Three Cheese Hasselback Potatoes

This is Sage Derby Cheese.  I came across it Saturday in the grocery and thought it was interesting.  It was economical so why not buy a small wedge and see what happens.

The cheese is actually fairly mellow, the sage flavor is not over powering at all and lends itself to lots of possibilities, especially when paired with other cheeses.

I did want to be careful not turn a side dish green, sometimes green side dishes don't work out so well especially when it's not St. Patrick's day, do ya feel me?

We hadn't had hasselback potatoes in a VERY long time so I decided to top them with cheese and include my new find.

2 baking potatoes

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup melted butter

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup finely grated Asiago cheese

1/3 cup finely shredded Sage Derby cheese
1/3 cup finely shredded Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Normally, we bake hasselback potatoes with lots of melted butter.  I had leftover Pasilla butter that I didn't want to waste, so I used it on this.  Regular melted butter works just fine, the Pasilla butter didn't change the taste of the potatoes at all.

Peel the potatoes and place them in a large bowl of water and the lemon juice for about 5 minutes. this will prevent the potatoes from turning that reddish brown color and help them turn a beautiful golden brown color while they are baking.  Remove them from the water and pat them dry.  Slice the potatoes about three-quarters of the way through and about 1/4 of an inch apart.  Keep the potato joined together at the bottom.

Whisk together the melted butter, parsley, salt and pepper.  Dunk the potatoes in the butter mixture and completely coat.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake for 30 minutes.  

Reserve the melted butter...keep it warm.

Look at the beautiful color, the lemon water works boys and girls!

Remove the potatoes from the oven and divide the cheese between the potatoes.  

Drizzle the remaining butter over the top and bake for another 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are cooked through.

I probably should have drizzled the butter and then put the cheese.

These totally rock as a side dish to steak...I love ya baked potato, but sometimes I just need to mix it up!

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Pickled Red Onions Great Topping for Potato Salad

It's the end of the summer and so many of you are putting up or caning your summer fruits and veggie or pickling.  I really would like to learn more about this but first I have to grow some fruits and veggies.

I found and easy pickling recipe for red onions and had to pass this along.  These can be used in a salad, whether it be lettuce, pasta or potato.

 

 

1-1/2 cups red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon mustard seeds Kosher salt

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced



 



Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds and 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt to a boil in a small sauce pan.  Boil for about 1 minute to dissolve the sugar and salt.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a small bowl or Mason jar to cool.  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then stir in the onions.  Cover or cap and refrigerate for at least one hour before using.  These will last in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

 

 

I served these on top of some warm mustard potato salad which was a huge hit with the our fellow tailgaters for the big UT/Florida game!

Tonight, they will be the star of a beautiful pasta salad!


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Creole Roasted Potatoes

Roasting potatoes is always an easy "go-to"side for me.  Season 'em up  and toss them in the oven and I'm clear for about 30 minutes to run around the kitchen at mach 3 with my hair on fire, getting everything on the table to feed the starving ninjas.

We've been friends for a while so i can tell you this...I love, love love spicy mustard.  Always have.  I loved slathering mustard on saltines as a kid  as my "special" snack.  Okay don't judge, it may sound gross, but try it, I dare you, it's what you've been looking for all of your life.  Sure, you can use yellow mustard instead...seriously, it's for one of those I want something REALLY good, but REALLY weird kind of days.

So let's jump to the next generation....my homegirlz don't just hate, they abhor mustard.  So that's all I need to know.

2 lbs. small (#1) Yukon Gold potatoes or fingerling potatoes, cleaned
1 medium yellow onion
2 tablespoons Creole Mustard or brown whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, fine;y chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F

Scrub the potatoes and pat dry with a towel.  Cut the potatoes in half and/or quarter them; you want to achieve approximate bite-size pieces.  Cut the onion in half and slice into thin slices.  Place the onions and potatoes in a medium size bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil, spoon in the mustard, sprinkle on the chopped parsley and fold all together with a spoon.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread the potatoes out in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Place into preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Use a spatula and flip the potatoes and continue baking for another 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are beginning to brown at the edges.

Hello gorgeous, where have you been all my life?

They had NO idea mustard was involved.  My favorite question, "Mom, these are really good, what's making them happen?"  Reply: "I could tell you but then you'd have to kill me."

So you see, there is life beyond Ranch dressing bacon and cheese, but I didn't say it.

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Three Cheese Hasselback Potatoes

Baked potatoes are fantastic but sometimes, I dunno, I crave something potato-y with a little more bling to it. Well I have the ticket right here, it's adapted from a Robert Irvine recipe and it's way too easy for you not to try!

3- 4 medium size baking potatoes
1 lemon juiced
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Fill a large bowl a little more than halfway with cold tap water and stir in the lemon juice.  Place the peeled potatoes in the lemon-water.  This prevent the potatoes from oxidizing in the oven and turn a beautiful golden brown while baking.  While the potatoes are "tubbing" (allow them to stay in the water for about 5 minutes), blend together the melted butter, parsley, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Remove the potatoes from the water and pat them dry with a paper towel.  Slice the potatoes about 1/4-inch apart and about 3/4's of the way through the potato to create s series of uniform slices but still joined together at the bottom.

Now the fun part!  Dunk the potatoes in the butter mixture, making sure the slits are soaking up the butter too!  Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the potatoes from the oven and drizzle the remaining butter over them. Now generously sprinkle the grated cheeses on top of the potatoes and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Just a heads up here, you're kitchen is going to smell amazing and you will get impatient, but these are so worth the wait!

Once the cheese is melted, remove the potatoes from the oven and serve.

Tell me how much these were worth the wait.

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A Relaxing Evening at Almost Heaven South - Smoked Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing

Larry from Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings invited A.J. and me and Chris from Nibble Me This and his wife, Alexis for a relaxing evening on his boat docket which he affectionately calls, "Almost Heaven South".  


Larry's boat dock has been the scene for three East Tennessee Blogger Get Togethers.  A.J. and I always look forward to spending time with Larry and Bev and Chris and Alexis.  

We were all down for fun at Larry's little cove on beautiful Lake Tellico!

We never run out of things to talk or laugh about.

Chris suggested we keep the food fare simple so we could spend more time socializing.  None of us put up an argument, especially if Chris was cooking the brats!

A.J. obviously smelled the brats on the grill.  

Keeping the menu simple left more time for socializing and isn't that what it's all about?

Chris' brats and spicy dogs.

Chris also brought some Bush's Grillin' Beans.  Who could turn these down?

My Grilled Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing.  Recipe below.

Before you knew it, it was after 11:00 PM.  I can't wait to get together with my blogging buddies again soon!

Thanks Larry, Bev Chris and Alexis for a fabulous Evening!


Smoked Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing:
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled, par boiled in 2 tablespoons Zatarain's Pro Boil or salted water, drained an chunked
2 teaspoons dill
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons Canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons prepare horseradish
2 tablespoon brown whole grain mustard (I prefer Zatarain's Creole mustard)
2 teaspoons honey 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil


Pre-heat grill to high heat


Toss the potatoes in the Canola oil and then add the 2 teaspoons of dill and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika.  Place the potatoes in a mesh grill basket and grill until they begin to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.


Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the mayo, apple cider vinegar, horseradish, mustard, honey, salt and pepper to thoroughly combine.  then slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil.


Drizzle a tablespoon or two of the dressing in the bottom of a shallow serving bowl.  Place the grilled potatoes in the bowl.  Sprinkle a little smoked paprika over the potatoes and then drizzle the remaining dressing over the potatoes and serve warm.


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Grilled Potato Gratin

Yes, boys and girls, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you, it really does say "Grilled" Potatoes Gratin.

You know me, I'm either going to "Parmesan" or "Grill" it.  This is so easy and if you use Yukon Gold potatoes, the skin is so thin, you won't even have to peel them! 

What's not to like, right?

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 

4 to 5 medium size Yukon Gold potatoes, cleaned and thinly sliced into rounds

2 garlic cloves

1 stick butter, cut into tablespoons size pats 

1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Bring a large pot of of salted water to a boil and add the potato slices.  Boil about 8 minutes to soften them up but not to completely cook them. Drain and slightly cool the potatoes.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect grilling over medium-high heat.

While the potatoes are boiling, smash the garlic cloves using the side of a chef's knife and liberally sprinkle the smashed garlic cloves with the Kosher salt. Continue smashing and scraping the garlic until it turns into a paste.

Heat a 1 quart saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and melt. Stir in the garlic paste, parsley and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the grill to medium.

Spray a slotted grill pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the potato in the pan in concentric circles and cover the bottom of the pan.  Gently brush the potatoes withe some of the garlic butter.  If you have more potatoes, make another layer in concentric circles over the first layer of potatoes and brush the second layer with the garlic butter mixture.

Place the grill pan in the center of the grill and close the cover.   Move the grill pan to the other side of the grill and continue grilling over indirect heat, basting the potatoes with garlic butter about every 10 minutes, until browned and tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Now tell me, who's your hero?



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Gnocchi Au Gratin Orleans

Have you ever tried to make gnocchi?  I am 0 for 2; two mushy disasters.  Thank goodness my local grocery store carries gnocchi. 

I poured over several recipes for sauces for gnocchi and saw one of Emeril Lagasse's sauce recipes I really liked.  This recipe has been tweaked quite a bit to accommodate our tastes and the ingredients I had on hand.  This turned out to be a quick and tasty alternative to pasta and rice.  

1 package gnocchi (16 ounces)

3 slices of smokey bacon
1 tablespoon minced sweet onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Louisiana hot Sauce)

Emeril's Essence, recipe follows
2/3 cup grated Parmesan  (reserve 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel.  Once cooled, crumble and reserve.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet  and add the onions.  Saute for about 3 minutes, then add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute.  

While the veggies are sauteing, place the gnocchi in an oven-proof dish and season with Essence.

After the garlic has been in the skillet for a minute, slowly whisk in the cream, Worcestershire sauce, and  hot sauce. Bring the sauce up to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking the sauce until it thickens and reduces by 1/3.

Pour the sauce over the gnocchi and sprinkle the dish with the grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 5 minutes, remove dish from oven and sprinkle the crumbled bacon, chopped parsley and reserved Parmesan cheese over the top.  Return the dish to the oven and bake for 3 to 4 more minutes. 

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):


2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.


I can't wait to make this again.


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BLD Cheesy Potatoes

I really had a lot of trepidation about posting this recipe.  The main reason, it isn't photogenic, but man-oh-man, it's so dang good!

One our neighbors told me her children were over the moon about this dish.  We all like finding new really good recipes, so I have to pass this on to all of you, but maybe you already know.

How can you go wrong with bacon, cheese potatoes, and Ranch seasoning?  You can't.

Breakfast, lunch or dinner (BLD) you have a hearty crown pleasing side.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1  - 30 oz. package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

2  - envelopes Ranch Dip Mix (powder)

2 - 16 oz. containers sour cream

2  - cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 6 oz. jar Hormel Real Bacon Bits

In a very large bowl, combine the sour cream and the Ranch Dip Mix and the bacon bits until completely blended.  Fold in the thawed hash brown potatoes.  Spread the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and bake  for approximately 45 to 50 minutes.




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Potato Souffle

By chance last week, I happened to catch Sandra Lee making this dish.  Normally, I don't pay a whole lot of attention, but when she was using Parmesan cheese in this recipe, she got my undivided attention.

Have you ever "souffled"?  Me either, this is my first time.  Thank you for being here to share this souffle experience.  Are you afraid to souffle?  I was, that's why I haven't made one before.  Now I'm a souffling maniac!  One word of caution, timing is critical with this dish.  The moment it comes out of the oven it needs to be served or yes, the horrible will happen, it will deflate a little.  It will still taste amazing, but the show stopping fluff will be a memory.

If you ever want to impress your dinner guests, with eye candy and flavor, plus saying "souffle" is fun  and it sounds so sophisticated.; this is the golden ticket.

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 (3.6-ounce) packet instant roasted garlic mashed potatoes, made according to package directions and cooled completely (recommended: Betty Crocker)

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup cream

1 tablespoon freshly snipped chives

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter bottom and sides of a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish. Add Parmesan to dish and roll dish to coat inside (just like preparing a cake pan with butter and flour); set aside.

In medium bowl, stir to combine cooled potatoes, egg yolks, cream, chives, salt and pepper; set aside.

In another medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Careful not to overbeat.

Stir 1/3 of egg whites into potato mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until just incorporated.

Transfer to prepared souffle dish and bake in preheated oven 60 to 65 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Now you've souffled, go forth and show-off to all of your friends and family!

Cook Book Winners and Roasted Potato Salad

First, the winners of Jennifer Chandler's Cookbook, Simply Suppers!!!

Larry from Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings

Lynn from What's Cooking on the Mommy Porch

April from Polka Dot 'n Pinky Swears 

Congratulations Larry, Lynn, and April.  Email your addresses to me and we'll get the books right out to you.

Thank all of you for participating.  This was a fantastic and fun cookbook to review.

 I came across this recipe from Paula Deen.  She originally did it with a blue cheese sauce and since I can't stand blue cheese in any way shape or form, I substituted goat cheese.  Don't judge!  I also think crumbled Feta cheese would be great in this sauce also.

The major pluses are NO PEELING and NO BOILING.  Does potato salad get any better?  Oh yes it does.  Once you taste this, it will become part of your family favorites.

 

2-1/2 lbs.pounds russet or red potatoes (I figure one potato per person and then an extra potato or two for leftovers)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Goat Cheese Sauce recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large shallow roasting pan with nonstick aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, tossing gently to coat. Arrange the potatoes, in a single layer, on the prepared pan. Bake until potatoes are tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions; cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add the vinegar. Stir until the vinegar evaporates, about 5 minutes.

In a large serving bowl, combine the potatoes, onions, remaining salt and pepper and Goat Cheese Sauce. Serve or cover and refrigerate to serve later. It’s better to bring to room temperature before serving.

Goat Cheese Sauce

3/4 cup mayonnaise
4 to 5 ounces crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a small bowl, slightly whisk or stir to combine the mayonnaise, goat cheese, sour cream, horseradish, and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Just in time for Easter!