Super Easy Garlic Mashed Potates

Potatoes- I prefer red on this

Garlic cloves

Milk

Butter

Salt and Pepper

Scrub potatoes and and cut up in chunks. Boil potatoes with some salt and throw in 4-5 garlic cloves . Meanwhile warm up some milk and butter on the stove. When potatoes are fork tender strain them, making sure to keep the garlic cloves and put back in pot. Pour in milk/butter mixture a little at a time and mash potatoes and garlic with potato masher or electric mixer till desired consistency. Season to taste.

Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

• 1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
• 3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
• 1 pound ground turkey sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup turkey stock
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.

2.  In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.

3.  Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.

I of course did not put in the chicken liver.  I guess I am just a wimp!  Still tasted great.

Garden Risotto

1 cup arborio rice, or med. grain rice

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/4-3 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 Tbs. fresh basil, julienned

 

In a pan bring broth to a low simmer.  Meanwhile in another pan cook and stir uncooked rice in the oil over med. heat for 5 min or golden brown.  Add garlic; cook and stir one minute more. Turn heat down a little and slowly add 1 cup broth to rice mixture, stir occasionally until broth is absorbed.  Continue adding broth 1/2 at a time, stirring occasionally until absorbed.  When adding the last 1/2 cup of broth add in the carrots and green onion.  When broth has absorbed add in the cheese and basil and stir till creamy.   

We add cooked cut up chicken to this to make a meal.  Just cook chicken ahead of time and add when you add the cheese and basil.  

Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice)

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. lard, oil or shortening

1 cup long-grain rice

1 small onion, chopped

2 cups hot chicken, beef or vegetable broth

1 cup tomato puree

With fork mash garlic and salt to a paste; set aside.  Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven.  Add rice; cook, stirring until almost golden.  Add garlic paste and onion;  Cook until rice is golden. Stir in broth and tomato puree.  Bring to boil;  Cover; boil 3 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed.  Reduce heat; simmer covered 30 to 40 minutes until rice is tender.

This rice is sooo good.  Better than most of the rice you find in Mexican restaurants.  

Rice Pilaf

3 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Cups basmati-style long grain rice

3 Cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Melt the butter with the shallot in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Season with the salt and pepper and cook until the onions are soft, about minutes.  Add the rice and stir until coated with the butter.  Increase the heat to medium-high.  Let the rice cook until toasted, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more.

Store in the broth, bay leaf, and rosemary.  Bring to a simmer over low heat, cover, and cook until all the broth has been absorbed by the rice is tender, about 15-18 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let set for 5 minutes.  Discard the rosemary and bay leaf.  Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

This rice goes great with the Tilapia with Pesto or any fish for that matter.  We eat this a lot in our house!

Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes

2 Cups thinly sliced onion

9 Tbs. unsalted butter

6 Tbs. flour

3 1/2 cups hot milk

2 1/2 pounds potatoes

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp Cheese, about 6 oz. (I usually just use medium cheddar)

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

Salt and Pepper

1.  In a skillet cook onion and 2 Tbs. of the butter over moderately low heat, stirring until onions are very soft. In a separate heavy saucepan melt 6 Tbs. of the remaining butter over moderately low heat, whisk in the flour and whisk for 3 minutes.  Add the milk in a stream, whisking and bring the sauce to a boil.  Simmer the sauce, whisking for 1 minute and add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat.

2.  Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8 inch thick.

3.  Spread about one third of the sauce in the bottom of a well-buttered 9 x 13 inch pan.  Cover the sauce with a layer of potato slices, overlapping the slices slightly, and cover the potatoes with one third of the onions.  Sprinkle the onions with one third of the Cheddar cheese and continue to layer the remaining sauce, potatoes, onions, and cheese in the same manner. 

4.  Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, dot it with the remaining 1 Tbs. butter.

5.  Bake the mixture, covered in foil at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake the potatoes for 30-35 minutes more, or until the top is golden and the potatoes are tender.

I love this recipe because you don't have to cook your potatoes first.  Because they are so thinly sliced they cook in the oven.  Great with ham for a great Easter supper!

Baked French Fries

4 large baking potatoes

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp.. paprika

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degreees F

2.  Cut potatoes into wedges.  Mix olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder together.  Coat potatoes with oil/spice mixture and place on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

3.  Bake for 45 min. in preheated oven.

These are soooo yummy!  Great with hamburgers, obviously, or with a grilled steak!

Creamy Orzo

1 lb orzo (rice -shaped pasta)

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, juiced drained

1 1/4 cups whipping cream

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chicken broth

2-3 cups water

Bring a heavy large saucepan of chicken broth and water to a boil over high heat.  Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, and serve.

This was okay.  There wasn't as much flavor as I thought there would be.  I really liked the texture though.  I am thinking next time I will add a little more garlic.

Ratings: 

Travis and I: 3.5 stars

Kids: 2 stars (so they say, but did not eat more than the two bites I told them to eat to rate it)