat. 

When oil is hot, add potatoes and then onions on top of the potatoes. Arrange them in a single layer (or as close as possible) and them leave them alone for about five minutes. Toss the hotdogs on top and then stir, attempting to get the potato pieces flipped over. Cook for about 30 minutes, until potato pieces are tender and everything is lovely and browned.

Crash Hot Potatoes

This recipe was really the impetus for me to get on Pinterest. I couldn't believe I was missing such good stuff. Just kidding, but really, I did cave after trying these potatoes. Charlotte pinned them and blogged about them, but they came from Pioneer Woman who apparently got them from Jill Dupleix. We've already tried them three times and they are so yummy. Potatoes, oil, salt and pepper. We tried the rosemary, but they don't need rosemary. They are so easy and so delicious. You must try them!

You can go click over to Ree's to see the blow-by-blow pics if you want, but these are so easy, you don't need to.

I don't measure the oil (which probably means I am using more, but it's olive oil, so it's all good). I just drizzle straight from the bottle. And I use 2.5 pounds of potatoes which is more than 12. I tried the recipe with Idaho potatoes and they are not as good. Go figure.

  

 Crash Hot Potatoes

12 whole new potatoes (or other small round potatoes)

3 Tablespoons olive oil 

kosher salt to taste

 back pepper to taste

rosemary (optional)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Summer Supper #1

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After my recent post about summer cooking I decided to take a look at the dishes I prepare in the summer, and find a way to make over the dishes we enjoy, making them simple to prepare on these hot summer days. I will share with you all the (successful) meals I makeover and hopefully we'll all have a cool, laborless summer of good eats.

It's just the first week of June and already the temps are in the mid 90s, so I not only don't feel like cooking, but I hardly feel like eating. I had a recipe for a Balsamic Steak I wanted to try, however, and I chose some other simple sides that made a quick and yummy meal. I altered the steak recipe to throw it on the grill and added a simple salad and Camp Potatoes for a yummy, super simple supper . Everything that is cooked goes on the grill and it took no longer than five minutes to prep any item.

Though I have listed exact ingredients and preparation methods, these are such simple recipes they can be enjoyed the way you like them. Add some other veggies to the salad if you like, or some Blue Cheese sprinkles for a little extra tang, or some croutons for crunch. And add whatever spices you like to the potatoes -- paprika is nice and mild, cayenne gives them a nice kick, or thyme is wonderful to go with some grilled chicken.

The skirt steak is a very tender cut -- I really prefer it over flank, but my grocer only had flat iron when I was there -- also a really great tender cut.

Balsamic Steak and Salad with Camp Potatoes

serves 4-6

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Steak:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

 1 T. Worcestershire sauce

 2 t. dark brown sugar

 1 garlic clove, minced

 1-2 pound skirt steak (I used a 1.5 pound flat iron)

 1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

 

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak, turning to coat; seal and marinate at room temperature 25 minutes, turning once (or for several hours in the fridge). Remove steak from bag; discard marinade.

Preheat grill. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Add steak to grill and turn down to medium low; cook 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from pan and cover with foil; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices and serve next to or on top of salad.

Salad:

2 heads romaine lettuce, cut and washed

several thin slices red onion, quartered

2 Roma tomatoes washed and halved and sliced thinly

Dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t. kosher salt
3 T. white balsamic vinegar
3 T. olive oil oil
1/8 t. black pepper

Place lettuce, tomatoes and onion in a salad bowl.
Mix all dressing ingredients in a jar.
Shake for a minute to completely blend. Toss salad just before serving.

Camp Potatoes 

serves 4-6

4 to 5 large Idaho potatoes, washed and sliced thin

1/4 red or Vidalia onion, sliced thin and quartered

salt and pepper

vegetable oil

several teaspoons of melted butter (optional)

sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

Preheat grill.

Spread a large sheet of aluminum foil on your work space (or smaller sheets for individual servings).

Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of oil.

Place a layer of potatoes (about half) on foil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with half the onions and the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the remaining onions. Drizzle with several teaspoons of oil. Fold up top and sides of foil to make a sealed packet.

Place on grill and cook on low for 40 to 50 minutes. Check potatoes to see if they are fork tender (the ones on the bottom will get a lot of color, but that's o.k.)

Remove from packet (or serve from the packet for really easy clean up). Taste and add salt or pepper as needed. Drizzle with melted butter and/or cheese for extra yum.

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Corned Beef Hash

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My family thoroughly enjoys having New England Boiled Dinner, and I recently learned that this meal can be a real treat a second night when the leftovers are turned into Corned Beef Hash. I truly don't remember ever eating Corned Beef Hash before, ever. My mom wasn't big on corned beef, so I suppose there were not leftovers to deal with. The last time I made the New England Boiled Dinner, I bought an extra big roast and I was delighted with this leftover dish, as was my family, as well.

I used a recipe found at Simply Recipes and only modified it a little bit, primarily by adding some diced red pepper. It added some good flavor. I chopped my corned beef in the food processor so it was nicely minced. I didn't bother with the parsley and I'm pretty sure it was not missed. I cooked my potatoes for about 5 minutes in the microwave to get them almost all the way done.

Corned Beef Hash

serves 5-6

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2-3 T. unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup red pepper, diced in a small dice

2-3 cups finely chopped, cooked corned beef

5 potatoes, cooked and diced, preferably Yukon gold

salt and pepper

chopped fresh parsley

Heat butter in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium heat. Add the onion and cook a few minutes, until translucent.

Add the potatoes and red peppers. Spread out evenly over the pan. Increase the heat to medium high and press down on the mixture with a metal spatula. Add corned beef, sprinkling it over the top of the potatoes.

Do not stir the potatoes and corned beef, but let them brown.  Use a metal spatula to lift the hash to see if it is browning. If nicely browned, use the spatula to flip sections over in the pan so that they brown on the other side. Press down again with the spatula. If there is too much sticking, you can add a little more butter to the pan. Continue to cook in this manner until the potatoes and the corned beef are nicely browned.

Remove from heat, stir in chopped parsley. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and add salt to taste.

Serve with poached eggs if desired, and a fresh fruit salad.

Source: modified from Simply Recipes

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Warmer Kartoffelsalat-- aka German Potato Salad

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I've been making this recipe for German Potato Salad for a couple years now and I thought it was about time to share. I think I had been married for at least 20 years before I ever tried to make German Potato Salad, even though my husband had been telling me -- for 20 years -- that he loves it. I guess I thought it was a tough dish to make, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Such a simple recipe, and unlike cold potato salad, can be made kind of at the last minute -- a plus for those cooks who tend to forget to plan ahead.

The flavors in German Potato Salad are very, um, German (duh!). Snappy with vinegar and onion, and  flavorful from the bacon, to me it is the ultimate comfort food Yum. I make it extra saucy, so you may want reserve some of your sauce, stir in your potatoes and taste to see if you want all the dressing on yours.

German Potato Salad

serves 6

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5 to 6 medium red potatoes, cut in a large dice

6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into bite-size strips

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup plus 2 T. white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 T. chopped fresh parsley (or 1 t. dried)

Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside.

 Place the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until browned and crisp, stirring often. Remove bacon from the pan and set aside. 

Add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring, then add the potatoes and parsley. Crumble in half of the bacon. Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish. Crumble the remaining bacon over the top, and serve warm.

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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham -- revisited

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Oh boy. Did you think I went on vacation? Boy, I wish I had. But no, I'm still here, just busy, busy. The good news is our school work is done for the week, and the laundry is caught up, which is why I haven't had time to blog. But, it's Friday and I have time for a food post. I have decided to revisit Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, a perennial favorite in my house. As soon as the weather turns even just a little cool, I crave this dish. It is so homey -- it fills the kitchen with good smells and the anticipation of a nice hot, rib-stickin' supper is such a good feeling. This dish goes into the oven for a few hours, so you can sit back and know that dinner is done, get the dishes washed up and relax.

I posted an almost identical recipe for this dish three years ago (wow! I can't believe it's been that long) but the last time I made it the kids griped about the onions. Oy vey! Such picky people. This time when I made it, I diced the onions finely and sauteed them with the butter when I prepared the white sauce. The onions got nice and soft and virtually disappeared among the potatoes and ham. But their flavor was there and it was yummy! I never grow tired of this dish and it's always a favorite with company (with or without the ham) so I do hope you enjoy it too. It makes wonderful leftovers for lunch or breakfast too, so don't waste a bite. God bless.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham (revisited)
serves 6-8

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8 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly (about 1/8 " -- I use the 4 mm disc on the processor)
1 medium onion, diced finely
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
3/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
3 c. milk
1 ham steak, trimmed and cubed in bite-size pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9 x 13 pan (or a large round -- just make sure it's big enough to hold all of your potatoes and the liquid).

Place half potatoes in dish. Salt and pepper. Top with all of the ham (if using a round, start with a quarter of the potatoes and a third of the ham). Top with remaining potatoes. Salt and pepper (or if using a round dish, another quarter of the potatoes and a third of the ham). (If using a round, repeat with one quarter of the potatoes, the last of the ham and repeat with the remaining potatoes. Just remember to salt and pepper each potato layer.)

Meanwhile (that means get this part going while you are arranging potatoes!), melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for three to five minutes or so, over medium heat, until onions are soft, but not brown. Add flour and whisk. Add salt and pepper and cook until bubbly. Stir in milk and whisk.
Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Pour sauce over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 2 hours, until potatoes are tender.


Serve with steamed green peas and cornbread, or a winter fruit salad.


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Roasted Garlic Potatoes

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O.k., o.k., I know I said I'm not a big fan over at Pioneer Woman Cooks, and here I am posting the second recipe from there in a matter of just a few weeks. I guess I just don't check in there often enough, or maybe I just got lucky with these two recipes. I guess I shouldn't judge unfairly. ;-)

My family looooved these potatoes. I actually thought they were pretty o.k., but my kids looooved them. So did my husband. So I guess they were better than I gave them credit for. They certainly were easy to make. I prepared them with some grilled steak burgers and Saturday Night Vidalia Onions (recipe to come) and there were yums all around the table -- even from my pickest eater, my college boy. I admit the onions and garlic sound like too much for one night -- but both had very mild flavors, so it was all good.

I altered the recipe only in the amount of garlic I used -- I just didn't think our stomachs could handle 5 heads. We're kind of touchy that way with garlic. One head was plenty -- I scattered them around instead of leaving them whole -- so I'll stick with one for the future. But, please use more if you like roasted garlic. Oh, I also used regular red potatoes instead of new (hence the changed name from Roasted Garlic & New Potatoes) -- I just diced them small enough to equal the size of a quartered new potato.

Roasted Garlic Potatoes
serves 6

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20 whole small to medium new potatoes (or about 6 to 8 medium to large red potatoes)
1 head garlic, unpeeled and separated (or more to taste)
1/3 cup olive oil (to 1/2 Cup)
1/3 cup dry white wine (to 1/2 Cup)
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Quarter new potatoes (or dice red potatoes in a 1-inch dice) and set on a large rimmed baking sheet. Separate head of garlic and arrange cloves throughout the potatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the garlic and all over potatoes; do the same with the wine.

Generously season the potatoes and garlic with salt and pepper. Toss potatoes to coat. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes until nice and golden.

Source: Pioneer Woman Cooks

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Dill Pickle Potato Salad

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In the summer, I love potato salad. I could easily eat it several times a week, but I do get a little bored with the same couple recipes. I went looking the other day for a new recipe and found this yummy version studded with chopped dill pickles -- yum! It had a great dressing -- tangy from mustard and pickle juice, paired with the hard-boiled eggs, scallions, red onion and the pieces of dill pickle -- it was unbeatable and great with hamburgers.

The recipe is a take on Tyler Florence's Potato Salad, but modified a little. His is pretty dressing-heavy and though I like the dressing, I don't think it needs quite that much. I also don't really like capers, so I cut them out. I also use Idaho potatoes, because I prefer the texture, but use what you like (or have on-hand).

I have a great tip for stirring potato salads that keeps them from breaking up too much. After adding the potatoes to the dressing (or vice versa) in a large bowl, pour all of the potatoes and dressing into another large bowl. Pour potatoes and dressing back and fourth several times until potatoes are thoroughly dressed, taking care to be gentle with potatoes. Another tip: I reserve a little of the dressing until serving time because I find that warm potatoes really soak up the dressing and sometimes leave the salad dry.

Get everything diced up while your potatoes are cooking.

Dill Pickle Potato Salad
serves 6-8

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2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced in a large dice (like you would for mashed potatoes)
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
1/3 cup sliced scallions, white and green
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (I use light)
3 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles plus 3 T. juice
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 T. minced fresh dill
2 T. lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Place potatoes in cool water and boil until tender. At the same time boil the eggs, drain off hot water and fill pan with cold water. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool.

Reserve some scallion greens for garnish. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles and their juice, onion, remaining scallions, parsley, and lemon juice in a bowl large enough to hold the potatoes. Remove about 1/2 cup of dressing from the bowl and reserve. Peel the cool eggs, cut them and add them to the bowl. Stick a fork into the potatoes and lift them one at a time out of the colander. Break up the potatoes by hand into rough chunks, add them to the bowl. Pour potatoes and dressing back and forth between two large bowls until thoroughly dressed. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, add reserved dressing and stir very gently.

Source: modified from Tyler Florence

Spuds

I discovered this recipe a few years ago, and it has truly been a favorite in this house of potato-lovers. Who can resist restaurant-style Potato Skins -- crunchy, cheesy, dipped in cool, tangy sour cream? The problem with real restaurant skins is that they are so high in fat that the high caloric content outweigh any good done by eating the fiber- and vitamin-rich skins of the potato.

The good thing about homemade skins is you can control those fat issues and still have a really super-good spud. The original recipe called for lots of bacon and cheddar cheese, as well as full-fat sour cream, so while not deep-fried they were still not very healthy. Since I started making them I've paired down the animal fats so that, while not technically a low-fat food, they are much more tolerable in the fat department. Use low-fat cheddar to further reduce fat, and even turkey bacon. I stick to sharp cheddar and use less (which you can get away with when using a sharp cheese) and just enough bacon for flavor. I also often use a French onion dip (mixed with a few tablespoons of plain yogurt) instead of low fat sour cream (although low fat sour cream is always good) because the added onion flavor in the dip is yummy.

Potato Skins

serves 6

6 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed and baked until done
3 T. vegetable oil
1 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. paprika
1/8 t. pepper
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumble
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup low fat sour cream (or French onion dip)

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp and discard (or save for another use) leaving 1/4-inch thick shell. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place potato skins on cut-side down.
Combine oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper and brush all over potato skins. Bake at 475° for about 8 minutes and turn over. Bake for another 8 minutes or so. Sprinkle bacon and cheddar evenly inside of skins.Bake 2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Top with green onions, and serve with sour cream.

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Burgers and Fries -- Light

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On Saturday night, College Boy was home with Peach and I -- the other guys and dad were at a hockey game, so it was just the three of us for dinner. I had been at the grocery store earlier in the day and Slider Burgers sounded good to me. Most grocery store bakeries sell the little buns for Sliders, making them extra yummy.

There is actually very little meat on a Slider, so it probably wasn't really necessary to use chicken to try to stay low-cholesterol, but I thought it was a good place to test the waters. I don't normally use chicken or turkey to sub for beef in burgers -- the gang just doesn't go for it, but they loved these chicken Sliders. I'm not sure they would be as excited with chicken burgers on the grill -- the method for cooking the Sliders doesn't dry them the way the grill does, but these are wonderful to eat during the winter when you don't really want to brave the cold to light the grill. With a little dab of ketchup and mustard, I really didn't miss the beef at all. The chicken was quite a bit more expensive, however -- I think I paid $3.69 for one pound of Perdue ground chicken at Giant Eagle. It's a good thing they were tiny burgers! You could cook these in a pan with some onions, but I just add onion powder to the mix so the kids don't bellyache.

They were all over the Sweet Potato Fries, too (College Boy said he could eat those burgers and fries every day of his life -- although that's not saying much coming from a college student). I admit they were head and shoulders better than white potato fries. They look a little over-cooked in the picture, but that color is caramelization and that's where the yummy comes from. They were a cinch to make.

Chicken Sliders
serves four

1 lb. ground chicken
2 T. water
1/2 t. onion powder
1 t. Worchestershire
salt and pepper

ketchup
mustard
mayo
pickles

Add water, onion powder, and Worchestershire to ground chicken and mix thoroughly with your hands. Heat a griddle over medium high heat until water drops bounce; lightly oil griddle with vegetable oil (if you are cooking onions with your burgers, add a little more oil to the griddle and throw a handful or minced onions to the deck -- saute until soft before adding your burgers).
Form about a tablespoon (maybe a heaping tablespoon) of chicken into a patty in the palm of your hand -- it's stickier than beef, so wet your hands first. Place the patty on the griddle and repeat with the rest of the meat until your griddle is full. Salt and pepper the top sides, flip and salt and pepper the other side. It only takes a couple minutes for them to cook through. Remove done burgers to a plate and keep warm (cover with foil and place on the stove top to catch some warmth from the oven) while you cook the rest.
When all the burgers are cooked and staying warm, lightly oil the griddle again and toast the buns.
Serve with mustard, ketchup, mayo and pickles.




Sweet Potato Fries
serves four

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled
3 T. vegetable oil
salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut sweet potatoes in 1/2-inch fries. Place fries in a bowl and toss with oil.
Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, spreading the extra oil from the bowl around the pan to coat. Salt lightly (you'll salt them again when they are done) and bake on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for another five minutes or so, until they are golden brown all over. Salt and serve.

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Cream of Potato Soup

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When Peach came down with a bad stomach virus over the weekend, Doug and I had to cancel plans to dine out with friends, which left me with a hole in the weekly menu. I had planned to get pizza for the kids, but I was not in the mood for pizza when dinner time rolled around. So I moved the Teriyaki Burgers to Saturday (yum!), and left a hole in my Wednesday menu.

With two sick kids (two different viruses!) I didn't want to go to the store on Wednesday, so I had to use what was on-hand. I also wanted a comforting meal, with everyone feeling tired or sick. I really wanted to try Annie's Zuppa, but with no sausage or kale in the house, I kept thinking. Cream of potato soup just sounded so good, so I hunted (thank goodness for the internet when you need a recipe) and found this one. I had all the ingredients (except my white wine was a Gewürztraminer and not a good choice for soup, so I omitted it) and it was so yummy it will be a regular go-to soup recipe for me.

The boys loved it (Peach was still not on regular food), and Doug and I both enjoyed it too. All I added was a loaf of soft, chewy bread that Doug picked up on his way home. It was easy, inexpensive and very tasty. The taste was zippier than most cream soups and it was a little bit spicy -- use less cayenne if that's not a good thing for you. The recipe came from allrecipes.com and I followed it exactly except for the wine. The recipe states that it serves 6, but we got four good-sized bowls with very little leftovers, so double it if you need to feed more than four adult-sized people.

Cream of Potato Soup

1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
5 T. margarine
4 T. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. whole milk
3 potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 t. mustard powder
1 pinch ground allspice
3/4 t. celery seed
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. seasoning salt
2 T. dry white wine
1/4 t. ground cayenne pepper
1/4 t. chicken bouillon powder

In a large stock pot over medium high heat, cook onion, celery, carrots, garlic and parsley in butter until soft but not browned. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add broth slowly, stirring as you add.

Add milk, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, allspice, celery seed, thyme, seasoning salt, dry white wine, cayenne pepper and chicken granules. Allow to simmer and thicken, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are cooked through, approximately 25 minutes. During cooking, break up potatoes with the back of a spoon.

Source: allrecipes.com

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Twice Baked Potatoes

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Twice Baked Potatoes are a popular side choice at our house. All of my children love potatoes, but Twice Baked are a real treat. Noah chose them to go with steak on his birthday and they were delish. I wouldn't make them everyday because they are so rich and buttery, but they are wonderful as a treat.

Twice Baked Potatoes
serves 6

6 medium sized baked potatoes
Crisco
5 T. butter, softened, plus about 4 T. for dotting the tops.
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Scrub potatoes and prick each with a fork. Lightly rub the exterior of each with a little bit of Crisco. Bake at 375 degrees F. until a fork can be pushed in easily -- about an hour. Remove from oven and cool until potatoes can be handled.

Cut the top off of each potato and, with a spoon, scoop the pulp out into a mixing bowl, leaving a thin shell. When the pulp has been removed from all the potatoes, mix it with a stand mixer or portable mixer until potato pieces are completely broken up. Add butter and sour cream and mix until incorporated. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Add cheese and stir to combine.

Scoop mixture back into shells and place on a large baking sheet. Dot the top of each with an additional teaspoon or so of butter. Bake at 400 degrees F until golden brown and the bottoms are crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes.

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Summertime Supper Home Run

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The other night we had a typically summertime supper. Grilled meat, potato salad, baked beans, buttermilk biscuits. Yum. Two out of four recipes were new to me, so I was really pleased that they were hits -- two more dishes to add to the summertime lineup.

I really could have used more color on this plate -- note to self: serve tomatoes or something green next time.

The first one I'll post is the Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops. My oldest said that sounded "sketchy." He wasn't sure about soaking pork in "sour milk" for 24 hours. He changed his tune once he tasted them. I used regular old center cut chops, not a thick cut (like these gorgeous America's cut chops) because they were on sale -- definitely could have been overcooked. But with the buttermilk brine they were tender and tasty. The rosemary, sage and lemon zest were mellow -- not overdone at all, in fact I would maybe add a little more rosemary next time because we really like rosemary (maybe we should marry her! Haha!). I cut back a smidge on the salt because I thought 2 T. was too much -- 1 1/2 T was fine. Change noted below. I also cooked 8 chops instead of 4, which the recipe called for, and there was plenty of brine. Change noted.

Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops
serves 6 to 8

2 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 T. kosher salt
2 T. sugar
1 T. grated lemon rind
1 t. chopped fresh rosemary
1 t. chopped fresh sage
8 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
2 t. freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl or lidded container;
stir or shake well to dissolve salt and sugar.
Pour over pork in a large dish;
cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, turning chops once.
Remove pork from brine; discard brine.
Pat pork dry with a paper towel.
Sprinkle pork with pepper.

Grill over medium-high heat until done.

Source: myrecipes.com

The next recipe is a Roasted Potato Salad. I thought I would wing this one, but at the last minute I checked the Internet and I ended up using a recipe from the Food Network as the base for this recipe. The jury is still out on this one, but only because of me. I think I just prefer a mayo-based potato salad. Doug loved it (his favorite potato salad is German and this has similar flavors) and the kids loved it, so maybe I should just shut up. It was super easy, because you roast the potatoes -- they are chopped before roasting and the peels left on . I'll definitely be trying it again.

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Roasted Rosemary Potato Salad

serves 6

1/2 c. olive oil, divided (light tasting or extra virgin)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
3 sprigs rosemary
6 russet potatoes, washed and cut into large dice
2 T. white vinegar
2 t. Dijon mustard
2 T. chopped shallots
2 T. chopped basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix 1/4 c. olive oil, garlic, and pepper.
Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.
Add sprigs of rosemary and toss.
Spread out onto a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes,
stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
When potatoes are golden brown,
remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle with salt to taste, and let cool.
When potatoes are cool, place them in a bowl
and scrape any pan drippings into a measuring cup.
Add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
Pour vinegar and mustard in a small lidded jar or container.
Add oil and shake hard to combine.
Add the shallots.
Pour the dressing over the potatoes and toss.
Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Add chopped basil.
Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.

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This next recipe is just in case you don't have a buttermilk biscuit recipe. A good summer supper just requires buttermilk biscuits.

Buttermilk Biscuits

3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
⅔ c. shortening
1 c. buttermilk


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Cut in shortening.
Add buttermilk and stir into a soft dough.
Lightly and briefly, knead dough on floured surface.
Cut into 2-inch squares or rounds.
Place in baking sheets and bake 10-12 minutes.


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Creamy Potato Bake

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I have some food pictures in my photo files, so I'm going to try to post some of these recipes, since I bothered to take pics.

This recipe is one my mom makes. I know that she has made this for much of my adult life, though I don't remember it from my childhood. It goes well with roasts and grilled meat, as well as simple baked chicken breasts. It doesn't really need gravy, like plain mashed potatoes, although my kids enjoy drowning it in BBQ sauce when I make this or this. I usually use my Kitchen Aid with the whip attachment for these, as opposed to just mashing them with the potato masher. If you prefer a more rustic mash, however, just really soften your cream cheese before adding it.

This is before baking. You can see I used red onion, but red, yellow, or even green onion is fine.

Creamy Potato Bake

2½ lb. potatoes (I prefer Idaho)
1/2 cup hot milk
2 T. melted butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup chopped onion
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
3 T. butter


Boil potatoes until fork tender.
Drain and return to pan or mixing bowl.
Mash or whip potatoes with milk and butter.
Season with salt and pepper.
Taste to adjust seasoning if necessary.
Add cream cheese and egg and whip until thoroughly combined.
Add onion and incorporate.
Pour potatoes into a greased casserole dish and dot with 4 T. butter.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

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Irish Fish and Chips

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I thought I was on a roll the other day, and I would get all those pictures posted and these recipes out of my head, but that head cold got the best of me. I keep falling asleep on the sofa. The kids are loving it.

Anyway, last Saturday college boy was home for his last night and company had pretty well dispersed (at least I was no longer responsible for feeding them). I had fed 17 people Thanksgiving dinner, and then homemade pizza and salad the following night. I was up for cooking, but something easy. I headed out to the grocery store to see what I could find and I came home with haddock. Sunday night was the feast of St. Andrew the fisherman and I kind of wanted to celebrate, even if it was a day early.

I had this recipe in the back of my mind and was pleased to see that Deborah had used haddock when she made it. Since Saturday was the feast of St. Brendan of Birr, and since he was the abbot of Birr near Offaly (Deborah's home county), I knew it was a good choice.

I went with Deborah's entire menu, too, since I had both bacon and green peas, and potatoes. Admittedly I used a Cincinnati/German beer instead of Irish, but it's all good. The batter was awesome, thick but not doughy. It cooked up to a lovely crispiness, and we ate it with traditional tartar sauce and lemon wedges. I didn't need to keep it hot in the oven because my kids grabbed it off the plate as soon as it was cool enough to eat. Doug and I ate after the kids had their fill.

I used the oven method to cook my fries, but followed Deborah's green peas and bacon recipe almost exactly (I skipped the chicken stock as my peas were a bit wet from being frozen). I never want peas cooked another way -- yum!

I am re-posting Deborah's recipe here for the fish and the peas with U.S. measurements, and my own oven fries recipe. This is not a cheap dish (at least not when you're buying fish in Ohio), but worth the splurge once in a great feast day!

Irish Fish (and chips)

2.5 pounds fish fillets
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1 T. melted butter
1/2 cup beer
1 t. salt
1 egg white, beaten to stiff peaks

Whisk together flour, whole egg, butter, beer and salt until smooth.
Fold in the egg white and allow to sit for an hour or so.

Heat oven to 300F.
Have tray ready to place fish on while the rest cooks.

Heat oil to 190C / 390F.
Dry each fish fillet with a paper towel.
Dip into batter and swish around until thoroughly coated.
Gently place in the oil and fry until golden brown.
Remove to tray in oven and continue frying until all the fish is done.

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Oven Fries (Chips)

6 medium russet potatoes
3-4 T. light olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Scrub potatoes and halve lengthwise.
Cut each half into five or six even slices, lengthwise.
Place in a bowl and toss with olive oil.
Divide between two baking sheets and place in the oven.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until chips flip easily
(if they don't come up with a spatula, don't force it,
just put them back in the oven until they give with no resistance).
After flipping them, alternate shelves and bake for 10 minutes longer.
Remove from oven and salt immediately.

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Peas and Bacon

1 T. butter
1/4 pound bacon, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cups frozen peas
splash chicken stock

Heat the butter over a medium heat and add bacon and onions.
Saute until onions are translucent.
Add peas and chicken stock.
Cover and lower heat.
Cook until peas are done.

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Cooking Lesson No. 1 -- Chicken and Potatoes

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One of my goals this summer is to teach the two older boys how to cook -- learn some basic techniques and learn the language needed to cook from some basic recipes. Tonight was the first lesson. I'm teaching one at a time because, frankly, one in the kitchen is enough to try my patience. The oldest one helped me out tonight and he did a pretty good job. He did "wig out" a little with the raw chicken, but that may be an acquired skill.

We chose (I chose) a simple recipe from Lidia's Family Table, a really great cookbook filled with simple (and a few complicated) Italian recipes. I chose to make Lidia's Chicken and Potatoes, which allowed my student to learn how to clean and prepare chicken (even though he needs more practice), cut vegetables, fry food, handle food with tongs, and watch the time. It's a dish that is kind of hard to mess up, though, so it was a good starting point. It turned out wonderful and is a great recipe for a week night dinner, or even a company dinner. The flavor is mellow -- the rosemary and onion subtle, the potatoes caramelized, and it all melds together -- but delicious. The instructions look lengthy, but don't be put off -- even a beginner can handle it.

This is a budget meal, too, if you buy chicken on sale. I used leg quarters (requiring my student to cut the pieces apart) which you can often get for less than a dollar a pound -- just buy whatever is on sale. The rosemary can be a little pricey, if you don't grow it, but make sure you plan another meal with it, so you don't waste a bit.

To make this dish, you'll need a large skillet, with at least 3-inch sides, that has a lid.

My student, covering the pot.

Almost finished. The chicken looks a little pale here,
but when it was finished it all had a nice golden color.

Lidia's Chicken and Potatoes
6 servings

Printer version


2 1/2 pounds chicken legs or assorted bone-in pieces
1/2 c. canola oil (I used corn)
1/2 t. salt or more to taste
1 pound small red potatoes (no bigger than 2 inches across)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered lengthwise
(I used one large sweet onion and cut it into smaller wedges)
2 short branches rosemary

Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
Trim off excess skin and fat.
Cut drumsticks from thighs, if necessary.
If using breast halves, cut in half crosswise.

Pour the canola oil into skillet and set over high heat.
Sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 t. salt on all sides.
When the oil is very hot, lay the chicken pieces in it,
skin side down, an inch or so apart.
Don't crowd the pan; if necessary, fry in batches
(I did drums together first, then thighs).
Let the chicken pieces fry in place for several minutes, to brown the skin side,
then turn and continue frying until golden brown on all sides,
7 to 10 minutes more.
Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl.

Meanwhile, rinse and dry potatoes.
Slice each one through the middle,
allowing for the largest amount of surface area.
Toss with olive oil and 1/4 t. salt.

When the chicken is out of the skillet, pour off the frying oil.
Return the skillet to medium heat and put in
all the potatoes, cut side down in a single layer.
With a spoon, scrape all of the olive oil out of the bowl and into the skillet;
drizzle a little more oil if the pan seems dry.
Cook the potatoes, without moving them, for about 4 minutes.
Then move them around the pan, cut side down,
until a brown crust forms, about 7 minutes.
Turn them over and continue to cook for a couple minutes.

Still over medium heat, add onion and rosemary to pan
(just leave rosemary on the branches), with the potatoes.
Return the chicken pieces to the pan
and pour in any juices that gathered in the bowl.
Raise the heat slightly and carefully move chicken and potatoes around the pan,
being careful not the break the potatoes.
Spread everything out evenly and cover.

Return the heat to medium and cook for 7 minutes,
shaking the pan occasionally, then uncover and move pieces around again.
Cover and cook another 7 minutes or so, shaking occasionally.

Move pieces around again and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes.
Now, uncover and cook for about 10 more minutes,
checking to see if chicken juices are running clear.
Taste a bit of potato to see if it needs salt, and season as needed.
Serve.

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Grand Slam

Last night was one of those rare times when I have tried new dishes for dinner -- three at one time -- and they all turned out great. They were very much comfort foods, which are really a requirement at this time of the year, with it so cold and snowy out. They were very nutrition-packed as well, and since I've been fighting a cold for a few weeks, I feel like I need to pound some vitamins. They were also an odd combination, but strangely they tasted good together.

Two of the recipes, the Ham and Gruyere Stuffed Potatoes and the Plantation Beans and Cabbage came from the Southern Living recipe website (myrecipes.com). The Blueberry Smoothie came from Ellie Krieger at the Food Network. The potatoes were our "meat" and I served fresh fruit with dinner along with the vegetables. The smoothie was our dessert and the kids really liked them. I will make all three again, and next time I might make the smoothie mixture and then put it in the ice cream freezer for a frozen treat.

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Doug said these Ham and Gruyere Potatoes were the best stuffed potatoes he's ever had. These had a different flavor, with the garlic and parsley, and that was welcoming. I substituted Jarlsberg for Gruyere, and you can use any Swiss. I've listed the ingredients as I made them, for 6 people. This recipe gave me another opportunity to try my "uber" potato ricer (as my 18 yo German student/son calls it). I just scooped the potato pulp into the ricer and squeezed them through. Then, I just stirred -- no mashing or whipping involved. I really wish I had know about this gadget a long time ago -- it makes fabulous mashed potatoes.

Pic from myrecipes.com

Ham and Gruyere Stuffed Potatoes

Printer version

6 large baking potatoes
3 teaspoons butter
1 large garlic clove, minced
3/4 c. milk
3/4 shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
3/4 chopped cooked ham
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Wash potatoes and prick with a fork.
Bake for one hour, or until potatoes are done.
Let cool a few minutes.
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell.
Reserve shells; set pulp aside.

Heat butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.
Add milk; bring to a simmer.
Pour milk mixture over potato pulp.
Add 1/2 cup cheese, ham, and remaining ingredients, mixing well.
Stuff shells with potato mixture.
Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup cheese.
Bake at 500° for 8 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.

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This recipe has the southern flavor of green beans, pork and the sweet and sour tastes of vinegar and sugar. I love the addition of the cabbage -- making it more nutritious and giving it more depth of flavor. I substituted a little chopped ham for the bacon -- since I was using chopped ham in my potatoes, I just pulled a little out for the flavor in the beans. I cut this recipe in half to feed my family of six (the kids ate just a small portion).

Plantation Beans and Cabbage

2 bacon slices
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 (16-ounce) packages frozen French-style green beans, thawed
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp.
Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in pan;
crumble bacon and set aside.
Add onion to pan; cook over medium heat 2 minutes.
Add green beans; cook 2 minutes.
Stir in water, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in cabbage; cover and simmer 5 minutes.
Combine sugar and vinegar, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Add sugar mixture to pan; cook, uncovered, 1 minute.
Sprinkle with bacon.

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This Blueberry Smoothie packs a nutrition punch. It's a deep purple, and very creamy. I altered the recipe a tad and am posting it as I made it. We each had an 8 oz. serving and that was plenty for a dessert portion. You might want more if you're serving it as a breakfast or snack.

Blueberry Blast Smoothie

1 1/4 c. vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
2 cup frozen blueberries (unsweetened)
2 teaspoon honey, more or less to taste

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

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Fried Potatoes

In case you haven't noticed by now, I'm a woman of simple tastes (and means). I'm not a fussy cook (yeah, you knew that), and I never presume to think that I know anything more than my fellow cook (unlike Ina, who thinks she's doing rocket science). So, please don't think I'm showing off with today's recipe. Obviously anyone can make Fried Potatoes. However, if you don't make Fried Potatoes, you should. This side is very popular in our house, and is so easy you can make it any night. They go with eggs (which is what we had last night), or burgers, or tacos, or grilled meat. They go with almost anything and you can spice them up with lots of different flavors. Usually I use a seasoning salt, but sometimes I also use chili powder, or Cajun seasoning. You could jazz them up with almost any spice. You could also add some meat and make them the main dish -- some chopped ham, cooked bacon, or browned ground beef (maybe put the taco meat in the potatoes).

Fried Potatoes

6 med to large russet potatoes
1 medium onion
5 T. butter
4 T. oil *
salt and pepper to taste

Scrub potatoes and prick with a fork several times.
Place potatoes in the microwave and cook, on HIGH, for 7 minutes, flipping once.
Meanwhile, dice onion.
When potatoes are done cooking (they should not be completely done), dice in a medium to large dice.
In a large skillet, melt 4 T. butter and add oil over med. high heat.
Add onion and then potatoes.

Just in the skillet.

Cook, over med. high heat, stirring occasionally (every 3 to 4 minutes) until potatoes are golden brown and have a nice crust (about 25 minutes).
If potatoes appear really dry, you can add more oil.
Just before they are done, add remaining T. butter and stir. Season with salt and pepper and any other desired seasoning.

* I used corn oil for the nickel-free diet, but you can use any oil.

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Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is from one of my favorite holiday cookbooks. I use quite a few of the recipes all year, these mashed potatoes being one. You cannot tell, at all, that these mashed potatoes were made ahead. Some foods have that telltale leftover taste, but not this dish. I make them the night before, and that saves quite a bit of time on Thanksgiving, between peeling, cooking, mashing and washing up the dishes. It's nice to know when I wake up Thanksgiving morning that I don't have to prepare everything that day.

This year I'm switching things around and making an oven sweet potato dish, instead of my usual stovetop recipe. And since I have just one oven (poor little me), I have to make certain I have enough room in the oven and on the stovetop when I plan my dishes. This year, instead of baking the potatoes, I'm going to put them in the crock pot. So when I make them the night before, I'll spoon them into my slow cooker crock and refrigerate them overnight. Then, in the afternoon (we eat around 6 p.m.), I'll pull them out, put them in the slow cooker base on low, pour the milk/butter mixture on top and just let them warm up. Lovely.

I do not make the rich mashed potatoes version for Thanksgiving, since this is one meal that really doesn't need "richening." I have made them before, and they are good. I would save that recipe for a meal with a simple meat and vegetable. I use russets for mashed potatoes, and I highly recommend them for this dish. This recipe can also be found here.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
8 servings

3 lb. potatoes (about 9 medium), peeled and cut into pieces
¾ cup milk
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup butter or margarine
1 t. salt
dash pepper

Place potatoes in a 3-quart saucepan; add enough water to cover.
Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat.
Simmer, covered, 20-25 minutes or until tender; drain.
Shake pan with potatoes over low heat to dry.
Mash with potato masher or electric mixer until no lumps remain.
Heat milk, cream, butter, salt and pepper over med-low heat, stirring occasionally,
until butter is melted; reserve and refrigerate 1/4 cup of mixture.
Add remaining milk mixture in small amounts to potatoes,
mashing after each addition, until potatoes are light and fluffy.
(Amount needed to make potatoes smooth and fluffy depends on kind of potatoes.)
Grease a 2-quart casserole.
Spoon potatoes into casserole, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.


(If using a slow cooker, butter slow cooker and spoon in potatoes. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

When ready to heat, heat oven to 350.
Pour reserved milk mixture over potatoes (do not stir).
Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until hot. Stir before serving.


(If using slow cooker, place crock in cooker base -- or if one unit, plug it in -- pour milk/butter mixture over top and cover. Heat for several hours or until heated through. Stir a few times during heating process.)

For garlic mashed potatoes: Coat six unpeeled garlic cloves with oil.
Wrap in foil or place in a baking dish.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Cool slightly and peel.
Add to mashed potatoes while mashing.

For extra rich mashed potatoes, omit the milk, cream and butter.
Instead beat 8 oz. cream cheese, softened,
and 8 oz. sour cream into potatoes before spooning into casserole.
Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Pour 1/4 c. melted butter over potatoes in casserole and bake as directed.

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