Scalloped Potatoes

Every once in a while, I just crave a good, old-fashioned scalloped potato.  Not that kind that comes from a box.  And not the cheesy kind either.  Rather, the creamy kind . . .with chives and dill.  Although it may seem a bit daunting, it really isn't.  The hardest part is cutting the potatoes thinly - I use a mandolin for ease.  But, don't let this recipe scare you . . it is supper yummy and goes great with pork chops.

Scalloped Potatoes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Potatoes (standard Russett)

1/4 Cup Chives

8 Tablespoons of Butter (1 Stick)

1 Teaspoon Chopped Garlic

1/4 Cup Sour Cream

1/4 Cup Cream

1/2 Cup Milk 

Dill

Nature's Seasoning (or Salt and Pepper)

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 375°F. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Step 2:  In an oven-proof skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat.  Add the garlic and stir to distribute.  

Step 3:  Remove from heat and now it's time to layer the potatoes etc.  Place a single layer of potato slices in the pan.  Season with Nature's Seasoning and sprinkle with dill.  Repeat with remaining potatoes until all the potatoes are in the pan.  

Step 4:  In a saucepan, add the remaining butter, sour cream and milk.  Heat and stir until combined and hot (do not boil).  Pour over the potatoes.  The liquid should almost come to the top of the potatoes.  If it does not, add a little extra milk to bring the liquid level up to the top of the potatoes (but do not cover them in milk).  

Step 5:  Return the skillet to the stove top and bring to a simmer.  Top with the chives.  

Step 6:  Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. 

Baked Potato Salad

Here is a quick and easy side dish or small meal.  All the wonderful flavors of a yummy loaded baked potato, except in salad form and served cold!  Sour cream, chives, garlic, onion, bacon . . .oh my!  I'm filing it under single-serve, but it could be two servings  . . .if you were the sharing type of person! 

Baked Potato Salad

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1 Large Potato, Baked and Cooled

1/2 Small Onion, Diced Fine

1 Teaspoon Chives

1/4 Cup Sour Cream

2 Tablespoons Milk

1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Nature's Seasoning

1 Tablespoon Bacon Bits

1 Tablespoon Cheddar Cheese

Step 1:  Cut the cooled, baked potato into bite-sized pieces.  Place in a medium sized bowl.

Step 2: Add the diced onion, chives, bacon bits and cheese to the bowl.  Set aside.

Step 3:  Time to make the dressing!  In a small bowl:  combine the sour cream milk, garlic powder, and Nature's Seasoning.  Stir well.

Step 4:  Pour the dressing over potatoes etc.  Gently stir to combine.  You can serve immediately - but if you let it chill for about a half hour, it tastes even better!

Incredible Edible Sweet Potatoes

Love sweet potato fries?  Then you will love these!  Less fuss, same effect.  Delicious.  Sweet, creamy texture in the center and slightly crispy on the outside.  Buy extra when shopping for sweet potatoes - this recipe always disappears fast!  All you do is dice up the sweet potatoes and roast . . .and shebam!  Before you know it . . .happy family.  The hardest issue is just waiting for them to roast (approximately 1 hour baking time)!  These go great with pork chops, just sayin'.

Incredible Edible Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4-8 

Ingredients:

1-2 Pounds of Sweet Potatoes

1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying with non-stick pan spray.  Set aside.

Step 2:  Wash the sweet potatoes.  Once washed - leave the skins on.  No need to peel!!  Cube them into approximately 1/2 inch cubes.  Place on the cookie sheet in a single layer.  Use two cookie sheets if you run out of room on the first cookie sheet!

Step 3: Once all potatoes are cubed, drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and then give them a quick toss with your hands.  No need to fully coat them in oil.  You just want the oil to get disbursed.

Step 4:  Time to roast up these babies!  Place in the oven for 30 minutes.  Then, stir them around/flip them.  Return to the oven and bake for another 30  minutes - until they are soft when pierced with a fork and slightly beginning to brown around the edges.  

Boiled Corned Beef & Cabbage with Potatoes

Looking for an easy St. Patrick's Day dinner?  Here is my favorite way to serve corned beef, cabbage and potatoes.  This is a very uncomplicated way to cook everything in one large pot - and it turns out soooooo yummy.  And the leftovers are just as yummy.

Boiled Corned Beef & Cabbage with Potatoes

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

2-3lb Corned Beef Roast

6-8 Small Red Potatoes (scrubbed clean - leave skin on)

1 Medium Onion (quartered)

1 Small head of Cabbage (cleaned and cut into wedges)

In a large stock pot or Dutch Oven, cover the roast with water and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Add potatoes and onion to the pot and cook for 20 minutes.  Add cabbage to pot and cook for 15 minutes.

To serve, remove roast and place on platter.  Slice to serve.  For the potatoes and veggies, drain before serving.  Enjoy!

Easy Shepard's Pie Hot Dish

Looking for a great make-ahead meal that is full of comfort?  Give this shepard's pie hot dish a chance and you will leave your family wanting more.  I personally like this recipe because 1) it uses real mashed potatoes and 2) it doesn't have a ton of mashed potatoes.  If you really like mashed potatoes, you may want to double the potatoes (and milk/butter accordingly).

Easy Shepard's Pie Hot Dish

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 LBS Ground Beef

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 Large Onion, Diced

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic

Salt and Pepper

1-14.5 oz Can Carrots

1-14.5 oz Can of Peas

1.5 LBS Potatoes (approx 4 - 6 medium sized)

1/2 - 3/4 Cup Milk

1 Tablespoon Butter

3 Packettes of Dry Gravy Mix ("Brown" flavor or Beef flavored) + Ingredients to Prepare it - or 3 Cups of Prepared Gravy

Step 1:  Peel your potatoes and cut them into quarters.  Place into a large pot and cover them with enough water so that there is an inch of water above them.  Place on stove and bring to boil.  Let boil for 15 - 20 minutes, until fork tender.  Drain and return to the pot.  Mash the the potatoes and add 1/2 cup milk and the butter.  Continue to mash until creamy.  If they seem dry, add a bit more milk and mash again.  Set aside.

Step 2:  Meanwhile, in a large fry pan, brown your hamburger along with the onion, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.  Cook until well browned.  Taste - season with salt and pepper.  Go scant on the salt, as the gravy will add some salt to the finished dish.

Step 3:  Prepare the gravy according package instructions, this should yield 3 cups of finished gravy.

Step 4:  In a 9x13 cake pan, add the hamburger mixture.  Next, drain the peas and carrots and add them to the hamburger.  Mix to combine.  Pour the gravy over the top and mix to combine again.  Dot the mashed potatoes on top (I put 8-blobs on mine and then spread them out a bit).  There will not be enough mashed potatoes to evenly spread on top - which is why you 'dot' them.

Step 5:  If you plan to eat immediately, bake it in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  

Step 5 (if making ahead):  Do not bake now.  Cover the pan and store in the fridge up to 2 days.  Then, bake uncovered in a preheated oven to 350 degrees for 1 hour until hot and bubbly.  

Jo-Jo Potatoes

This is my all-time most favorite ways to have potatoes.  No fooling.  I absolutely love, love, love these. These delicious potatoes have many monikers:  jo-jos, oven fries, baked rounds etc etc.  Personally, I call them delicious :)  They are my favorite way to eat potatoes and despite a few steps for prep, they are pretty easy to make.  They are tender yet a little crispy and flavorful, but not overpowering.  Serve these instead of your standard french fries or tator tots.  Your loved ones will eat them right up and beg for more!

Jo-Jo Potatoes

Serves 2-3

Prep + Bake Time = 1 Hour

Ingredients:

1 lb Potatoes

1/2 Cup Flour

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 TB Seasoned Salt

Oil of Choice (olive, canola or vegetable)

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet by greasing it with cooking oil or spray.

Step 2:  Gather your potatoes, about 3 or 4 and wash them - roughly a pound.  Be sure to remove any of those ugly eyes!

Step 3:  Then, slice them into 1/4-inch rounds.  Mmmmmmmmmm starchy.

Step 4:  Grab and empty bread bag or paper bag.  Pour the flour, seasoned salt and Parmesan cheese into the bag.  Close the top and give it a good couple shakes to combine.  You can change up the seasoning to what you like . . .if you love garlic, add garlic!  Love paprika?  Add paprika!

Step 5:  You will now begin to coat the potatoes!  Place a 3 or 4 slices of potato into the bag and then give it a few shakes.

Retrieve with tongs and place on a greased baking sheet.

Repeat until all the potatoes are coated and laying in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Discard any leftover flour mixture.

Step 6:  Drizzle some cooking oil over the potatoes.  They don't need to be coated, but just a drizzle is good.

Step 7:  Place in oven to bake.  After 25 minutes, pull them out and flip the slices.  Aren't they looking yummy??  I really love, love, love those ones that turn a little more brown than the others.  Like that one in the upper left corner.  Yeah . . .you see the one.  That one. MINE!!!

Step 8:  Return to the baking sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until tender. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Pierogi Lasagna

Let's talk about pierogi's for a minute.  Pierogi's are stuffed little dumplings.  They are typically stuffed with potatoes.  Others things can be added to the potatoes, such as sauerkraut or bacon or cheese.  And then they are boiled, drained and lightly sauteed with butter and onions and often served with sour cream to top them off.  Now, you can probably see where there is a time investment when making these.  That's why I was so excited when I first discovered this recipe for pierogi lasagna.  It's got all the same components . . .just layered instead of as dumplings!  Pasta, cheesy potato, onions, bacon.  Oh boy.  YUM.  The original version is fantastic.  Head over there for a step by step tutorial.  I can't explain it any better.  They do a wonderful job on the tutorial.  

However, here's a picture of mine: