Roasted Potato Salad

 I love German potato salad. Jon hasn't ever been a huge fan, he says it's too sharp for him. I on the other hand, love the vinegary bite.

I found this recipe a few weeks ago- it's a gentler version of the traditional dish. Jon fell in love with it. At the end of the meal he stated, "Let's do this one again, soon!"

I had some of the leftovers the next afternoon for lunch. It was delicious. It rewarmed wonderfully.

We served it with grilled chicken breasts and fresh veg.

There you have it, quick and easy. And yea. Bacon. Who doesn't love bacon?


Here's to you and your culinary adventures friends! Cheers!


Roasted Potato Salad

2 lbs baby red potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
2 TBS olive oil, divided
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 TBS sugar
6 strips apple smoked bacon, uncured, chopped into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
4 TBS red wine vinegar
3 tsp sugar
1-2 tsp Dijon mustard (I used French's dijon with chardonnay)
¼ tsp Italian seasoning
3 TBS reserved, warm bacon drippings
1 TBS olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, add the halved (or quartered)  potatoes along with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well to combine.

Spray a foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray, and turn the baby potatoes out onto the baking sheet. Roast for 35-40, or until golden-brown and tender; while potatoes roast, crisp the bacon and onion.

In a medium-large non-stick pan set over medium heat, add a tsp or two of olive oil; when hot, add the onion and 1/2 TBS sugar. Cook/caramelize the onions over medium for about 10 minutes, or until a golden, caramel color, and softened. Remove from heat. Set aside and keep warm.

To the same pan set over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until brown and crispy, then remove them with a slotted spoon and onto a paper towel to drain; reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Set aside to use in the vinaigrette; keep the drippings warm.

Prepare the dressing in a mason jar or container with a tight fitting lid. Combine all the dressing ingredients. Shake well to combine.

Add the warm, roasted baby potatoes to a large bowl, and then add the onion, bacon,  and vinaigrette. Toss well to completely combine, making sure that all of the potatoes are well dressed. Serve warm.

Adobo Pork & Potato Packets

I'm going to keep this short and sweet today-

With spring in full swing here in the south, we've been using our grill far more frequently.

I really like this meal because it's super easy and it's a complete meal. I don't have to worry about finding a side dish or turning on the stove top.

We enjoyed this dish out on our patio earlier this week. The cat stretched out on the warm concrete slab, the vegetable garden growing in cute little pots, and an al fresco dinner with my sweet hubby. It was a great evening.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Adobo Pork & Potato Packets
Serves 4

3 TBS olive oil
2 TBS red wine vinegar
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning- optional
pepper to taste
1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick*
1 yellow or white potato, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick*
1 sweet or red onion, halved and sliced 1/8 inch thick*
4 bone-in pork chops, trimmed of excess fat

Preheat grill to high.

Combine oil, vinegar, paprika, garlic, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and adobo seasoning in a container with a tight fitting lid. Shake to combine well.

 Place sweet potato, potato and onion in a medium bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 TBS of the sauce; toss well to coat.

Rub both sides of pork chops with the remaining sauce.

To make a packet, lay two 24-inch sheets of foil on top of each other (the double layers will help protect the contents from burning); generously coat the top piece with cooking spray.

Spread half the potato mixture in the center of the foil in a thin layer. Bring the short ends of foil together, fold over and pinch to seal. Pinch the seams together along the sides to seal the packet. Make a second packet in the same fashion with the remaining potato mixture.

Place the packets on the hottest part of the grill and the pork chops in the front or back. (I have a large grill with four independent burners. I set two of them to high for the packets, and two of them to medium for the chops.)

Cook the pork for 4-5 minutes per side and the packets for 6-7 minutes per side. (Transfer the chops to plates and let rest while the packets finish cooking.)

Open the packets (be careful of steam) and serve the pork chops with the vegetables.

*A mandoline makes this job super easy. 

Note- Adobo Seasoning can be found in the ethnic foods section or the spice section of your local grocery store. It wasn't originally called for in this recipe, but Jon and I really like the flavor with pork.

Buffalo Chicken Bake

It's no secret Jon and I both have an affinity for all things "buffalo." When I was cruising around food blogs and I found this recipe on Holy Cannoli Recipes, I knew I had to try it asap.

I made minimal tweaks to the recipe to adapt it for my gluten free life style. It was delicious. Jon gave rave reviews.

We kept it very simple by serving the dish with a side of raw celery and carrot sticks. Easy, filling, and oh so satisfying!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures!


Buffalo Chicken Bake
Serves 6-8

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
1/3 cup Franks buffalo sauce
6 cups shredded potatoes
1 cup light ranch dressing
1/2 cup reduce fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (10 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup *
1/3 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1/4 tsp each- garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt, black pepper


Heat oven to 350°F. 

Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. 

In medium bowl, stir together chicken strips and buffalo sauce. Spoon into baking dish in a single layer. 

In the same bowl, stir together potatoes, dressing, cheese and soup. Spread over chicken. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over the top. Sprinkle with seasonings.

Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

* As always- make sure you are using a gluten free cream of chicken soup if you don't make your own.

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

Early in my high school days, my mom made scalloped potatoes.

From scratch.

I had no idea such a thing existed up until that point. All I knew were boxed scalloped potatoes, which tasted exactly the same as the boxed au gratin potatoes to me. And, honestly, I wasn't a huge fan.

So, when she came to the table with something similar to this:

Thick cut potatoes and diced ham soaking up  luscious creamy sauce

I was a bit surprised. There weren't any paper thin, slightly under-cooked potatoes (the re-hydrating process never really brings those dehydrated potatoes back to their former glory) swimming in an unnaturally colored orange sauce.

Instead, there were thick slices of tender russet potatoes from our garden. Little bits of onion, garlic, and mushroom. Large chunks of diced, meaty ham. And a topping it all off, just the right amount of freshly shredded cheddar cheese.

It was so flavorful. And the leftovers were even better. It was a recipe I had to add to my favorites cookbook when I moved away from home.

It remains of my favorite winter comfort foods to this day. Thank you, Mom!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Mom's Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
Serves 6

8-10 oz smoked ham, diced large
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thick
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, diced fine
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup*
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Boil potatoes, onion, and garlic for 12-15 minutes. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl combine soup, sour cream, garlic salt, garlic powder, Italian herbs, cayenne, and pepper. Stir in half the cheese.

In a prepared casserole dish, layer potatoes, ham, and sour cream/soup mix. **Top with remaining cheese.

Microwave 5 minutes. Cover and bake 20 minutes until bubbly. Let stand 5-10 minutes to thicken before serving.

*If you are gf, be sure your cream of mushroom soup is gluten free. 

** My mom layers 1/2 the potatoes, 1/2 the ham, 1/2 the sauce, then repeat. I choose to do a single layer for quicker prep. In the dish in the photo I simply folded everything together and poured it in. Whichever way you choose is fine, just do what works for you. :)

Gluten Free Cheesy Potatoes!

So just a quick little note today-

Our "little" furry boy has been helping me pick out new recipes for the next menu plan. Soon, we'll have some new gluten free meals to share with you!

Charlie "helping" me pick out the menu for the week.

I'm just starting to learn about the various types of flours. I can't even begin to name all the alternatives to wheat flours. Today, I learned how to take whole rice and turn it into rice flour.  My mom was able to find some other flours (tapioca, soy, and potato) for me to try out as well. When I find I good all-purpose blend I will be sure to post it. I've got a few that I'm excited to play with.


In other fun food news- I was very excited to see that Idahoan flavored potato pouches are gluten free! It's been very difficult to find cheese flavored sides (one of Jon's favorite things) that don't have wheat in them. Or when I do find them, they are horrendously expensive.  But these little pouches with 4 servings in them cost a cool 89 cents. My budget can handle that :)

YAY! Cheesy potatoes that are gf and taste great.

And our final note of the night- Jon and I had a great time at the Sun's game for my mom's birthday this weekend. They even played an extra inning for her! AND they won. How cool is that?

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Super Potato Salad

I had the best potato salad I have ever had in my entire life last night. And you know what, the leftovers were even better. This recipe is crazy good!

Photo from kraftrecipes.com

So, all I really have to say is... make this. Today. (Then wait and eat it tomorrow if you can stand to wait that long)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Bacon, Ranch, Potato Salad*
Makes 7 servings (1/2 cup each)
160 calories per

1 1/2 lb. small red potatoes, quartered

1/4 cup miracle whip or olive oil mayo

1/8 cup  ranch dressing

3 TBS (heaping) Oscar Meyer Real bacon bits, crisped in the microwave and cooled to room temperature OR 3 strips bacon, cooked, crumbled and cooled.

1/2 cup (2 oz)  shredded cheddar cheese

2 green onions, thinly sliced or onion powder to taste

salt and pepper to taste 

Place potatoes in a medium sized pot. Add water just to cover the potatoes; cover with lid. Simmer 13-15 minutes,  until potatoes are just fork tender; drain. Place in large bowl. Cover loosely with a clean towel.

Refrigerate potatoes for 1 hour or until completely cooled.  

Mix mayo and dressing. Add to potatoes with remaining ingredients; mix lightly.Chill well for at least an hour. Overnight is best.

Helpful hint from Kraft:

When cooking potatoes for a potato salad, remember that the potatoes will continue to cook even after you have drained them. As soon as the cooked potatoes are fork tender, drain them, then run them under cold water to quickly cool them. When in doubt, it is better to undercook the potatoes rather than overcooking them.

* This recipe came to me in an email from kraftrecipes.com and is called  "steakhouse potato salad."

Home Fries

Jon is a meat and potatoes boy. He has been as long as I've known him.

His mom used to make broiled chicken wings. Jon and his brothers LOVED them. So much so that at one point I had to write to his mom (she lives overseas for work) and ask her for her recipe. After a test run, I had to teach Jon and his brothers how to make them since their momma can't just whip up a batch for them. (Well, she could, but they'd be really cold by the time they arrived).

Sometimes, when things have been stressful or if he's feeling lonesome for his family I make up a batch of his mom's wings.

I'd love to share her recipe with you, but he told me no sharing Mom's secret recipe. (Same thing for her zucchini bread. Sorry kiddos). I am thankful his Mom shared her recipes with me. :)

So, instead, I will share my recipe for the home fries I often serve with the wings. It's another one of those recipes that is more of a guideline than an actual recipe so go ahead and play with it until you find the blend of spices you like.

Par boiled, then seasoned liberally, the fries are baked in the oven. We love them. They are so flavorful we usually don't dip them in anything. Once in a great while, we dip them in a garlic-mayo sauce. Tasty.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Baked Home Fries
serves 2

About 140 calories per serving


2 medium potatoes
2 tsp olive oil
-dry mustard
-dry Italian seasoning
-garlic powder
-garlic salt
-pepper
-Jane's crazy mixed up salt

Wash potatoes and pat dry. Leave the skins on.

Using either a mandoline or a sharp knife slice the potatoes into sticks. If I use my mandoline I have an insert that cuts nice even sticks- I use about 1/4 inch thickness. If I hand slice them I make them just a hair larger.

Put potatoes in a pot of warm water. Lightly salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook potatoes about 3 minutes. Drain water. CAREFULLY pat fries dry.

Combine oil and potatoes in a medium-large bowl. Season liberally with spices of your choosing.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray liberally with cooking spray. Spread fries over the foil into a single layer.

Bake 15 minutes. Using a spatula, gently flip. Bake 15-20 minutes longer until tender and golden brown.

Gnocchi

Fresh, quick, easy, and oh so good!

This little number was a team effort. Jon did the meat and I did the side dish. Grilled bbq chicken, fresh tomatoes, and gnocchi with yellow squash & spinach. Fab-u-lous.

We spent the day at the beach poking giant jelly fish remains (one of them was about 16-17 inches in diameter!), picking up sea shells, playing in the sand, and simply being together. By the time we got home we were ravenous.

I pre-plan all my meals and this one is easy and quick. It came together in about 15 minutes. It was perfect for our hungry little tummies.

I was very surprised how much we liked this one- I don't usually like yellow squash. But kids, this is why we are doing this project. I would have never tried this recipe before. And now, we have a brand new side dish. YAY!

For those of you unfamiliar with gnocchi- it's a small potato dumpling of sorts. They can be found with the dried pasta in most supermarkets. This was our first time experimenting with gnocchi, and it was well worth it :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Gnocchi with Yellow Squash & Spinach
Serves 4
234 calories per

1 (1-pound) package vacuum-packed potato gnocchi
1 TBS olive oil
1 yellow squash(aka summer squash), quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced *
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, torn
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese or grated sharp provolone cheese

Cook gnocchi in boiling water according to package directions.

While gnocchi cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add squash; sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add spinach; cover and cook 2 minutes or just until spinach wilts. Reduce heat to low; stir in milk, pepper, and salt. Add gnocchi and cheese; stir gently.

Serve immediately.

* I would increase the amount of yellow squash in this to two if they are on the small side.

Hashbrown Casserole

Things have been absolutely crazy around here lately.

Spring has arrived, and with it, pine pollen. Every day for about a week I'd go out to leave for work and my graphite colored car was yellow. People here say it hasn't been this bad in years. Lucky us.

My peach trees have tender green buds and tiny pink flowers. The bushes in the front yard have new shoots sticking out in every direction possible. And happy little pansies smile at me every time I walk to the mail box.

Some days, I sit on my back patio to soak in the sunshine and read my book. A lot of the time though, I get distracted by the smells and sounds around me. There are so many new things to absorb. Folks in the area say there isn't a spring season here, only summer and winter. I beg to differ. I think most signs simply go unnoticed. The subtle changes in the pine tree colors, the way the grass wakes up, the songs the birds sing are a little lighter and happier. When you've lived in a place where these things signal that there really is end to winter, you learn to appreciate them (and seek them out) a bit more.

Jon was sick for several weeks with a sinus cold that turned into bronchitis and was well on its way to becoming full on pneumonia. Thank goodness with prayers and strong antibiotics he's back to himself again.

Then it was my turn. I however went the route of a kidney stone. They say do what you know, and well, I know kidney stones. My employer was very understanding of the situation, a blessing for sure. After a few days of crankiness and uncomfortable/restless nights, I finally passed my stone without any fanfare.

In my fuzzy mental state I decided to prepare a few meals ahead of time as I didn't know how long I would be feeling less than stellar.

Tonight we had the hash brown casserole I made in advance. Jon popped it in the oven when he got home from work tonight. Then, when I got home we made a quick side salad and dinner was served.

We really liked this dish, but I think next time we will add a butter/crushed cornflake topping to add some crunch. Other than that, it was pretty tasty.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Hash Brown Casserole
Serves 6
293 calories per

6 bacon slices
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (32-ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded Classic Melts Four Cheese blend, divided
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed 30% reduced-sodium, 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
Lawry's Season Salt to taste
Cooking spray

Cook bacon in an extra large nonstick skillet (I used my wok) over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, and crumble. Discard drippings in pan. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the potatoes; cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup cheese, green onions, sour cream, salt, pepper, and soup in a large bowl. Add potato mixture; toss gently to combine. Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove casserole from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Bake casserole, covered, at 350º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly around edges and cheese begins to brown.

Quick update :)

Jon has been sick with bronchitis for the last several weeks. But, thanks to modern medicine and prayers from family and friends, he's nearly back to normal :)

We didn't buy a lot of groceries when Jon was sick, so the fast few meals have been done on the fly. Let's face it, it's just not as fun to cook for one. And when Jon is sick, he doesn't eat a whole lot.

As my sweetheart started to feel better, we decided to use what was on hand to make some simple meals.

We had sweet potato hash with diced ham and eggs over-easy. For the hash I used leftover shredded sweet potato I had in the freezer, some diced onion, garlic, and some seasoning. Once the potatoes were done, I threw in the ham and heated it through on my griddle. Quick, easy, and filling.

Last night we had chicken biscuits. I shredded some left over rotisserie chicken, added some cheese and spices. Then, I filled store bought biscuit dough with the chicken mixture, baked the bundles for 15 minutes, and tada! Supper on the table in 20 minutes.

Today we filled the pantry back up so you'll soon see more cooking light recipes :)

Also in fun news- my parents came to visit this past weekend. We went to my local library's annual book sale. Seriously, all the books you can fit into a brown paper grocery bag for $5- it was heavenly! I got three human interest, fiction novels and a few quilting books. Mom and Dad both found books too. So, big thank you to my parents for the free to me books!

All that book browsing works up an appetite! We walked to a local pizza parlor called Arte Pizza. Wood fired,thin crust, and minimal toppings. It was everything a good slice of pie should be. It was fantastic. Big, filling slices of pizza sold by the slice at the amazing price of $2.50 per. So so good.

Today was unseasonably warm, even for these parts- it was 87 today. I sat in the sun for about 10 minutes reading one of my new books and got a bit pink. Oops. When the temperature began to fall for the day, 79 degrees felt just right. So, back out to read I went. The rest of the week is set to be typical seasonal temperatures in the upper 60's and low 70's. Jon said he likes this season of Swinter. (This is from the cartoon Phineas & Ferb, the two main characters combine summer and winter into a new season called Swinter.)

I'm happy that he's happy. Because, you know what, I am too. :)

So, that's the update for now!

Here's to you and our culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Potato Hash Browns

We enjoy eggs and hash browns for supper on occasion. It's quick, easy, and filling. Besides, there are so many ways to prepare eggs!

We had new hash browns last night from the CLP. They were delicious!

I made two changes- I used turkey ham and Lawry's Season Salt. The ham was because well, that's what we had on hand. As for the season salt- Jon loves it on his hash browns. If I leave it out he feels like his potatoes are missing something.

This hash is so quick and done completely in the microwave!

We served it with eggs over easy and toast. Dinner in less than 20 minutes. Perfection!

Wanna see?

I know it's not much to look at, but holy moly- the flavors are fantastic. Jon said he'd like some crunch, so we are going to add some crumbled crispy bacon next time we have these. (You could do this on the stove top to get the caramelized crunchy goodness, but its a good excuse to add some bacon LOL)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Ham & Artichoke Hash browns
Serves 2
378 calories per

3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes with onions and peppers aka O'Brien potatoes
1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup drained canned quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/8 tsp black pepper
Lawry's season salt to taste
3 oz smoked ham, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Combine potatoes and chicken broth in a 1-quart microwave-safe casserole. Cover with lid, and microwave at HIGH 12 minutes, stirring after 6 minutes.

Uncover dish. Stir in 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, green onions, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, season salt and ham. Sprinkle with cheese. Microwave, uncovered, at HIGH 1 minute.

Spinach, Ham, Potato Gratin

It was a cool, rainy day yesterday. The house needed some home cooking to warm things up. Choosing from my list of preplanned weekly meals, I decided on a new gratin recipe.

We've had gratins before, some were good while others left something to be desired. Recalling some of our previous gratins I made a small change to this recipe before I even started. It turned out to be a good decision.

I added some cheddar cheese between the inner layers of spinach and ham. Other gratins don't do this and lack flavor. At least for Jon and I.

Something I often do when I am baking with milk is to substitute part of the milk for sour cream. For example, I needed 2 cups of milk for the gratin, but the recipe calls for 2%. I don't use any milk other than skim. I am lactose intolerant and the extra cream/fat makes it even more difficult for me to break down the lactose (the sugars and enzymes found in dairy products). So something I learned a long time ago by trial and error is to mix nonfat milk and nonfat sour cream or plain yogurt. It gives me the same creaminess of 2% milk without the side effects. So for this recipe, I used 1 3/4 cup skim milk and enough sour cream to make 2 cups. Mix with a whisk and presto! Skim milk with a 2% feel.

This particular gratin reminds me of my mom's spinach and ham lasagna, which is one of my favorites! Spinach, ham, white sauce, lasagna noodles, and mozzarella. Can you really go wrong there? Uh, no.

This recipe is from the side dish section of my cookbook. But, we served the gratin as a stand alone meal with some fresh tomatoes. So what you see above is actually two servings. Very filling servings I might add.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Spinach, Ham, and Potato Gratin
Serves 8
240 calories per

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped reduced-fat ham (about 4 ounces)
1 tsp salt, divided
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/8 tsp grated whole nutmeg
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
2 cups skim milk*
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups(1/8-inch-thick) slices Yukon gold potato (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese**
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in ham, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, nutmeg, and spinach.

Combine milk, flour, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring with a whisk.

Arrange half of potato slices in an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Spread spinach mixture over potato slices and cheese. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheddar cheese over the spinach.

Arrange remaining potato slices over spinach mixture; pour milk mixture over top. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Cover with foil coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Uncover and sprinkle with Swiss cheese; bake an additional 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler.

Broil gratin for 2 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

Allow to set for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

* Original recipe calls for 2% milk
**Not included in original recipe, calorie count was adjusted to include reduced fat cheddar cheese.

Birthday Trifle

This Saturday is my Dad's birthday. Since my work schedule didn't allow for me to be there on his special day, we celebrated yesterday.

We went to a buffet called Aunt B's. It was all southern food- fried chicken, collards, mac n cheese, biscuits and corn bread, battered and fried chicken livers, spaghetti, salad bar, fat back, cobblers, and puddings. And no, that doesn't cover everything on the buffet line- there is much more to choose from. It was all very good :)

When we got home we watched a movie and then ate birthday trifle. It was a success. Look that those flavorful layers of sweet goodness!






Whats a birthday without a card? This one was made especially for my dad-

It was a great day spent together as a family. So, to my dad- Happy Birthday week :)


And to everyone else out there reading along-
Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Sweet Potato Trifle
Serves 12 (2/3 cup per)
300 calories per serving

1 (16-ounce) angel food cake, cut into (1-inch) cubes
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
2 (15-ounce) cans cooked peeled sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
3 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut, toasted and divided
1 (8-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°.

Arrange cake cubes in a single layer on a jelly roll pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until toasted, turning once.

Place 1/2 cup sugar, sour cream, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Gradually add milk, beating until smooth. Add toasted cake cubes; fold gently to combine.

Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, salt, and sweet potatoes in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Spoon half of cake mixture into a trifle dish or 3-quart glass bowl; top with half of sweet potato mixture. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon coconut over sweet potato mixture; top with half of whipped topping. Repeat layers; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon coconut and pecans.

Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Taters!

I love potatoes. They are very versatile. I've had them boiled, broiled, crinkle cut, grilled, baked, sauteed, mashed... oops I should stop, I'm doing that Bubba Gump thing again, sorry.

One thing I hadn't ever had was potato latkes.

Ok, why was someone keeping these from me?

Potatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil- really can anything be bad about this?! Um, no.

They were super good. Jon wasn't nearly as impressed as I was, he said the seasoning needs some adjusting. To be fair, they do need some very small tweaks that I will take care of when I make them again. (They need more onion and garlic for our tastes, we are also going to add some season salt. No big deal.)

To my Northern friends- stay warm tonight and be sure to throw an extra log on the fire!

One last random side note: through the power of modern technology, I got to watch two beautiful black bear cubs be born today. I've been following Lily and Hope (along with the rest of the North American Bear Center) since last year. January of 2010 was a historic month for Lily. She gave birth to Hope on a live webcam. This was the first time the miracle of birth for a wild black bear had been captured on film in a black bear's den out in her natural environment. And now, one year later (the day before Hope's 1 year birthday) we watched Lily give birth once again. What will we learn this time around? I am excited to find out :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Two Potato Latkes
Serves 4 (2 latkes)
256 calories per serving

2 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup grated fresh onion
1 lb shredded peeled baking potato
1/2 lb shredded peeled sweet potato
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
Green onion strips (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°.

Drizzle a jelly-roll pan evenly with oil, tilting pan to coat.

Combine grated onion and potatoes in a sieve; squeeze out excess moisture.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine potato mixture, flour, and next 5 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl.

Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, squeezing out excess liquid. Shape each
portion into a 1/4-inch-thick patty; place on prepared pan.

Lightly coat tops of patties with cooking spray.

Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Carefully turn patties over; cook 30 minutes or until lightly browned, turning every 10 minutes.

Garnish with green onion strips, if desired.

Huevos Rancheros Redux

I LOVE huevos rancheros. I have posted about them previously.

The recipe came from my cooking light every day favorites cookbook, so we got to have them again!

We've always had them with feta or cheddar cheese. But, since we are following the recipes, we used queso fresco. It was a great way to introduce a new ingredient into my culinary repertoire, something we know with something we don't.

Guess what, it's fantastic. It's creamy and slightly sweet. It lends a beautiful cooling property to the spicy egg dish. We have a few other recipes coming up that use queso fresco so I am interested to see if I feel the same using it in other culinary applications.

This is the picture from the cookbook(I was too busy eating to take pictures of these guys)

Wanna know what else I was up to today? Home made tater tots. Yea. I did that. Jon said to me, you can do that?! Yes, yes you can. Well, I can can rather. He just ate them :)

Aren't they cute?


So, today you get a two-fer: tator tot recipe and huevos rancheros recipe.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Home Made Tator Tots
Makes about 30 tots

3 medium yellow flesh potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium red skin potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 (heaping)TBS flour
season salt and pepper to taste (be a little heavy on your seasoning as it mellows a bit when baking)
1/2 cup very well crushed corn flakes
melted butter

Start potatoes in cool water. Bring to a simmer. Boil the potatoes until just about done, 18 minutes or so. Slightly under cooked is best in this case.

Using a hand masher or sturdy fork, mash- LEAVE LUMPS! You need these for texture. You don't want super big chunks, but you do want a fair amount of smallish lumps.

Season well. Stir in flour.

Form into tot shapes. Dip in melted butter and roll in corn flake crumbs.

Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 400 for about 12-15 minutes until golden.

Huevos Rancheros with Queso Fresco
Serves 4
330 calories per

1 (10 oz) can rotel tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce (we use mild)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley*
1 TBS fresh lime juice
2 TBS water
1 (15.5oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Cooking spray
4 large eggs
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese

Combine the tomatoes and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and juice. Set aside.

Place water and beans in a microwave-safe bowl, and partially mash with a fork. Cover and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until hot.

In a dry non-stick skillet, warm each tortilla over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.

Spray the skillet with cooking spray. Add eggs; cook 1 minute on each side or until desired degree of doneness. (we like ours over easy)

Spread about 1/3 cup beans over each tortilla; top each tortilla with 1 egg. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce around each egg; sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese.

*Original recipe uses cilantro

Steak N Taters

Jon wanted some comfort food.

That means steak and potatoes (or bacon, it depends on the day). I wanted to work on the CLP.

So, we had steak and slow cooker mashed potatoes. We tried them as written and decided we needed to doctor them a bit. They were ok as written. But once we added some cream cheese and garlic powder they were fabulous!

Oh, before I post this recipe I should back up a bit. We tried a sweet n sour chicken the other day. It was ok, we gave it 5 out of 10. It needs some tweaking before I post it for you. We made notes in my big cook book. So, when that is ready, I will share it with all of you :)

So, without further ado, here are the tasty taters.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
Serves 3
175 calories per

1 lb red potatoes, scrubbed and diced large (skins left on please)
2 TBS best life margarine
1 oz neufchatel cheese
3/8 cup chicken stock (1/4 cup plus 2 TBS)
1 TBS skim milk
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 cup sliced green onion
salt and pepper to taste

In a crock pot combine potatoes, chicken stock and 1 TBS margarine. Cook on high for 2 1/2- 3 hours until potatoes are tender.

Add remaining ingredients. Stir and mash lightly.

Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Jumble

Jon and I were strolling through the produce department a few weeks ago when we spotted a deal on sweet potatoes. 14 cents a pound kiddies! Since they have a seemingly endless shelf life if properly stored we bought a bunch of them.

I have been scouring my cookbooks and online recipe forums for a new recipes-

I don't want mashed, overly sweetened, marshmallow drown sweet potatoes. (commonly referred to as sweet potato casserole)

I don't want pie. (though this is tasty)

I don't want overcooked chunks of potato swimming in a sea of butter and brown sugar syrup. (not my thing)

No, I want to explore the savory side of things.

There are some recipes out there, but they are mostly for sweet potato fries or baked sweet potatoes. I wanted something more complex.

Since there weren't many savory or mildly spicy recipes out there (or maybe people just don't want to share their recipes...) I made up some of my own. Basically, I took my butternut squash recipes and revamped them to fit sweet potatoes. Some times you just have to think outside of the box.

I made a sweet potato gratin of sorts for dinner last night that was a perfect side for our naked burgers. Yes, we like our burgers sans buns. Once in a while we have them with their bready counterpart, but mostly we like them straight up.

I don't like to do dishes. Seriously. So I make this entire dish in one pot. I love one pot wonders.

I can't wait to explore more with sweet potatoes :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Sweet Potato Bake
Serves 6
270 calories per serving

1 large sweet potato, peeled (about 1 lb)
2 large red skin potatoes, peeled( about 1 lb)
5 TBS precooked, packaged, real bacon pieces
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
2 TBS smart balance 50/50 butter
2 cups skim milk
1 1/2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
3 oz smoked provolone cheese
1/4-1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste


Slice all the potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices. Put the potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water. Lightly salt. I emphasize lightly. Potatoes seem to suck up a lot of salt for some reason.

Bring potatoes to a simmer. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, until potatoes are tender but not cooked through. Drain and set to the side.

In the now empty pot-add your bacon pieces, onion, and garlic. Saute until bacon is crispy and onion is just starting to caramelize. Remove from pan.

Melt butter and flour together in the pot. Add milk, whisking constantly until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in cheeses and bacon/onion mixture. Once well incorporated, stir in parsley.

In a prepared 9x9 baking dish, layer half the potatoes. Pour half the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Top with the remaining potatoes. Pour the rest of the cheese over all. Wiggle the pan a bit to work the cheese into all the little nooks and crannies.

Cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Freezer Soup

Jon and I went to the Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation with my parents last night to check out the Christmas decor, watch the cannon's get fired, and step back into history with the 26th Georgia Infantry and other Civil War reenactors portraying the Glynn Guards and Brunswick Rifles militia.

It was an experience.

Something we noticed-"facts" seem to be based on where you are. One example Jon and I both noticed was our guide, the "plantation owner," told us that the northern soldiers were "ungentlemanly" and would burn down the plantations even if it was only women and children home "just to be mean." We both giggled under our breath because in the north, they say the exact same thing about the southerners...

I can never look at a bayonet the same way again. Interesting/gross factoid: the winning side of any given battle was responsible for burying the dead left on the battlefield. This wasn't always a high priority so it could be a few days before it was gotten around to. What would happen at that point was the men would heat their bayonets over a fire and form a big hook. They'd use these hooks to pull the remains to a mass grave then they'd throw the hooks into the grave. Burial had to be done this way to avoid transmitting diseases and illnesses.

We learned about cannon firing procedures. They shot off four cannons as our guide explained what was being done. My dad called my brother to let him hear the cannon fire(My brother was a history major and Civil War reenactor.) One of the cannons was used in the movie Gods and Generals, a movie that my brother was an extra in :) The thing that caught my attention was cannons generally fire 2 rounds per five minutes. So what was my first thought? I have 2 1/2 minutes to run as far away as I possibly can. Clearly I was not cut out for battle...

The plantation itself was a rice plantation started in the early 1800's. The house was passed down through the generations. When the last living relative passed away in 1973 the house was willed to the state of Georgia. The condition was the house and plantation was to remain unchanged. The state came in and catalogued every item, but moved nothing. Drawers contain letters, pictures, clothing, and trinkets just as they were. Nothing was brought in and nothing was removed. It's a very unique place to visit.

The live oaks on the property are incredible. Some of the trees are estimated to be over 800 years old.

Before our visit to the plantation we had dinner at our house. I made a quick vegetable beef soup. I called it freezer soup because I used frozen corn, frozen beans, frozen diced onion, and frozen(thawed) ground beef.

It was a nice way to warm up before heading out into the dark, chilly night.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Freezer Soup
Serves 8-10

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn
5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 large red skinned potatoes, diced
1 1/2 cups frozen snapped green beans
1 bay leaf
4-5 cups beef stock
3 cups v8 juice
1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic together. Drain any grease.

Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer over low.

Simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes to cook veggies and blend the flavors.

Remove bay leaf before serving.

Note: this soup only gets better the longer it sits.

Potatoes!

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe with you yet! Jon absolutely adores these potatoes. It's just a simple, basic gratin, but it looks so elegant when it's done.

I honestly thought there was NO way this recipe was going to work when I made it. There was so much milk and I didn't see how the potatoes were going to soak it all up. Don't be afraid, it really does work. Somehow, those taters soak every last bit up. :)

I can't remember for the life of me where I got this recipe, but it is super easy and delicious.

I use my mandoline to cut my potatoes to an even thickness. If you don't have one, get one. They come in a variety of sizes now. You can even get hand held mandolines that fit into a kitchen drawer. Once you try it, you'll never go back to slicing veggies with a knife.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Jon's Favorite Potato Gratin
Serves 4
140 calories per serving

1/2 TBS salted butter
garlic powder
1 c. skim milk
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBS finely chopped onion or shallot
garlic salt and pepper to taste
dash of nutmeg
1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes sliced thinly ( 1/8")

1/4 c. ( 1 oz) shredded Gruyere cheese OR Swiss cheese
1/8 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Rub a small baking dish with the butter and sprinkle with the garlic powder.

Combine milk, onion,garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and potatoes in a large nonstick skillet; Bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are almost tender (About 7-8 minutes).

Pour mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Sunshine on my shoulders...

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

If I had a day that I could give you
I’d give to you a day just like today
If I had a song that I could sing for you
I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

If I had a tale that I could tell you
I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile
If I had a wish that I could wish for you
I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high
Sunshine almost all the time makes me high
Sunshine almost always

Words by John Denver, Music by John Denver, Dick Kniss and Mike Taylor
----

This song popped into my head today as I was watching the sunshine stream through the windows at work. It was beautiful.

I needed to see the sun today. As a woman who loves the idea of sunshine 80% of the year, today was a welcome break from the cold, gray skies, and snow that usually blankets this part of the country. It was unseasonably warm, 40 degrees today!

So what to do on a beautiful mock spring day? (I say mock because we will inevitably get another giant blast of snow before spring actually arrives.)

I will be re-potting a few plants that desperately need new pots, opening up the kitchen window to let some fresh air in and let the stale air out (with the heat running...), and do some spring(ok mid-winter) cleaning while the gettin' is good. Then, at my husband's request we will grill for dinner.

It's shaping up to be a busy day. I like busy days. It means it's not so frigid outside that my eyelashes will freeze in 2 minutes. It means there is hope on the horizon.

Enjoy your day knowing that the sun does still shine, even if it's only in a song for today.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend.

Grilled Pizza Chicken
(Grill version of previously posted recipe)
Serves 3
241 cal per serving

12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, part skim
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper
dry Italian seasoning

Cut chicken into 3 equal pieces about 4 oz each. Pound thin. Rub with garlic. Sprinkle with pepper and Italian seasoning.

Rub the grate of a grill with oil. Heat grill to medium high heat.

Place chicken on grate. Cook halfway through, about 5 minutes.

Move chicken to one side of the grill. Lay a piece of foil on the grill. Place, grilled-side up, on foil. Top with sauce and cheese. Close lid. Grill 8 min. or until chicken is done.

Serve with grilled potatoes.

To make grilled potatoes: par boil baby fingerling potatoes in lightly salted water. Toss lightly in olive oil. Season with garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Wrap loosely in foil. Grill until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.