Category: POTATOES

CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN with PEPPERED GRAVY and FAMILY FAVORITE MASHED POTATOES

I included two pictures.  The top picture was last night using thinner chicken steaks and the bottom picture is an older one using thicker steaks.  Both, are great with this recipe. I’ve update the recipe to make a crisper coating.
CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN
2 large boneless chicken breasts
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Wondra
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
2-4 tablespoons butter (enough to keep chicken from burning~add as necessary)

  • Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts.
  • In a shallow glass pan, pour buttermilk over chicken 1-2 hours prior to cooking.
  • Make sure to coat chicken well and turn at least once during soaking.
  • Drain, but do NOT rinse the buttermilk off.
  • In a medium sized fry pan melt the butter over medium heat. As butter melts and begins to very slightly sizzle, prepare breasts.
  • In a shallow pan mix together the flour, salt and pepper.
  • In another shallow pan whisk eggs until well blended.
  • In another shallow pan add Panko crumbs.
  • One at a time, dredge each chicken breast in flour mixture, then egg mixture and then Panko crumbs.
  • Add to sizzling butter.
  • Cook 4-6 minutes each side depending on plumpness.
  • Keep chicken warm.

PEPPERED GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons Wondra flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper + (to taste)

  • Melt butter into bottom of pan you just cooked the chicken in.
  • Scrape up any of the chicken pieces and mix into new butter.
  • Add flour slowly, stirring until absorbed by butter and golden brown.
  • Slowly add first the milk and then the cream.
  • Stir constantly until thickens.
  • If necessary sprinkle in more Wondra until desired thickness is reached.
  • Serve over chicken and mashed potatoes.

FAMILY FAVORITE MASHED POTATOES
4 large Yukon potatoes, peeled & quartered
4 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/4 + buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter
salt & pepper to taste

  • Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender.
  • Drain.
  • Mash all together salt and peppering to taste.

PAN SEARED CHICKEN with CHILE LIME GRAVY & THREE CHEESE BLOOMING POTATO

I’ve been binge watching Junk Food Flip and The Great British Baking Show lately at night trying to play catch up and clean out the DVR list.  I was so happy when Nadiya won The Great British Baking Show this year!  She was so cute and sweet and won so many of the technical challenges and star baker that it was only fitting.  I really liked Flora too, but in the end she just tried too hard to do too much when she should have been focusing more on the specific challenges.

It was an episode of Junk Food Flip that inspired this dish for us.  Bobby Deen was making a piece of fried chicken for a sandwich and to lessen the fat and carbohydrates he used a rice flour and then only the egg whites whisked with hot sauce. It looked and sounded so good that I just had to try something similar.

I was also seeing these blooming potatoes all over Facebook and wondered what they were all about so had to give it a try too – only seemed reasonable with an experimental meal. I used 1 really LARGE potato for the both of us and then split in half after the baking.

PAN SEARED CHICKEN with CHILE LIME GRAVY 
          & THREE CHEESE BLOOMING POTATO & SWEET and SOUR TOMATOES

4 chicken steaks (think cut breasts)
1/3 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons Frank’s Chile Lime Hot Sauce
fresh ground Salt & Pepper, to taste
1-3 tablespoons butter**

  • Whisk together the flours in a shallow dish for dredging.
  • Whisk egg whites and Frank’s Chile Lime Hot Sauce in another shallow dish.
  • Heat pan with butter or oil over medium high.
  • Pat dry chicken breasts.
  • Generously salt and pepper each breast.
  • Dredge each breast in flour mixture, then egg mixture and then flour mixture again shaking off the excess.
  • Place chicken in heated pan searing the first side for about 5 minutes.
  • Turn chicken and sear other side until cooked through.

CHILE LIME GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons rice flour
1 small can green chile sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream

  • Melt butter over medium high heat.
  • Whisk in rice flour until smooth and golden.
  • Add chicken broth and green chile sauce alternately, whisking until well blended.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil, backing off to a simmer as soon as it begins to boil.
  • Add heavy cream whisking until well blended and smooth.

BLOOMING POTATO adapted from The Gunny Sack
1 potato per person
avocado oil
butter
salt and pepper
grated medium cheddar
grated Parmesan
grated smoke Gruyere

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Cut the top off of the potatoes.
  • Use a small, thin, flexible knife to cut rings around the inside of the potato.
  • Flip the potato over and make cuts all the way around the potato, leaving a small space at the top uncut. I also put my thumb on the top of the potato and made the cuts around it leaving a small strip of uncut skin. These cuts go all the way through to the center of the potato.
  • Carefully flip the potato back over and place in baking dish.
  • Brush the whole potato with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Bake for 30 minutes of baking. 
  • Pour melted butter into potatoes and brush all around the top.
  • Sprinkle with more sea salt. Return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes. 
  • Add cheeses and return them to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes to melt and toast the cheese.

SWEET & SOUR TOMATOES
1 box cherry tomatoes, halved or cut into thirds if they are large
fresh ground salt & pepper, taste
1 tablespoon sugar
splash avocado oil
1 tablespoon STAR golden balsamic vinegar

  • Toss tomatoes with all the ingredients.
  • Chill.
  • Enjoy.

NOTE: **I use a copper non-stick pan and don’t need much oil at all so adjust for your cooking pan.

PROPOSED EASTER MENU

Things are moving along well, so well that we decided to host Easter. I’m really excited about being far enough along host Easter and being able to really bake and cook again. This is my proposed menu. Any other ideas?

TROPICAL GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN

2-3 pound pork tenderloin
1 cup apricot pineapple preserves
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Whisk together brown sugar and pineapple juice.
  • Blend in preserves.
  • generously salt and pepper the pork loin.
  • Spread a small layer of the glaze on the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Lay the pork loin on top and spread the remaining glaze on top and along the sides.
  • Baste as necessary
  • Bake 45-60 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.
DEVILED EGGS

8 hard boiled Eggs
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon creamy horseradish
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
paprika

  • Cut eggs in half and scoop out yolks. 
  • In a mixing bowl mash the yolks to a fine consistency. 
  • Add the remaining ingredients except the paprika and mix well until smooth and creamy. 
  •  Fill egg whites and sprinkle with paprika. I have a Tupperware egg keeper that fits 8 eggs perfectly. I like to do these a day before serving also to allow the flavors to meld.

HOLIDAY APRICOT CARROT CASSEROLE

2 pounds carrots**
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cans apricot pineapple nectar
1 pound dried apricots
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup crushed walnuts

  • Clean and bake carrots until slightly mushy.
  • Cool, Slice lengthwise and set aside.
  • While carrots are baking, put dried apricots in a dutch oven and cover with nectar.
  • Simmer apricots until mushy – about an hour.
  • Add butter, brown sugar and walnuts to apricot mixture.
  • In a 13×9 greased baking dish layer carrots and apricot mixture twice.
  • Bake 30-45 minutes at 350°.

**Yams or sweet potatoes or a combination of can be substituted easily.

CHEESY AU GRATIN POTATOES
1/2 cup butter
16 oz. whipping cream
5 large russet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups grated 4 white cheese mix (Gruyere, Muenster, etc…)
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
Wondra Flour

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Peel and thinly slice potatoes.
  • Grease 9×13 baking dish.
  • In a large sauce pan, melt the butter.
  • Gradually add the whipping cream and spices. Blend well.
  • Gradually add the flour until the mixture thickens, but it is still pourable!
  • Mix the cheeses all together.
  • Layer the potatoes, cheese and cream mixture ending with cheese on top.
  • Bake 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

CHOCOLATE BERRY BASKETS 
Chocolate 
Strawberries
Blackberries
Blueberries 

ROLLS OF SHARON aka CINNAMON RAISIN BUNS
ROLLS
2 packages Fleischman’s Rapid Rise Yeast
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup WARM water
1 cup scalded milk (2 minutes in the microwave)
1/2 cup Crisco stick
5 cups flour, divided
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt

  • In a small bowl combine the warm water, 2 teaspoons of sugar and both packages of yeast until well blended. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the scalded milk, Crisco stick, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Blend well.
  • Add yeast mixture and blend well.
  • Add the well beaten eggs and half the flour. Mix until well blended.
  • Add the remaining flour (a little more if too sticky) and mix well until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is elastic.
  • With vegetable oil, wipe the inside of another bowl.
  • Place dough in bowl and turn once.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rest in a warm place until double in size.

 

  • Punch down and divide into 2 balls.
  • Put one on the pastry board and one back in the bowl.
  • Let rest 10 minutes.
  • While resting prepare the filling ingredients.

 

  • Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness in a rectangle about 18×24 inches.
  • Spread half the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar.
  • Spread half the raisins over that.
  • Roll tightly jelly roll style and cut into 18 rolls.
  • Place rolls in greased pans 1/4 to 1/2 inches apart.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rise again until double in size.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • While baking prepare the icing.

 

  • When rolls come out the oven, put globs of icing on each one. Return to the oven for a minute or two to melt icing all over the rolls.

FILLING
1 stick melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup golden raisins

  • Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until well blended.

ICING
1 stick butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered vanilla
4-6 tablespoons milk

  • Mix all together until smooth.

When re-heating rolls, put a pad of butter on top of roll before microwaving.
These freeze really well. 

MOSCATO STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
1 bottle pink moscato
6 cups lemonade
1/4 cup strawberry vodka
Frozen Strawberry Slices
Lemon slices

  • Blend together well.
  • Enjoy!   

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PORK SCHNITZEL, PLUM SHALLOT CHUTNEY & GRANDMA DOLL POTATO SALAD

PORK SCHNITZEL
6-8 thin pork cutlets
1 cup Panko crumbs
1/2 cup Wondra flour
Coarse sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons butter

  • Stir together the flour salt, pepper and cayenne.
  • Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Dredge each cutlet through the egg and then the flour mixture before adding to the hot butter.
  • Brown to golden on each side.

PLUM SHALLOT CHUTNEY
1 jar Smuckers Red Plum Jam
1 large shallot, sliced thin

  • In a small food processor add both the jam and shallot slices, processing until smooth AND chunky.

GRANDMA DOLL’S POTATO SALAD
3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, baked and cooled
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 large kosher dill pickles, chopped
2 tablespoons dill relish
Lots of mustard
A little mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

  • Grate potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add eggs, onion, pickles and relish, mixing to blend well.
  • Add mustard and mayonnaise to taste and desired consistency.
  • Add seasonings to taste.

SWEET FIRE GRILLED PORK CHOPS with PARSLEYED RED POTATOES

SWEET FIRE GRILLED PORK CHOPS with PARSLEYED RED POTATOES
4 bone in 3/4 inch pork chops
2 tablespoons Avocado oil
1/3 cup Frank’s Sweet Chili Sauce
1/3 cup tangerine juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup honey
sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
small red potatoes, washed and halved
Avocado oil
chopped Parsley

  • Arrange pork chops flat in a baking dish. 
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Whisk together the oil, Frank’s, juice, garlic and honey.
  • Pour over pork chops and turn to coat.
  • Cover chops and refrigerate (4-8), turning every 30 minutes.
  • Toss Potatoes with Avocado oil and parsley.
  • Arrange in baking dish.
  • Generously salt and pepper.
  • Roast until fork tender.
    • Prepare grill to medium high heat.
    • Place chops on grill and close lid.
    • Turn once, grilling both sides 4-5 minutes each until internal temperature is 145-160 degrees.
    • During last 2 minutes coat each side with honey.
    • Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes.

    RAINBOW POTATO PANCAKES

    RAINBOW POTATO PANCAKES serves 4

    2 1/2 pounds, washed, unpeeled and shredded*
    1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded*
    1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
    1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
    2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    2 1/2 tablespoons Wondra
    1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
    fresh ground black pepper, taste
    avocado oil or butter
    sour cream
    applesauce

    • Shred potatoes and carrot into a large cheese or flour sack cloth (smooth and thin fabric).
    • Pull all four corners together and wring the cloth to rid the veggies of ALL water.
    • In a large mixing bowl toss together the dried potatoes, carrots, red pepper and green onions, reserving a few green onion tops for garnish.
    • Sprinkle flour, salt and pepper over top.
    • Pour eggs over top and toss like a salad until all the vegetables are well mixed and coated with the eggs.
    • On a large griddle heat butter to melted over medium high heat.
    • using a 1/4 cup measure portion out the potato mixture into several pancakes and flatten to thin rounds.
    • Fry until golden and then flip cooking second side until golden.
    • Keep warm while cooking in batches.
    • Serve with sour cream and applesauce.

    GARLIC CHEESE SCALLOPED POTATOES

    GARLIC CHEESE SCALLOPED POTATOES
    3 pounds gold potatoes, washed and sliced thin
    1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
    4 ounces green chiles, drained WELL
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    3 tablespoons butter, sliced thin
    1/2 cup grated medium cheddar cheese
    1/2 cup grated Skellig sweet cheddar cheese

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
    • Toss cheeses together.
    • Layer the bottom with about 1/3 each of the potatoes, green onions, garlic, green chilies and butter slices.  Salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese between each layer and then on top of final layer.
    • Repeat with 2 additional layers.

    2 tablespoons butte
    2 tablespoons flour
    1 cup whole milk, room temperature
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1/2 teaspoon paprika

    • In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
    • Whisk in the flour cooking until golden.
    • Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth and free of lumps and starting to thicken.
    • Add salt and paprika until incorporated.
    • Slowly pour over potatoes allowing the liquid to ooze into all the layers.

     

    • Cover and bake 30 minutes.
    • Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender and tops are crisp and brown.

    ITALIAN BAKED POTATOES

    ITALIAN BAKED POTATOES
    3/4 pound ground chuck
    4 Russet potatoes, scrubbed, buttered* and baked
    1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 tablespoon Avocado oil
    1 1/2 cups of your favorite marinara sauce (my recipe below)
    1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
    1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

    • In a large skillet heat oil.
    • Add onion and garlic, sauteing until garlic is fragrant.
    • Add beef, cooking until browned and completely broken up.
    • Drain off all fat.
    • Return meat to pan. 
    • Add marinara sauce, blending well and heating through.
    • Add Mascarpone cheese and Parmesan cheese, blending well until creamy.
    • Serve over hot potatoes, salt and peppering to taste.

     *I rub butter on the outside of the skins to make them a little more flavorful.

    MARINARA SAUCE
    2 large cans Contadina crushed tomatoes
    1 can Contadina tomato sauce
    1 tablespoon Avocado oil
    3 teaspoons crushed garlic
    1 teaspoon oregano
    1 teaspoon basil
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    1 teaspoon white pepper    1 small white onion, chopped
    1 can chicken consomme or 2 cups warm water + 2 teaspoons Wyler’s beef granules
    2 carrots, cut into really small pieces
    3 tablespoons Classico tomato pesto

    • Heat avocado oil in large saute’/small stock pan.
    • Add onions, carrots and garlic.
    • Mash carrots to a mush.
    • Add the salt and pepper.
    • Whisk in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato pesto, seasonings and consomme.
    • Bring to a simmer for several hours stirring frequently.
    • Pour over prepared pasta and toss well.
    • Store remaining sauce is quart size or gallon size ziploc bags depending on your family size. The bags will freeze in a flat shape so you can store more in the freezer.

    7 UP STEAK & AUTUMN POTATO GRATIN

    7 UP STEAK
    2 pounds chuck roast
    1 cup 7 UP 
    1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup
    1 can cream of mushroom soup 

    • Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
    • Spray baking dish with non-stick spray.
    • Lay steaks in the bottom of the dish.
    • Sprinkle the Lipton onion soup evenly over the steaks.
    • Spread cream of mushroom soup over top of dry soup.
    • Pour 7 UP over the soups.
    • Cover with foil and bake for 4 hours without peeking!
    • Remove from oven and let rest undisturbed for 15-20 minutes.

    AUTUMN POTATO GRATIN
    4 medium YUKON potatoes, thinly sliced
    1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and sliced thin
    2 large carrots, cut into thin slivers
    1 large bunch green onions, sliced thin
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    1/4 teaspoon white pepper
    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    2 cups shredded Fontina Cheese (reserving 1/4 cup for top)
    1 1/2 cups whipping cream
    Wondra flour

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Grease a 3 quart baking dish.
    • Layer potatoes, squash and carrots.
    • Top each layer with a small sprinkling of green onions, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cheese and Wondra flour.  Repeat layers.
    • Pour whipping cream evenly over layers and top with remaining cheese.
    • Bake covered for 90 minutes.
    • Uncover and bake 30 minutes more.
    • Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

    CAMPFIRE POTATOES

    Amounts are proportionate and per taste.
    Slice some yukon gold potatoes and Vidalia onions.
    Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
    Toss with melted butter until well coated.
    Using heavy duty foil cut out generous sized squares per person.
    Squirt a generous amount of yellow mustard all around.
    Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and crumbled crisp bacon.
    Seal well.
    Seal well and toss on grill for 25-30 minutes.

    APRICOT PORK CHOPS & SCALLOPED POTATOES

    As I bring my old recipes over to the new blog I’m evaluating each one on their merits and taking new pictures as necessary.  There are a few (very few) recipes though that I’m re-evaluating as to whether I would ever even make them again.  I’m trying to only post things here that would be served at my table again in the future.
    The following recipe was originally tried and posted as a Pork Chops and Scalloped potatoes done in the crock pot with cherries.  While it was okay, but not something we would make again, the recipe itself still had merit so I adjusted the recipe yesterday and tried it again and VOILA we have a recipe I will serve again and again!  This recipe will also work with thinner pork chops as well.

    APRICOT PORK CHOPS & SCALLOPED POTATOES
    4 bone in pork chops
    8 apricots, washed, pitted and sliced thin
    3 large potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thin
    1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
    1/2 cup heavy cream
    3 tablespoons butter
    3+ tablespoons Wondra flour
    1/8 cup sugar
    finely grated cheddar cheese
    salt and pepper to taste

    •  Lay apricots in a single layer in a baking dish and sprinkle with the sugar.  Set aside for an hour or so.
    • Save you nicest looking apricot pieces to lay on top of pork chops. Puree the rest.
    • In a small sauce pan melt the butter.  Whisk in 3 tablespoons of Wondra flour until golden.
    • Gradually add the cream, stirring continuously until smooth.
    • Gradually add in half or more of the apricot puree.
    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    • Spray an 11×7 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Start layering potatoes into the bottom of baking dish, salt and peppering with a dusting of flour and sprinkled with green onions and grated cheese between layers.
    • Once all the potatoes are layered, pour 2/3 of your sauce over the potatoes and allow it to dribble and settle  into all the cracks.
    • Lay pork chops on top of sauce in a single layer.
    • Arrange reserved apricot pieces on top of pork chops.
    • Add remaining puree to remaining sauce and whisk until smooth. 

    • Carefully pour over pork chops.
    • Cover with lid.
    • Bake 1 – 1 1/2 hours (depending on thickness and doneness of chops and potatoes.) Remove lid last 15 minutes.  Potato layer will be bubbly.

    NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S POTATO CASSEROLE

    Remember when I found this thrift store find?  Well, here is the first recipe and it was a resounding success. 
    When I actually made this recipe I realized it really was my grandmother’s recipe.  One that was undoubtedly passed around bymany women at neighborhood coffee clatches, tupperware parties and PTA meetings.  I did update it a bit and hubby can’t seem to get enough of it.
    POTATO CASSEROLE
    2 pound package frozen hash browns
    1 can cream of chicken celery soup
    1 teaspoon garlic salt 2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 pint 8 ounces sour cream

    salt and pepper to taste

    12 tablespoons butter, melted, divided 8 tablespoons and 4 tablespoons
    2 cups corn flakes Special K original
    2 cups 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
    1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt  1 teaspoon sea salt
    1/2 teaspoon paprika
    1/2 teaspoon parsley
    • Preheat oven 325 degrees.
    • Rub the inside of a 2 quart casserole with butter or spray with PURE.
    • Whisk together the sour cream, soup, 1/2 cup melted butter and seasonings.
    • In a large bowl toss the frozen hash browns with the wet ingredients and 1/2 the cheese until well blended.
    • Arrange the hash brown mixture in the prepared baking dish.
    • Top with remaining cheese.
    • Top with the Special K.
    • Pour remaining butter evenly over top.
    • Bake 1 hour on lowest shelf in oven.
    Better the next day and the next and the next…