Twice Baked Potato

I'm not all that great at side dishes. I tend to make the same simple things again and again. This happens to be one of those stand-by recipes. What I really like about this recipe is that it is easy enough to make for a quick weeknight dinner but also fancy enough to impress company. I made it for Christmas one year. My dad is still talking about it.

 

Stuffed Potatoes

from Rachael Ray

4 slices bacon, chopped

2 baking potatoes

1/2 C sour cream

2 green onions, finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Bake potatoes in microwave until soft.

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain and set aside.

Preheat broiler.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop inside into bowl. Reserve skins.

Combine potatoes with sour cream, green onions, salt, pepper, cheese, and bacon.

Scoop filling back into skins.

Place under broiler to brown tops.

My Notes:

These freeze really well. I usually make a double batch and stash a few in the freezer.

Sweet Potato Fries

I'm always looking for fun side dishes. Knowing how well the roasted sweet potatoes went over, I decided to try another sweet potato recipe.

From Tasty Kitchen

Active prep: 10 minutes
Inactive prep: 1 hour
Baking time: 35 minutes

2 whole large sweet potatoes
3 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

Cut the sweet potatoes into small fries, about 1/4 of an inch thick. When they are all cut, place them in a bowl with warm water and 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt. Fill the bowl with more water, so that all the fries are covered. Leave them to soak for  an hour. The soaking is important because it makes the fries crispy.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining kosher salt and black pepper onto the pan. Drain the water from your bowl of fries and spread them out evenly on the baking sheet. Top with the remaining salt and pepper and spray the fries with a little more cooking spray.

Place them in the oven and bake for about 30-45 minutes, until the fries are crispy and browned. Flip the fries at least once during baking. If the fries are cooked, but not crispy, place them under the broiler for about a minute.

 My Notes:
I am, apparently, not very good at baking fries. They always come out a little brown. There is always smoke billowing out of the oven, and the smoke alarm goes off every time. Brad really liked these, though.

Week 51: Grilled Potatoes

This seemed like kind of a silly thing to need a recipe for - we make foil packets of potatoes on the grill all the time. The results are inconsistent, though. They are often raw or too salty or flavorless. I thought I'd experiment with someone else's proportions for a quick side dish.

Taken from Healthy Cooking, June / July 2010, p. 31
Prep: 15 minutes
Grill: 40 minutes
Makes 8 servings

8 medium potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1 lrg onions, sliced
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
Sour cream, optional

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Divide mixture between two double thicknesses of heavy-duty foil (about 18" square). Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly.

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 40 - 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender, turning once. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.

Serve with sour cream, if desired.

3/4 C (without sour cream) =
230 calories, 3 g fat, 42 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein

My notes:
These were great! I wouldn't change a thing.

Week 48: Potatoes au Gratin

Brad and I lived together in college. We used to buy ridiculous things for dinner - like potato dishes that came in boxes from the grocery store. You know what I mean, right? Dried potatoes with an envelope of mystery seasoning. Remembering those was what led me to this recipe.

Taken from Pioneer Woman Cooks
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Makes 4 servings

2 whole Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
Cooking spray
3/4 C heavy cream
1/4 C whole milk
1 Tbsp flour
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
Ground pepper, to taste
1/2 C sharp cheddar cheese, grated


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking dish or 4 ramekins with cooking spray.

Slice potatoes in 1/4" slices, then cut each slice into fourths.

In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes. Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. Add grated cheese to the top of the potatoes and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving by the spoonful.

My notes:
These were amazing! They stayed piping hot for quite awhile after coming out of the oven. I should have timed the other food to allow time for the potatoes to cool. The potatoes also over-flowed all over my oven resulting in a hazy atmosphere for the rest of the evening. Next time, I will cook them on a tray.

Week 35: Shepherd's Pie

I'm not sure what made me want to make this. I'd guess, though, it was the mashed potato topping that sealed the deal. And, the fact that it's another potato recipe. It is, after all, potato week around here.

Shepherd's Pie
Taken from Everyday Food
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

1 lb baking potatoes (peeled and sliced)
Salt and Pepper
1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 medium carrots, halved and thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thiny sliced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 pound ground beef
1/2 C whole milk
3/4 C shredded sharp white cheddar (3 oz), divided

Preheat oven to 450.

Boil potatoes in salted water until easily pierced with fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook carrots, celery, and onions in vegetable oil until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring 6 to 8 minutes until no longer pink. Add 1 C water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set filling aside.



Drain potatoes. Return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; add milk and 1/2 C cheese. Mash until smooth; season with salt and pepper.



Pour filling in to 9 x 9 baking dish. Drop potatoes over filling; spread to edges of pan with spatula. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C cheese.



Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.



My notes:
This was good, and it made great left-overs. Brad and I had a long time while we were eating it about what other vegetables we could add. Corn, probably.

Week 35: Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes on Monday. Potatoes again today. Too bad I don't have the power to declare national holidays; I would declare this week to be week of the potato.

A local restaurant makes the most amazing garlic, cream cheese mashed potatoes. (They have great martinis, too, which, oddly enough, go really well with the aforementioned mashed potatoes.) These potatoes are the potatoes against which each recipe I try at home is judged.

This recipe is the closest I've gotten.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Taken from Pioneer Woman Cooks (p. 146 - 148)
Makes 4 servings

2 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp butter (optional), softened
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 (or slightly more) C half-and-half
1/4 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a slow boil over medium-high heat.

Peel potatoes and rinse in cold water. Chop in halves and/or fourths for quick and even cooking. Add potatoes to pot. Increase heat to high and bring to full boil. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes. The potatoes are ready when they are poked easily with a fork.

Drain potatoes. Return to pot on low heat.

Mash potatoes over low heat until steam escapes. Continue mashing about 2 minutes or until all lumps are gone. Turn off heat.

Add butter and cream cheese. Add half-and-half. Stir.

Add seasonings and adjust to taste.

Spread potatoes in 1-quart baking dish. Add 2 Tbsp sliced butter (optional). Bake covered at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.




My notes:
I realize that the picture I included is terrible. Don't let it cloud your judgment. Potatoes just aren't particularly photogenic. These potatoes are perfect in every way.

Week 35: Roasted Potato Wedges

The week has gotten off to a crazy start, so this is the very best I can offer you. Roasted Potato Wedges - a recipe and a really terrible picture.

Roasted Potato Wedges
from Pioneer Woman Cooks

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves 2

Potatoes (Russets, 4 medium-sized)
1/4 C olive oil
2 Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dried parsley

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash potatoes. Cut potatoes into wedges.

Toss with oil, butter, salt, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and parsley.

Toast for 15 minutes on a cookie sheet.

Shake around. Stir.

Roast for another 20 minutes.

Serve immediately.



My notes:
Combine all of the ingredients in a big bowl. Add the potatoes and toss. I didn't do this. I mixed it all on the pan which resulted in lots of extra olive oil and butter sitting on the pan, smoking up my oven. Super quick and easy side dish.

I'm always looking for side dishes - healthy, easy side dishes. I will add this to my permanent rotation.

Week 15: Stracotto with EVOO Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Meat and me - we don't have a real great history, especially roasts and me.

I've tried making roasts in the crock pot. I always anticipate that such a choice will result in a house that smells great, and a roast that flakes apart and tastes fabulous (with very little effort).

In reality, what happens is that the meat gets completely burned, all liquid cooks out of the crock pot, the meat ends up in the trash, and we go to Applebee's (or some other ridiculous restaurant) in place of eating the roast.

(I've even tried buying and returning and returning and returning several different crock pots thinking that the problem must, in fact, be with the crock pot and not with my cooking methods.)

Then, there was the lamb incident. Even using the oven and a brand-new meat thermometer couldn't fix my relationship with meat.

Alas, I refused to let the meat defeat me and decided to try (yet again!) to make a roast. And, this time I was victorious, and Brad was happy.

Stracotto (Italian-style Pot Roast)
Serves 6 to 8
from Cook's Illustrated: Italian Favorites (p. 36)



1 boneless chuck roast (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped medium
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped medium
2 small celery ribs, chopped medium
10 oz white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
2 medium garlic gloves, minced (about 2 tsp)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 C low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 C low-sodium beef broth
1/2 dry white wine
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
1 - 1 1/2 C water (varies)
1 tsp dried rosemary

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Thoroughly pat roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in large heatproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer roast to large plate; set aside.



3. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, carrot, celery, and mushroom to pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.



4. Add chicken and beef broths, wine, tomatoes and juice, and thyme, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot. Add enough water to come halfway up sides of roast. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium heat, then place large piece of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven. Cook, turning roast every 30 minutes, until fully tender and meat fork or sharp knife easily slips in and out, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.


5. Transfer roast to carving board and tent with foil to keep warm. Allow liquid in pot to settle for about 5 minutes, then use wide spoon to skim fat off surface. Add rosemary and boil over high heat until reduced to about 1 1/2 C, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Carve meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices or pull it apart into large pieces. Transfer meat to warmed serving platter and pour sauce and vegetables over it. Serve immediately.



This was totally delicious. I used a chuck roast that was a little more than 2 pounds. It still took almost 3 hours to cook. I was worried the whole time that I was over-cooking it, but it was really clear when it was cooked enough. Also, checking it every 30 minutes was a great way to be sure I didn't over-cook. I do have to say, though, that turning the roast every 30 minutes really interfered with my Sunday-afternoon napping schedule!

Also, the chuck roast I bought wasn't tied, and I didn't tie it. The recipe made a big deal out of tying the meat, but I didn't have any baker's twine and didn't want a Bridget Jones-esque blue string incident.

We will make this again - maybe even for company. It was that good!

Garlic and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6
from Cook's Illustrated: Italian Favorites (p. 39)

2 lb russet potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed
5 medium garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
1/2 C + 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp juice from 1 lemon

1. Place potatoes in large saucepan with water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and cook at bare simmer until just tender, 40 to 45 minutes.

2. While potatoes are simmering, mince 1 garlic clove. Place minced garlic on cutting board and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp salt. Using flat side of chef's knife, drag garlic and salt back and forth across cutting board in small circular motions until garlic is ground into smooth paste. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside.

3. Mince remaining 4 cloves garlic. Place garlic in small saucepan with 1/4 C olive oil and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until garlic foams and is soft, fragrant, and golden, 5 minutes. Transfer oil and garlic to bowl with raw garlic paste.

4. Drain cooked potatoes. Using paring knife, peel skins from potatoes; quarter.

5. Add remaining salt, pepper, lemon juice, and remaining 2 Tbsp uncooked olive oil to bowl with garlic and cooked oil and whisk to combine.

6. Fold mixture into potatoes. Blend together using an electric mixer on a slow speed.



A few things about this recipe. . . I was nervous about the amount of garlic, but the end result was really great (not anything that would scare vampires, as I originally thought). And, I've also saved you from a fatal typo in the original recipe. The recipe lists 2 Tbsp olive oil in one place and 6 Tbsp olive oil in another place. I used 6 Tbsp. It was way too much olive oil.

The verdict. . . the potatoes were a great mate for the roast. I think they'd also taste great with chicken marsala. We will make them again.

Week 1 (Part 2): Meat and Potatoes

I eat to feel better. I know this about myself. Today was a day that I needed food. It was a bad day. Tears were involved. So, I came home and cooked. I snapped green beans and grated potatoes and whisked. It felt good.

"Lemony Green Beans"
Taken from Simple Suppers
from The Moosewood Collective

Serves 4 to 6 people
Ready in 20 minutes

1 tsp. salt
1 pound green beans
1 lemon
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil or butter
salt and pepper

Bring 3 or 4 inches of salted water to a boil. Rinse the green beans, and trim the stem ends. When the water boils, add the green beans and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

While the beans are cooking, grate the lemon peel and juice the lemon and set aside. You'll need about 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest.

When the beans are tender, drain them and return them to the pain. Add the olive oil or butter and the lemon juice and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with lemon zest.

I liked this. It was easy enough to make and tasted great - really lemony.

"Two Potato Gratin"
Taken from Simple Suppers
from The Moosewood Collective

Serves 4
Takes 55 minutes

2 eggs
3 C grated sweet potatoes and white potatoes
1/2 C chopped scallions
2 Tbsp. white flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 C grated dilled Havarti cheese
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 375.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, scallions, flour, salt, pepper, and half of the cheese and mix well.

Heat the butter and oil in a large ovenproof skills (10 to 12 inches) on medium-high heat. Spoon the potato mixture into the skillet and spread evenly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the bottom is nicely browned. Do not stir.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the top is golden. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Cut the gratin into wedges and serve hot.

I expected this was going to be like cheesy potatoes; I guess they're called scalloped potatoes. It was more like hashed browns. But, the mix of sweet and regular potato was nice, and the onions added some crunch. I'd eat it again.

"Mustard Horseradish Sauce"
Taken from Barefoot Contessa Family Style
by Ina Garten

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 1/2 C mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1/3 C sour cream
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Whisk together. Serve at room temperature.

Ina's original recipe was meant to accompany a rib roast. I served it with beef tenderloin cooked on the grill.

I didn't have two different kinds of mustard and just used about 4 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard. I also would have added a little more horseradish for some extra kick. Oh, and I would recommend remembering to put the sour cream on your shopping list to avoid an extra and last-minute trip to the store.