Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes

Yet again, apologies for the bad photo...
I found this recipe in one of my old Cooking Light magazines. It is a really great--and tasty way to use up extra mashed potatoes. As an added bonus, they are even baked in the oven instead of fried like a lot of potato cakes are. I swapped turkey bacon and one diced shallot because I didn't have any green onions and I don't eat regular bacon but I will post the original recipe as it was written. Furthermore, I know I added more cheese than it called for because as my husband says, "you can never have too much cheese!" Look for the panko Japanese breadcrumbs for this recipe to get that really crispy crunch in contrast with the soft potato filling.


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1/2 C chopped green onions
2 C mashed potatoes, chilled
2 T shredded cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 center-cut bacon slice, cooked and crumbled
3/4 C panko bread crumbs

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray or a little oil. Add green onions to pan and cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Place mashed potatoes in a medium bowl. Stir in onions, cheese, salt and pepper, and bacon. Divide potato mixture in to 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2" thick patty. Dredge patties in panko. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (or I just used Parchment paper). Bake for 12 minutes. Carefully turn patties over; bake an additional 12 minutes or until golden.
Bon appetit!

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes - take horrible pictures.

Thankfully they taste SO MUCH BETTER than they photograph.

Here is a recipe I found on Allrecipes (a favorite website for recipe searches.)

I was looking for something simple, lower in fat than funeral potatoes or Au Gratin potatoes, and this is what I came up with.

Everyone loved them!

Scalloped Potatoes:

5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

3/4 c. chopped onion

3 T. butter

1/4 c. flour

1 3/4 c. chicken broth

2 T. mayo

3/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

Paprika

1/2 c. cheddar cheese (optional)

In a greased 2 1/2 qt. baking dish, layer potatoes and onion. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually add broth, mayo, s&p. Cook and stir for 2 mins or until thick and bubbly. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until tender.

Cook's Note: This recipe is quite forgiving. I used more than 5 potatoes...so I made slightly more sauce...but it wasn't enough to cover all the potatoes I'd peeled - so I opened a can of evaporated milk and poured the entire can over the potatoes. I then baked for 3 HOURS!!! I added cheddar cheese to the top of half of the pan at the last minute. There was plenty of sauce, and they were fantastic!

Bon Appetit!

"Grown-up" Funeral Potatoes

I found this recipe on one of the many food blogs I follow and had to try it. I made it for Easter dinner - and it went up against the traditional family favorite "Funeral Potatoes." The results were split down the middle. Both pans of potatoes were enjoyed.

So, why should you try these?

I would say that these potatoes are the grown up version. Not the soupy/cheesy combination (which I love) you are accustomed to eating when you dive into a plate of funeral potatoes. But instead they are a rich, yet delicate potato dish with full-bodied cheesy undertones. Simple, yet succulent.

These pictures are obviously backwards...but I give up trying to fix it.

Grown Up Funeral Potatoes:

5 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & cut up
2 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream, chilled
1 1/2 c. swiss cheese, shredded
1 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

In microwave safe bowl, microwave the chopped potatoes until tender. About 12-15 mins.

Coarsely mash potatoes, season with salt and pepper.

Whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold 2/3 of whipping cream into the potatoes until absorbed.

Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Carefully spoon potatoes into the baking dish, trying not to deflate them.

With a rubber spatula fold all but 1/4 c. of cheeses into the remaining whipped cream. Spread the cheese mixture onto the potatoes & sprinkle with reserved 1/4 c. of cheese.

If you are eating immediately, broil for 3-4 mins. until golden brown. Let rest for 5 mins. before serving.

You may also put them in the refrigerator, covered until you are ready to bake. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Crispy Potatoes

This is the best recipe I have ever found, courtesy of Melissa d'Arabian, for roasted potatoes. They literally slide off the baking sheet onto your plate, unlike some of my past efforts that leave me scraping them off the pan or burning them in an attempt to make them crispy. They are exactly as roasted potatoes should be: crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside.



Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1/4 C vegetable oil
3 or 4 russet potatoes, cut into cubes (scrubbed, not peeled)
3 T water
1 T butter

In a large skillet (or I use an enameled-bottom pot), heat oil to med/high temperature. Add potatoes and salt and pepper to taste.

Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Turn heat up to high and add the water. Stir and cover. Check often and stir because the potatoes do stick. Some of the skin will come off, but it is fine. Replace the lid between stirrings. Steam until the water evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes.

Lower heat to medium, leave lid off and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes until water is gone. Add the butter. Stir to coat the potatoes and spread them on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-25 minutes until they as crispy and browned as you like them.