Creamy Cheddar Potatoes

We had our crockpot  overnight with what would have been a delicious stew type meal, called chulent.  It had beef, sausage, potatoes, kasha, brown rice, a delicious sauce and beans.  It would have been a  warming and filling for lunch on the Shabbos (Sabbath) but —- dum de dum dum.  

My husband got to the kitchen first and saw that the clock was dark.  Then, he noted the microwave was also dark.  Then, he quietly panicked and touched the crockpot which was cool.  He poked his finger into the mixture in the pot and it was cold, stone cold.  There went lunch.

Since, we do not cook on Shabbos, I put together a lunch of leftovers which did not compare to the chulent.  They were cold and while tasty, they just did not fulfill hubby’s longing for a bubbling stew.

After Shabbos……… The conversation went like this.  I am not kidding.

Me: You must be hungry, not having your chulent today.

Hubby:  I am starving.

Me:  I know.  What would you like.  Name it and I will make it.

H:  I don’t care.  Anything will do.  I am starving.

Me:  No, I want you to tell me and I will make it.

H: Anything.  I am starving.

Me: Tell me.

H:  OK, pancakes.  I am starving.

Me: Great.  You got them.

He went on  his way and I went to the kitchen to make pancakes but I did not want pancakes.  Sweet was not for me, tonight, only savory.  How could I not make the pancakes?

Continued conversation:

Me: Do you really want pancakes?

H: I don’t care. I am starving.

Me: How do potatoes sounds?

H: Fine, I don’t really like pancakes.

me: Huh?  OK, potatoes it is.

I  did make the potatoes, nice and creamy and loaded with cheddar cheese.  I did this in the microwave to cut the time.  After all, the poor man was starving or have you missed that point?

Creamy Cheddar Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and diced)

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup low fat sour cream

1/2 cup low fat milk

salt to taste

Method:

In a medium sized mixing bowl, place potato pieces and water to cover.  Cook on high for 6 minutes or until potatoes are completely cooked.

Drain potatoes and place back in bowl.  

Add milk and sour cream to potatoes and mix well.

Top with cheddar and return to microwave.  Microwave for 2 minutes.

Remove and mix well so that potatoes are coated with the cheese and cream.

This is pure comfort food.   The man is not starving.

     

 

See Ya in the Gumbo    Mop it Up Mondays        Made From Scratch Monday      Inspire Me Monday         Veggie Mama’s Meatless Monday     Mealtime Monday    My Meatless Monday        Marvelous Mondays

Creamy Sliced Potatoes

Recently, I got a mandolin, not a fancy one.  This is a  handheld one that works very fast and does have a protecting piece to use when you slice.  I love to use it because of the speed.  If I am slicing an English cucumber which is quite long, it take about thirty seconds.  Granted, I move quickly but it allows for that.  It has proven to be a time saver and a work saver.  It is also fun to use.  (as long as you don’t cut yourself)

The original recipe, I thought I was making, called for hash browns.  Chopping potatoes is not what I consider fun so I opted to make a slice potato dish.  Once, I deviated from that original recipe, I threw it away, and followed my instincts.  I firmly believe, it is hard, to ruin a potato dish.

Off, I went to play with my new toy.

Creamy Sliced Potatoes

4 potatoes, sliced thin

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup organic vegetable broth

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add potatoes and onions and cook for 10 minutes, mixing every two or three minutes.

Add the soup and black pepper and cook for another minute or two until soup is hot.

In a bowl, mix the sour cream, cream cheese and cheddar.  Add to potato mixture and continue to mix until cheese has melted.

Make sure the liquid has cooked out.

This has a nice creamy consistency and good flavor.

 

Potatoes and Onions

It was a moment of  pure desire for a potato.  I didn’t care if it was boiled, baked or fried.  I wanted potato.  I followed my inner guide, cooked this up and had my potato.

Potatoes and Onions

3 medium potatoes, sliced thin (almost as thin as for potato chips)

1 large onion, sliced thin

spray olive oil

chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a baking pan with olive oil.

Layer potatoes and onions in baking pan.

Spray the top later with additional oil.

Bake at 400 degrees fro 20-30 minutes, until it is golden brown.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and chopped parsley.

 

How To Rush A Meal

The decision was made – salmon would be for dinner.  We love salmon and I wanted to make a side that we care about as much.  That meant pasta or potatoes and the latter won out.  I had the desire for comfort food and that meant potatoes and cheese.  There is something about noodles or potatoes that fills me up emotionally.

When I opened the refrigerator to get the cheese, I saw a little fresh cauliflower left, less than two cups.  That is when the recipe took a turn, for the better, in my opinion.  That is also when the alarms went off …….roaring symbols in the background.  I had about twenty minutes to get dinner on the table and ten minutes prep and probably an hour bake time.  Not going to happen……

You might ask why I had to get dinner on the table in twenty minutes.  Hubby and I have a humorous Q and A.  He calls, when he is on his way home and I ask him, when he will be home.  He gives me an exact time, like 5:23 or 7:16,  My goal becomes getting the meal done by that time.  I usually don’t but I give it the college try.

I am not being totally honest.  When I get home from work or home from shopping, I check my email and the blog.  You are bloggers.  You know how time flies when you are doing these.  It repeats itself, daily…..good intentions and bad timing.  When, I finally get into the kitchen, if I haven’t prepped, in the morning, I move very quickly.

Tonight, it mean cutting potatoes to be close to hash browns, chopping onions, shredding cheese, measuring and solving problems.  Here is my recipe and I will share how I cut down the time, not to 20 minutes but to something more reasonable than 60.

Creamy Cauliflower Potato Bake

4 medium potatoes (I had Idaho), sliced with a mandolin

2 cups cauliflower, broken into little pieces

salt and black pepper to taste

1 onion, chopped

1 cup vegetable broth, more if needed

1 cup light sour cream

2 cups Mexican cheese or cheese of choice

1/4 cup fresh chives or 2 teaspoon dried chives

1 – 2 cups crumbs (taco, corn chips, bread, cracker – your choice)  I used tortilla chips

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a casserole or baking pan with olive oil.

Layer chopped onions on the bottom of pan.

Place paper thin potato slices (the mandolin took no time to make this happen) on top of the onions.

Cover with sour cream and mix everything slightly.

Cover with half of the cheese and again mix slightly.

Pour cauliflower pieces on top and once again mix gently.

Add remaining cheese and give it a slight mix.

Finally, cover with crumbs and spray olive oil on top of crumbs.

Now the way, I made this happen.

Put the casserole or baking dish into a microwave for about 10 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave.

It will be very hot when you remove it so please  take care.  Place it in the 400 degree oven.  Bake, starting to check at 10 minutes.  The top will turn a golden brown when it is done or should be done.  If the potatoes are not cooked through, microwave for another few minutes.

I did not care if the cauliflower cooked through.  I like it crisp and it gives a little crunch to the dish.

This was delicious and went well with the salmon and a tossed salad.

This is linked to  Frugal Food Thursdays       Recipe of the Week – Anything Goes     See Ya in the Gumbo     Seasonal Inspiration    Muffin Monday   Yummy  Inspirations Breakfast     My Meatless Monday  Mop it Up Mondays    Breakfast Ideas Monday   Mix it up Monday     Mealtime Monday Recipe Link  Melt in Your Mouth Mondays      Mangia Mondays      On the Menu Monday

Tomato Vegetable Casserole

This is my disappearing recipe.  I copied it, into the blog and was about to alter the recipe to what I had actually done but decided to get my photos first.  I still am not sure why but I could not find them.  I went through pages of photos and still no photos for this recipe.  I finally gave up and saved this as a draft and promptly forgot about it.

Today, when I was about to blog another recipe, I found the draft and decided to take another look.  Lo and behold, the photos jumped out at me, almost immediately.  Have you had days like this?

Tomato Vegetable Casserole     Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis  (adapted)     6 servings

Ingredients

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yam, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 large zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
Salt and pepper
1 large ripe tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons taco chip crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss the potato, yam, bell pepper, carrots, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss until coated. Spread vegetables evenly over the bottom of the pan.

Arrange the onion slices evenly over the vegetable mixture. Arrange the zucchini over the onion. Drizzle with 1  tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomato slices over the zucchini.

Stir the Parmesan and  crumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the Parmesan bread crumbs over the vegetables in the baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender, and the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. 

This is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays         Made from Scratch Mondays    Allergy Free Wednesday      Real Food Wednesday    Made from Scratch Mondays       Hearth and Soul

    Cast Party Wednesdays      Pennywise Platter   Seasonal Event

Broccoli Quiche with Hash Brown Crust

I don’t like making pie crusts for two reasons.  I am not good at it and I get frustrated.  I think twice before using so much fat in a dish.  I do like pies, though and keep discovering ways to make them, with alternative crusts.  This is one of the best because the crispy potato crust brings added flavor to the quiche.

I started the process, shredding the potatoes but as time went by, my hand began to tell me, I was foolish and I took out the mini processor and finished up, in the machine.  How quickly that goes.  For the next step I threw the onions and cheese in also, and everything speedily blended and I had the makings of my filling.

I chose broccoli but there are many other good choices for a filling.  A spinach quiche is good…..mushroom and onion , fried is even better.  Sour cream in the filling makes it creamier as does a bit of cream cheese.  Gouda is a good sub for the cheese.  This is a recipe to be creative with.

Ingredients

3 cups shredded hash brown potatoes (I used three potatoes to get the necessary amount)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup  broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup smoked cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Press hash browns onto the bottom and sides of a pie plate or shallow baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake  for 20 minutes, or until beginning to brown.  (The rim browned first.)

3. In a small bowl, combine broccoli, onion and shredded cheese and put aside

4.  In another bowl,combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper .   Add broccoli and cheese and mix together.

5. Spread broccoli mixture on the crust and return to oven, lowering it to 350 degrees F.

6.  Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until filling is  golden brown.

This is linked to Cast Party Wednesday           Inspire Me Monday

Pennywise Platter Thursdays 

Scrumptious Sunday Link Party 

Inspire me Monday

Lunch on Passover

I find, one of the biggest challenges of Passover is lunch.  The food in the house is different and what I normally would throw together is not available.  I usually resort to eggs since we have lots of them.  When, I went to take out the eggs, I spotted a small container of shredded carrots and a small bag of potato cubes (cooked) and a piece of raw onion.  No challenge here, I would put them into the egg but that is so mundane.

Instead, I pulled out the mini processor and threw everything in, plus some garlic, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and blended it together.  I cooked it in a skillet and presto, I had breakfast.  The carrots shined through and gave a slightly sweet tinge to the egg mixture.  I liked it a lot and would like to play around with this, using different vegetable and different amounts.

Ingredients: (These are approximate amounts. )

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup potato chunks

1 medium onion chunked

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

cooking spray

Procedure

In a blender or food  processor, put all ingredients, except parsley and blend until you have a smooth mixture.

Grease a medium-sized skillet and pour in mixture.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Cook on one side until it is a light brown.  I cooked on low for about 3 minutes.  Turn and cook other side for another 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve and enjoy.

This is linked to  Real Food Wednesdays   Pennywise Platter Thursdays

Passover Cabbage Potato Cakes

I decided to audition a few recipes before the holiday.  Since, I printed this up, a few weeks ago, and have kept looking at it, saying, “I must make this,” I decided to do just that.  This is a good recipe to multi-task.  While the potatoes cook, chop and brown your vegetable. Everything can come together, at about the same time, in that way.  These were a success and I am going to make them in smaller tins for my grandchildren.  I think, they will enjoy, their own little potato cabbage cakes.

Passover Cabbage Potato Cakes

Ingredients:

1 cup cabbage, shredded and then chopped smaller

3 potatoes, peeled and boiled and mashed

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large onion, diced

1 egg

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup potato starch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray muffin tins with cooking oil.

Chop onions and carrots in a food processor.  I used my mini processor from my immersion blender to get small pieces, not as tiny as in my full sized food processor.  If you do not have this option, I suggest, chopping by hand.

Peel potatoes and cut into quarters.  Place in a boiling pot of water. (carefully)  Cook for 15 – 20 minutes until soft enough to mash.

While potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in skillet and saute onions and carrots until onions are softened.

Add cabbage to carrots and onions.

Drain potatoes and mash.  Add other vegetables to potatoes.

Add dry ingredients and mix into potatoes.  Add wet ingredients and mix well.  Add eggs and oil and combine with potato mixture.  Add salt and pepper and mix in.

Using a quarter cup, scoop the potato mixture into the muffin tins.  Top with a little chopped parsley.

Bake for 25 minutes until lightly browned.

I think, you will really enjoy these.

This is linked to Real Food Wednesdays   Cast Party Wednesday – Link Party #34     Pennywise Platter

Potato, Zucchini, Goat and Cheddar Cheese Gratin

Today  is  the Improv Cooking Challenge which is hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker and our ingredients are potato and cheese.  I make so much with potatoes and cheese, I could have a dozen recipes here.  I wanted to make something new, though, and decided to see what I could do with what I had in the refrigerator to make a new recipe.

This is what I came up with and I really liked it and Romeo liked it a lot but not as much as some of my other cheese dishes.

Potato, Zucchini, Goat Cheese  and Cheddar Gratin
1 medium zucchini, sliced thin

4 medium potatoes, sliced thin

1 red onion, sliced thin

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces plain  goat cheese

2/3 cup white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Italian Dressing

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Pour olive oil in a casserole dish  and spread to cover bottom.

Layer potato zucchini, red onion, goat cheese.  Pour half of the dressing over this.

Repeat layer.

I had enough for a third layer of potatoes so put on another layer and cover that with Cheddar.

Bake  for 30 minutes.  Cover and bake for another 15-20 minutes. 

This is linked to Friday Food      Gallery of Favorites     It’s A Blog Party

Cheesy Vegetable Casserole

I made a yummy soup for dinner and needed something for us, to eat, after the soup.   I would normally go to potatoes or pasta or possibly fish.  I was looking to use up some of my frozen vegetables so I did take a potato dish but altered it to share the starring role with spinach, corn and red pepper. 

It is interesting that the corn seemed to be the vegetable that stood out.  It added the most flavor to the mixture which surprised and pleased me.  I like corn more than spinach.  The spinach was more of the background.  The potatoes had onion mixed in them which added to the flavor.

Ingredients

Spray cooking oil

2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped (You could use frozen hash browns.)

1 medium onion, chopped

1  1/2 cups frozen spinach

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup Egg Beaters or 4 eggs

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray bottom and sides of 1 1/2 quart casserole.

Press chopped potatoes and onions on bottom of casserole. Bake 10 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, mix the remaining ingredients (except cheese) in a large bowl.  Pour on top of potatoes.

Return to oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set.

Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

 Makin’ You Crave Mondays       Pennywise Platter Thursday     Friday Food   Gallery of Favorites

 It’s A Blog Party