Cheesy Potatoes-Pantry Staple

Hello, everybody and welcome back to another recipe!  Summer is coming, and it is a time when many of you are feeding your children or grandchildren more often than during the school year.

I am working on using up all of my pantry staples, so that I can replenish them.  One of those probably "passed over" staples is canned potatoes.  I always have them in the pantry, but somehow I don't use them near as often as I think I'm going to.  Well a side dish my sister (#1) used to make came back to mind recently.  I have made it about 4 times in the last month per hubby's request! I don't know if this is EXACTLY how she made it but, I am sure mine is the superior version. 🤣

Cheesy potatoes are SO easy.  They are quick and you can pair them with darn near anything.

Let's get to this super easy recipe.  Everyone will love it!

You will need:

2 cans of drained whole potatoes.

1 1/2 Tbsps butter

1 heaping Tbsp flour

1 1/4 cups milk

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

parsley if desired 

Melt your butter in your pot.  Whisk in your flour and let cook 2 to 3 minutes.  Add in milk and continue to whisk until completely smooth.  It will begin to thicken as your milk heats up.  When it is smooth and slightly thickened add in your cheese and stir until smooth.  Add in your potatoes, turn off heat and cover.  Let stand 5 to 10 minutes.  The potatoes will heat through from the cheese sauce!  Sprinkle some parsley on top to serve if desired.  This isn't the prettiest to look at but, the parsley or maybe even chives will

brighten it up a bit.

ENJOY!

Loaded Baked Mashed Potatoes

 Good morning my friends, it is good to have you.  Welcome to my website!  Make sure before you leave to click the JOIN button!  No spam, no ads, and only an email update when I post if you wish!  I have over 600 recipes, here!  It kind of jars me to think about that number!

I pray this finds you all doing well and being happy!

This recipe is brought to you courtesy of my hubby.  He asked me if I could make mashed potatoes in the oven with bacon and cheese and something on top.... here it is.  These are AMAZING, and I am grateful he is so supportive and technically, my most viewed and popular recipe here on my website is HIS recipe for Baked Spaghetti and Stuffed Meatballs!  He knows his food let me tell you and I am never amazed at what he comes up with next!

Let's get to the recipe, shall we?

MASHED POTATOES

• 4 med-large russet potatoes
• 3 TBSP melted butter
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4-1/3 cup milk (depends on the consistency you prefer)
• 1/2 cup chopped bacon pieces
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (reserve approx 1/4 cup for topping)
• salt and pepper
• 1 green onion

For the TOPPING:

• shredded cheddar cheese (1/4 reserved from your 1 cup of cheese)
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs of your choice
• 4 TBSP melted butter

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Get a pot of cold water, WELL salted, ready for you.  Peel your potatoes, and cut into about 1-inch pieces, they will cook much faster.  Keep them a pretty uniform size.  Bring your water to a boil and boil for about 10-15 minutes.  Check with a fork to see if they are done.  Drain and place potatoes into a mixing bowl.  Using a hand mixer, mash potatoes, adding in all of your ingredients, sour cream, milk, cheese, bacon, and pepper.  Mix until well combined.  Place into a buttered or sprayed (nonstick cooking spray) dish.  I used about a 9-inch round baking dish, use what you like.  Spread potatoes to cover.  Now, sprinkle your cheese on top evenly, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top, and drizzle it all with your melted butter.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown!!!  When you remove from the oven, top with green onions and dig in!

Hope to hear from you if you try this recipe.  It is perfect next to a steak, a thick pork chop, a grilled chicken breast, and a salad!!

ENJOY!

Buttery Parmesan Potatoes

We meet again!  Finally, right?

You guys, I missed my website birthday!  WHAAT?  She turned 8 years old on August 20th!  Oh the vision I started out with has changed so much!  Those first ideas were laughable, my former 2 to 3 new recipes a week is now an unthinkable goal for me and I love it all.  All the dreams, all the changes, all of the everything.  Most I love all of you who have followed me, endured my losses, shared in my successes, and remained supportive friends through it all.  May God bless you abundantly, and forever, hold you in the palm of his hand. 

I have been missing my mom... what is new right?  Not in a bad way anymore though.  More happy missing.  Makes total sense right?  Anyway, she always boiled potatoes.  I am fairly sure we always had boiled potatoes, or she would mash them.  My dad was the fried potato master but I think my mom was the boiled potato lady.  I am not sure I remember ever eating a baked potato at home as a kid.  I do remember she would make me green beans daily just about.  (insert spoiled rotten brat grin)  I still love green beans like a fool to this day.  Anyway, these potatoes are just how she used to make them, minus all the good stuff.  Sorry ma, I mean, we both know seasonings and flavor weren't always your forte.  I appreciate every morsel you ever fed me.  Except show leather roast beast....EVERY. STINKIN. SUNDAY.

Let's do this!  If you are a visual kinda human, I have a video below you can watch!

1-2 lbs of potatoes (I used 1.5 lbs of a tricolor baby potato, feel free to use regular russets that you have cubed)
1T salt for water to cook potatoes in
6 T butter
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp Parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a pot big enough to hold your potatoes, add in water and 1 T salt.  Bring to a boil, add in rinsed potatoes and boil until the can easy get a fork to slide into the potato.  I used baby potatoes and it took about 20 minutes, yours may take less or more depending on size, so just keep checking.

When they are fork tender, drain and add right back to the hot pot so the rest of the water will evaporate.  Add in 2 T of butter and toss the potatoes.  Let them sit for a few minutes and begin to get a little color on them.  You will stir and almost "fry" them slightly.  That boiled buttery potato with a wee bit of surprise crust is amazing!  Do this until potatoes are just the way you want them.  You can let them go much longer to be full on fried on the outside.  Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and that glorious cheese!  Toss for a few seconds and immediately remove from heat.  This will go perfectly alongside steak, or anything else you choose.  I served mine with thick cut chops that were as good and tender and flavorful as you can imagine!

  Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate your friendship and support!  Make sure if you aren't "following" my website you do so on the right hand column!  Also check out the video above and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more videos!

Kielbasa and Potato Soup

 Good evening!  I am so glad to be sharing this recipe with you.  I haven't gotten in as many soups as I wanted.  As you probably know, soup is my "thing".  This recipe came along sort of by chance and I wanted to share it!

My sister had been out visiting our mom who has been sick.  On the way home, her, and her husband stopped at a small diner type restaurant and she ordered the potato and kielbasa soup.  She was surprise when it arrived that it was almost a tomato broth base, she assume it would have had a creamy base.  She told me she enjoyed it but wished it was creamy.  Well, I swept in like Superwoman and dove into making it how she "thought" it was going to be.  I bet if you asked her, she would tell you I DID save her day.  OK, maybe should would.  Alright, I kind of doubt it but, it was damn good, and I just had to share it!


14-16 oz kielbasa (sliced into coins or half coins)
1 T butter
1 T olive oi
1 lb (4-5 small or medium) red potatoes  (I used red, use what you have, I also did not peel mine)
1 medium carrot, grated
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups beef stock
3 cups water
2 cups half and half
4 T. corn starch
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a large soup pot, add in olive oil and butter.  When melted add in kielbasa and saute for 2 or 3 minutes to develop some color.  Add in potatoes and carrot, toss with the kielbasa.

Add in stock, water, salt and pepper, stir well.  Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

In a separate dish pour in the half and half.  Add in the cornstarch and whisk together.  Set aside, but you will need to whisk it one more time before adding to your soup.

After 15 minutes, add half and half mixture, and stir, let simmer another 5 minutes, covered.  Stir often.  Let the soup stand 5 minutes, and eat up!

I love this soup.  Like, really LOVE this soup and I hope you do too!

Kielbasa and Corn Chowder

This one goes out to my sister Karen who has been requesting a corn chowder recipe.  While I think I stepped outside the "corn chowder" box, it is fantastic  She seemed happy with her outcome so it is time to share it with you.

I wanted to get another soup or two in before winter passes us by.  Soup is my love, well, George is my love.......well.......yea, its George for sure but soup is right up there!

This is just a basic start to soup and then I added what I would want in a corn chowder.  Tradition is probably thrown out the window here, since I am not sure what is involved in a true, traditional corn chowdah.  HA, I wanted to type it that way this entire post.  I liked the smoky kielbasa, I am not a huge potato in soup fan, so I went easy on that, feel free to double the amount of potato, but, I am here to tell you this is pretty damn awesome as it is.  Ok I take it back, try it my way first then the second time, because trust me, there WILL be a second time, make it your way. 

Now get up off of that thang, and get cooking!
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 small onion diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
2 cups frozen corn
14 ounce ring of kielbasa, sliced into coins
1 can, creamed corn
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt butter and oil and then add carrots, celery and onion.

Stir for 5 minutes, until your veggies begin to soften.  
Add in potatoes and sausage.  Stir and let sauté another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

 

Add in corn, and stir well.  Add in chicken stock, creamed corn, and half and half.  Let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remember the sausage is salty and the stock can be depending on the variety you use. 

 

Enjoy a hot bowl of this with a piece of crusty bread and butter.  Oh YUM. 

 

 

 

 

Farmer's Pie

Good evening!  It is finally starting to feel like winter around here.  Even a little white stuff on the ground, a very little.  I won't complain, at the same time, I feel like we need one of those big, "give it to me good" snow storms where you can't leave the house for a couple of days.  I know, I know, some of you want to slap me right now but, don't worry, I am on the other side of your computer, you temptation will die. 

This pie, I am so excited to share with you.  Honestly, I don't really know why, but the idea all started with, Hunter's Pie, a British dish.  My mother in law, who lived in England for several years would make Hunter's Pie with birds or game my father in law hunted.  Ok well, there are so many things wrong with that idea to me, that I won't waste your time or mine.  No game.  No "shot it myself" birds, and did I mention no wild game?  I know traditionally only venison is used, but this was my late mother in laws way of doing it. 

As my husband was telling me, I had thoughts of more domesticated meat, pork, chicken, and beef in my mind.  Almost like sugarplums, and far from the shiver causing, gag reflex inducing idea of wild game or pheasant, or any of that "stuff" we had to eat as kids.  Oh yea, you thought I was just being nasty because I didn't like the idea of it, when the truth is, this is a lot of what we ate as kids.  Deer meat, never mind, I can't even go there.  My mom would try to sneak it in everything.  My son still tries to get me to eat it.  No, No, NONONONO. 

 

So in a nutshell I decided if I used pigs, chickens and cows, it could be a farmers pie.  A few potatoes and veggies as most farmers or their wives have gardens, and a cast iron skillet and pie crust could round it out.  Perfect, a Farmer's Pie! 

At first I thought this was completely wrong.  Wrong as in, the idea of serving a fried egg on top of a chicken breast, but then I decided, pigs, cows and chickens all get along on the farm, why not in my pie?

You will need:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
8 ounces chicken, uncooked and diced
5 ounces beef, uncooked and diced
8 ounces pork, uncooked and you guessed it, DICED
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1/2 lb.  Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tbsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste
3 tbsp. flour
1 pie crust (I used a premade one for this)
1-2 tbsp. milk (to brush on crust)

While I did this in my cast iron skillet, I am giving you directions to do it in a pot first, then pour into cast iron.  Okey dokey?

First of all, in a large measuring cup pour your chicken and beef stock together.  Add in parsley, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.  Mix to combine and set aside.

In a large skillet or pot on high, add in butter and oil, let the butter melt and add in all of your diced chicken, beef and pork.  Stir and let brown for 3-4 minutes. 

Turn down to medium heat and add in garlic, potatoes, carrots and beans.  Stir and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Add in flour and stir until the flour is absorbed, stir for 1 minute to cook off the raw flavor of the flour.  Now, add in stock, and let simmer a until the stock has thickened stirring a few times to combine.  

At this point you can pour it into your cast iron skillet or just a 9 inch round casserole dish.  Now lay the pie crust over the top of the filling.  You can be sloppy!  Just bunch it up here and there so there is just a little bit hanging over, and gently push to adhere to the edges and let it hang. 

This is a rustic pie, let it look that way!  Cut a few vent slits on the top.   Brush the top of the crust with milk and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. 

Let sit for 10 minutes before serving!

ENJOY!

Clamato Soup

This blog is again being brought to you by a request of George Simmerman, my deeply darling husband.  He has been on a clam kick.  So imagine this....  We are driving, blaring some 80's music, car concert to the max, we were singing our signature duet, "Endless Love" and he turns it off and says, "OMG, can you make me Clamato Soup".  First of all dude, you better get that radio back on, my best part is coming up.  Secondly, umm, sure.  He drove straight to the store, told me what ingredients he wanted in it, and in we went.  This is how he described what he wanted, (after Endless Love was over).  "I want a really brothy soup.  I don't like Manhattan Clam Chowder, and New England is my favorite but boring, can't we just make our own?  I want potatoes and clams in it.   That is it.  Don't try and tell them they can add what they want, (you can) but MY version is going to be this and it is going to be awesome." 

So the Clamato Soup was born.  It is brothy, you could add an extra potato, but since I don't eat clams, his word is, it is exactly what he wanted.  And when I tell you this man is honest, he is sometimes brutally honest, so you know when you get an opinion it is truly his opinion.  Both a blessing and a curse!

32 oz. Clamato Juice
2 6.5 ounce cans of minced or chopped clams WITH juice (if you can get fresh, great)
1 lg. can of diced potatoes, drained (if you use your own potatoes peel a large one and dice)
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
salt and black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pan,  Let simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve with some oyster crackers or a crusty baguette to soak up the broth!  This will serve 4 as a starter.  Might I suggest you double the recipe because the next day the flavor, if even possible, gets better!  (words from my husband)

ENJOY!

Donna's Famous Secret Recipe Potato Salad

Potato salad.  There are probably as many recipes for it as there are people in the world.  I rarely meet one I like.  Is that un-American?  I am not a fan of mayo infested foods.  Not a fan of mayo in general.  I love this potato salad.  As per usual, there is a story here.

My husband has lost both of his parents.  His mother's joy was her children.  (as was his father's) My husband jokes that she wasn't always the greatest cook, but she worked harder than any chef ever could!  There were many things as you can tell if you read my blog regularly that I have attempted to recreate.  Some things were a success and some things like that darn Blueberry Duff, weren't so easy!  When I recreate food that George's mom made for him, it makes his heart and soul happy.  He misses his parents immensely and fishing and drawing are what reminds him and fills his heart with his dads memory, food and polyester pants with the seams already sewn in the front makes his heart chuckle with his moms memory.   He just cracks me up. 

Donna, Millville NJ, 1964

This potato salad was his absolute favorite.  His mom never left the recipe with anyone.  He has been asking me to try and recreate it for years, but I needed him to help me since he is the only one who remembers what it tasted like.  We got to work on his day off and started with the ingredients he was sure of, which was all of them, but we had no measurements.  Well friends, we nailed it, I am told.  I think he had a tear in his eye when he took the first bite!  This is a fairly creamy potato salad, AND, it has a sweet background.  This may or may not be your kind of thing, but it is Donna's recipe and that, my friends, isn't to be messed with!  This make a large batch, which is the only way she ever made it.  So when you see the amount of sugar it calls for, don't pass out, remember it for 5lbs of potatoes! 



Geo's little brother Steven on the left, Donna in the middle and my handsome hubby on the right!
South Dakota, Ellsworth AFB where my husband was stationed about 1988.

The biggest "secret" with this potato salad is that you MUST add the potatoes to the sauce while they are warm.  Also, only Hellmann's will do!  You MUST!

George, his baby brother Steven and mom, Donna.
Brackley, England 1978 (ish)

You can literally see my husband's memories on his face as he smiles with every bite.  That, my friends, is success!

1 30oz jar of Hellmann's
3 tbsp. yellow mustard
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
5 lbs. potatoes (she always used reds, peel and cut into chunks)
1 dozen hard boiled eggs

First things first.  In a LARGE bowl, combine all ingredients, except potatoes.  Use a whisk and whisk until everything is incorporated and creamy.  Next, peel and cut up your hard boiled eggs.  Put those in a separate bowl.  Set aside. 

Peel (or don't) your potatoes and cut them in med-large chunks.  Place into a pot of COLD water.  When you are done, put it on the stove and cover until boiling.  Uncover and let boil until potatoes are fork tender but don't fall apart.  Drain WELL and then immediately put into your bowl of sauce, toss in the egg and mix until the salad is well combined.  Cover and refrigerate at LEAST 8 hours.  Yes, I said 8.  Overnight, or 24 hours,  is even better.  It may seem like to much sauce in the beginning but the potatoes will soak it up, and remember it IS a creamy potato salad anyway!

I hope you enjoy the now, not so secret recipe.  I know Donna would love that we were sharing her potato salad with the world!  It was her "thing" and she was always asked to bring it places. 

Thanks for reading, as always and my gratitude and love to you all!

Cracker Barrel Copycat- Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

I can't be the only one who lusts after these unhealthy things, right?  I mean, they are just so tasty, you can't help but wonder why they don't offer seconds!

This prompted me to try a copycat recipe.  I tried a couple and they were way out of the park, I mean like, WAY off.  I have read so many of these recipes and some are so completely different I wonder which one is out of their MIND and which is close!  I have heard they use Colby, no they use cheddar, no they use Velveeta....well guess what?!?!  I took my own ideas with a few hints from these other recipes and though I wouldn't say it is "OMG, EXACTLY" on, I would say it is the closest I have come. 

I am using a cream soup in this bad baby.  If you have a recipe for a cream soup, go with it, I am using it for the sake of time, and yes, even the flavor.  I would venture to say you could change cream of chicken out for cream of mushroom as well.  Sometimes I used canned cream soups, sue me.  I don't necessarily enjoy the fact they are processed and sodium laden but hey, sometimes, a girl wants that kind of thing in her food.  You have choices, just use them if you don't groove on it. 

This is really easy and even if it isn't EXACTLY like Cracker Barrels, it is really good and such an easy side, especially for a crowd!

You will need
2lbs (or just under) frozen hash brown potatoes, THAWED
1 can cream of chicken soup (reg size small can)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 3/4 cups shredded Colby cheese
1/4 cup mild cheddar, shredded
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. onion powder

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Using a large bowl, combine ALL ingredients and stir.  Better yet, wash your hands well, or use gloves and do it with your hands, because this is serious mixin' kids.  Pour into your 9x13 pan, which you have sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, spread out evenly and bake 50-60 minutes.  They will be golden and bubblah when you take them out!

Please let them cool a minute before you serve, nobody needs to lose mouth skin here.  And let's face it, everything tasted better in my mom's very old 9x13 she gave me. 

Geo-Normous Breakfast Casserole

And GEO-NORMOUS it is!  Ok so it is Ginormous but since this is hubby's recipe, he gets to call it Geo-normous!

He has been telling me "you don't have a breakfast casserole on your website", because, I guess he trolls my website for hours at a time and checks on these things! ROFL.  Seriously, do you guys know how fun and hilarious this guy is?  Anyway, so he said, just make something easy that anyone could make and that will feed a ton of people.  My response was "Ok, give me an ingredient list and I will work it out".  I guess he didn't realize how easy a breakfast casserole would be to make!  He gave me his list, and I picked it up.  Now fast forward to today, when I finally made it.  SO good, so perfect for a crowd.  SO PERFECT for making ahead, so perfect for...everything!

You might shriek at the ingredients.  Keep two things in mind, 1) a man requested this and these ingredients, and 2)this should feed a good 8 people.  I would serve this with some bread and some fruit and call it breakfast!

Heeeeeeeeeeere we go...............!!

14 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. pork sausage, browned
1 lb. bacon, fried crispy and then cut into small pieces
2 cups cheese (your choice, I went with cheddar)
1 pkg (just short of 2lbs) shredded hash browns.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  In a frying pan, brown sausage, when it is done, remove and place on a paper towel lined plate.  In the same skillet, crisp up your bacon well.  Crumble or cut into smaller pieces when cooled and drained of grease.  Now brown off your hashbrowns, in 2 or 3 batches.  When they are done, place them in the bottom of a 9x13 (ish) pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil.  Spread them out evenly and sprinkle on the sausage and bacon.  Now in a bowl combine the eggs, milk, onion powder, salt and pepper and whisk well.  You could even use a hand mixer to incorporate a little more air into these eggs.  Gently pour over the ingredients already in your baking dish, top with the cheese  and bake 30=35 minutes. 

Now, put on the coffee and dig in!

Stick to your Ribs, Not Your Thighs Potato Soup!

You have spoken!  You wanted my healthier, vegetable-ier, meatier version of potato soup.  This one is delish and I am really excited to share it.  Like what I named it?  It is true, it is "stick to your ribs" hearty, but it won't stick to your thighs!  Or your butt!  Or your gut!  Or your bat wings!  WOOHOO!

You know how I love soup and soup season is upon us!  WOOHOO!  My husband is equally as thrilled.  NOT.  He always says, "soup isn't a MEAL".  Any of you have husbands or wives like this?   Chili is a meal, but any other soup is SOUP.  Chili is not soup.  Really?  I adore my husband but this soup logic has got to be dealt with if I am gonna keep him around another 13 years! HA! 

This one pot, with prep included, probably 30 minutes tops.  You could easily prep this if you do make ahead meal prep bags.  I used to do this on Sunday evenings.  Prep for the week.  For this soup, I would chop the carrots, celery, onion and ham and put it all in a bag with the butter and olive oil added as well.  I would put into a very small snack baggie, my salt, pepper, rosemary and parsley.  Then all I would have to do on meal night, is peel and dice some potatoes, get out my chicken stock and now you have about a 15-20 minute meal.  Remember to check your potatoes, depending on how big or small you dice them, you will need to decrease or increase your simmer time by a couple of minutes!

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp butter
1 cup diced ham
3 medium potatoes (peeled and diced smallish)
1 large carrot, diced
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp garlic, mined
1 tsp rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup Wondra flour
1 tbsp. parsley

In a medium pot, add oil and butter.  When melted add in ham, potatoes, carrot, celery, and onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes, add in garlic, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir to combine for 1 minutes.  Add in chicken stalk, and milk.  Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.  Now there are 2 endings to this story.  If you want a thicker soup, add in Wondra while whisking, it will thicken your soup just enough to make it feel like you are eating a creamy, amazing, sinful soup.  Stir in parsley and serve.  OR... Stir soup and add in parsley and serve!

No matter how you eat it, please enjoy it!  I always love to see photos of recipes of mine you have tried!  Make sure to tweet them, instagram them or post them on my Facebook!  Make sure to hashtag them with #thechefwannabeinme ! 

Your "happiness is not adding to my thunderthighs" Chefwannabe

Blue Cheese Potato Salad

As most of you have probably noticed by now, this blog is really a family affair.  I am blessed to have a great husband great family who share their recipes, their food and their ideas!  I truly am thankful.

My husband works with a great group of people.   He is always discussing and sharing food ideas with them and Tyler, who works with my husband emailed me this potato salad recipe.  He was telling my husband how amazing it was, and wanted me to try it.  It is a newspaper clipping so I am not sure who the originator is, however I made a few changes anyway.  I wanted to use a few things I had on hand and sort of change up a few things so my husband would eat this.  I don't do blue cheese, so I counted on his refined palette (did I really say that?) to give me the bottom line on this one!  And yes honey, I was KIDDING.  I know he is on his lunch break at work, reading this.  I KNOW he is. 

This recipe calls for minced onion, I grated mine, you all know how hubs and I roll when it comes to onions.  It also called for a particular kind of blue cheese, and honestly I don't think it matters.  It also called for small red potatoes, to boil them, slip the skins off and dice them.  Oh for the love.....just use plain potatoes!  Make sure to add the dressing while the potatoes are still warm, so they soak it all in!  Oh wait I forgot, I substituted dijon mustard for country dijon (grainy) mustard.  And I omitted lemon juice, because you all know, I don't do lemon juice in anything savory.  No. Can. Do. 

My husband says, and I quote, "possibly the best potato salad I have ever eaten".  So there ya go.  Give it a try!! 

Blue Cheese Potato Salad
2 lbs potatoes (peeled and cubed)
4 slices of bacon (fried to crispy and drained)
2 tbsp grated onion
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp Hellman's
2 tsp cider vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese of your choice

Fill a medium pot with water, salt liberally and add in potatoes.  Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your cubes.  While they are cooking, in a small bowl add in grated onion, mustard, garlic powder, sour cream, canola oil, Hellman's, cider vinegar and salt and pepper.  Whisk until combined and set aside.  Drain potatoes and put back in the warm pot.  Pour in dressing and carefully toss, don't break up the chunks!   Add crumbled bacon and blue cheese in and continue to mix.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. 

I hope you enjoy this potato salad.  Thank you Tyler for sharing your recipe!!

Your "it is almost picnic time" chefwannabe

 

Chili Cheese "TOT" Dog Casserole

HELP!  My husband has gone tater tot and casserole crazy.  WHAT have I started?!?!  Anyway get out your tums, Rolaids and Prilosec people.  This is the bomb, likely in more ways than one??

Seriously, my husband is all over this whole casserole thing now.  I have created a MONSTER.  The night I posted "Funeral Casserole", he emailed me with this casserole he thought up.  I mean, it sounded good, sounded like "man" food.  Maybe it even sounded like "kid" food.  Regardless, I know how this song and dance goes and if I don't listen to him, and attempt this, I will be sorry.  After all, HIS recipe is my most popular/most viewed recipe on the blog.  He loves it.  (insert Jr. high style eye roll).  Really, though I tease, I am grateful for his support, I have learned many women do not have their spouses support with their blogging and cooking and I find it just heart wrenching.  How does the person who loves you more than anything not want to see you happy?!  I am a blessed woman to not only have a husband who supports anything I do, but is my bestie.  He is always firing ideas my way to challenge and help me.  I love that!

This is definitely a C word that probably is going to just be for fun occasions at our house.  This recipe is being deemed, "awesome for game days", some cold beer and a bowl of this would be perfect game day food and drink!

You can use homemade chili for this or you can buy it in a can.  If you use homemade, I suggest draining a little liquid off if your chili is pretty thin.  This is a perfect recipe for that chili you had leftover that you threw in the freezer!  Beans or no beans, that is your call, we roll with NO beans for sure. Hot dogs are another option.  I use all beef, it is all I ever use.  You can use lips and ....oh never mind, you can use any hot dogs you want.  Organic, plain, kosher, I mean, obviously your options are limitless.  I made this in my moms OLD 9x13 from my childhood, which I swear makes it taste even better!

This is so easy, I think it would freeze pretty well, and definitely can be made ahead!  Here is what you will need:

2- 15oz cans of chili (with or without beans) or 4 cups homemade chili
3-4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 standard pkg of hot dogs
1 cup finely minced onions (optional)  I did NOT use them
1 bag of frozen tater tots
2 tsp chili powder

You will bake this according to the baking directions on your tater tots.  I set my oven to 450 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Spread/pour chili in first.  Next, cut your hot dogs into bite size pieces and evenly distribute them in the chili.  If you are adding onions, add them at this point too.

Now using 1 1/2 cups of your cheese, sprinkle evenly over the top of the hot dog and chili layers!

Now top with your tater tots.  Just line them up, you know, perfect order people!  Covering the entire top of the casserole.

Now using the rest of the cheese, cover the top liberally with it!!  Then sprinkle your chili powder over the top.

My tot package said to bake for 25 minutes.  Use whatever time yours has on it!!  When you remove it, let it sit 5 minutes before serving, it will be incredibly hot.  The chili will be bubbling up the sides.  Glorious, indulgent, delicious eats!!

Your "no beans, no onions" chefwannabe

Funeral Casserole. Dead Man's Pie. Tater Tot Casserole

Yea, I used the word, but ONLY because I love the name my family has for this dish.

So, you know how in cities people have funerals and then a meal at a resturant or at their home right?  Well it is different in small town USA.  Growing up in a small town, when someone passes away, after the funeral they have a luncheon.  This luncheon is often a main dish such as ham and a side dish, like scalloped potatoes, prepared by the church women.  In my church it was the Altar Society!  I still get a little pit in my stomach when I think of some of those ladies.  Scary.  I thought you had to have gray or silver hair to be in that "club", turns out, you don't!   Anyway everyone else is to bring potluck type dishes.   Many times the whole town pitches in and this is how funeral lunches go in small town USA, ok Nebraska USA.

My mom would ALWAYS made this for funerals, so it was dubbed many years ago "Funeral Casserole" in my family.  Thanks to the wit of my sister Sue, it later became "Dead Man's Pie".  After deciding it was to traumatizing to her children she went back to the old standby name. LOL  Anyway, this casserole is a staple or was a staple in many households through the years.  My mom made it plain, hamburger, green beans, mushroom soup and tater tots.  Oh yea, the tater tots.  I swear, my mom used to measure the casserole dish, divide it by the size of the tots and how many she had to make sure she had PERFECT lines, and not a single spot left uncovered by the tot!  

One time, I just threw the tots on top.  She hasn't been the same since.  See what I mean?

I have added cheese on top of mine, you don't have to.  I also added some seasoned salt to the hamburger because honestly, it feels a little bland if you don't.  Cheese is my new staple on this dish, should I decide to purposely make it again at some point in my life!

This recipe makes 1, 8x8 or 9x9 pan.  Simply double the ingredients for a 9x13!

1 lb ground beef
2 cans of cut green beans (or use fresh, that you have cooked, 2 cups)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
16 ounces of tater tots, frozen  (you might have a few leftover)
1 tsp seasoned salt (I used Northwoods by Penzeys)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheese (optional) I used Colby

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Place hamburger in the bottom of your baking dish.  Using your hand or a spoon, spread it evenly to cover the entire bottom.  Salt and pepper, (if you choose) and sprinkle your seasoned salt of choice over.  I like the ground beef to have some flavor instead of...."blah, ground beef, woohoo".  You know what I mean?  OK, good.

Next, in a bowl combine green beans and mushroom soup.  My mom never did this, but I do, I find it aggravating to try and spread the soup on the green beans.  Cut out the madness friends, just mix them together!  Now, spread that mixture on top of the ground beef.

Now, according to Marlene (my mother) at this point, you arrange the tater tots in a near obsessive compulsive manner.  You line up the tots, evenly and those lines BETTER be straight.  Got it?  (just kidding ma, kinda).  You could add a little salt and pepper and seasoned salt or one or the other, or nothing at all to the top.  I don't do bland, so I like adding a little flavor to every layer. 

Bake for approximately 40 minutes, then add cheese to the top and bake another 10-15 minutes

Enjoy this easy, great for making ahead or freezing C-word! HA!

Your "Marlene is watching your tater tot lines" Chefwannabe

Crock Pot Chicken and Tots (this is SO hard for me)

It is the moment you all have been waiting for. I had to gather strength, and courage for this one. Don't laugh, you know how difficult this chapter in my life is. I looked at it, I even moved it around a few times. I talked to it, I yelled at it. But the time has come, that we have united, for a greater cause. Me and my crocky (crock pot) have come together, on good terms to assist working parents, or anyone who needs a one pot kind of situation.

You all know how I feel about crock pots. Crocky overcooks everything for me. I don't like fork tender, smooshy roast. In fact, I am not a huge roast beast fan at all. Crocky for me, is good for 2 things. Keeping chili hot during a Philadelphia Eagles game or keeping meatballs warm, during a Philadelphia Eagles game. I have nothing against anyone who loves their crocky. I get it, I really do but that doesn't mean I LIKE it. Ya know?

A fellow blogger said she was making this recipe once and it sounded interesting enough for me to bring crocky out of hiding. It turned out OK. It feeds a small army so I might make only half of a recipe if I were to do this again. I think it will be a hit for all of you with kids or hearty appetites to feed! I served it with some biscuits and green beans.

I am going to tell you how to make it, but if I break out in a sweat, and begin to shake, just know...this to shall pass. I get nervous around my crock pot! Oh yea and you just can't photograph stuff in a crockpot well. Not this anyway so I don't apologize for this crap photo. What do you expect from a crockpot?!

32 oz bag of seasoned tator tots (you can use plain, seasoned is just better
3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
6 strips of bacon (fried to extra crispy and crumbled)
1 cup of milk
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp all purpose seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

If you have the plastic bag like crock pot liners, this would be a good time to break those bad boys out. Cleaning this up is NOT fun.

You will layer your ingredients. First layer half of your tator tots in the bottom. Add 1 cup of cheese and 1/3 of your bacon. Next layer your cubed uncooked chicken, season the top of the chicken with onion powder and all purpose seasoning, 1/3 of the bacon. 1 more cup of cheese, the second half of your tator tots, the rest of the cheese and then rest of the bacon on top. Pour over 1 cup of milk and cover.

Salt and pepper each layer as you see fit. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8 hours.

We really liked this. Again I am not sure where the recipe came from, just came from a friend but I understand it is a recipe that has been around awhile. I hope you enjoy it. If you don't, I am only the messenger. We will find the creator together! HA!

Your "does naming my crockpot, Crocky mean I like it" chefwannabe

 

PS. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top!