Pesto Potatoes ~ adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

2 lb red potatoes, cubed
1/4 c prepared pesto
1 T olive oil
1 T dry ranch dip mix
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t kosher salt, more or less to taste
bacon bits, optional

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place potatoes in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except bacon bits, and toss to combine. Place in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking, or until golden brown. Top with bacon bits if desired, serve immediately. Serves 6 as a side dish.

Chef's Note: To reheat leftover potatoes, heat 1 t olive oil in non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add potatoes and sauté until warmed through, approximately 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with kosher salt and bacon bits (potatoes will have absorbed all the salt from cooking when cooled, additional salt will be needed after reheating).

Crock Pot Madras Lentils ~ adapted from Peas & Crayons

1/2 lb dried lentils
1 14 oz can no sugar added tomato sauce
1/2 c unsweetened coconut milk
6-8 small yellow potatoes, cubed
4 T butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t cumin
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Optional garnish: greek yoghurt, fresh cilantro, red pepper flake
Water for cooking lentils, plus salt to taste

Bring 4 c salted water to a rapid boil, add lentils and cook 25 minutes. Transfer to crock pot and add remaining ingredients except garnish. Cook on high 4 hours or on low 8 hours. Serve over rice with optional garnish.

Corn and Potato Chowder ~ adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

1 head cauliflower, chopped and washed
5 c chicken broth
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c milk
1 t salt
1 large carrot, diced
1 stem celery, diced
3 c frozen hash brown potatoes
2 c frozen sweet corn
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and chopped

In large stock pot, bring chicken broth to boil. Add cauliflower, cover and cook until just fork tender (3-4 minutes). While cooking, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Transfer broth and cooked cauliflower to a blender when tender. Add milk and garlic with olive oil and blend until completely smooth (2 minutes). Return to stock pot over low heat.

In skillet used to sauté garlic, add carrot and celery. Sauté until tender (5 minutes), add more oil as needed. Add to stock pot along with frozen hash browns. Cover and cook 10 minutes over medium high heat. Add corn and heat just to boiling, season with salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped bacon. Serves 8.

Potato Pancakes

3 c mashed potatoes, cooled
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
1/4 c flour* more or less if needed, divided
Vegetable oil for frying

In medium high sided skillet, heat 1/4 inch oil over medium heat.

Combine potatoes with egg, cheese and enough flour to hold dough together. Scoop out small ball of dough, place in flour and roll to coat. Flatten into pancake and place in hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turn over to cook other side. Remove from oil to plate lined with paper towels to drain, immediately sprinkle with salt. Serve with sour cream and chives.


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Tater Soup

8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 c white onion, finely diced
1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 c milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 t garlic powder
1 t salt
grated cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chives for garnish if desired
salt and pepper to taste

In large pot with heavy bottom, add potatoes and onion with just enought water to cover. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender and beginning to fall apart. Add cream cheese (in clumps) and stir well until completely melted. Add butter, milk, mushroom and celery soups, garlic, and salt. Cook until butter is melted and soup is heated through.

Ladel into bowls and top with cheese, bacon bits, and chives if desired. Season with pepper and additional salt to taste. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: This soup was so simple to put together, the hardest part was peeling the potatoes! The total time needed for the potatoes to reach the desired consistency is one hour minimum. This soup can be made well in advance and left covered on the stove over extremely low heat for several hours.

Although the recipe claims it serves 8, it's really more like 10 servings. I had enough for several days of lunches and I think it gets better the longer it sits.

Thank you Ann Margaret for sharing this easy and delicious recipe!

Potatoes; Soup or Salad?

There are at least six different types of potatoes you will encounter at the supermarket at any given time. Choosing the right one for each type of dish can be tricky if you don't know what you need the potato to do. Most potatoes in the typical market fall into one of two cateregoires.





Boiling Potatoes
Waxy potatoes, such as Red Rose, White Rose, and Yukon Gold varieties have a thin skin and round shape. They hold up to boiling and do not absorb as much water. These potatoes are recommended for boiling applications because they have less starch and a higher moisture content. Waxy potatoes are ideal for soups, casseroles, potato salad, roasting, and barbecuing because of their tendency to hold their shape.




Baking Potatoes
Starchy potatoes, such as Idaho and Russett, tend to be long and have a thick, cork like skin. They have a higher starch content and lower moisture, resulting in a mealier texture when cooked and tend to fall apart when boiled. They are ideal for traditional mashed potatoes, baked potatoes loaded with toppings, and are the best potatoes for frying.

Crunchy Baked Potato

3 pounds small red potatoes, washed
1/2 stick butter
2 T parmesan cheese
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Butter flavored non-stick cooking spray

In microwave safe dish, bake potatoes in microwave 6-8 minutes or until fork tender (no resistance when pierced with fork).

Place potatoes on baking sheet and slice an X into top of each potato. Using potato masher, press potatoes until sides open. Cut butter into 1 T pats and divide between potatoes. Sprinkle liberally with salt and two grinds black pepper on each potato. Spray tops of potatoes with non-stick cooking spray and top with parmesan. Place under broiler until edges begin to brown. Serves 6.

Chef's Note: Don't skimp on the salt. One of the reasons restaurant food is so good is they use plenty of salt in their dishes. Tasting a dish as you go along is invaluable to the completed product, as you discover your own preference for seasonings, but never underestimate the appeal of salt.

Ranch Fries

1 lb frozen french fries
2 T ranch dressing mix, recommended: Hidden Valley Ranch

Preheat oven to 400°. Place frozen fries in single layer on foil lined baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until desired brownness. Immediately transfer hot fries to large bowl and sprinkle with dry ranch mix. Toss well to coat. Serve immediately, serves 6.

Chef's Note: Be sure to add the dressing mix while fries are still hot, the heat helps the seasoning stick to the fries.

Ranch Potato Salad

5 lbs russet potatoes, washed thoroughly
1 T salt
1/2 c ranch dressing, recommended Litehouse Homestyle Ranch
1/2 c sour cream
2 T fresh dill, finely chopped
3 t rice vinegar
10-12 grinds fresh black pepper

In large pot, cover potatoes with water. Add salt and bring to boil over medium heat. Boil potatoes until it slides from knife when pierced (approximately 15 minutes). Drain and allow to cool to room temperature.

When cool to the touch, coarsely cut potatoes into bite size pieces and place in large mixing bowl. Add ranch dressing, sour cream, vinegar, dill and pepper. Gently fold until well combined. Add salt and more pepper to taste. Refrigerate, loosely covered, a minimum of 4 hours before serving. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: This is a dish prepared by taste alone. I did not follow any recipe so all measurements are approximate. Adjust as your taste prefers. I prefer to leave the potatoes un-peeled as it adds to the home-made look and texture. If you want to peel the potatoes, do so prior to boiling and lessen the cooking time by 2 minutes.

Colcannon

1 1/4 pounds (about 2 large) russet potatoes
3 c thinly sliced cabbage
1/2 c milk, scalded
4 T butter, divided

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. In large saucepan, cover potatoes with salted water and simmer covered, for 15 minutes or until tender. While potatoes simmer, saute cabbage in 2 T butter over medium high heat 5 minutes, or until wilted. Drain potatoes, finely mash and stir in milk, 2 T butter, cabbage, and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

Pan-fried New Potatoes

2~15 oz cans new potatoes, drained
1 pound bacon
Pepper, to taste

In large skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat until very crisp. Remove bacon from pan to paper towels to drain. Reduce heat to medium, add potatoes and cook until browned slightly and heated through. Serve with pepper to taste and crumbled bacon, if desired. Serves 4.

Spinach Brotchen

1/4 c butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 one onion, chopped
2 T steel cut Irish oats
3/4 lbs spinach, washed and chopped
4 c chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, diced
fresh nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
1 c heavy cream

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat and cook onion until soft, do not brown. Stir in oatmeal and continue cooking until oatmeal begins to darken slightly.

Add spinach, chicken broth, potatoes and pinch of grated nutmeg; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium low and simmer gently for 10 to 20 minutes until spinach is just cooked.

Purée with immersion blender, add cream. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Bring to a boil and serve immediately, sprinkle with additional nutmeg for garnish. Serves 4 - 6.

Chef's Note: The word "brotchen" refers to Irish soups thickened with oats. These primitive soup recipes predate those containing meat, which later became known as "broth".

Toscana Soup

4 c chicken broth
1/4 t salt
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 medium russet potato, un-peeled
3 c kale, rinsed and chopped
1/2 pound sweet Italian Sausage (preferably turkey)
1/4 c half and half
1/2 c freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat broth in saucepan over medium heat. Add pepper flakes and salt. Quarter potato length-wise and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Add potato and kale to soup. Remove sausage from casing, cook over high heat until brown and add to soup.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer on low until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, approximately 20 minutes. Add half and half, stir and remove from heat. Serve immediately topped with parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Corn Chowder

1 T butter
1 strip bacon
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 ears sweet corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups), cobs reserved
3 1/2 c milk
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1/3 c roasted red pepper, diced
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 t thyme

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add bacon and fry until bacon renders its fat but does not brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add carrot and celery and cook 5 more minutes.

Break corn cobs in half and add to saucepan. Add milk and bay leaf. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover pot and cook 30 minutes with heat just at simmer.

Discard cobs, bacon and bay leaf. Raise heat, add potatoes, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Reduce heat to maintain simmer 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Raise heat, add corn kernels, thyme and red pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Serves 4.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary

Place leftover boiled potatoes in a large skillet and pan roast in 1T oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Remove from pan to drain on paper towels, season heavily with kosher salt while still hot. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary and serve.

Mashed Broccoli Baked Potato

~3 pounds red potatoes, cubed
~4 cups broccoli florets
2/3 cup warm milk
1 c shredded jack cheese
1/2 t salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot. Place potatoes in a steamer basket and steam for 15 minutes. Place broccoli on top, cover and steam until the potatoes and broccoli are tender, 8 minutes more. Transfer broccoli and potato to a large bowl and coarsely mash. Add cheese, milk and salt and continue mashing to desired consistency; add pepper to taste. Serve immediately.


Chef's Note: Never use a mixer to mash potatoes unless making a souffle.

Potato Chowder

1/2 pound bacon
1/4 c chopped red onion
4 to 5 pounds potatoes~ cubed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3 c milk
Salt and Pepper~ to taste

Cook bacon in large stock pot over medium high heat. Remove bacon, reserve and reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pot and brown for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to boil and simmer until potatoes are tender. Drain and add soup, milk, reserved bacon, salt and pepper to taste. Return to boil until thickened and serve.