Bacon & Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes

Original Recipe HERE

* This is one of the menu items Husband researched, planned, shopped for, and executed for Easter 2013.  It was the best meal he's ever made. *
 

Ingredients

2 pounds red new potatoes, quartered

2 cloves garlic, smashed

5 to 6 strips bacon

1/4 pound Gorgonzola cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature [he used half-n-half]

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions

(1) Add potatoes and garlic to a medium pot.  Fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by an inch.  Season with salt; bring water to a boil.

(2) Reduce to a simmer.  Cook until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.

(3) Meanwhile, fry bacon in a skillet until crisp.  Set aside on a paper towel to drain. Roughly chop; reserve.

(4) Drain potatoes and garlic.  Place back in the pot with cheese, cream, butter, and chopped bacon.

(5) Roughly mash, adding more cream if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Sausage, Pepper, & Potato Bake

Original Recipe HERE

 

I made some tweaks to the original recipe - namely, adding turmeric.  It wasn't sure if the dish would have enough flavor for my liking.  And there's only so many times you can dump garlic salt into something before your taste buds start getting immune to the flavor.  I fished around my spice shelf, opened a few containers and sniffed, and decided it was turmeric's night to shine.  I liked the result and resolved to use this unappetizingly colorful spice more frequently.

 

Ingredients

4 precooked sausage links [I used chicken]

4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 cups red potatoes, cubed

1/4 teaspoon turmeric [or to taste]

2 peppers, diced [red, green, yellow, or orange]

1 leek [white part], cleaned and sliced

4 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

salt & pepper

3/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice [I used garlic & herb]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

(2) Slice sausage in half lengthwise and then into thin slices.

(3) Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  Add sausage; brown.  Remove from skillet; set aside.

(4) Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to skillet.  Add potatoes; cook 6-8 minutes or until a light brown crust forms.  Halfway through cooking, add turmeric.

(5) Add peppers; saute 2-3 minutes or until peppers are tender-crisp.  Remove mixture from skillet; set aside.

(6) Add remaining olive oil to skillet.  Add leek; saute 2-3 minutes or until tender.

(7) Add garlic; saute 1 minute.

(8) Add tomatoes to skillet; stir mixture well.

(9) Add broth; bring to a gentle boil.  Season with salt and pepper.

(10) Pour mixture into 2-quart casserole dish.  Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes.  Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 10 minutes.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Seasoned Vegetable, Sausage, & Potato Skillet

Original Recipe HERE

My concern about this recipe was how flavorful it would be.  I knew the bratwurst would have a distinct taste, but the rest of the ingredients might be sort of...blah.  I thought this could be easily rectified by using Lipton onion soup mix, since that's my go-to when needing a quick potato side dish.  But I only had vegetable soup mix in the pantry, so I turned to my spice cabinet.  There was no rosemary like the original recipe called for.  Time for Plan C, which is when I start opening random spice containers and sniffing them to see what might work.  I settled on turmeric (which gave everything a not-so-appetizing yellow hue) and thyme, and I think they were good choices.

The potatoes were very soft after cooking them for the recommended time.  If you want them to be firmer, shave a few minutes off.  I wonder if cooking them without the lid on would also give them a little crustiness that would help them stand out from the other vegetables.

Ingredients

1 lb baby red potatoes, quartered

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

1lb fully cooked chicken sausage [I used chicken bratwurst], sliced lengthwise & cut into 1/2" pieces

1 large onion, chopped

4-6 cloves garlic, smashed & roughly chopped

2 peppers [I used red and green], diced into 1" pieces

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 cups zucchini, sliced lengthwise & cut into 1/2" pieces

Directions

(1) Put oil and potatoes in a large, deep non-stick skillet with a lid on high heat.  Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Once skillet is hot and potatoes start to sizzle, reduce heat to low.  Cook with a tight lid on for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent burning.

(2) Remove from heat; let them sit 5 minutes without removing the lid. Set potatoes aside on a dish.

(3) Add sausage to skillet.  Sautee on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned (about 10 minutes).

(4) Add onions, peppers, and garlic to the skillet.  Sprinkle with turmeric and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and peppers become slightly browned.
(5) Add zucchini; cook an additional 5 minutes or until softened.

(6) Return the potatoes back to the skillet and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper as needed; cover and cook 5 more minutes.

Kid Participation: None.

Fanned Baked Potatoes

Original Recipe HERE

I had come across this recipe somewhere in my weekly planning, but I didn't save it.  Googling for it after the fact was tricky since my attempts with "potato fans" only brought up information on people who really, really like potatoes.  But eventually I found what I was looking for, which was something more interesting than a traditional baked potato.

I used a silicone tool to brush the melted butter on the potato, and trying to fan the slices out so the butter could seep in between didn't work well at all.  Big mess.  So the seasonings and butter didn't infuse the entire potato like I'd hoped.  However, I think I (1) cut the slices too thick, so they didn't fan as easily, and (2) didn't cut far enough down to the underbelly of the potato.

This recipe is plenty flexible; any favorites seasonings or cheese would work.  I wasn't sure how to serve them, so we just used our own knives to cut all the way through the slices to the bottom, separating each one and spooning our toppings over the lot of them.  All in all, similar to a regular baked potato but with enough of a twist to make it more fun.  That is, if potatoes could ever be called "fun."  Though based on the search results of "potato fans," it seems there are plenty of people out there who do, in fact, find potatoes fun.

Ingredients

2 medium baking potatoes

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning [or seasoning of your choice]

1/2 teaspoon salt [or garlic salt]

1 Tablespoon butter, melted

2 Tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese [optional]

1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese [optional]

Toppings (sour cream, salsa, bacon, sauteed onions, etc.) [optional]

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 425.

(2) With a sharp knife, slice potatoes thinly but not all the way through, leaving slices attached at the bottom. Fan potatoes slightly.

(3) Place potatoes in an ungreased 8-in. square baking dish [or baking pan].  Drizzle or brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle with seasoning and salt.

(4) Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses if using; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned.

Kid Participation: None.

Roasted Potatoes, Sausage, & Peppers

Original Recipe HERE

I don't like working with uncooked sausage because so often you're asked to remove it from its casing.  And that procedure is nasty enough to make me lose my appetite.  But this one allows you to leave the sausage in its virginal state, so I was able to prepare the recipe without too much dry heaving.  And cooked sausage is well worth the torture it puts my gag reflect through.  The amounts and varieties of ingredients here are very forgiving: use a green pepper, use different potatoes, or use different seasonings.  The end result, as I made it, was delicious.  Husband claimed the leftovers for lunch the next day before he'd even finished eating.  The kids ate the potatoes and sausage voluntarily and begrudgingly ate the few vegetable pieces I insisted upon.

Apparently it reheated well, so I think this would also be a good meal to bring to a pot luck or to a family that just had a baby or something along those lines.  Hence the label I'm going to create right now: good for sharing.  Not creative at all, but it's enough to jog my memory.  I think it might be redundant with my "potluck" label, but I'll just use both to be safe.

Ingredients

1.5 pounds potatoes [I used red]

1 medium onion

2 red bell peppers

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary (fresh or dry)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

olive oil spray

1 pound uncooked Italian chicken sausage

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375°. Spray one large non-stick baking sheet (or 2 small ones) with olive oil spray.  Line with foil first if desired.

(2) Scrub potatoes.  Leave skin on if desired.  Cut into 1x1/2" pieces.

(3) De-seed red peppers.  Cut into 1" pieces.

(4) In a large bowl, combine potatoes, peppers, olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic powder.  Mix well to ensure even coating.

(5) Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and place in the center of the oven; bake 15 minutes.

(6) While cooking, peel onion. Cut into quarters; cut outer layers one more time so pieces are uniform size. Separate layers.

(7) Slice each sausage link into 6 or 7 pieces.

(8) Add the sausage and onions to the baking sheet.  Continue to bake, tossing once or twice, for 25-35 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.  Monitor carefully to ensure vegetables don't char.

Kid Participation: None.  And exposing them to uncooked sausage might turn them into vegetarians.

Parmesan Potato Balls

Original recipe cut from a magazine years ago.  Taste of Home, maybe?

I thought my kids would like these because of the novelty involved.  It's something they're actually supposed to eat with their hands, the taste and texture aren't offensive in any way, and they can dip them if desired.  Both gobbled them up and kept asking for more - so much so, that I was worried the entire pan would disappear and had to cut them off lest Husband have no dinner waiting for him.

Ingredients

3 large potatoes

2 ounces cream cheese, softened [I used low fat]

2 Tablespoons milk [I used 2%]

1 Tablespoon butter, softened

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon finely chopped green onion [I used 2 onions]

2 1/2 teaspoons onion soup mix

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder [optional]

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce [I used several dashes of Tobasco]

dash of pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes *OR* panko [I needed more]

Directions

(1)  Peel and cube potatoes.  Place in large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and cook 15-20 minutes or until tender.  Drain.

(2) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

(3) In large mixing bowl, mash potatoes until no lumps appear.  Beat in cream cheese, milk, and butter until smooth.

(4) Stir in Parmesan cheese, soup mix, salt, garlic powder, hot pepper sauce, and pepper.

(5) Place egg and cornflakes (or panko) in separate bowls.

(6) Shape potato mixture into 1 1/2" balls.  Dip each ball into egg, then roll in crumbs.  Place on ungreased baking sheets.

(7) Bake 15-18 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.  Yield: approximately 36.

Notes: These took longer to make than I expected, so next time I can make the entire potato mixture ahead of time.  Also, I can experiment with making smaller balls...if able to be kept warm, they could be a good party food and/or appetizer.

Kid Participation:
* Using the electric mixer to combine all ingredients
* Shaping a few of the potato balls (because Mama works much more efficiently)
* Dipping the balls in eggs and cornflakes / panko (if you don't care about uniformity and coverage)

Potato Salad with Montreal Steak Seasoning

Original Recipe HERE

My mom's recipe is still my all-time favorite potato salad.  However, hers requires Miracle Whip, which I never use except to make that one recipe.  I don't like buying the jar just to use one third of it before it goes bad, nor have I been motivated enough to look for what I'm sure are thousands of other recipes I could use the rest for.  So I rarely make it and have tried a myriad of other potato salad recipes instead.  I've learned I don't like the hot (German?) styles, nor the vinegar-based.  I guess in my head, potato salad must have mayonnaise (or a close equivalent) to be authentic.

So I was excited to try this recipe, and it didn't disappoint.  I had all the ingredients already, so it was easy to throw together.  Everyone in my family happily ate it (although the kids dipped their potato pieces in ketchup, but that was expected...they dip grapes in it, as well, and swirl it into their yogurt...gag).  I had leftovers the next day and realized it tastes even better the next day - I guess so the seasoning has had time to really incorporate (if that's the word) into the mayonnaise.

Ingredients

2 to 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

3 to 4 eggs

3 stalks green onions

1 to 2 stalks celery [optional]

1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 Tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning [or to taste]

Directions

(1) Peel and halve potatoes.  Place in cold, salted water with eggs.

(2) Bring to a boil and cook for 12 minutes.

(3) Remove eggs and add to ice bath. Boil potatoes a few minutes more or until a knife can be inserted into the potato without resistance. [I found they didn't need any further cooking than the 12 minutes]

(4) Remove potatoes from heat. Drain and chill.

(5) When cooled, slice potatoes and eggs into bite-sized pieces [I only used half the yolks].

(6) Slice green onions and celery.  Add to potatoes and eggs.

(7) Thoroughly combine mayonnaise and steak seasoning.  Pour over potato mixture.  Gently stir together all ingredients and refrigerate until use.

Notes: My eggs turned out perfectly cooked, though two had some splits in the shells.  I may try poking holes in the larger end next time before cooking (would this require instead adding them once the water is already boiling?).

Kid Participation: None, really.

Potato & Leek Soup

Original Recipe HERE

This is a very simple recipe that makes a great basic soup.  Despite being potato-based, it wasn't heavy or "dense."  I served it warm with toasted slices of a whole wheat baguette topped with a roasted garlic/butter/grated parmesan spread.  Both kids had four bowls.  Yes, four.

I had been cautiously optimistic that I'd outgrown my lactose intolerance (or at least a lactose sensitivity).  This soup made me a little worried I had a full-blown attack on the way, but I was able to fight it off and enjoy my meal.

Ingredients

1 pound leeks (approximately 3-5 medium), white and light green parts only

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning

5 small Yukon gold potatoes

1 quart vegetable broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

4 Tablespoon snipped chives [optional]

Directions

(1) Melt butter in large soup pot over medium heat.

(2) Meanwhile, thinly slice leeks into rings.  Rinse in colander to remove all dirt.

(3) Add leeks and salt to pot; sweat for 5 minutes.  Decrease heat to medium-low; cook until leeks are tender (10-15 minutes), stirring occasionally.

(4) Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into small chunks.

(5) Add potatoes and broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover.  Simmer until potatoes are soft (30-40 minutes).

(6) Turn off heat.  Puree soup with immersion blender until smooth.

(7) Add cream, buttermilk, and pepper.  Stir until well combined.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

(8) Serve hot or cold.  Garnish with chives after spooning into bowls.

Notes: I will try half-and-half, or even whole milk, to see how well I tolerate the soup.  Also, the soup was a nice consistency but thinner than expected.  Adding a few more potatoes would thicken it up if desired.

Kid Participation: None.

Herb & Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Original Recipe HERE

I've never made highly successful homemade french fries.  A few attempts have been disasters, some have produced not-very-memorable results, and I've hit upon a small number of recipes that had potential.  This one is the closest I've come to a "save and make that again" standby.  I thought they were really tasty.  Craziness of craziness, *N* didn't like them.  The girl who has never turned down a fry: curly, spicy, sweet potato, or otherwise.  I'll definitely give them another shot and see if she has dinner anmesia and decides to like them (which has been known to happen).

I couldn't find fingerling potatoes, so I used Yukon Gold.  I chose the smallest potatoes (about 2 pounds worth) I could find in the bag and sliced each into six wedges.  This produced an entire cookie sheet filled with slices, so it was more than enough for two adults and two wee ones.  I also modified the seasonings a bit.  Maybe next time I'll take the time to cut them into the traditional "fry shape," and *N* will accept them as true fries (because I think tonight she considered them faux fries) and gobble them up.

Ingredients

1-2 lbs potatoes

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian herbs

1 Tablespoon dried onion

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

3 Tablespoons grated parmesan

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

(2) Cut potatoes into 6-8 wedges per potato.

(3) Toss potatoes in a sealed Tupperware container with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, herbs, dried onion, and parmesan.  Lay on parchment-covered cookie sheet, skin side down.

(4) Bake 35-50 minutes or until potatoes are golden on the exterior and tender inside.

Notes: The possibilities for different seasoning combinations are endless.  Next time I might splurge on smaller, more gourmet potatoes for the sake of comparison.

Kid Participation:

* Add seasonings to container

* Shake container

Mustard-Roasted Potatoes

Original Recipe HERE

I was looking to use up the rest of a 5-pound bag of potatoes, and *N* loves fries (as do her mother and father...).  They turned out better than expected, since I've never had good luck with homemade fries.  They were a little more heavily crisped (OK, burned) than I'd have liked, but I think I cut the potato wedges too thick (because I didn't have the small potatoes the original recipe asked for).  Still, I was surprised at how well they reheated in the toaster oven the next day - maybe the butter kept them from drying out too much?  I'll be trying these again.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick or 1/2 ounce) butter, melted

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon lemon extract [since I didn't have lemon peel]

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

2-3 pounds unpeeled white-skinned potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch-wide wedges

Directions

1) Position one rack in top third of oven and one rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425°F.

2) Spray a large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray.

3) Whisk mustard, olive oil, butter, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, lemon extract, and salt in large bowl.

4) Put potato wedges in a large resealable container, sprinkle with pepper, and add mustard dressing.  Shake until wedges are well coated.

5) Spread potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet, leaving excess mustard mixture behind in bowl.

6) Roast potatoes on lower rack for 20 minutes. Move baking sheet to upper rack and roast until potatoes are crusty outside and tender inside, turning occasionally, about 25 minutes longer.

7) Optional: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheets at room temperature. Rewarm potatoes in 425°F oven 10 minutes.

Notes: I'll use less lemon extract next time to see if more mustard taste comes through (though the lemon was not overpowering).  I'll use smaller potatoes as well to make sure the insides of the wedges are tender before the outside gets too browned.  Also, I did the rewarming trick because I made these during *J*'s late afternoon nap.  I'll (try to) plan to make them so they're timed with the rest of dinner.

 

Kid Participation:

* Whisking mustard dressing.

* Shaking the container with potatoes and mustard dressing (unless, like my child, they get the giggles repeatedly and collapse on the floor, dropping the container that somehow, miraculously, stayed closed each time until I came to my senses and took it away).