Potato Cakes

I came up with this recipe last night when I was at a loss as to what to do with potatoes. Sometimes, going in a completely different direction can lead to good things - this being one of them... This does have the option of being easily vegetarian, which is great.

Yields about 20 potato cakes, 3" diameter

4-5 fist-sized russet or Idaho potatoes, washed and large diced (about 1" cubed)
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
**optional ingredients can include shredded onion, bacon, garlic, whatever you want**
up to 1 c all purpose flour (depending on what is needed)
Salt
Pepper

Boil potatoes to just past done (not easily mashed, but smash-able*)
Drain and place into a medium bowl
Smash potatoes but leave some chunks, and add eggs and milk.
Add flour, 1/3 cup at a time, until the mixture is thick and does not easily drop off a spoon

In a medium saute pan, heat 1/2" olive oil and 1 Tbsp bacon fat (optional)
Take one large spoon-ful of the dough and place into the oil, then spread til it's about 3/4" thick
Repeat until you have 3 or 4 in the pan at one time
Fry until golden brown, then gently and carefully turn
Fry until golden brown
Place onto a paper towel to drain
Repeat until finished

*think potato salad done, rather than mashed potato done

Delicious home-made Crock-pot Beef Stew

I haven't been able to run test recipes for a while now, and for that I apologize. It seems like whenever I get the chance, two seconds in something happens and I have to put everything on hold. *chuckle* This recipe is for those who think that those beef stew packets are all that... :-) You don't need to spend so much money on those things, though. Trust me.

Dredge mix:
2 c flour
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp garlic powder
salt
black cracked pepper



2 lbs beef, cubed into bite-sized pieces

5 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp Butter

4 c water, beef or veggie stock

1 bunch celery, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
6 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
5 large potatoes, scrubbed and chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp lemon juice
3 cups frozen petite green peas

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
Dredge beef well in the flour, then add, a little at a time, into the skillet.
Cook until brown and place into the waiting crock-pot.
Repeat until all the beef is done.
Add all the vegetables, withholding the garlic and peas.

Melt butter into the hot skillet and add remaining flour mixture.
If needed, add a little extra butter or flour to make the roux paste.
Cook until the flour smells nutty and turns a dark brown. Be careful not to burn it.

Slowly add your water/stock about 1 cup at a time, and stir until mixed with no lumps. As it gets more soup-like, you can add more stock at a time until completely mixed.

Add the sauce to the crock-pot, turn on high, cover, and leave sit for about 3.5 hours.

Test the potatoes with a fork, and if almost fork-tender, add the garlic and lemon juice.

Let sit another 30 minutes.

Add frozen peas, and remove from heat, stirring.

Serve with crusty bread.

Potato Stir Fry

I couldn't figure out what to serve with my Thai Chicken bites, so I looked in my pantry to see what I had... I found red, yukon, and russet (Idaho) potatoes, and I knew I had a bag of stir fry veggies. So, I figured I'd just see what happened.

Serves 4 hungry people (when served with the Thai Chicken Bites)

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 red potatoes, diced
1 large yukon gold, diced
2 russet potatoes, cleaned and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 sage leaves, minced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 16 oz package stir fry veggie mix (your choice)
salt
pepper

Heat olive oil to medium high.
Add all potatoes into the pan and let cook, stirring after 5 minutes, to allow for browning.
Add garlic, sage and red pepper.
Continue to cook until potatoes are mostly browned.
Add stir fry veggies, and cook until completely heated through.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Basic Hash

One of the first dishes I learned to make was a basic hash recipe. Simple, easy, stick-to-your-ribs stuff that was just plain good.

Every time I cook this meal, I'm taken back to my childhood and family. It just makes me happy...

Serves 4 hungry people

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced (optional
1/2 lb ground meat (your choice of beef, turkey or pork, or a mix)
3 large Russet potatoes (aka Idaho potatoes)
salt
pepper

In a large, non-stick saute pan, heat olive oil on medium low heat.
Add garlic and onion, increase the heat to medium, and saute until onions are soft.
Add butter and let melt.
Add mushrooms and saute until soft and slightly golden brown.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the ground meat and brown.
Add the potatoes and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
Add onions, garlic and mushrooms back in.
Season with salt and pepper

Serve.

Tasty Vegan Indian Curry

Before you say EWWW yuck, give it a chance. It's actually quite tasty, and if you don't want it to be Vegan, it's easy to add chicken or shrimp to it, too. This becomes a complete protein when served with rice.

Serves 8 hungry people (with the rice cooked below can serve up to 12)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
4 potatoes, cleaned and cubed
1 tsp crushed red peppers
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c water or veggie stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 celery heart, diced
1 Tbsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp ground Coriander seed
1-2 Tbsp green curry powder
2 cups garbanzo beans (chick peas), pre-cooked
3 carrots
2 cups chopped broccoli
3 cups green beans
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 c water or veggie stock
salt and pepper to taste

In a large non-stick pan, Heat olive oil on medium high heat
Place potatoes into pan and let fry about 6 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally
Add salt and crushed red chilis
Add water or veggie stock and stir
Add in garlic, celery and onion, and stir until combined
Cook about 4-5 minutes, stirring fairly constantly
Add Turmeric, Coriander and Curry powder, and combine completely
Add garbanzo beans, carrots, broccoli, green beans and red bell pepper
Stir to combine, and add the 1/2 c water or veggie stock
Let simmer about 15-20 minutes
Season with salt and pepper to taste

Serve with rice below

RICE

1 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 c rice
1/2 c slivered almonds, without skin
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups water or veggie stock

In a medium saucepot, heat olive oil on medium high heat
Add rice, slivered almonds and kosher salt
Stir to coat completely with olive oil and let toast until just lightly brown on the rice
Add enough water or veggie stock to cover by about 1"
Reduce heat to simmer and place lid on the pot
Let cook about 15 minutes, or until rice is done

Serve with the curry

Chile Chicken Chowder (my twist)

So, I was watching Paula Dean the other night and already had a good beef stew cooking, and she started making poblano chicken chowder. I was totally intrigued. I really love making a good chicken tortilla soup, and I adore chicken corn chowder, so the idea of a somewhat-combination really got me going... I had to put my own twist on it, though, as I really love to have potatoes in my chowders... And I prefer to thicken most of my soups with corn starch rather than roux. So, here it is. Enjoy!

Yields: 12-16 servings, depending on your hunger level...

1/4 cup olive oil
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
5 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 lbs gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups frozen or fresh corn
1/8 cup minced garlic
2 to 3 small poblano peppers, roasted, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice -OR-
2 to 3 small anaheim peppers, roasted, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, or more to taste
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
2 quarts water or chicken broth
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, minced
3 cups diced (large pieces) grilled chicken
1 Tbsp corn starch, mixed into
1 pint heavy cream

Directions

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat
Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, peppers, salt, white pepper, cumin, and thyme
Saute for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften
Stir in the chicken bouillon
Add the chicken broth, potatoes, corn and cilantro, and cook until the carrots and potatoes are tender
Stir in the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chowder is thick and the chicken is heated through
Add the cream and corn starch mixture
Bring up just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about two minutes, stirring constantly

Serve garnished with some fresh tomatoes and tortilla chips

If you really want to make the nice warm burn come alive, add both the poblanos and the anaheims. I found the flavor to be really fabulous.

Asparagus with Lobster and Cream Sauce...

OK - so, you think you can't have lobster because it's so expensive. Actually, it's not all that expensive if you get it on sale, and if you're mixing it into other things, like in this dish. I picked up 4 lobsters for about $24 total at my local store - they were having a sale - and if you look around, you may surprise yourself. It's a bit of work to pick them, but it's really tasty. If lobster isn't your thing, you can also do this with shrimp or crab as well...

Serves 4 people

4 small lobsters (about 1 lb each - you'll get about 5 oz of meat out of each), picked clean
1.5 lb pencil-thin asparagus, chopped into 1.5" long pieces
2 medium shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
nutmeg
salt
pepper

Heat 12" non-stick skillet on medium heat
Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter and let melt
Add shallots and garlic
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg*
Let sweat for about 6 minutes, until super fragrant - do not let brown
Add asparagus, and cook about 6 minutes - stirring every few minutes
Chop lobster into bite-sized pieces
Add cream and let cook until starting to thicken, stirring every few minutes
Add lobster and parmesan cheese
Let cheese thicken, and lobster fully heat up

Serve over baked potato or linguine pasta

*Nutmeg should be used with caution. I'd say only 2-3 scrapes on a microplane, if you're not used to the flavor. It brings out the sweetness of the lobster, but can overpower it if you aren't careful. No more than about 5-6 scrapes tops in this dish, at this serving size.

Easy, one-pot potato curry

Serves 6

1 onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cubed
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 large baking potatoes, cubed
1 ½ c water
2 Tbsp kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
1 pkg (12-16 oz) frozen mixed veggies
¼ c cornstarch slurry (half and half cornstarch and cold water, mixed)

Heat a skillet to medium high and add olive oil and onion
Cook on medium high, stirring constantly, until onions are just tender
Add chicken, garlic and curry powder
Continue to cook until chicken is just barely done
Add potatoes, water, salt and pepper
Cover, and let cook on medium heat about 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are just done
Add frozen mixed veggies, stir, and cover again
Cook another 3-5 minutes, or until veggies are cooked and heated through
Add slurry if necessary, and bring up to a boil
Let cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly

Serve and enjoy!

Red Flannel Hash

Want to know what to do with your corned beef leftovers... Well, if you had any? This is an old family recipe of mine that I loved - even though, I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of beets. If you aren't a huge fan of beets, either, don't worry. Trust me, you'll find that it's actually quite tasty. If you ARE a huge fan of beets, this is a fun way to get them into your diet.

2 large baking potatoes, cleaned and diced
1/2 c water
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
1 large onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can diced beets**
8-10 oz corned beef, cooked and diced

In a large frying pan, place diced potatoes onto the bottom
Add water and seasoning
Cover and let steam on medium heat until water is completely evaporated (about 10 minutes - potatoes should be completely cooked at this point and just need browning)
Add onion and olive oil, and stir to combine completely
Add beets and corned beef
Stir to combine completely
Cook about 5 minutes to completely heat through
Serve

Rustic Tuscan Soup

This is my version of what the Olive Garden serves... My husband has stated several times that this is SOOO much better, it's not even funny.

Serves about 8 hungry people

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb thick-cut prosciutto, cut into small bits
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs mild Italian sausage
5 lbs potatoes, small cubed
4 stalks celery, small diced
2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1/2 gal water
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 pint half and half
2 bunches Kale, de-veined and chopped

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil to medium high.
Add prosciutto and garlic and let cook over medium heat until meat begins to crackle
Add the sausage, breaking it up into small chunks
Cook until sausage is completely cooked through
Add potatoes, celery and salt
Add water and bouillon
Bring to a boil, and reduce to a quick simmer
Let cook until potatoes are just fork-tender
Add half and half and stir
Add kale and stir through
Cook another 5 minutes on medium heat

Serve with rustic bread.

Haluski

This is an old depression-era recipe from the Hungarians in my family. It’s extremely inexpensive, and can be served with practically any veggie you like to make a complete meal. This is actually a half recipe (we Hungarians are big eaters, with big families).

Serves 6-8 hungry people
5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and washed
1 lb cottage cheese
1 lb bacon

½ c all purpose flour
1 egg

Dumplings:
Take 2 medium-large potatoes out of the 5 lbs and shred them.
Combine the shredded potatoes with flour and egg
Season with salt and pepper
Set aside

Chop bacon into ½ inch pieces and fry on medium heat

Bring 4 qts water and 1 Tbsp salt to a rolling boil
Chop remaining potatoes and place into boiling water
Drop dumplings into water, using large spoon to separate into about 1” balls
Cook until potatoes are tender and dumplings are done
Drain potatoes
Drain off bacon
Combine bacon, potatoes dumplings and cottage cheese

Season with salt and pepper and serve hot

Oven Fried Potatoes

3 medium potatoes, washed and unpeeled

1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
1 Tsp granulated garlic
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp onion powder
½ Tsp smoked paprika

3 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees
Slice potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices
Lay on large cookie sheet that’s been lined in foil (easy clean-up)
Coat both sides with olive oil
Mix spices together and sprinkle on both sides
Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
Serve warm

Chicken with smashed "dirty" potatoes and gravy

Comfort abounds in this classic dish. I modernized it a bit, gave it a little twist, and came up with something delicious that was easy to make, very little mess, and quick to create.

Serves about 4 hungry people

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 large chicken breasts, skinned, boned and sliced into bite-sized chunks
1/2 onion, thinly diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg powdered chicken gravy
1 pkg powdered turkey gravy
2 c cold water

4 large baking potatoes, UNPEELED, and diced
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 stick butter
2/3 c milk

In a large skillet, heat olive oil, and add onion
Cook on medium-high heat, stirring, until onion turns slightly clear
Add garlic and chicken
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Cook until chicken is just done, then add gravy mixes
Add water and stir until combined
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, and let cook

Meanwhile...

In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil
Add diced potatoes and cook until just fork tender
Drain and place back into pot
Place onto VERY low heat and let potatoes dry a bit
Add 1/2 the butter and smash together
Add milk, and season to taste
Add the remaining butter and stir until completely combined

Serve with veggies and enjoy!

Twice-baked Sausage-stuffed Potatoes

I cannot take credit for this one… I found it at www.allrecipes.com, and tweaked it to my liking. Yum! Enjoy.

Serves 4 hungry people

4 large baking potatoes
½ lb ground meat
1 medium onion
8 large fresh sage leaves
¼ c fresh (not packed) oregano leaves
6-8 thyme stems, de-leaved (keep the leaves, not the stems)
2 long stalks tarragon
3 cloves garlic
1 c sour cream
4 Tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper
2 c shredded cheese (for topping)

Slice potatoes in half and bake in the oven or microwave until completely cooked through.
Let cool and scoop out insides of potatoes carefully.
Brown ground meat in a pan.
In a food processor, or with a sharp knife, mince onion, herbs and garlic together.
Add salt and pepper and mix together.
Mix ½ the herb mixture into the browning meat.
Add potatoes to the meat and mash together.
Add remaining herb mixture, sour cream and butter, then stir.
Stuff the completed mixture back into the potato jackets
Top each with a ½ c of shredded cheese.
Place under broiler and melt cheese.

Serve.

There will be leftover stuffing – I’ve found it’s a great snack to munch on for later, or dip for crackers.

Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes

2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 lbs yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 head garlic, roasted
1 tsp garlic powder
1 stick butter
2/3 c milk
salt
pepper

To roast garlic:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Place topped head of garlic into a large square of tin foil.

Add 2 Tbsp olive oil, sprinkling of pepper sprinkling of salt.

Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hr, or until garlic is tender and lightly browned.

Remove from oven and unwrap completely.

To cook potatoes:
In a 12 qt stock pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil.

Gently place all potatoes into pot and turn heat down to medium-high.

Let cook about 14 minutes, or until yellow potatoes are very tender.

Drain, and place potatoes back into the pot.

Place on extremely low heat (or if an electric stove, turn off heat just prior to draining and don't turn back on).

Stir lightly while potatoes steam dry for a few minutes.

Add butter, garlic, and milk.

Mash completely together, adding pepper and salt for taste.