Mashed Potato Patties

Invariably, when I make mashed potatoes I make too much. And I'm left with mashed potatoes to re-heat the next day. Yuck! But now I'll just make sure I have enough leftover to make these for a yummy side dish or even to serve as an appetizer or snack.

Ingredients:

1  1/4 cups (leftover) mashed potatoes

1/4 cup chopped red pepper

2 green onions, sliced

1 tsp butter

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1 egg

1/2 tsp crushed rosemary

2 tbsps bacon bits

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

pinch turmeric

bacon fat, butter or vegetable oil to fry

First lightly fry the red pepper and white slices of green onion in butter. Then mix into the mashed potatoes along with the remaining ingredients. Divide using a 1/4 cup measure and form into patties about 1/2" thick. Place on a plate in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Note: If you want to serve them as an appetizer instead of a side just make small patties, maybe 1/8 cup or smaller.

Heat bacon fat in a large skillet and brown the patties about 3 minutes on each side.

And serve with slices of green onion.

Toppings can be sour cream (the obvious), ketchup, sriraccha sauce or caesar dressing.

Makes 8 patties

Tortellini and Spinach

Easy, cheesy tortellini! Use fresh or frozen cheese tortellini with cream cheese and mozzarella for a creamy 30 minute casserole.

Ingredients:

12 oz tortellini

3/4 cup broth (chicken, beef or veg)

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chopped spinach (or any greens)

1 cup shredded mozzarella

2 or 3 large mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp dry basil

black pepper to taste

Cook the tortellini as per package directions.

Meanwhile simmer the broth, cream cheese and milk together. 

Heat butter in frying pan and brown the sliced mushrooms.

Add the drained tortellini to the cream cheese mix along with the mushrooms and chopped greens, basil and black pepper. (I had a package of arugula, spinach, etc greens that were getting a little too old for salad so it worked perfectly for this recipe).

Simmer 4 or 5 minutes.

If you're not working with an oven safe pan then transfer the mixture to an 8 X 8" baking dish. Top with the shredded cheese.

Bake at 400°F  15-20 minutes.

Ready to serve.

Serves 3-4

Adapted from: cooktoria.com

French Onion Chicken

What's for dinner? Seasoned chicken smothered in an onion soup-like sauce atop a mound of garlic mashed potatoes. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Ingredients:

3 tbsps butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 lbs onions, thinly sliced

3 tsps minced garlic

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsps flour

2 cups beef broth

1 tbsp olive oil

4 chicken legs, split

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 cup shredded cheese (gruyere, swiss, cheddar)

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the onions.

Cook them down for 45 minutes to an hour until golden brown. You may want to deglaze the pan with a tablespoon of water or broth a couple of times during the cooking. Then add the garlic, thyme and flour, stir together and cook 1 minute. Add half the broth, bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes.

Place the cooked onions in an oiled baking dish.

Salt and pepper the chicken. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and brown the chicken about 3 minutes on each side.

Sit the chicken pieces on top of the cooked onions.

Pour the remaining broth into the skillet to deglaze and add the balsamic and dijon. Bring to a boil, then simmer again for 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken.

Bake at 350°F, covered, for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove cover, top with shredded cheese and broil 2-4 minutes.

Then it's ready in all it's saucy glory!

Wonderful served over garlic mashed potatoes!

Roast a head of garlic and mash with potatoes, butter and milk or for a less garlicky taste just boil a few garlic cloves with the potatoes and mash together.

Serves 4-6

Adapted from: wwwclosetcooking.com

Baked Feta Pasta

Yes, that Tik Tok Baked Feta Pasta that's all over the place right now! I had to see what all the hype was about, and you know what? It's pretty good!

Ingredients:

7 oz feta

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 tsps minced garlic

pinch to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

black pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

5 or 6 asparagus spears (optional)

1 cup reserved pasta water

1/2 lb penne pasta

Put about half the oil in the bottom of a 10" cast iron pan or oven safe baking dish. Add the tomatoes, garlic and asparagus and toss to coat. Make a space in the center and sit the feta in.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top and sprinkle black pepper and red pepper flakes.

Homemade bread awaiting dinner...

(recipe link below)

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes until feta can be broken down with the back of a spoon.

While the feta bakes cook up the penne and reserve some pasta water.

Keep stirring, crushing the feta and tomatoes with a spoon and add reserved pasta water to the desired consistency.

Drain the cooked pasta and toss with the sauce.

I'd make this again 😋

Serves 4

And if you are interested in this Easy White Bread recipe, find the recipe here:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2021/03/easy-white-bread.html

Easy White Bread

 Soft and fluffy classic white bread. And it's ginormous!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsps instant yeast

1 cup lukewarm water (105°-110°F)

1 tbsp honey

19 1/2 oz (4 1/3 cups) flour (AP, bread flour, or some of each)

1/3 cup lukewarm water  (105°-110°F)

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsps honey

1/4 tsp white vinegar

2 tbsps vegetable oil

Put 1 cup lukewarm water in a large mixer bowl. Stir in 1 tbsp honey to dissolve then sprinkle the yeast on top. Gently stir, cover bowl with dishtowel and leave for 15 minutes until foamy and active.

Add the flour (I used half all purpose and half bread flour), warm water, salt, honey, vinegar and vegetable oil. Mix using dough hook to form a rough dough. Knead on low speed 2-5 minutes.

Then increase speed by 1 level and knead for 12-15 minutes keeping an eye on it so it doesn't creep up over the edge of the bowl. Stop and put it back down in the bowl if this happens. I had to adjust it 4 or 5 times.

While the dough is kneading butter a 9 X 5" loaf pan. I use butter wrappers that I keep in the freezer for this purpose.

Once the dough is smooth and elastic remove from the bowl and fold over and few times to form a smooth ball. Place smooth side up in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place. In the past I have put my oven on (any temp) for 1 minute then turned it off after 1 minute. That was my warm spot. But my daughter showed me this method and it works great! Simply microwave a cup of water 1 - 1 1/2 minutes, then put the bowl in the microwave along side it and wait 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Now turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and press gently to form a rectangle about 8 X 9 or 10".

Starting at the 8" side, firmly roll up the dough and pinch and seal the edges.

Place in prepared pan, seam side down and firmly press in.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and return to it's warm, happy place for about 1 hour or again until doubled in size. This rose waaaay above the 1" over the top edge of the pan the original recipe called for! Preheat oven to 375°F for 30 minutes before baking.

Then bake for 45 minutes.

Kinda weird shape but super happy with the rise!!

Leave it to rest 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool.

Look at this HUGE slice!!!

Original recipe from: theflavorblender.com

Black and White Bean Soup with Sweet Potatoes

Protein packed goodness in every bowl! Google black beans, white kidney beans and sweet potato and you'll see just how many nutrients this soup is loaded with. And I don't even have to tell you about that superfood ... kale!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced red pepper

3-4 tsps minced garlic

19 oz can white kidney beans

1/2 cup black beans

2 cups diced sweet potato

1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups chopped kale

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried thyme

a few grinds of black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the onions and red pepper and cook 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute longer. Rinse and drain the canned beans and add along with the sweet potato.

I had this big bag of kale in my freezer from last summer's kale harvest so I used this in the soup. You can use fresh or frozen or substitute it for spinach or another favourite green.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil

Then cover and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes depending on the size you diced them.

Then serve it up in bowls with a nice crusty bread for dunking!

Serves 4