Thanksgiving Potatoes

DISCLAIMER: FOR BEST RESULTS, THESE MUST BE MADE 2-3 DAYS IN ADVANCE!! This is my great-grandmother's recipe. Generations after her have sworn by these potatoes for their holiday cooking, and, in some cases, have retired their current recipe for this one. (There is a reason we only let these bad boys out but once a year. *Calories*!) All you need are a few simple tools and ingredients. There are two ways to cook these: crock pot or conventional oven baking. Depending on whose kitchen they'll ultimately end up in, or, available space in the oven, I'd consider both options. Anyway, enough babbling. Here you go.

potato ingredients

-5 pounds of potatoes (I like Gold Potatoes) -8oz of cream cheese -1 cup sour cream -2 tsp garlic salt -1/2 tsp pepper -1 cup of butter (cold!) -paprika (for aesthetic purposes only) Utensils: Large Crock pot OR giant baking dish, immersion blender (<- it works best, but whatever you use to mix will work) Secrets: 1. USE THE IMMERSION BLENDER :) (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=200856) 2. I used Gold potatoes - to me, they have a better flavor than russet or red potatoes. (Obviously you should use what you prefer.)

making mashed potatoes

To get started, appropriately prepare your potatoes to be boiled. Since I used Gold potatoes, the skin is thin enough that I just cut them in half, or in thirds if the potatoes were big enough. I suppose you could do the same for red potatoes, especially if you like the taste of the skin. But Russet potatoes, one simply *must* peel, and then cut into appropriate chunks to be boiled in. OK, so boil your potatoes. For an hour, or until soft enough to be mashed up. Drain them. Put into a mixing dish, or, if you're going the crock pot route, put them in the crock pot. Beat the cream cheese and sour cream into the potatoes until they have that nice 'mashed potato' consistency. (Personal tip: I prefer to use my immersion blender for this- in the end the potatoes are actually fluffier due to the amazing power of that blender.) Anywho, beat/mix until your potatoes are just the right consistency (e.g., totally beaten and smooth). Now, apply the garlic salt and pepper. Sprinkle the top with paprika as well (this is merely for aesthetic purposes only). Then, take your butter and slice it up - dot the potatoes with the butter. It'll ooze into the potatoes over time. http://instagram.com/p/SPT6ZKkNDL LET THE MIXTURE SIT FOR UP 3 DAYS AS IT IS. COOK ON THANKSGIVING DAY!

cooking mashed potatoes

After your potatoes have soaked as they are for up to 3 days, they are ready for the final touches (e.g., being cooked). *If you're using a crock pot, cook them on low for 6 hours. Serve warm. (Saves space in the oven) *If you're using a baker, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 400F. Serves 12-15, and will go fast. Be careful, they're HOT!

Holiday Dessert Bread

Holiday Dessert Bread Idea

Had some boxed bread mixes that needed to be used, and a bunch of leftover pumpkin (pie) mix from baking a ton of pumpkin cupcakes. Also had a 40 of rum. Here's what I did with it .....

Holiday Dessert Bread Recipe

Take a box of bread mix. I had the chiquita banana bread mix and a cranberry bread mix. You're supposed to take the boxed mix, and mix in the respective fresh fruit, an egg and 1/2 cup of water. I instead, replaced the fruit with the respective quantity of pumpkin mix. Of course, add in the specified quantity of egg(s). Then, instead of 1/2 cup of water, add the same quantity of rum. For the cranberry bread, I used spiced rum, and it was great! Cook at specified time/temperature.... and then FROST with the following.....

Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
4 c confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting - Directions

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.

Holiday Dessert - Versatility!

You can really make these for any occasion. I sprinkled some themed sprinkles on the frosting, and turned one into a Halloween Dessert Bread, while the other was more of an autumn-theme given the prominent cranberry-pumpkin flavors. Highly recommend for any occasion, especially one in the Fall!

Squash blossoms .... on pizza!

Squash blossoms:

Pizza night with friends! Diana made the crust from scratch.

Toppings included:

Classico marinara

bell peppers

pepperoni

mozarella balls

basil

green onions

squash blossoms (can also be fried, see below)

fried squash blossoms

Using a knife, slice squash blossoms open from top to bottom.
Line a pan with olive oil. Add squash blossoms and cook until crisp.
Yumtacular.

If anyone wants Diana's crust recipe, leave a comment below and I'll see if I can arm wrestle her for it. ;)

stiry fry - this time, with tofu...

Husband's reaction pre-dinner: "this isn't real food".
Husband's reaction post-dinner: "meh, wasn't bad". haha :)

stir fry

Why? Well, the tofu was just about to expire. and we still have tons of fresh produce from farmer's market (AKA my parents' garden) to eat up. So here goes...

Stir fry ingredients

-extra firm Tofu
-olive oil
-curry powder
-tarragon
-1 bag of stir fry veggies
-cut up fresh produce (in today's case, bell peppers!)
-bok choy (2 little things for 1 person)

Stir fry recipe

Bake tofu

HERE GOES!

bake the tofu:
-using a tofu press, "press" the water out of the tofu. (or in my case, use a plate and squish carefully so as not to totally mince it)
-marinate tofu in olive oil. For best flavor, do so overnight. (definitely did not have that kind of time or planning).
-for toaster oven: line pan with foil, take olive oil soaked tofu and bake on 425 for 20-25 min. season with whatever. I used lawry's seasoned salt, but TJs 21 seasoning salute usually does the trick
-flip tofu halfway thru to make it crispy on each side.
-when done set aside.

cook the vegetables

-a dab of olive oil in a wok or grill pan
-throw 'em in and cook!
-season with the curry powder and tarragon
-cook until crisp

cook the bok choy

-when veggies are done serve them onto their respective plates.
-usng the same oil, throw in bok choy. Remember: this is like cooking spinach- FAST.
-cook on high until bok choy is wilted.


SERVE the stir fry:
-place tofu on top of finished vegetables
-top with bok choy

Grilled Buffalo Kebabs - summertime fun

Grilled Buffalo

Just came back from Farmer's Market (AKA my parents' garden). Have a metric ton of fresh summer produce to eat. Oh, and the buffalo in the fridge needs to be eaten. Today.

Here's what we did:
-cubed buffalo meat
-shishkebab sticks
-cut up bell peppers (1 green, 1 red)
-cherry tomatoes
-garlic oil
-local seasoning

Grilling Buffalo

Buffalo is VERY LEAN and will dry out very quickly. Therefore, cook it in half the time as if it were a sirloin cut, and keep a watchful eye on it.

Chicken Tagine - summertime version

Lemon Chicken Recipe - with Basil and Garlic

It's summer, and things tend to grow in the summertime! Had an abundance of basil and cherry tomatoes, and chicken that needed to be used....tonight. Rather than BBQ, I opted for some Chicken Tagine!

How to make:

Start by lining the tagine with the sauce, and placing the raw chicken on top .

lemon basil sauce - (PRE cook)

• 1/4 cup juiced lemon
• 8 peeled garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil (I use double b/c my hubby likes it *strong*)
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Cook on low (setting 2) for 35 minutes on the stove top. Cook the side dishes while you wait!

Roasted cherry tomatoes AND CHEESY BREAD

Here's some really awesome roasted garlic bread. Cut it up on place on toaster oven like so (see below). The bread slices on the left are simply lined with EVOO. The ones on the right have sliced cheddar and a pinch of garlic salt (Lawry's is king).


Cherry tomatoes are amazing in summertime, especially since they grow so well during the summer. Line the foil with olive oil and simply roast in convection oven for 10 minutes on 400. Melt in the mouth.

Roasted garlic potatoes

I like the golden potatoes, but red or russett work well.

1. Cut/dice 2 potatoes (or the desired quantity)
2. Line tray with foil
3. add olive oil
4. sprinkle garlic salt
5. cook on 425 for 25 min or until desired crispiness is reached

Lemon Basil Sauce - Topping

Take the chicken out of the tagine when it's done cooking. Set on plate.

Using your immersion blender, apply it to the cooked basil-garlic-olive oil mixture in the tagine until it's nice and frothy. About 30 seconds. Pour over chicken. Sauce tastes great over the potatoes too.

lemon basil chicken - the finished product!

Cod Recipe - complete summer dinner in 15 minutes TOPS

cod fish recipe - for 2 people

-2 cod fillets
-1 tsp of olive oil
-a pinch of lemon pepper

Line the fish with a minimal amount of olive oil. sprinkle with lemon pepper. Grill on Foreman grill for 5 minutes. (10 if frozen) Remove when done.

Summertime side dish

It's tomato season. Slice up one of them ruby red boys and add rosemary to each slice (see photo below).

In the meantime a pre-seasoned bag of microwaveable vegetables always does the trick. Follow necessary instructions to heat and serve (should only take 5 minutes).

Grilled Cod

Here it is. And, it only took 15 minutes.