Aunt Shirley's Famous Creamy Mashed Potatoes

 

These are the mashed potatoes from Food Charlatan that go with the best pot roast ever!  My only recommendation is to halve the recipe - five pounds of potatoes makes A LOT of mashed potatoes.  And while they are completely awesome, the first time the boyfriend made them we had way more potatoes than we needed for the amount of roast (as in the meat was gone, but we still had tons of potatoes).  Besides, they are fairly easy and you can always make another batch of them if you do end up needing more the next night.

Aunt Shirley's Famous Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Serves 10-12    

My Aunt Shirley is famous for her mashed potatoes! They are SO creamy, fluffy, and have TONS of flavor. They are like soft pillowy clouds that melt in your mouth. I could describe them forever but you're just going to have to make them! A very unique recipe.

Ingredients

• 8-10 large russet potatoes (5 pounds), peeled
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, smashed and minced
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
• 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base*
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Lawry's seasoned salt (taste it)
• fresh minced parsley, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. 
2. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1 or 2 inch pieces. (See photos) 
3. Chop the onion. Smash and mince the garlic.  (You can use garlic from the jar in a pinch, but fresh is always better.)
4. Add the potatoes, onions, and garlic to the pot of boiling water. Bring it back up to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. 
5. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are very fork tender. 
6. Drain the potatoes carefully. I always use the lid and tip it over the sink but this can be a little heavy. Use a large colander if you have one. Return to the pot.
7. Add the cream cheese, butter, chicken bouillon, and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt. 
8. Use an electric mixer to whip the potatoes until ultra creamy. You shouldn't need to whip more than 1-2 minutes. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom with a spatula. Don't over mix; once it's whipped, turn off the mixer.
9. Taste it and see if you would like to add up to 1 more teaspoon of seasoned salt.
10. Garnish with fresh parsley if you're a food blogger and need to post pictures of pretty food on the internet. Otherwise you can safely skip this step ;) 

Recipe Notes

*I like to use the Better than Bouillon brand, it's a paste that you store in the refrigerator after opening. It adds so much flavor! But if you don't have any, instant chicken bouillon granules will work too. That's what the original recipe calls for. Oh and I almost forgot, I used 1 tablespoon of chicken and one tablespoon of TURKEY base. Love that stuff. It's got tons of flavor. It's perfect for making Make Ahead Turkey Gravy, too. 

Source: This recipe, is, of course, from Aunt Shirley. :) 

Baked Potato Salad

I have been making this recipe for years, but am now finally blogging it!

I don't use reduced-fat anything, so I used regular sour cream.  I recommend making the bacon extra crispy.  Otherwise, you'll end up with limp bacon, which isn't very appealing!

I found this recipe on Pinterest, originally, but I can't find the link at the moment.  

Baked Potato Salad

4 pounds potatoes, peeled

15 slices bacon

1 (16 ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons dried chives

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, and allow to cool to room temperature. Dice once cooled.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Allow to cool, and crumble the bacon into a large bowl.

Place the cooled potatoes into the bowl with the bacon, and mix in the sour cream, mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, chives, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Greek Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

The boyfriend has been finding all sorts of new recipes lately.  Among them was this winner (I haven't tried most of them yet to be fair) - it's quick to put together (and I'll be faster with more repetitions and less double checking measurements) and the whole meal is cooked together.  I used the full package of chicken thighs (six, but there's always one or two that are quite small) and found "rainbow carrots" at the store, which seemed close to the heirloom it calls for.


Ingredients
2 medium lemons
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pound baby red potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
12 small (12 ounces) heirloom carrots, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Directions
Adjust the oven racks in the center and bottom third, and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with foil and spray with oil.

Slice one lemon into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut the second lemon in half.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, potatoes, carrots, juice from 1/2 lemon, olive oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste, and toss well with hands until everything is evenly coated. Spread out in a single layer along with the lemon slices, without overcrowding, onto the prepared baking sheets.

Roast until the bottoms of the potatoes are golden, about 14 minutes. Flip the potatoes and carrots, rotate the baking sheets and roast until carrots are tender, potatoes are golden on both sides and chicken is cooked through, another 14 minutes.

Squeeze the remaining 1/2 lemon over everything. Top with feta, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon oregano. Serve immediately.

Mom's Potato Salad

This is my mom's recipe for potato salad, which as far as I'm concerned is PERFECT and is what all potato salad should taste like!

It calls for Nance's Sharp & Creamy Mustard, which is tough to find outside Central New York.  Substitute whatever mustard you like.  Nance's is really tangy, which is what I love about this recipe.  I would imagine a dijon would be a nice exchange.

 

My mom's secret is to rinse the pickle relish so it doesn't make the mayo funky.  My grandma always said the vitamins were in the skins, so you should boil the potatoes skin-on and peel them afterwards.  That is really difficult to do!  I sacrifice any vitamins that might be in the skins and I just peel them first.

Mom's Potato Salad

2 1/2 pounds red potatoes

1/3 small jar of sweet pickle relish, rinsed

2 radishes, finely diced like confetti

1/2 green pepper, finely diced like confetti

1/2 bottle of Nance's Sharp & Creamy Mustard  (I think the bottles have gotten smaller!  Half of a 10 oz bottle wasn't quite as "zingy" as I've made it before!)

Mayo to the desired texture (I only use Hellman's)

Boil the red potatoes whole until they are cooked through, but not mushy.  Rinse them in cold water and let them cool enough to handle them.  Cut in cubes of desired size.

Add relish, radishes, pepper, and mustard.  Stir to combine.  Add mayo until potato salad is of desired consistency.  

Enjoy!

Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes

We had this dish for dinner the other night and it was FANTASTIC!  Baking the eggs makes them the same as soft boiled, which is divine.


It takes longer to cook the potatoes than you think, so I'm not sure I would ever make this for breakfast.  Maybe brunch, since I'm not a morning person. :-)  The next time I made it, I used red potatoes, as the recipes says, and the timing was more accurate.  I've also added cooked bacon to it when you add the cheese and it is even better!

This recipe comes from the December/January 2013 issue of Taste of Home.  Since it was just for the two of us, I halved this recipe.  It was so filling, even for dinner, neither of us could finish all our potatoes!

Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes

3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, chopped (I used Idaho, which might be why it took so long for them to cook!)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I used dried)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 eggs
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1.  In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes.  Cook and stir until golden brown and tender. Stir in the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.  With the back of a spoon, make four wells in the potato mixture.  Break two eggs into each well.

2.  Bake at 400 for 9-11 minutes (I think I baked mine for at least 15) or until egg whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 1 minute longer or until cheese in melted.

Yule Log Meatloaf

I saw this on Rachael Ray last week and thought it would be fun for the holidays. The meatloaf and the potatoes were tasty. But mine didn't look nearly as pretty. Good thing the boyfriend doesn't care about presentation. If you're using a baggie (not in the instructions, but she said it on the show) to pipe the potatoes onto the meatloaf, definitely get them cooled a bit before you attempt to squeeze the baggie (although I assume heat would be an issue with a pastry bag too).


Ingredients
4 slices, about an inch thick, good quality white bread, stale and torn
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus some for drizzling
2 small ribs celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
For the mashed potatoes:
3 pounds medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 to 3/4 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
Salt
3 tablespoons butter, sliced
2 egg yolks
Pepper
Paprika

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, soak the bread pieces in the milk.

Heat EVOO, a turn of the pan, in a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add celery, onion, carrot and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté to soften, 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in sherry and stir. Let reduce by half. Turn off heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, place ground beef in a bowl and add cheese. Wring out the bread and add it to the meat, crumbling it into small crumbs over the bowl. Add cooled veggies and season with salt, pepper, mustard, cayenne and Worcestershire. Add eggs then mix with your hands to combine.

Form meat into a log-shape loaf, about 10 inches long, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Make mashed potatoes while meatloaf cooks.

Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water and bring to boil. Salt water and cook to tender. Drain and mash with half-and-half or cream, salt, butter, egg yolks and season with pepper. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.

Pipe the mashed potatoes in a decorative fashion to cover the loaf completely. Sprinkle the top with a little paprika and transfer back to oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Green Bean and Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

When I made this, I thought it was good....but it was missing something.  I had skipped the tarragon because I've never used it before and I didn't have any.  The next day I thought, "What about some dill?"  I added that to the leftovers and it became delicious!

Next time, I might bake the potatoes in olive oil and rosemary, rather than boil them like a traditional potato salad.  I think it might add some carmelized taste to it, which would just increase the yumminess.

This recipe comes from the August 2011 issue of Cuisine at Home.

Green Bean and Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp minced shallots (I used onion)
2 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Salad

3 lbs red or yellow new potatoes, cut into 1 inch wedges
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed, halved crosswise*
6 strips of bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 Tbsp minced fresh tarragon

Whisk all ingredients for vinaigrette in a small bowl and set aside.

Cover potatoes with salted water and bring to a boil.  Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.   Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Pour 3/4 cup of vinaigrette over warm potatoes.  Let cool 20-30 minutes.

Boil beans in same water until tender, 3-4 minutes.  Drain.  Transfer beans to a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette.  Set aside to cook 20-30 minutes.

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

Gently stir potatoes, scallions, tarragon and remaining 1/4 cup vinaigrette into beans.  Season salad with salt and pepper and top with bacon.

*  "Halving them crosswise" would add a ridiculous amount of time to this recipe!  I just snapped them in half when I was trimming them.

Oven Baked Fish and Chips

I am feverishly cleaning out my house and ridding it of clutter.  I'm giving away boxes and boxes of books and wanted to pare down my cookbook collection.  I was about to get rid of this one when I decided to check what I had bookmarked. 

One recipe was an old favorite I had forgotten about.  So I thought I would list it here and also give away the cookbook!

This is a tasty and healthier version of your classic fish and chips.  The secret ingredient is paprika -- who knew? 

Instead of spraying the potatoes with nonstick spray and tossing them with paprika on the baking sheet, I always put them in a plastic bag and add a little vegetable oil and the paprika and shake the bag.  WAY easier.

The recipe comes from Prevention's Low-Fat, Low-Cost Cookbook.  (Not sure where this one came from -- I typically cook with heavy cream and butter!  HA!)

Oven Baked Fish and Chips

2 large baking potatoes, cut into 1/4" lengthwise slices (basically, cut them however you like them!!)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup skim milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 catfish fillets, 4 oz each (or whatever kind of fish you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350.  Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.  Arrange potatoes on baking sheet.  Coat them lightly with nonstick spray.  Sprinkle them with paprika.  Toss to combine.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until tender but not browned.  Remove from the oven.  Move the potatoes so they cover one half of the baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, baking powder, thyme, basil, black pepper, red pepper, and salt.  Add the milk and egg, mix well.  Pat the fish dry with paper towels.  Dip the fish into the batter and place it next to the potatoes on the baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes or until potatoes are crisp and golden brown and the fish is opaque in the center.

Potato Basil Frittata

I first saw this on Ina Garten's show "Barefoot Contessa" on the Food Network.  I immediately looked it up online and made for breakfast the next weekend.

It is unbelievably good!  Probably the BEST frittata I have ever had.

Don't subsitute another cheese.  The gruyere is key to this recipe.

I half the recipe for just me and Chris.  The whole recipe would easily feed eight.  Serve it with fresh squeezed orange juice and grapes for an extra special touch.

Potato Basil Frittata

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

2 cups peeled and 1/2-inch diced boiling potatoes (4 potatoes)

8 extra-large eggs

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3/4 pound Gruyere cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked through, turning often, about 10 to 15 minutes. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small dish in the microwave.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, Gruyere, melted butter, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the frittata until it is browned and puffed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. It will be rounded and firm in the middle and a knife inserted in the frittata should come out clean. Serve hot.

Chili Potato Dippers with Cheddar Jalapeno Dip

The potatoes in this recipe are delicious, but it is really the dip that makes them so wonderful!  I usually double or even triple the dip, we like it that much!  Make these as a side dish to any Mexican meal, even simple tacos.

This comes from my trusty Pillsbury cookbook Make It Easy Mexican (January 1998).

Chili Potato Dippers with Cheddar Jalapeno Dip

Dippers

4 medium russet potatoes
2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 tsp chilil powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Dip

1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped tomato
1/4 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and finely chopped (I use the canned ones)
2 Tbsp sliced green onions

1.  Heat oven to 450.  Line a large backing pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray.

2.  Cut potatoes in thin wedges.  In a ziplock bag combine potatoes with oil and spices.  Toss to coat.  Place on sprayed foil.

3.  Bake at 450 for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.

4.  While potatoes are baking, mix all ingredients together for dip.

Mexican Fiesta Menu!

Easy Taco Casserole

Black Bean Enchiladas

Mini Corn Muffins with Chile Spread

Steamed Broccoli with Chile Lime Butter

Rosemary Potato "Chops"

I love the taste of rosemary and potatoes.  I created this recipe as a cross between a potato chip and potato wedges.  I call it a potato "chop."  You could make it a "chip" if you cut them thinner!

Rosemary Potato "Chops"

3 medium sized potatoes (I use red unpeeled or Yukon gold peeled)

generous pinch of salt

pepper to taste

1/4 tsp rosemary

1 Tbsp olive oil

1.  Cut up potatoes into 1/8 inch slices.  If the potato is large, cut it in half first and make "half moon" shaped slices.

2.  Place potatoes in a large zip-lock bag.  Add oil and spices.  Shake to coat completely, being sure to separate any slices that stick together.

3.  Spread potatoes in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Flip potatoes over and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cooking time will be less if you cut the potatoes very thin.

Sage and Potato Cheddar Gratin (Scalloped Potatoes)

This recipe was published in our local newspaper a few years ago and was cited "recipe from McCormick."  It is THE BEST scalloped potato recipe I have ever tried!!

Be sure to cut the potatoes really thin.  Nothing is worse than undercooked scalloped potatoes.

I usually make half the recipe, and I use reduced sodium chicken broth and less salt.  I made it as written the first time and it was a bit too rich.

Sage and Potato Cheddar Gratin

2 tsp rubbed sage or dried sage leaves
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix sage, salt and pepper in small bowl.  Layer 1/3 of the potatoes and 1/2 of the onion in lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp of the sage mixture and 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat layers.  End with sage mixture and cheese.

2.  Stir broth and cream in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended.  Pour evenly over potatoes.  Bake uncovered 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and top is golden.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.