It doesn't happen very often but once in awhile I make a mistake in the kitchen. Not a "oops forgot the mayo" or " oops needs salt" but an honest to goodness " how the heck did that happen?"
In my years and years of cooking I have been pretty darn successful. However I can think of three mistakes that I have made in the last year that actually embarassed me.
1. A savory warm onion dip that I made for my mom's christmas party. When I got home I realized that it had TWICE the mayo that my recipe called for. I was literally sopping up oil from the top of this dip all night. I can't believe anyone ate it.
2. About two months ago I made a chicken stew dish in my crockpot and the chicken was so dry....This is chicken that was steeped and stewed in lovely juices the whole day , always covered and never neglected. Yet when we ate it , it was like straw. I was stunned and then so embarassed that I almost cried when I saw my husband push his plate away declaring" I cannot eat that. Way to dry" Now this is significant because my husband has NEVER in 15 years ever not eaten something I cooked and 99% of the time he adores it. This was heartbreaking.
3. This brings us to today. I made rice in my rice cooker like I always do but I threw some frozen chicken breasts on top and let them cook with the rice. An hour later or so I come back to nicely cooked chicken and paste. *blink* Yes paste. In truth it was very very creamy rice. However it has no tooth. So I am about to declare a kitchen disaster when I have an inspiration.
I will see if this can be salvaged. I heat up a saute pan with butter and oil and then I dollop the rice mixture into little circles in the pan and fry both sides until golden brown.
GENIUS!!!
My newest addition : Golden risotto cakes with chicken and sour cream.
Recipe will follow later with a less gooey version of today's concoction.
This just goes to show, not every kitchen disaster has to end in tears and spurned lovers.
I have decided to challenge myself for the rest of my life. Whatever kitchen disasters come my way I will find a way to salvage them in a creative and yummy way.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Hummus Love
Growing up my family leaned a lot on our heritage for it's food knowledge. Especially for family gatherings. Now my Nana was an avid collector of recipes no matter what their origin. It could be said she collected every recipe she ever came across. She was fearless in the kitchen and it often paid off with delicious favorites. And sometimes not. Being part Bulgarian and I think some Greek somewhere, I was introduced to food that was not only foreign by nature but also foreign because I was a typical American kid. Largely I was unconcerned with food. Except when at my Nana's or when my mom made my favorites.
The point to all of this is simple. Girl meets Hummus = Girl falls HARD for Hummus. I had never had it until I went to a party a lonnnnnnng time ago and it was there. It was AWFUL. Sour and grainy and funky. No falling hard here. I couldn't believe I didn't like it. I couldn't believe it was that awful. So I asked about the dip and discovered it was store bought. At that moment there was a sparkle of hope that Hummus didn't have to be bad. It was currently all the rage and I doubted very much that millions of people could be THAT wrong. So I set out to make my own and try it again. Enter Girl + Hummus Love.
I have several recipes for Hummus but they are all based on one basic recipe. I will show the different variations at the bottom.
Alright lets assemble the team:
2 Cans chickpeas drained. ( I often use dry beans that I soaked overnight and boiled for 2 hrs)
1/2 C of chicken broth or chickpea liquid.
6 TBS lemon juice.
3 TBS Tahini ( don't leave this out)
4-6 cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
4 TBS really good olive oil. I tend to use more.
2 tsp cumin ( optional)
Place all players in a food processor and blend until smooth. Really smooth. Place in a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with pita bread. Now onto the really fun variations.
Spicy Hummus:
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.
2 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp of smoked paprika
Basic Hummus recipe.
Add into the prepared hummus and mix until smooth. It should be noted that you can adjust the heat to what you like. Don't forget the drizzle of the olive oil. This is a winner!
Roasted garlic Hummus:
Roast the 4 garlic cloves and then add to the basic Hummus recipe.
I tend to use at least 6 roasted cloves. I just love them.
Greek Olive Hummus.
Basic Hummus Recipe
1C Kalamata olives
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Blend until smooth.
The point to all of this is simple. Girl meets Hummus = Girl falls HARD for Hummus. I had never had it until I went to a party a lonnnnnnng time ago and it was there. It was AWFUL. Sour and grainy and funky. No falling hard here. I couldn't believe I didn't like it. I couldn't believe it was that awful. So I asked about the dip and discovered it was store bought. At that moment there was a sparkle of hope that Hummus didn't have to be bad. It was currently all the rage and I doubted very much that millions of people could be THAT wrong. So I set out to make my own and try it again. Enter Girl + Hummus Love.
I have several recipes for Hummus but they are all based on one basic recipe. I will show the different variations at the bottom.
Alright lets assemble the team:
2 Cans chickpeas drained. ( I often use dry beans that I soaked overnight and boiled for 2 hrs)
1/2 C of chicken broth or chickpea liquid.
6 TBS lemon juice.
3 TBS Tahini ( don't leave this out)
4-6 cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
4 TBS really good olive oil. I tend to use more.
2 tsp cumin ( optional)
Place all players in a food processor and blend until smooth. Really smooth. Place in a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with pita bread. Now onto the really fun variations.
Spicy Hummus:
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.
2 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp of smoked paprika
Basic Hummus recipe.
Add into the prepared hummus and mix until smooth. It should be noted that you can adjust the heat to what you like. Don't forget the drizzle of the olive oil. This is a winner!
Roasted garlic Hummus:
Roast the 4 garlic cloves and then add to the basic Hummus recipe.
I tend to use at least 6 roasted cloves. I just love them.
Greek Olive Hummus.
Basic Hummus Recipe
1C Kalamata olives
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Blend until smooth.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Simple Stroganoff
If your like me you don't have a ton of time to make meals, so simple but flavorful is your destination. Anything to keep from spending money on low quality food that only offers convenience right?
This stroganoff recipe is an adaptation of my mothers stroganoff that she made after coming home from work. She literally walked in the door and changed her clothes only to spend the next 2 hours cooking. I would rather be baking bread or painting so I adapted the recipe to fit my lifestyle. The key to this recipe is the slow cooker. If you don't have one you really should invest. It is the very best invention ever made for the kitchen, next to the Kitchenaid stand mixer and the food processor. ( I miss my mixer , it is a dull ache that is constantly revisited every time I do ANYTHING in the kitchen) So here we go, time to assemble the team of players.
1 6qt slow cooker
2 lb of stewing beef cut up
1 pkg of brown gravy mix or dry beef and onion soup mix.* ( yes its a cheater but hey use the tools you have if they are good.) Caveat at the bottom. For you purists.
1 medium -large sliced onion
4qts water*
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs garlic
1 1lb tub of full fat sour cream , Baby!
3 tbs butter or margarine
2lb cooked elbow noodles. Or other sturdy noodle.
Now to start the game. This is so easy it's shamefull. Add meat, gravy mix, onion, water , salt and pepper and garlic into the pool. Add water. Put the lid on and put on high for 6 hrs. Walk away. Don't stir , Don't taste. Don't even think about it. *tick tock tick tock* Ding!
-6 hours later-
Open the slow cooker and stir in butter and sour cream. Add in noodles and serve not so piping hot. Make sure to turn your cooker to warm because if you continue to leave it on high the sour cream will curdle.
My family loves this recipe and it has become a staple that the kids clamor for. Onto to the purist method.
When I have time I do not use the gravy mix, it has a lot of salt and I prefer to control the salt in my recipes. For the gravy mix substitute I use :
4tbs onion flakes
3-4 Tbs beef bullion granules
2tbs tyme
2tbs sage
salt and pepper to taste.
4qts beef stock ( low salt) instead of water.
It should be noted that I often have to thicken the gravy with a cornstarch slurry (which can be tricky in a slow cooker) before adding the sour cream . I like the way the purist method tastes better however if I am honest, the beef gravy mix just makes my life easier.
give it a try and let me know .
Until next time
Mrs. F.
This stroganoff recipe is an adaptation of my mothers stroganoff that she made after coming home from work. She literally walked in the door and changed her clothes only to spend the next 2 hours cooking. I would rather be baking bread or painting so I adapted the recipe to fit my lifestyle. The key to this recipe is the slow cooker. If you don't have one you really should invest. It is the very best invention ever made for the kitchen, next to the Kitchenaid stand mixer and the food processor. ( I miss my mixer , it is a dull ache that is constantly revisited every time I do ANYTHING in the kitchen) So here we go, time to assemble the team of players.
1 6qt slow cooker
2 lb of stewing beef cut up
1 pkg of brown gravy mix or dry beef and onion soup mix.* ( yes its a cheater but hey use the tools you have if they are good.) Caveat at the bottom. For you purists.
1 medium -large sliced onion
4qts water*
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs garlic
1 1lb tub of full fat sour cream , Baby!
3 tbs butter or margarine
2lb cooked elbow noodles. Or other sturdy noodle.
Now to start the game. This is so easy it's shamefull. Add meat, gravy mix, onion, water , salt and pepper and garlic into the pool. Add water. Put the lid on and put on high for 6 hrs. Walk away. Don't stir , Don't taste. Don't even think about it. *tick tock tick tock* Ding!
-6 hours later-
Open the slow cooker and stir in butter and sour cream. Add in noodles and serve not so piping hot. Make sure to turn your cooker to warm because if you continue to leave it on high the sour cream will curdle.
My family loves this recipe and it has become a staple that the kids clamor for. Onto to the purist method.
When I have time I do not use the gravy mix, it has a lot of salt and I prefer to control the salt in my recipes. For the gravy mix substitute I use :
4tbs onion flakes
3-4 Tbs beef bullion granules
2tbs tyme
2tbs sage
salt and pepper to taste.
4qts beef stock ( low salt) instead of water.
It should be noted that I often have to thicken the gravy with a cornstarch slurry (which can be tricky in a slow cooker) before adding the sour cream . I like the way the purist method tastes better however if I am honest, the beef gravy mix just makes my life easier.
give it a try and let me know .
Until next time
Mrs. F.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Chicken Noodle Yumminess
This recipe came about like many do, it appeared out of necessity. Hey they say it's the mother of invention. I may be the mother of many but invention isn't one of their names. This meal turned out so good that my kids asked if they could have it the next night for dinner too. You know it's gotta be good if the kids want it even WITH vegetables. I like this because I can make two large pans and it feeds an army. I prepare it ahead of time and refridgerate it. So lets get the show on the road.
Chicken Noodle Yumminess
Lets start with the chicken.
1 large whole chicken cut up. 3-4 LBS.
1 onion quartered.
1-2 TBS onion flakes.
2 stalk celery cut up
3 carrots cut up.
2 TBS poultry seasoning.
2 TBS parsley.
1 TBS garlic powder.
6-8 Quarts of water.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Yep you guessed it we are making a stock. I have found that often if you simply boil chicken in plain water that it comes out tasting like cardboard. I have, over the years developed a habit of working once for the benefit of two or more meals. What I mean to say is simply this. Make a stock today for a soup tomorrow. So today we are cooking our chicken in a savory stock so that we can make soup tomorrow. It makes a wonderful stock that has tons of uses. So all you have to do is add the water to the pot with all the rest of the team sans the chicken. The chicken goes in when the stock is boiling. Boil chicken for 2 hours. Yes I know it seems like a long time but it goes by fast. If you dont have the time to do a stock from scratch a store bought stock will do fine. Just get a good quality brand and do NOT get broth. Broth and Stock are different. Once the chicken is cooked strain the stock. Discard vegetables, they are spent. Store stock in fridge or freezer for later use. Let the chicken cool and then pick the chicken from the bones. Set aside.
Moving onto the rest of the yumminess.
2lb elbow noodles or your favorite short pasta. (cooked al dente , this is important because it will cook further in the oven)
2 lb bag of frozen chinese stir fry vegetables. ( I know it sounds wierd)
1 lb bag of frozen peas
1C mayo
2C milk
3TBS butter ( I use the real deal baby)
16 oz sour cream. ( FULL FAT)
2 cans cream of chicken soup.
Half a brick of velveeta ( I use the store brand not velveeta)
1 1/2 lb cheddar cheese.
1C mozzarella cheese.
1C parmesean cheese.
Whole chicken picked clean and cut in bite size pieces.
It should be noted this recipe makes 2 9x13 pans , or 1 9x13 and 1 11x15 pans. This recipe can easily be cut in half for smaller families.
The first thing to do is to put the cream of chicken soup, milk and velveeta in a saucepan and cook it until melted. This can easily be done in the microwave. I wish I had thought of that yesterday. sigh.
Mix mayo, sour cream.
Melt butter and pour over noodles. We like butter.
Now onto assembly. I don't have one gigantic mixing bowl so I use two. I do the following for each bowl:
half of the noodles.
1 bag chinese veggies.
1/2 bag peas.
Half of the sour cream mixture.
Half of chicken soup mixture.
Half of the chicken.
Half of the cheddar cheese.
Preheat oven to 350.
Spread the mixture into two greased pans. ( cooking spray works well) Top each pan with half of the mozzarella and then the parmesean. Bake for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Let cook for 5-10 minutes before serving. It really tastes better if its not piping hot.
We love this one and the kids have decided this is one of their favorites. I hope you enjoy.
More from the Flabby table later.
Mrs.F
( chicken noodle soup coming soon)
Chicken Noodle Yumminess
Lets start with the chicken.
1 large whole chicken cut up. 3-4 LBS.
1 onion quartered.
1-2 TBS onion flakes.
2 stalk celery cut up
3 carrots cut up.
2 TBS poultry seasoning.
2 TBS parsley.
1 TBS garlic powder.
6-8 Quarts of water.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Yep you guessed it we are making a stock. I have found that often if you simply boil chicken in plain water that it comes out tasting like cardboard. I have, over the years developed a habit of working once for the benefit of two or more meals. What I mean to say is simply this. Make a stock today for a soup tomorrow. So today we are cooking our chicken in a savory stock so that we can make soup tomorrow. It makes a wonderful stock that has tons of uses. So all you have to do is add the water to the pot with all the rest of the team sans the chicken. The chicken goes in when the stock is boiling. Boil chicken for 2 hours. Yes I know it seems like a long time but it goes by fast. If you dont have the time to do a stock from scratch a store bought stock will do fine. Just get a good quality brand and do NOT get broth. Broth and Stock are different. Once the chicken is cooked strain the stock. Discard vegetables, they are spent. Store stock in fridge or freezer for later use. Let the chicken cool and then pick the chicken from the bones. Set aside.
Moving onto the rest of the yumminess.
2lb elbow noodles or your favorite short pasta. (cooked al dente , this is important because it will cook further in the oven)
2 lb bag of frozen chinese stir fry vegetables. ( I know it sounds wierd)
1 lb bag of frozen peas
1C mayo
2C milk
3TBS butter ( I use the real deal baby)
16 oz sour cream. ( FULL FAT)
2 cans cream of chicken soup.
Half a brick of velveeta ( I use the store brand not velveeta)
1 1/2 lb cheddar cheese.
1C mozzarella cheese.
1C parmesean cheese.
Whole chicken picked clean and cut in bite size pieces.
It should be noted this recipe makes 2 9x13 pans , or 1 9x13 and 1 11x15 pans. This recipe can easily be cut in half for smaller families.
The first thing to do is to put the cream of chicken soup, milk and velveeta in a saucepan and cook it until melted. This can easily be done in the microwave. I wish I had thought of that yesterday. sigh.
Mix mayo, sour cream.
Melt butter and pour over noodles. We like butter.
Now onto assembly. I don't have one gigantic mixing bowl so I use two. I do the following for each bowl:
half of the noodles.
1 bag chinese veggies.
1/2 bag peas.
Half of the sour cream mixture.
Half of chicken soup mixture.
Half of the chicken.
Half of the cheddar cheese.
Preheat oven to 350.
Spread the mixture into two greased pans. ( cooking spray works well) Top each pan with half of the mozzarella and then the parmesean. Bake for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Let cook for 5-10 minutes before serving. It really tastes better if its not piping hot.
We love this one and the kids have decided this is one of their favorites. I hope you enjoy.
More from the Flabby table later.
Mrs.F
( chicken noodle soup coming soon)
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Potato Soup to DIE for.
This next recipe is at one of my readers requests. ( I didn't know I had readers!) This soup has been requested by all of my children and husband multiple times. One of my sons asks for it at every birthday and even for his Baptism party. Yea it's that good. When I first made this it wasn't a recipe as much as it was an idea of putting good stuff in a pot and hoping it would be yummy. This soup has several versions that we have tried and I will note those at the bottom. So onto my basic potato soup.
1 10lb bag of russet potatoes or yukon gold peeled and cut in uniform pieces. ( I prefer the yukon because they give the soup a beautiful golden color) *note this makes a LOT of soup so halve it if need be* Also the potatoes can have skin left on but I had a pot once that the skins didnt blend well and it was almost as bad as finding a hair in your soup when you came across one of the skins. Failed yumminess.
1-2 white onions quartered (depending on size)
4-6 quarts of good chicken stock ( left over stock from sexy mashed potatoes work well but I often have to add a bit more )
4 chicken boullion cubes or the equivilent in powder. I know it sounds odd but trust me its good. It should be noted that how much you use depends on how much soup. Less for less soup or you will have such a salty soup it won't be edible. Be careful but DON'T leave it out.
1 carton heavy cream. I use the tall one I think its two pints. Hey I cook , it doesn't make me a math whiz.
1 stick butter. I tend to use unsalted so that I can control the salt content better. I recommend unsalted.
2 tablespoons garlic. Not powdered.
1 lb GOOD ham. Real ham. No turkey ham. No ham wannabes. Chunk it up. This is the secret ingredient. This has never given my soup a hammy flavor but it gives it that " why is this sooo good" quality. That quality that you can never put your finger on but makes you want to eat it all.
1lb sharp cheddar cheese.
Now that we have the team assembled its time for the first inning.
Put potatoes,stock,onion,garlic,boullion and ham in a crock pot or a heavy stock pot. If using a crock crank that puppy on high , put the lid on and walk away for at least 4 hours. If using a heavy stock pot , put it on high and put a lid on and walk away . Don't come back until the potatoes are done. Time varies but generally around 45 min.
When potatoes are done take an immersion blender or a hand blender and blend entire mixture until smooth. This will yield you a wonderful creamy mixture.
Taste for salt. If it seems a bit salty don't worry .
Add pepper to taste.
Next add the cream, butter to taste, and the cheese. Stir together and taste. It should taste like you want to eat the whole pot. Don't. Well if you really want to go ahead but it's nice to share.
This soup is perfect with crusty bread and butter.
* variations are as follows:
Add leeks instead of onions.
Add bacon instead of ham however be prepared for it to taste like bacon potato soup. Yes it is as good as it sounds.
Add sour cream and green chilies to the basic recipe and serve with cornbread. Ole!
As with anything a lower fat version can be manufactured however you won't get it from me. Namely because , while good, it is not to die for. (note the name of the recipe)
So let me know how yours turns out. I am going to go make sexy mashed potatoes so I can make this soup.
Happy eating!
ps. Thank you for reading! I mean that.
1 10lb bag of russet potatoes or yukon gold peeled and cut in uniform pieces. ( I prefer the yukon because they give the soup a beautiful golden color) *note this makes a LOT of soup so halve it if need be* Also the potatoes can have skin left on but I had a pot once that the skins didnt blend well and it was almost as bad as finding a hair in your soup when you came across one of the skins. Failed yumminess.
1-2 white onions quartered (depending on size)
4-6 quarts of good chicken stock ( left over stock from sexy mashed potatoes work well but I often have to add a bit more )
4 chicken boullion cubes or the equivilent in powder. I know it sounds odd but trust me its good. It should be noted that how much you use depends on how much soup. Less for less soup or you will have such a salty soup it won't be edible. Be careful but DON'T leave it out.
1 carton heavy cream. I use the tall one I think its two pints. Hey I cook , it doesn't make me a math whiz.
1 stick butter. I tend to use unsalted so that I can control the salt content better. I recommend unsalted.
2 tablespoons garlic. Not powdered.
1 lb GOOD ham. Real ham. No turkey ham. No ham wannabes. Chunk it up. This is the secret ingredient. This has never given my soup a hammy flavor but it gives it that " why is this sooo good" quality. That quality that you can never put your finger on but makes you want to eat it all.
1lb sharp cheddar cheese.
Now that we have the team assembled its time for the first inning.
Put potatoes,stock,onion,garlic,boullion and ham in a crock pot or a heavy stock pot. If using a crock crank that puppy on high , put the lid on and walk away for at least 4 hours. If using a heavy stock pot , put it on high and put a lid on and walk away . Don't come back until the potatoes are done. Time varies but generally around 45 min.
When potatoes are done take an immersion blender or a hand blender and blend entire mixture until smooth. This will yield you a wonderful creamy mixture.
Taste for salt. If it seems a bit salty don't worry .
Add pepper to taste.
Next add the cream, butter to taste, and the cheese. Stir together and taste. It should taste like you want to eat the whole pot. Don't. Well if you really want to go ahead but it's nice to share.
This soup is perfect with crusty bread and butter.
* variations are as follows:
Add leeks instead of onions.
Add bacon instead of ham however be prepared for it to taste like bacon potato soup. Yes it is as good as it sounds.
Add sour cream and green chilies to the basic recipe and serve with cornbread. Ole!
As with anything a lower fat version can be manufactured however you won't get it from me. Namely because , while good, it is not to die for. (note the name of the recipe)
So let me know how yours turns out. I am going to go make sexy mashed potatoes so I can make this soup.
Happy eating!
ps. Thank you for reading! I mean that.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Sexy Mashed Potatoes.
So I was inspired to come up with his one because my best friend in High School ( actually he was out of High School at the time but I digress.) He came up with a recipe called Sexual Chicken. I kid you not it was such a yummy dish. He played it up very well mind you. He would cook and serve this to me and my then boyfriend ( who is now my hubby). So Greg your my inspiration.
Before proceeding I need to state that if you are dieting, thinking about a diet, heard about a diet or even say the word diet when making this you have just ruined the experience.
I should also state that this is a recipe for a large family, namely mine. 6 kids eat a lot of mashed potatoes.
1 10lb bag of russet potatoes peeled
6 qt or more of GOOD chicken stock.
2 sticks butter
1 tub sour cream FULL FAT LADIES.
1lb bacon cooked and crumbled.
chopped scallions ( I use three)
1 head of roasted garlic mashed into a paste.
pinch of salt and pepper. ( to be more accurate salt to taste)
1lb cheddar cheese shredded and seperated.
To begin cut up potatoes in cubes roughly the same size. Put stock on to boil and cook potatoes in stock until they reach desired doneness. Drain off stock and reserve. It makes an excellent potato soup for another day. Put potatoes back on burner and let the excess liquid evaporate away. This is an important step for the perfect mashed potatoes.
Add in 1 stick of butter and begin to mash . Add some stock from the pot as necessary to ensure creamy potatoes. Add more butter as needed as well as stock. You will notice I do not use milk. I have found that sometimes milk can give the potatoes a mouth feel that is not pleasant. Add in the sour cream and garlic paste and blend to desired consistency.
TASTE. Add salt and pepper if needed. ( It will be needed)
Add in bacon , scallions and half of the cheese. Do not taste or you will eat the whole bowl. Place in a 9x13 greased pan and top with remaining cheese and put in oven just till melted. These potatoes are something to behold. Not your mommas mashed potatoes.
give them a try and let me know. I will put up my potato soup recipe soon.
Before proceeding I need to state that if you are dieting, thinking about a diet, heard about a diet or even say the word diet when making this you have just ruined the experience.
I should also state that this is a recipe for a large family, namely mine. 6 kids eat a lot of mashed potatoes.
1 10lb bag of russet potatoes peeled
6 qt or more of GOOD chicken stock.
2 sticks butter
1 tub sour cream FULL FAT LADIES.
1lb bacon cooked and crumbled.
chopped scallions ( I use three)
1 head of roasted garlic mashed into a paste.
pinch of salt and pepper. ( to be more accurate salt to taste)
1lb cheddar cheese shredded and seperated.
To begin cut up potatoes in cubes roughly the same size. Put stock on to boil and cook potatoes in stock until they reach desired doneness. Drain off stock and reserve. It makes an excellent potato soup for another day. Put potatoes back on burner and let the excess liquid evaporate away. This is an important step for the perfect mashed potatoes.
Add in 1 stick of butter and begin to mash . Add some stock from the pot as necessary to ensure creamy potatoes. Add more butter as needed as well as stock. You will notice I do not use milk. I have found that sometimes milk can give the potatoes a mouth feel that is not pleasant. Add in the sour cream and garlic paste and blend to desired consistency.
TASTE. Add salt and pepper if needed. ( It will be needed)
Add in bacon , scallions and half of the cheese. Do not taste or you will eat the whole bowl. Place in a 9x13 greased pan and top with remaining cheese and put in oven just till melted. These potatoes are something to behold. Not your mommas mashed potatoes.
give them a try and let me know. I will put up my potato soup recipe soon.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Mom's Mac N Cheese
This is one of my kids favorites. It really speaks to the midwestern heritage that is my family. I remember this growing up and how my brother and I would just wait for it to come out of the oven. It is a fond memory of being nurtured by my mother with the little time she had to do so. My recipe is probably slightly different than hers but the essence is the same.
1lb box of elbow noodles cooked, drained and buttered.
1 lg can of cream of mushroom soup. Or two small.
1/2 block of velveeta cut in 1 inch cubes. I use the store brand substitute but Velveeta certainly has a nuance that somehow makes this dish velvety.
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese. I use at least 8 oz.
1Cup of milk.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Dash of onion powder. ( I often omit this)
Now I remember my mom adding the soup, velveeta and milk to a saucepan and melting it into a sauce. However I can't be bothered. In a large mixing bowl I add the milk , spices and soup together and mix until combined. I add in the noodles and velveeta and half to two thirds of the cheddar cheese. I put it all in a greased baking dish and top with cheese. I sometimes top with sliced tomato . YUM. Bake at 350 Degrees until hot and bubbly and the top gets nice and crusty. My mom's favorite part was the corners. Sometimes the dish would come to the table with corners missing. LOL.
A complete meal version of this is made the same way but I add cubed cooked chicken breast and steamed broccoli. Mix and cook till hot and bubbly. This feeds and army. Good thing I have one.
Let me know how it turns out.
1lb box of elbow noodles cooked, drained and buttered.
1 lg can of cream of mushroom soup. Or two small.
1/2 block of velveeta cut in 1 inch cubes. I use the store brand substitute but Velveeta certainly has a nuance that somehow makes this dish velvety.
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese. I use at least 8 oz.
1Cup of milk.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Dash of onion powder. ( I often omit this)
Now I remember my mom adding the soup, velveeta and milk to a saucepan and melting it into a sauce. However I can't be bothered. In a large mixing bowl I add the milk , spices and soup together and mix until combined. I add in the noodles and velveeta and half to two thirds of the cheddar cheese. I put it all in a greased baking dish and top with cheese. I sometimes top with sliced tomato . YUM. Bake at 350 Degrees until hot and bubbly and the top gets nice and crusty. My mom's favorite part was the corners. Sometimes the dish would come to the table with corners missing. LOL.
A complete meal version of this is made the same way but I add cubed cooked chicken breast and steamed broccoli. Mix and cook till hot and bubbly. This feeds and army. Good thing I have one.
Let me know how it turns out.
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