Pork Chops and Potatoes

This picture doesn't do this dish justice. Oh, it showcases the pork chops perfectly (thanks to the Hubs for taking it). But what you can't see is the pile of tender potatoes underneath the broth/sauce.

Yum.

The one and only negative about this meal was that it needed to cook for an hour and a half. By the time you throw in prep time, it takes about 2 hours total. That isn't a big deal on a Saturday.  On a Monday, it meant a late dinner for us. 

But it was worth it. 

I found the original recipe here. 

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp flour
28 oz. chicken broth (I used 32 because that is what I had on hand)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 pork chops (I used boneless because that is what I had...)
sage (to taste)
4-6 red potatoes (depends on size of potato), thinly sliced (HIGHLY recommend using a mandolin)
1 small sliced onion
paprika and parsley to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour over medium heat.  Add the chicken broth, stirring often until it begins to thicken and bubble.  (I used a whisk to remove lumps)  Then cook one minute longer.  Add salt/pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet.  Brown the pork chops (each side), sprinkling the sage, salt, and pepper over the meat as it cooks. 

Layer in a 9 x 13 inch pan:
Potatoes (thinly sliced)
Onion Slices
Broth/Gravy
Pork Chops

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 1 hour.  After an hour, remove the aluminum foil and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

Enjoy.

It is two hours after dinner here, and my house still smells amazing. 

Reba

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Usually if I make mashed potatoes, I use this recipe. 

But the other day I decided to try something new that didn't require so much planning ahead.

So I did a little Googling and found this recipe.

Very simple.  Few ingredients.  Little time involved other than peeling the potatoes.

And guess what?

Hubby declared they were his favorite mashed potatoes I have made.

Well, guess it was a winner then!

Ingredients:
5 or 6 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut (I rarely dice, I usually just cut into smaller chunks)

1 Tbsp kosher salt

2-4 Tbsp butter (I think I used 3)

1/4 tsp white pepper or black pepper

1 or 2 cans evaporated milk

Directions:
Boil potatoes in a large pot of water with salt added.

Okay, you really should bring the salted water to a boil before adding the potatoes but I kind of just did it all at once.

Boil until fork tender (15+ minutes...a little longer if you don't bring the water to a boil first :).

Drain the potatoes and mash.  I just used a mixer because I have a ricer, not a masher.  I now have a hand masher on order... :)

Add in the butter and pepper.

Add in the evaporated milk slowly until the desired creaminess is reached.

I only used 1 can; it was just right for us.

Enjoy!

Reba

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Potatoes

Someone recently mentioned on FB how much they loved chicken and potatoes in the crockpot. Of course, we asked, "With what?" She said she just used olive oil and dry Italian dressing mix...

Um, that easy?

Well, today I thought I had jury duty.  I DID have jury duty. But the trial was canceled.  I had already planned this meal with the idea that my husband could just add it all to the crockpot and turn it on around noon.  As it turned out, I was the one who did it since I was home after all.

It took me all of about five minutes to throw this together and turn that crockpot on.

And I even made my own Italian dressing.

And it was good.

Simple but good.

We will be eating this often, I think, throughout the school year when I can come home from lunch and get it started then come home later to dinner cooked. Woohoo!

I am sure you could use just a bottle of Italian dressing but I made mine homemade; it takes very little time and is VERY good.  Plus then I control what goes in it.  Oh, when I made it, I doubled the dressing ingredients because I was afraid it would be too dry.  Next time I will stick with one bottle...it was more than enough.  So this is the recipe using ONE bottle worth...

Ingredients:  
Chicken breasts (skinless, boneless...I just put frozen ones in the crockpot)
Small red potatoes, washed and quartered (I can't tell you how many, I just did it until the crockpot was fairly full)
Italian dressing (Mix together 4 oz. olive oil, 1 1/2 oz vinegar, freshly ground black peppercorns, 1/8 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp garlic salt)

Directions:
Place chicken breasts and potatoes in the crockpot.  Pour the dressing mix over the top.  Cook on low for 6+ hours.

Enjoy. :)

Reba

Pork Chops and Potatoes with Gravy

 I saw this on Pinterest not long ago and thought it seemed like a good recipe to try. Gravy, potatoes, meat, and all in one dish.  Perfect.

Finally this week, I gave it a try.

And it was delicious.

Like really good.

I wanted to eat it all.

Even my picky little eaters chowed down on it.

We will be having this again...

(Note:  I followed the original recipe fairly closely though I changed things up just slightly...)

Ingredients:
4 Thick boneless porkchops (I used 5 and some did have bones...)

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

salt/pepper

2 Tbsp oil for frying pork chops

5 potatoes, sliced thin (honestly, I think three would have been enough...I sliced pretty thin)

1 stick of butter (I used unsalted)

1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream (I was actually out so I used an additional 3/4 cup milk and an extra 1/4 cup butter which is a substitute for heavy cream according to my research)

1 envelope onion soup (I usually use a homemade version but I actually had a Lipton's version I used this time)

1 medium onion chopped (or pureed if you leave them in the food processor too long...)

1 cup (more or less to taste) mushrooms. I used just a few. I love mushrooms.  Most people I live with don't and they did complain about the few I used...

2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

The original recipe has you start the pork chops first, but I started the gravy first to make sure it thickened.

To make the gravy:  In a saucepan, melt the stick of butter.  Add in 1/4 cup flour.  Stir in the milk and heavy cream.  Stir often.  When it has thickened, add in the onion soup mix.  I then removed it from the heat.

While I was waiting for the gravy to thicken, I worked on the pork chops.

Add some oil to a skillet.

Mix the egg and 2 Tbsp milk in a shallow bowl, and place the 1/2 cup flour with salt and pepper to taste in another bowl.

Dip each pork chop in the egg mixture then the flour mixture. 

Add to skillet, browning each side for a few minutes.

Once the pork chops were ready, I started assembling...

Place the browned pork chops in the bottom of a large casserole dish or Dutch oven.

Add layer of mushrooms/onions (if desired).

Layer sliced potatoes on top. 

Then pour the gravy over the top.  (This is out of order from the original recipe)

Bake for about an hour and a half.  About thirty minutes into it, I did cover the casseroled dish with aluminum foil)

Enjoy!

We ate ours with carrots/Ranch and leftover yeast rolls.

Reba

Smashed Potatoes

The other night we ate "glazed" pork chops (good flavor but mine did NOT glaze properly).  I wanted a good potato dish to go with it.  So I turned to my Taters and Spuds folder on Pinterest and searched for just the right recipe. Lo and behold, this recipe popped out to me. 

So I made them.

And loved them.

I could have eaten the whole dish.

I don't think I have ever met a potato that I didn't love.

Anyway, this was fairly easy and full of good taste. And it complemented the pork chop nicely.

We will be having these again!

Ingredients:
2 lbs fingerling potatoes, scrubbed clean (I used Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes...they were just the right size)

Olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

3 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 cup parsley minced (which is about 1/4 cup)...I never actually measure. I just cut with kitchen shears until it looks like enough :)

zest of a lemon (I did not add very much and it was pretty strong "lemon" tasting)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Boil potatoes in water until tender (about 15-20 minutes).

Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 400.

Remove potatoes from stovetop and drain/dry.

Sprinkle olive oil on a cookie sheet (I actually just used a glass baking dish).  Okay, I totally forgot to spread the oil first and did so after the fact. Thankfully, I didn't have much problems with sticking. Oops!

Place potatoes on the cookie sheet/baking dish in a single layer.  Flatten the potatoes (smash them) with a meat tenderizer or the bottom of a glass.  That was kind of fun. :)

Drizzle more olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 30 minutes, flipping once during the process.

I actually didn't have time to do it for 30 and did NOT flip them at all and they worked just fine.

Toward the end of the baking time, mix together the garlic, parsley, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese. 

After removing the potatoes from the oven, stir the parsley/cheese mixture in with the potatoes. I went ahead and topped with a little more Parmesan cheese because who doesn't want more Parmesan??? :)

Enjoy!

Reba

Cheesy Potato Sausage Casserole

One of our favorite new dishes this year has been the sausage and potatoes skillet meal.  I have only one child who won't eat it (doesn't eat potatoes in ANY form) but the rest of us devour it...TWO skillets worth! 

So when I saw this on Pinterest, part of me thought, "I already have a meal like that...I don't need another."  But what I couldn't get past was the fact that cheese was involved.  The only thing that can make foods better for me is cheese (or chocolate, depending on what kind of food it is :).

So I gave it a try.

And I loved it.

I have a feeling I will be alternating between the two from now on. Still love that skillet meal in all of its simplicity and with the right herbs/spices involved.  But there is something about gooey cheese on potatoes too...

It is hard to see much of the cheese in the picture; it all just kind of melted into the dish.

But it was there.

Dancing on my taste buds.

Yum.

Ingredients:
6-8 potatoes, peeled and sliced (I used my mandolin on a medium slice, I think I used 6 and had PLENTY of potatoes)

1 lb smoked sausage.  I like the beef.  The one change I would make to this recipe is that I would use TWO lbs. instead. I wanted more sausage. :)

1 medium onion diced (I do not like cutting onion, so I totally cheat with frozen chopped onion :)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 stick butter

1/2 lb (around 12 slices) American cheese or other preferred cheese. I got REAL American cheese from the deli for this. Oh yum.

Directions:
Boil sliced potatoes until tender.

Slice sausage and heat in the skillet.  The original recipe had the sausage and the onions sauteed separately.  I just did it all together. :)

In a casserole dish, alternate layers of potatoes, sausage and onions, and cheese.  So I had potatoes, sausage and onions, cheese, potatoes, sausage and onions, and cheese.

Top with salt and pepper.

The original recipe called for using the butter by dotting the top with it.  I honestly think I forgot to do that.  The cheese on top was enough richness for me. :)  I don't think I used butter at all.

Tightly cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking!

Reba

Parmesan Baked Potato Halves

I really wish I had taken better pictures. And I will try to next time. The night I made these, it was my grilling smorgasbord so I had a lot going on. I just got a few quick "shots" wit the camera. And these pictures do not do these justice.

I wanted a good but easy potato recipe to go with our grilled goodies. I played around on Pinterest and somehow happened upon this recipe.

Just what I wanted.  I would encourage you to to the original site because her pictures are SOOO much nicer :)

Really, go look.

Much nicer.

Even in real life, mine didn't look quite that nice.

But they were still tasty.

Hubby gave them two thumbs up.

Ingredients:
6-8 small potatoes scrubbed and halved (you can use any kind of potato, I decided to use red this time...I like the texture of them

1/4 cup butter (I did use Blue Bonnet light)

Grated/shredded Parmesan (I shredded it fresh with my rotary cheese shredder)

Garlic powder

Other seasonings (after reading through comments,  I went with a little rosemary...I think Italian would be good too)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put butter in a 9 x 13 dish.  Put in oven while it preheats to melt it.  You can also melt it in the microwave and just pour it in the dish but I am all about reducing the number of dishes I have to wash :)

Generously sprinkle shredded Parmesan all over the butter.

Sprinkle garlic powder and other seasonings over the cheese.

Place potatoes, cut side down onto the cheese mixture.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes or so before removing from pan.

You can serve it with sour cream, though honestly, it was good all on its own. :)

Simple but good.

Enjoy!

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

A few weeks ago, I made dinner for my girls' teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week.  I wasn't excluding the boys' teachers. The oldest boy has too many teachers due to his grade level, and the youngest child's teachers had a special lunch at their school.  Anyway, I gave the girls' teachers a choice in meals, and they both chose Crispy Cheese Chicken.  In the past when I have made that meal for others, I have taken a microwaveable bowl of mashed potatoes.  This year I was feeling adventurous. I decided to make some mashed potatoes.

But not the ones with the 22 dollar cheese, though those are SOOO very yummy.

I decided to search the Internet for some make ahead mashed potatoes since I make the meals and give them to the teachers to cook at home.

I found one aptly named Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes.  

Even better, they seemed simple.

So using that as a guide, I decided to try them out.

I made one batch following the recipe on that site (mostly, with an adaptation here and there).

And that one batch made PLENTY for two containers, one for each teacher.

After spooning it into the containers, I decided I should lick the spoon to test the potatoes.

Yum.

Very creamy.

About a week later, I decided to make them for our family.  Except I went to the fridge and discovered that somehow I had NO sour cream.  Seriously? That is a staple around here.  I decided to try vanilla yogurt in its place.

Word to the wise.

Vanilla yogurt is NOT like sour cream.

The potatoes tasted like frosting.  Seriously.  They were sweet. And while I like sweet and frosting, I do NOT want that with my mashed potatoes.

Tonight I made the Crispy Cheese Chicken for our family.  I decided to try the potatoes again.  This time WITH sour cream.  Oh yum.

Here is what I made for us.  It was more than enough. We all had good helpings, and we even have leftovers which is a rarity around here!

Ingredients:
2 lbs or so of golden russet potatoes (I only had 5, I think 6 would have been just right)
1 package cream cheese (I did use light)
1/2 container (8 oz) sour cream (again, I used light)
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp onion salt (Okay, I don't have onion salt, so I just used some freshly ground garlic salt then threw in a little chopped onion; I have also used onion salt and some minced garlic)
peppercorn to taste

Directions:
Wash or peel potatoes.  I don't mind the peels in my mashed potatoes but some people in my family do. So I peeled them.

Cut the potatoes into small pieces.

Boil in lightly salted water until tender.

Drain potatoes.

Mash or use a potato ricer. I have been using the ricer which works well if the potatoes are really tender. I was tired of finding lumps when I just mashed. :)

Mix in cream cheese, sour cream, milk, onion AND/OR garlic salt, and ground peppercorn.

At this point, you can bake them at 325 for 50 minutes.

I didn't do that.

I stuck them in my 375 degree oven (which was baking my chicken) for about 20 minutes.  They were plenty hot and quite creamy.

If you make ahead, you can store them in the fridge.  Just pull them out around 30 minutes before baking.

One of the teachers came to me later and asked for the recipe; she said she couldn't believe how creamy they were.

I think this will be a fallback recipe for mashed potatoes.

Hmmm, suddenly I am craving the leftovers...

Happy cooking!
Reba

Grilled Shrimp Boil Kabobs

Yet another recipe I discovered via Pinterest.

Shrimp Boil Kabobs.

I mean, shrimp, sausage, potatoes.  What more could I want?

I am not a huge corn eater but I figured someone in our house would.  They make the kabobs so pretty...

This was easy to throw together.  Peeling the shrimp took the longest time.

Just thread on a skewer, baste and grill, and then eat.

Simple.

And delicious.

My "directions" will be fairly vague since amount would depend upon the size of your family.

Ingredients:
Corn cobs (cut into thirds)

Shrimp, peeled and deveined (1/2 to 1 pound)

small new potatoes

andouille sausage (cut into small "rounds")

Scallops (optional)

1/2 stick butter

2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Directions:
Boil the new potatoes in lightly salted water for about 12-20 minutes.

Thread items onto skewer.

Grill on medium high heat for about 8 minutes.

Take melted butter and Old Bays out to the grill and baste the foods throughout the cooking process (the shrimp should be pink).

Oh, the original recipe used a little Tabasco but my family would have balked at that...

Reba

Enjoy!

Reba

Skillet Sausage and Potatoes

When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, my mouth was watering.  I will eat potatoes cooked just about any way.  And I like smoked sausage. 

Then one day I was planning our weekly menu. I was perusing the recipes I had pinned on Pinterest when my hubby spotted this one and indicated he wouldn't mind trying it.  So I added it to the menu then shopped for the necessary ingredients.

Tonight I finally made it.

And I will definitely make it again.

It was a hit.

Even my pickiest eater ate it.

My non-potato eater ate it.

And I ended up with only about 1/4 cup left over for my lunch tomorrow...

I followed the original recipe fairly closely.

Ingredients:
2 pounds Russet potatoes, cleaned and sliced.  I used my mandolin (and my safety glove :) and sliced thin slices

1 package smoked sausage (I used Hillshire beef smoked sausage), cut into pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

sage (the original recipe calls for 1 1/2 tsp, I just used "fresh" sage and cut it up into small pieces

garlic (the original recipe calls for one clove...I like garlic.  We had two), minced

The original poster mentioned an optional dash of Cayenne or hot pepper.  We opted not to.  :)

Directions:
Spread olive oil in skillet(s).  I used two skillets to make sure my potatoes cooked through.  Place the potatoes on the skillet and cook at medium high.  When one side begins to get crispy, flip them.  I had to double/triple layer the potatoes.  After a while, we just stirred them.  Not nearly as fancy looking for the picture, but it didn't stop us from eating them.

When you are nearing the end of the cooking stage, add the sausage, onion, sage, and garlic.

Reduce heat to medium.

Serve when the onion and potatoes are tender and ready to be eaten.

Enjoy! 

We had ours with big dinner rolls (yum) and would have had a salad but we went the easy route...carrots and Ranch.

Very simple, very delicious. 

Reba

Manchego Mashed Potatoes

Right before Thanksgiving, our local grocery store (Harps) had a cheese tasting event. I didn't really realize that; I just stopped in with child 2 for some groceries. It was pure luck on my side. I LOVE cheese. And while all of the cheese treats were tasty, one stood out.

Machego Mashed Potatoes.

I do like mashed potatoes. I really do.

But these potatoes. I loved.

Why?

The cheese of course.

I was ready to go home and make a pot of them (since I only seemed to be allowed to have one sample). Child 2 was ready to join me too. She loved them too.

I got the recipe and checked out the cheese.

Manchego.

Then I saw the price.

And the dream was over.

Manchego is apparently a special cheese.

I am not overly frugal; I am terrible at cutting out coupons, and I do buy brand names mainly because there are some things I just prefer brand names for.

At the same time, I just cannot splurge. I mean, I am feeding a family of 6, including one very hungry teenager. I cannot use our whole paycheck for food. That is one of the reasons I plan out menus. It keeps us from buying food that will go to waste (and waist) as well as from eating out frequently.

My biggest splurge in the cheese department is Parmesan wedges to grate/shred on demand (usually my own demand). And even then, I do NOT get the high end Parmesan.

This cheese costs about 3 times what I pay for Parmesan.

Bummer.

Fast forward to this week.

I asked my parents if they would like to come over for Easter dinner (which is a twist since we usually go there :).

I had already decided we would have ham, the traditional meal. Sidenote on ham: One of my friends explained that one of the reasons we eat ham on Easter is because with Jesus' death and resurrection, we were freed from the law which banned ham as an unclean food. I don't know if that is true, but it sounds neat.

Anyway...
I thought Easter might be the perfect time to splurge.

I will admit, I almost walked away when I looked at the price again.

But in the end, the memories won out.

I bought the cheese.

And we had the potatoes tonight.

They were just as wonderful as I remembered.

This will not be in the regular line up for us due to the cost of the cheese. I just cannot justify spending that money.

But for very special occasions...well, if we can, we just might.

I do think I will use this basic recipe and substitute Parmesan on occasion. It isn't a fancy recipe but I REALLY liked the texture. And honestly Parmesan and Manchego have a similar taste, though I daresay that I like Manchego more.

I am not totally positive who to attribute this recipe to...I guess Harps? The main adjustments I made were reducing the amount of ingredients to what I could find.

Ingredients:
3 pounds baby red potatoes (or baby Yukon gold potatoes)

4 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces (I used Blue Bonnet light)

1/2 cup milk or cream (I used milk...did add a little more)

5 to 6 oz Manchego cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash the potatoes (I just have to...I can't use dirty potatoes). I chose not to peel them; peels in mashed potatoes don't bother me. The recipe said to halve the potatoes, but I actually quartered them

Place potatoes in a large pan, filling with water just above the potatoes. I went ahead and added some salt at this point (just in the water).

Bring to a boil.

I didn't cover to bring to a boil but if you do, uncover once the water starts boiling.

Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.

Drain potatoes.

Return potatoes to the still warm pan.

Add milk, butter, cheese, and pepper (which I actually forgot this time around) to pan.

Mash potatoes until smooth.

Enjoy. Each and every bite.

And don't think about the cost. :)

Reba

Baked Oven Fries

The Sunday after Thanksgiving, we had had our fill of turkey. We decided that hamburgers, fries, and shakes would be a nice change of pace. I kept thinking about a Pinterest recipe that had caught my eye. Baked Oven Fries.

So I had hubby pick up a few Russet potatoes. I followed the recipe fairly closely since I am no fry expert.

They were a hit.

I will be making these again!

Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes (peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges...okay, you can tell by looking at MY picture, I do NOT have the even size thing down yet...)

5 tbsp vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, divided 4/1 (I used a vegetable/canola combo)

3/4 tsp kosher salt (more or less to taste)

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Place the potato wedges in a large bowl. Cover with hot water and let soak for 10-30 minutes. I only got about 15 minutes in due to time constraints.

Meanwhile, take a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread 4 tbsp oil on the sheet (tilting it and using a pastry brush helped tremendously). Sprinkle the sheet liberally with salt and pepper.

Take the potato wedges out of the water and empty the bowl. Put the potato wedges on a plate with paper towel to dry them off. Then put them back into the bowl. Drizzle with remaining tbsp of oil. Mix thoroughly.

Spread on the cookie sheet.

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

Uncover with foil, flipping the fries once they are a golden brown on the bottom.Bake an additional 10-20 minutes. Bake until golden and crisp.

Enjoy!

Reba

Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Potatoes

I have made a recipe similar to this many times but it always involved the cubed potato hashbrowns (Southern style). This recipe uses the shredded hashbrowns. Who knew a different way to cut potatoes could make such a difference in taste? These potatoes were DELICIOUS. I wanted to eat the whole pan myself.

This recipe came from Pinterest. The original recipe can be found here.

Ingredients:
2 lb bag shredded hashbrown potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz sour cream (I did use light)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick butter
1/2 cup chopped onion (I am pretty sure I used less...my crew is not big into onions)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
Spread potatoes in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. I used a glass dish.

Season with salt and pepper. I used freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground peppercorn.

Melt butter in the microwave.

In a bowl, mix butter, onion, soup, and sour cream.

Pour/spread mixture over the potatoes.

Top with cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Yes, this looks just like the picture from the Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops I posted the other day. That is because I made both of these things together. And they were delicious together. But though I loved the pork chops, I am pretty sure I could have eaten the whole dish of mashed potatoes. Yum.

This recipe (just like the last) came from this website.

First of all, this recipe calls for roasted garlic. This step takes an hour and 15 minutes. Or in my case, 40 minutes because I didn't think ahead an hour. So, don't make the mistake I did. Plan ahead.

How to roast garlic:
Wrap a bulb of garlic in aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour at 350. After one hour, remove from oven and let it cool off. Then remove the needed number of cloves, peel skin off, and mash with a fork.

Okay, so here is the recipe for the potatoes.

Ingredients:
4 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 tbsp butter
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan (mine was more fresh shredded)
6 cloves roasted garlic
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper (I use the fresh ground)

Directions:
Place potatoes in a large pan with cold water that covers the potatoes.

Bring to a boil.

Cook for 10-12 minutes (boiling). A fork should easily pierce the potatoes.

Drain the potatoes and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Use the mixer to mix on low until the potatoes are mashed.

Then add the remaining ingredients.

I think I added a little too much milk, so mine were a bit runny.

But even in their runny state, I enjoyed each and every bite!

Happy cooking!
Reba

Potato Fans

Not the best picture quality but you get the idea.

Recently on Pinterest (which is VERY addictive...be warned), someone posted a picture of potato fans (which have other names like "armadillo potatoes"). However, when I clicked on the picture, it was a private blog so I couldn't get the recipe. By then my interest was piqued. I always love a good potato. So I decided to do a little research (also called "google"). I found a few recipes then decided to combine them to make my own.

One thing I learned from perusing different recipes is that you can really top these potatoes with anything you want.

Here is what we used (no specific amounts):
6 yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
olive oil (I didn't measure but I am thinking about 1/4 cup...many recipes recommended butter but I prefer olive oil)
rosemary (just sounded good to me...no exact measurement)
3 garlic cloves diced (or if you are feeling lazy, chopped with a food chopper)
salt and pepper to taste (I used sea salt and freshly ground black pepper)
cheddar cheese
bacon bits

I also threw in some bread crumbs, since several recipes had recommended them. Maybe mine were too fine. I don't know. I just know I could have done without them. (I actually left one potato without much cheese and bacon...the olive oil and the garlic/salt/pepper/rosemary were good enough for me :)

Directions:
Make several cuts across the potato, cutting almost to the bottom but not all the way. Several people recommended using a skewer through the bottom or wooden spoons on the side of the potato to stop the knife when slicing...I just did it on my own. I only had two that cut all the way through.

Use a basting brush to brush the olive oil/spices mixture over the tops of the potatoes, getting in between slices when possible.

Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes. (I would check for tenderness)

Pull potatoes out.

Sprinkle cheddar cheese and bacon bits (however much you want) and bread crumbs if you want them across the top.

Return to the oven for a few minutes more.

I did cut back the oven temp about 20 minutes into it because I had something else to cook too. I just kept checking tenderness.

I saw a wide range of oven temps and times as I perused recipes...even a recipe or two for the microwave.

Regardless (or is it irregardless?), my house smelled like garlic roasting. It was just...fragrant. Really. And for those who eat potatoes in our household, they were well-received.

I will be making again!

Reba

Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Before our vacation, I bought a big bag of red potatoes for a crockpot potato recipe. Unfortunately, life got crazy, and we didn't use them. When I returned from vacation this week, I decided to check them out. Other than an eye or two, the potatoes were in good shape. I needed something "potato" for my meal but something that could be made without a crockpot since that would be in use. I did a quick google search and found a couple recipes then ultimately used the recipe on the back of my Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix.

I know this is not really anything new but I wanted to share anyway. I could have eaten the whole pan of potatoes by myself. Yum.

Ingredients:
3 lbs red potatoes (or regular/Idaho), washed and quartered
1/3 cup olive oil
1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Directions:
Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan (I just use cooking spray).

Place the potatoes in the pan.

Mix the olive oil and dry onion soup mix together; pour over potatoes.

Confession: It would probably easier to mix all of the above in a bowl or a ziplock bag first. Also, I added some minced garlic and fresh ground black pepper. And I added a little more olive oil just for fun.

Stir the potatoes to thoroughly coat.

Bake at 425 for about 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Reba

Cheesy Mashed Potato Bake

I really want to give someone credit for this recipe, but I honestly don't remember who gave it to me. It isn't anywhere on the printed page I have. So if it was you, name yourself. :) I may have found it online too. I just don't know.

I have been looking for a good mashed potato recipe. I like mashed potatoes but I am kind of particular about them. I don't like them runny, want a little flavor, but don't want to have to depend on gravy either.

So for whatever reason, I have this recipe. And tonight we were having a ham steak and black eye peas. We needed mashed potatoes. I decided to try this. So glad I did. It was just what I was looking for. Yum.

Ingredients:
3 lbs. boiling potatoes. I used Yukon gold. Oh, they should be peeled.
4 tbsp butter
8 oz sour cream (I used light)
8 ounces cheddar cheese (I used 2%, sharp shredded)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
freshly ground pepper

Cut potatoes into 1 1/2 inch cubes (I just cut them into small pieces. I didn't take time to cube...

Add potatoes to a 4 quart pot and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil. Add salt. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Sidenote: I couldn't put all five pounds of potatoes in my pot, though I got most of it. And I didn't simmer. I just boiled the potatoes until tender.

As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander.

Place the 4 tbsp of butter in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add potatoes. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes. Then add sour cream, half of the cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Beat until creamy.

Pour (spoon) mixture into greased baking dish (9 x 13). Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and serve.

Sidenote: I just did the freshly ground pepper as THE pepper in the mashed potatoes. If I use too much, my family protests.

Enjoy!

Reba

Basic White Sauce

Not long ago, I posted a recipe for spicy bacon wrapped shrimp. I think I mentioned then that we eat potatoes in white sauce with them...it helps tone down the "spicy" part.

Here is the recipe for the basic white sauce; this recipe came from my mom. It is easy and quick...

Basic White Sauce
3 tbsp margarine, melted
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 1/2 cups milk

Stir ingredients together. I just stir them in a large glass measuring cup.

Microwave in 1 minute intervals. After a minute, whisk, then return to microwave. Continue until sauce has thickened.

The first three or four minutes it will still be very runny. You will think it will never thicken. It does. I promise. And it really doesn't take that long.

I cheat on the potatoes. I use canned new potatoes...the sliced are the best. (In the picture, I used whole that I cut apart) I microwave them for a few minutes then pour the sauce over them.

This sauce can be used with other vegetables too.

Very easy. Very quick. And yummy. My favorite combination!

Happy cooking!
Reba

Cholesterol Raising Hashbrowns

I really think there could be a better name for these, but this is the title my mom gave it when she gave me the recipe. Trust me, they taste much better than the name sounds. :)

These are a family favorite (for those who eat potatoes). We typically only have them if we grill out but really they would go with a lot of dishes. I could just eat these for a meal alone though I try not to since they are obviously not the healthiest recipe.

Cholesterol Raising Hashbrowns

2 lb bag frozen Southern-style hashbrown potatoes
2-3 slices of bacon, diced
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2-3 green onions, sliced

Fry the bacon in a large skillet until almost crisp.

Add margarine and vegetable oil to the skillet and heat until the margarine melts.

Add frozen hashbrowns and green onion.

Cook until potatoes are done (I stir often) and are starting to brown. That depends on taste too because my husband likes them to be brown and crispy. I have to watch him or he will take over cooking these when I am working on them to get them that way.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking.
Reba

Baked Potato Soup

Sorry for the shadow. I am not a professional cook OR photographer.

At the beginning of the week, I noticed that today (Wednesday) was going to be the coldest day of the week. I thought it was a good chance to have one last batch of baked potato soup for "winter". Yes, I am being hopeful that winter is on its way OUT. After all, the groundhog said so...right?

I can take NO credit for this recipe. My co-worker (and a wonderful cook) C. gave me this recipe. It is a family favorite (well, most of us, one child doesn't eat potatoes in any form or fashion). I do not do the onion. I do use low fat sour cream, low fat bacon bits, and 2% cheddar cheese. :) I am sure C. would say I have degraded the recipe with the low fast stuff, but I know if I am going to eat it (and I will), I need to do what I can to cut the calories. Because I rarely let any of this go to waste...just to "waist". :)

Baked Potato Soup
5 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup margarine or butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
12 slices bacon (I use two packs of REAL bacon bits)
1 (8oz.) sour cream
¼ c. shredded cheddar cheese (Okay, I just use a whole bag)
onion

Cook potatoes. Cool. Cut in half, scoop out pulp and set aside. (I have done the potatoes all different ways. I have cooked them in the microwave. I have baked them in the oven. And today for the first time I just scrubbed them, poked them with a fork, then wrapped them in aluminum foil and left them in the crockpot on low all day...they were just fine that way too though not as pretty...their color is a bit different that way)

Melt butter over low heat. Add flour. Stir until smooth. Cook one minute stirring constantly. Gradually add milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Don’t let it burn.

At this point, I put it in the crockpot. You can just cook it on the stove if you want. I like to cook it at my leisure and let it heat all evening.

Add potato pulp, salt, pepper, bacon, and cheese. Cook until heated through; stir in sour cream. Add extra milk for desired thickness. Top with onion (well, I don't), bacon, and cheese. (I usually don't do the "top" part...I am just ready to eat the soup)

Enjoy! My husband likes to eat it with Fritos. I prefer to pair it with a crusty bread dipped in olive oil.

Tomorrow's recipe: Chocolate Lava Cake

Happy Cooking!
Reba