Parmesan Potatoes

My aunt and my mom have been making these Parmesan Potatoes for as long as I can remember. They are the perfect side dish for BBQ.  I like mine with ketchup but some prefer them plain. One of my favorite summer meals is BBQ'd chicken, Parmesan Potatoes, and Garlic Bread!

Parmesan Potatoes

Ingredients:
6 large potatoes, peeled, cut lengthwise into sixths (cut potato in half lengthwise then each half into thirds)
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.

1. Add the butter to a shallow baking pan and place in the oven to melt.

2. Add the cut potatoes to a bowl of water to soak for a few minutes.

3. In a resealable gallon-sized bag, add the flour, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add cut potatoes to the bag a few at a time and shake. The moisture from the water soak will help the coating stick. Remove potatoes and lay them on a flat side in the pan with the melted butter. Repeat with remaining potato wedges.

5. Bake potatoes for 20 - 25 minutes, then turn them to the other flat side and bake an additional 20 - 25, or until golden brown.

Source: family friend Jeanette

Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables

I realize it's now March (how did that happen?!), but it's still chilly in these parts so I have a few more winter recipes for you. I wanted to make these mashed potatoes the moment I first flipped through my America's Test Kitchen cookbook last March, but decided to wait for winter for the seasonal produce. Although the recipe calls for some vegetables I have NEVER worked with (or eaten for that matter!), it just sounded so wintery and hearty.

I am SO glad we made this recipe because these mashed potatoes are the BEST ever!!! Bob and I both agreed that they are our favorite mashed potatoes of all time - better than any restaurant or homemade version. The root veggies are caramelized in butter, which brings out a distinct sweetness. The potatoes are unbelievably creamy in texture (thanks to the butter and half-and-half), while still maintaining small chunks of potato so you know it's the real stuff. We served these with a delicious chicken recipe I'll be posting soon!

Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

8 ounces carrots, parsnips, turnips, or celery root, peeled; carrots or parsnips cut into 1/4-inch thick half-moons; turnips or celery root cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)*

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; rinsed well in 3 or 4 changes of cold water and drained well

1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Table salt

3/4 cup half-and-half, warmed

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, optional

Ground black pepper

*I used all 4, approximately 2 ounces of each.

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the root vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is browned and the vegetables are dark brown and caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. (If after 4 minutes the veggies have not started to brown, increase the heat to medium-high).

2. Add the potatoes, broth, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and stir to combine. Cook, covered, over low heat (the broth should simmer gently; do not boil), stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart easily when poked with a fork and all the liquid has been absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. (If the liquid does not gently simmer after a few minutes, increase the heat to medium-low). Remove the pan from the heat; remove the lid and allow the steam to escape for 2 minutes.

3. Gently mash the potatoes and root vegetables in the saucepan with a potato masher (do not mash vigorously). Gently fold in the half-and-half and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Source: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook

Crash Hot Potatoes

Here is another recipe from the Pioneer Woman. It may sound simple, but I don't have a problem with simple - I actually like a simple recipe if the results are delicious, which these are. I made the full recipe thinking that we'd have a lot leftover . . . turns out we didn't! These were so tasty that Bob and I kept going back for more until they were gone! I think I even pushed the main dish aside in favor of more potatoes :)

These are my submission to this month's Side Dish Showdown. I have made a real effort to make more side dishes this year, even though it's tough for me. This is yet another potato, but for so long I was a little intimidated by potatoes that once I got on a roll, I just kept going!

I can't remember what I served these with, but it was definitely some type of chicken. These potatoes would go perfectly with steak too!

Crash Hot Potatoes

Ingredients:

12 whole new potatoes or other small round potatoes

3 Tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Rosemary or other herbs of choice (I used chives), to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt. Add potatoes and cook until fork-tender.

2. On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

3. With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato genouersly with more olive oil.

4. Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and fresh chopped herbs.

5. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown.

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Garlic Parmesan Oven Fries

This is my March submission for Reeni's Side Dish Showdown. This month's theme is Anything Goes.

These oven fries are so delicious! They're crispy, flavorful, and the perfect accompaniment to any main dish. With so few ingredients, they are so easy to whip up on a weeknight. You don't even have to peel the potatoes! Once they're in the oven, you can concentrate on making the rest of the meal. The original recipe served 4, so I cut it in half. You can easily scale up depending on how many you're serving.

Looking for ideas for what to serve with these? How about a Guacamole Turkey Burger or a Pepper Jack Stuffed Turkey Burger?!

Garlic Parmesan Oven Fries

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 large russet potato, scrubbed and dried

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Then cut the halves lengthwise into fourths to make 8 wedges (depending on the size of your potato, you may wish to make more wedges).

3. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, salt, and minced garlic in a large bowl. Place onto a metal baking sheet (I lined mine with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray). Spread into a single layer

4. Roast the potatoes for 30 - 35 minutes, until cooked through, brown, and crispy. Don't shake or turn the fries while they're cooking. The longer they sit in contact with the metal baking sheet, the crisper they get. *My garlic burned a little, probably because of my oven, so keep a close watch on them towards the end.

5. Toss the fries in a big bowl with the cheese and parsley, and serve hot.

Source: Joelen's Culinary Adventures, originally from Tyler Florence

Smashed Sweet Potatoes for Two

In my effort to make more side dishes for dinner, I tried this recipe for Smashed Sweet Potatoes by Ina Garten. These were delicious! They have a prominent orange flavor from the orange juice, which I didn't mind, but I think any light colored juice would work - like apple or even pineapple. I scaled the recipe down for two, but the original make much more, so it's an easy recipe to adapt for as many people as needed. These sweet potatoes go great with turkey meatloaf muffins!

Smashed Sweet Potatoes for Two

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon orange juice

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon heavy cream or milk (I used skim)

2 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

dash of ground nutmeg

dash of ground cinnamon

kosher salt, to taste (approximately 1/3 teaspoon)

freshly ground black pepper, to taste (approximately 1/6 teaspoon)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

1. Scrub potato and poke several times with a knife or fork. If desired, place on a plate in the microwave for about 5 - 10 minutes to get a head start on the cooking process.

2. Bake sweet potato in oven for about 1 hour (if you pre-cooked in the microwave, this may be as little as 30 minutes), or until very soft when pierced with a knife.

3. When sweet potato is cool enough to handle, carefully cut the skin and peel it off, scraping the insides into a large mixing bowl.

4. Using a stand fitted with a paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer or potato masher), combine the cooked sweet potato with the orange juice, cream or milk, butter, brown sugar, spices, and salt/pepper. Mix to desired consistency.

5. Transfer potatoes to a small baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until heated through.

Source: Adapted from Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa

Perfect Crispy Potatoes and Anytime Skillet

When Kerstin and I met for breakfast at Yolk, I got a "Skillet Your Way," which consists of diced red potatoes sauteed with 3 ingredients of your choice, sprinkled with cheddar cheese, and topped with two eggs cooked your way. My ingredients were turkey sausage, onion, and green pepper. I wanted to add tomato as well, but didn't want pay extra! My choice for the eggs was poached, with the idea that I could break the yolk over the rest of the skillet components. It was fantastic! I knew I had to recreate this one at home because it's such a simple concept. As the holidays approached, this fell to the bottom of my to do list, but thankfully was not forgotten.

My first order of business was to find a good potato recipe. My mom was raving about Melissa d'Arabian's Perfect Crispy Potatoes, and I decided those would be a great fit for the skillet. Once this recipe was chosen, the rest fell into place.

I served this as a dinner for Bob and I and we both LOVED it! First of all, Melissa's potatoes are, as their name suggests, PERFECT! So crispy and actually pretty quick. They are a great stand-alone side dish for any dinner - and the possibilities for seasoning are endless - add some chili powder, some Italian herbs, etc.. I definitely plan to make them again as a side dish and in skillet form.

I really just love this skillet. I think the combination of ingredients works so well together. I had intended to add shredded cheddar cheese on top but ended up forgetting and it was delicious regardless. I hesitate to call it a breakfast skillet because it's good for any meal, hence the "anytime skillet" title. One of my favorite parts is breaking the egg yolk and watching it run over the potatoes. If this is your type of thing, you'll love this recipe!

Anytime Skillet

Ingredients:

1 batch Perfect Crispy Potatoes (recipe below)

6 links turkey breakfast sausage, casing removed if desired (I used Jennie-O)

2 vine-ripened tomatoes

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

grated cheddar cheese, optional

salt and pepper to taste

1 - 2 eggs per person

Directions:

1. Prepare the Perfect Crispy Potatoes as directed below. While they are baking and using the same pan in which the potatoes were sauteed and steamed, heat onion and green pepper over medium-low heat until softened. Lightly season with salt and pepper. The residual butter and oil from the potatoes should be enough for the veggies; if not add a little more oil. Add tomatoes and stir. Cook for a few minutes until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Prepare poaching liquid: Fill a straight-sided pan with 2 inches of water and 1 Tablespoon white vinegar. The white vinegar helps keep the egg from spreading in the water. Heat to a boil and then reduce to simmer.

3. Meanwhile, cook the turkey sausage in a small skillet until cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. When cool, slice.

4. Poach the eggs: Break each egg individually into a small bowl. Swirl simmering water with a spoon to create a little whirlpool. Hold bowl containing raw egg close to the simmering water and, using a quick motion, dump each egg into the water. Cook approximately 3 1/2 minutes. Remove each egg from water using a slotted spoon and carefully place on a plate covered with paper towels to drain.

5. Assemble the skillet: Toss the crispy potatoes in the pan with the onion, peppers, and tomatoes. Add turkey sausage, and toss to combine. Add cheddar cheese, if desired, and allow to melt. Plate the mixture and top with the poached eggs.

Serves: 2 - 3

Source: Inspired by a skillet I created at Yolk

Perfect Crispy Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons vegetable/Canola oil

2 large russet potatoes, washed, peeled, and diced into equal 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 Tablespoons water

1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

1. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

2. Turn the heat up to high. Add the water, stir, and cover pan with a lid. Steam the potatoes until the water evaporates, about 3 or 4 more minutes. Every 1 to 2 minutes, open the lid long enough to stir the potatoes so they don't stick.

3. Lower the heat to medium, and saute another 1 to 2 minutes until all traces of water are gone. (I did this without the lid). Toss in the butter and stir to coat the potatoes.

4. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the potatoes are crisp and browned to your liking, about 15 to 25 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Melissa d'Arabian

12 Days of Christmas: Day 11

Being the holiday season, I decided to post this incredible recipe for a mashed potato casserole. You may be thinking to yourself 'great, another potato casserole recipe,' but this casserole has something special - the perfect balance of white potatoes and sweet potatoes. This will satisfy your craving for sweet and savory - all in one dish.

My mom used to make this for our Christmas Day dinner at my aunt's house every year, until the family got so big we required two casserole dishes of it, which is more work that she was willing to put in on Christmas afternoon! The great thing is that the Kraft website (linked below) states that you can assemble the casserole days in advance and bake it later - a perfect solution!

Mashed Potato Layer Bake

Ingredients:

4 large white potatoes, peeled, chopped, and cooked

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped, and cooked

8 ounces chive and onion cream cheese, divided

1/2 cup sour cream, divided

1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

1. Place white and sweet potatoes in separate bowls. Add half each of the cream cheese and sour cream to the potatoes in each bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mash with potato masher or fork until creamy.

2. Stir half of the Parmesan cheese into the bowl of white potatoes. Stir half of the cheddar cheese into the bowl of sweet potatoes.

3. Alternately layer half each of the white potato mixture and sweet potato mixture in a 2-quart clear glass casserole dish. Repeat layers.

4. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue baking 5 minutes or until cheeses are melted.

Makes 14 servings, 1/2 cup each.

Source: Kraft Follow the link to check out their "Make Ahead" tip, which will be very useful for me when trying to coordinate a multi-course dinner!

Potatoes and Onions

Finally, the last of the Easter recipes! It's about time!

My mom has made these Potatoes and Onions for as long as I can remember. She takes them to family dinners and BBQ's with friends, and everyone loves them. When you cook them long enough, they form a nice, buttery crust on the bottom and edges of the dish - so delicious. Baking them covered ensures that they stay moist and 'juicy,' if you will. The list of ingredients is brief; it's a simple recipes that's simply tasty!

Bob and I had these potatoes for Easter dinner with Spicy Roasted Chicken and roasted asparagus topped with Hollandaise. It was a great dinner!

Potatoes and Onions

Ingredients:

6-8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced

~3 medium-large onions, sliced

Butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Dried parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

1. Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Place a single layer of potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Cover with a layer of onion slices. Add small chunks of butter sporadically on top of the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Repeat layers until the dish is filled. Sprinkle parsley on the top. 

3. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for at least 1 hour. Baking longer produces a delicious, browned layer on the bottom and edges of the dish.