Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes

I was looking for an easy side for meatloaf and decided to finally trying to make Hasselback potatoes.  It was much easier than I expected and it certainly made the meatloaf look much better.  I think I'll try making these on the grill next time.

 

Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes

4 russet potatoes – washed and dried

¼ cup butter melted

Salt& freshly ground pepper

 

Place 2 wood spoons on the long side of each potato so you cannot slice down to the bottom.  Slice each potato in ¼” slices.  Fan out and add butter, salt and pepper into the crevasses.  Place into a nonstick foil lined pan and bake for 1 hour at 350°.  Brush additional butter onto potatoes 2-3 times while baking.  Five minutes before the potatoes are done, sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan cheese over and allow to bake to a golden color.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with a little more cheese and a bit of parsley.

Three Cheese Au Gratin Potatoes

Cooler temperatures and not wanting to break down and turn the furnace on yet gives me lots of reasons to do some baking and making potatoes in the oven instead of the crock pot.  I decided to make a meatloaf and made these potatoes to go with them.

Three Cheese Au Gratin Potatoes

7 medium sized potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
4 oz Monterey cheese, grated
4 oz Fontina cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated


In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.  Stir in the flour and allow to cook for a couple minutes.  Stir in the garlic and onions and cook for another minute.  Gradually stir in milk, allowing to thicken and then stir some more in.  Add in spices and then the cheese and allow to melt completely.  In a greased casserole dish, layer the potatoes in 3 layers.  Pour cheese mixture over each layer of potatoes.  Place in the over for an hour (depending on the thickness of the potatoes at 350°.  Remove from the oven, top with an additional 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan and bake for another 10 minutes.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Apple Butter

Mashed sweet potatoes with a hint of apples and cinnamon mixed in and it’s an easy side dish on a weeknight.  You can bake the sweet potatoes but I chose the microwave to have this meal ready within 10 minutes.  You can use apple sauce and just add in ¼ tsp of cinnamon.

 

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Apple Butter

3 medium sweet potatoes

1/3 cup apple butter (recipe below)

¼ tsp salt

Microwave the sweet potatoes (remember to prick with a fork a few times) per your microwaves instructions or button.  Allow to cool a couple minutes before scooping out into a bowl.  Stir in apple butter and salt.

Apple Butter

3 lbs apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ginger

Put chopped apples into a crockpot with water and lemon juice.  Cook until apples are tender. Puree apples in a food mill or food processor.

Add sugar and bring to a low boil.  Add spices. 

Put into clean, dry jars leaving 1/2" head space.  Put into boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

BBQ Chicken & Bacon Poutine

It's football season and you want great snacks to compensate in case your team isn't on the winning side.  Why not serve a tray of hot bbq chicken poutine to your team of cheering fans...they'll appreciate it and cheer for you.  




BBQ Chicken Poutine

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp extra light virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a small bowl.  Mix spices in a separate small bowl.  Drizzle olive oil over potatoes.  Toss in spices and make sure the fries are evenly coated.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350°.

BBQ Gravy ~

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup bbq sauce

Whisk together melted butter and flour in a small saucepan.  Add in the chicken stock and bbq sauce.  Cook over medium heat until thickened.

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (approximately 1 cup)
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbles
5 oz cheddar cheese curds

Place baked french fries at the bottom of an oven ready pan.  Top with shredded chicken, bacon and cheese curds.  Return to oven for 5 minutes to a raised temperature of 400°.  Remove from oven and top with 1/4 cup hot bbq gravy.  Serve immediately.

Crock Pot Mashed Apple Sweet Potatoes

This is the easiest side dish and will make the entire family happy.  They'll think they are getting a sweet dish but there is no added sugar in the potatoes.  They are sweetened naturally with the sweet potatoes, apple and apple juice (I used an organic apple juice).  Just a little cinnamon was added in at the end.

Crock Pot Mashed Apple Sweet Potatoes

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 apple, peeled and cut into slices
3/4 cup apple juice

Place the above ingredients into your crock pot and cook over medium for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.  When tender, mashed with a hand potato masher and stir in 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.  

Parmesan Potato Cakes

These are a wonderful way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.  Just throw a few extra potatoes in to boil the night before and you'll be able to make these gems.  The best part is that you can make them of any meal of the day.  A savory breakfast or as a side to lunch or dinner.

Parmesan Potato Cakes

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 large egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp parsley

Mix together completely.  Form into same size patties - I used a meatball sized scoop.  Heat a frying pan with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp butter.  Place patties in the heated pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Three Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes

If you're looking for a delicious side that you can serve with any meat selection, these potatoes will work out wonderfully.  Or you can just make them as the  meal since they are quite a big portion.  You can make them in advance and reheat too.

Three Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes

 2 large Russet Potatoes
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup Fontina, grated
1/3 cup Mascarpone cheese
1/4 tsp sea salt (taste before adding to adjust the amount)
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Wash potatoes.  Poke holes into skin with a fork and bake under fork tender.  The length of baking time will depend on the size of the potatoes.  Check after an hour.  Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.  Cut the upper third of the potato off and scoop our the middle and put into a bowl.  With a fork, stir in the butter and cheeses.  Add in seasonings.  Spoon mixture back into the shells and bake for an additional 20 minutes at 350°.




  

Sour Cream & Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes are one of those easy sides that everyone loves.  I was making baked chicken breasts that weren’t going to have gravy so I decided to make a potato that would stand on its own.  It’s an easy variation to the mashed potatoes you normally make.  Just reduce the amount of milk and add in the sour cream and cheeses.  I opted for  cheddar to create a nice color.  

Sour Cream & Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

2 ½# red potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½” thick slices

2 tbsp butter

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup milk

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tsp chives

Boil the potatoes in a salted water.  When fork tender, drain and mashed together with the butter.  Add in the sour cream and milk.  Fold in the cheese and stir until melted.  Season to taste.  Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle chives on top.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

I finally got back to this recipe idea from a few weeks ago when I made the Italian Chicken Pot Pie but opted to top it with biscuits instead of these potatoes.  They are a great side for any protein and so tasty that no additional toppings are needed although I did sprinkle a pinch of Parmesan on each serving for fun.

 

 

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

 

3# red potatoes, peeled and slice into small pieces

Salt for water

3 tbsp butter, softened

½ cup milk

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ cup Parmesan cheese

1 tsp parsley

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender.  Drain and add in butter to melt.  Mash until smooth and add in milk, Parmesan cheese and spices.

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

New potatoes are great to have but there's only so many ways that you can make them.  I made these a week ago using red potatoes and this time using fingerling potatoes.  Both work equally well so it all depends on which you have easier access to.

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

1# new red potatoes or fingerling potatoes, skin on
1/4 cup Parmesan or American Grana, grated
2 tbsp butter
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes until fork tender.  Drain and cool.  Smash on a non-stick foil lined or non-stick baking sheet.  I used my meat tenderizer mallet (flat side) to smash the potatoes.  Season the potatoes.  Take a pinch of the cheese and sprinkle on top.  Dot the top of each potato with some butter.  The butter will melt and run down and create a crispy bottom to the potatoes.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350°.

Sweet Potatoes & Apples

It's a beautiful day.  Naturally rain is in the forecast for tomorrow so it's grilling time today.  I started off with a lunchtime side dish.  I had a sweet potato in my pantry and an apple in the refrigerator that both needed to be used so I combined them.  This is a perfect side for 2 people. Double the recipe if needed.  No water needed.  The apples will provide enough moisture in the packet.  

Sweet Potatoes & Apples

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 apple, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch salt

Take a 14" piece of heavy duty or no-stick aluminum foil.  Place the sweet potato and then the apple on top.  Sprinkle the brown sugar and spices on top.  Fold up into a packet.  Place on the side of the grill for 45 minutes.

Grilled Italian Potatoes

This is a tasty side for the grill that you can make along side whatever meat you choose to grill.  My picture would have looked a little bit better but I had a tong mishap and my foil packet ended up upside down.  Darn tongs.  

Grilled Italian Potatoes

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 medium onion, peeled and chopped (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp oregano

2 slices Prosciutto, cut into small strips

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp water

Take a 12" piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and place shiny side down.  Layer sliced potatoes, onion, seasonings, prosciutto and Parmesan.  Wrap the foil up into a package and steam bake on the grill or in your oven.

Servings: 4

Italian Au Gratin Potatoes

Nothing like a lot of rain and wind, some good music and a Sunday afternoon with no Wild hockey game to send me into the kitchen to make some comfort food.  I had cleaned my refrigerator and found 3 packages of Fontina cheese so I needed to make something with at least one package.  I also had some Prosciutto in the freezer so I took that out and used it to make this dish.

Italian Au Gratin Potatoes

7 medium sized potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 oz prosciutto cubed, cooked and drained
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp Italian seasonings
8 oz Fontina cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated


In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.  Stir in the flour and allow to cook for a couple minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.  Gradually stir in milk, allowing to thicken and then stir some more in.  Add in spices and then the cheese and allow to melt completely.  In a greased casserole dish, layer the potatoes, onions and prosciutto in 3 layers.  Pour cheese mixture over potatoes.  Place in the over for an hour (depending on the thickness of the potatoes at 350°.  Remove from the oven, top with an additional 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan and bake for another 10 minutes.  

Taco Baked Potatoes

Finally a nice Spring day and I had planned to grill hamburgers outside but the wind gusting up to 28 mph and Fire Weather Warnings convinced me that wasn't a good idea.  Instead, I made something I had ordered at a restaurant on Monday and enjoyed.  It's easy and makes 4 servings so you could bake the potatoes in the microwave and have a quick weeknight meal.  I doubled the taco seasoning recipe so I have enough for next time I need it already made.

Taco Baked Potatoes

4 medium russet potatoes (or 2 large that you can cut in half)
1# extra lean ground beef
1/4 onion, minced
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Taco seasoning
1/4 cup water

Taco Seasoning Recipe ~

1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp  oregano
1 tsp pepper, freshly ground
1/2 tsp salt

Place in a sealable plastic bag or container that's airtight and mix well.


Wash the potatoes.  Poke holes into skin with a fork and bake under fork tender.  The length of baking time will depend on the size and type of the potatoes.  When the potatoes are almost ready, brown the ground beef.  When almost done, add in the onions.  When both are cooked, stir in the water and taco seasoning.   Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Cut down the center and open wide for the toppings.  Top with the taco meat and cheese.  Here's some additional toppings you might want to add ~

Sour cream
Salsa
Diced tomatoes
Black Olives
Onions

Crock Pot Potatoes

Need a recipe to make potatoes for a crowd?  This is enough for at least 6 but you can add in extra potatoes and there is enough herbs and spices to cover it.

Crock Pot Potatoes

6 potatoes (I used Yukon Gold), pared & diced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Italian Seasonings
1 tsp parsley

Place the chicken broth at the bottom of your crock pot.  Place diced potatoes in there next.  In a small bowl, mix together all of the spices.  Sprinkle evenly over the top.  Turn the crock pot to medium.  Stir a couple times while cooking.  The potatoes should be ready in 3-4 hours.

Italian Twice Baked Potatoes

These twice baked potatoes are a tasty side to a serving of ham, chicken or beef.  Creamy and cheesy, you could just make a meal of one of these on it's own.  I chose to bake mine in the oven without being wrapped in aluminum foil for a crispy exterior that makes it easier to scoop out the potato and refill.  I used an ice cream scoop to remove the center of the potato.

Italian Twice Baked Potatoes



 2 large Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup Fontina, grated
1/3 cup Mascarpone cheese
2 slices Prosciutto, cut into small ribbons
1/4 tsp sea salt (taste before adding to adjust the amount)
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Wash potatoes.  Poke holes into skin with a fork and bake under fork tender.  The length of baking time will depend on the size and type of the potatoes.    Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.  Cut the upper third of the potato off and scoop our the middle and put into a bowl.  With a fork, stir in the butter and cheese.  Add in seasonings and then the prosciutto.  Spoon mixture back into the shells and bake for an additional 20 minutes at 350°.

Honey Butter Roasted Chicken & Potatoes

I was in crafting mode and the first football playoff game was starting, so that meant I wanted an easy meal with easier clean up.  And what could be easier than pulling a piece of non-stick aluminum foil off a pan and throwing it away?  I've made a hot honey chicken in the past but wanted to expand it to use a sweet potato and a couple russet potatoes I had on hand that should be used up.  If you think it doesn't look like it would have any heat...tell it to my lips that are still tingling and might need ice cream to chill them out.  :-)  I wished I had a purple potato to make it really colorful.

Honey Butter Roasted Chicken & Potatoes

2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

In a small saucepan, combine and melt together ~

1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp thyme, rub in your hand to release the oils

Line a sheet pan with non-stick aluminum foil.  Scatter the potatoes and chicken cubes over the foil.  Drizzle the butter mixture on top and place in a 350° oven for 50 minutes.  Remove the pan and stir the potatoes and chicken once or twice while baking.

Italian Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Occasionally even mashed potatoes need an update and what better than with some creamy Mascarpone cheese and a touch of salty Parmesan cheese blended together.  

Italian Cheese Mashed Potatoes

2# potatoes (I used russet), peeled and sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes with salt in a large saucepan until fork tender.  Drain and mash with the butter and cheese.  Add parsley and season to taste.

Sweet Potato Marshmallow Dip

A wicked strong wind in the valley and a neighborly state football game is a good time to stay indoors and watch tv with a fun snack.  Today's snack is a tasty combination of marshmallows, honey & cinnamon to dip sweet potato fries in.  The fries today are plain but you can easily spice them up with a little cumin, paprika and garlic powder.  The dip only takes a few minutes to create so you have plenty of time while the fries are baking.

Sweet Potato Marshmallow Dip

3/4 cup mini marshmallows
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan.  Stir frequently over a low heat until the marshmallows melt and the dip is warm.

Chicken Poutine

It's the opening weekend of the NFL and a co-worker suggested that it would be a good time for poutine.  So here is the chicken poutine that I made for the Sunday games ~

Chicken Poutine

Fries ~

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp extra light virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a small bowl.  Mix spices in a separate small bowl.  Drizzle olive oil over potatoes.  Toss in spices and make sure the fries are evenly coated.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350°.

Gravy ~

2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp flour
2 dashes hot sauce

Whisk together chicken stock and flour.  Add in the hot sauce and heat until it thickens.

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (approximately 1 cup)
6 oz mixed cheddar cheese curds

Place baked french fries at the bottom of an oven ready pan.  I used a pie pan and it worked great.  Top with shredded chicken and cheese curds.  Return to oven for 5 minutes to a raised temperature of 400°.  Remove from oven and top with 1/4 cup chicken gravy.  Serve immediately.