Yield: 4 servings

Image: Idaho Potato Commission

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup blanched whole almonds
• 1 pound Idaho potatoes, diced Ping-Pong ball size, scrubbed but not peeled
• Salt
• 4 green onions, white parts and two thirds of the green parts, minced
• 4 teaspoons small capers, drained
• 16 large mint leaves, stacked, rolled like a cigar, and cut crosswise into thin strips
• 12 basil leaves, stacked, rolled like a cigar, and cut crosswise into thin strips
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the almonds on a small sheet pan or pie plate and toast for 17 minutes, or until browned but not too dark. Coarsely chop and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large saucepan with 2 quarts cold water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Cut the potatoes while still warm and put into a large bowl. Add the green onions, capers, almonds, mint, and basil. In a small bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, and lemon juice with the crushed red pepper. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Pour over potato mixture and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Taste before serving, as potato mixture may absorb some of the flavors. Add more spices if necessary.
4. Serve with any grilled fish or meat or other simple entrées.

Recipe courtesy of Courtesy of COMMISSARY New York City, NY. Photo and info from the Idaho Potato Commission.

Post from: Blisstree

Almond-Caper Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups mashed Idaho potatoes (prepared according to package directions using half of a 22 oz. bag frozen Idaho mashed potatoes), or, used leftover mashed potatoes.
2 cups frozen corn kernels (thawed) or cooked corn cut off the ear
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup canola oil (for frying)

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine potatoes, corn and egg; mix well with a spoon.

2. Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Using clean hands, form mixture into 1 1/2inch diameter patties; dip each pattie in bread crumbs, coating both sides.

3. Over medium heat, in a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil until hot. Fry the patties, a few at a time, for 2 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom; flip and cook another 2 minutes on the second side. (If flatter, more crispy cakes are desired, flatten cakes while cooking with a metal spatula).

4. Transfer finished cakes to a baking sheet and keep in a warm oven (200 degrees) until all cakes are cooked. Transfer cakes to a serving platter and serve with salsa, if desired.

On the 1st ingredient I indicated that we could probably use leftover mashed potatoes instead of making a new batch. So this corn and potato pancakes recipe is something to think off when you have leftover mashed potatoes from dinner.

I’m going to plan a Friday’s dinner with mashed potatoes and use the leftovers for our Family’s Saturday Brunch. This would be great with eggs and bacon. Hey, I think it’s also a good side dish for any meat dishes.

(Image/Recipe Used W/ Permission : Idaho potato)

Post from: Blisstree

Corn & Potato Pancakes

Spinach and Onions With Crispy Garlic (Image © Dexie J Wharton)

INGREDIENTS:
1 bag of fresh spinach
1 onion, sliced in rings/rounds
4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
3 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of water
salt & pepper
Italian seasoning

Heat up the olive oil on a non-stick pan. Add the finely chopped garlic. Cook until toasted. Be careful though coz you don’t wanna burn it. Put the toasted garlic on a smnall plate and set aside.

Using the same pan, add the onions. Let the rings cook, separating them gently with a fork. Add the bag of spinach, water, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir and let everything get incorporated. The spinach wilts fast so you should cook it longer than 2-3 minutes or so.

Transfer onto a serving platter. Sprinkle the crispy garlic on top.

Serve as a side dish to any meat dishes like Beef Hoisin Satay, Broiled Lamb Chops, or chicken dishes.

Post from: Blisstree

Spinach & Onions With Crispy Garlic

Image © Dexie J Wharton

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups of long grain rice, cooked
oil for cooking
1 egg, beaten
2 smoked sausage, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp of salt
sprinkle of black pepper
5 pieces of nappa cabbage, chopped in bite size pieces.

Instead of the wok, I just used my all-around non-stick sauté pan like this to cook this fried rice.

Heat oil on the sauté’ pan. Cook the beaten egg, as scrambled. Transfer into a bowl and set aside. Add the onions and garlic into the pan. Cook for a minute or two. Then add the smoked sausages. Let it cook for 3-5 minutes.

Add the rice. Stir to break the chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Keep stirring to incorporate and cook everything. Stir in scrambled eggs, then the napa cabbage in the end. Don’t cook too long once the cabbage is added. You want to maintain the cabbage’s crunchy texture.

Serve with stir-fry, or other meat dishes. Or serve yourself a bowl, as it.

Post from: Blisstree

Fried Rice With Sausage & Cabbage

(Image © Dexie J Wharton)

INGREDIENTS:
4 large potatoes, peeled, sliced in strips
4 tbsp olive oil
half a pack of Aromatica Organics sweet lemon pepper
1/2 cup (+ a little bit more) of grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 355. Season the potatoes with 2 tbsp of olive oil, sweet lemon pepper seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese. Toss the fries using your hands to coat evenly.

Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil onto a baking sheet. Place the potatoes on the top. Bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with chicken strips or fish.

Post from: Blisstree

Sweet Lemon Pepper Parmesan Cheese Fries

(Image © Dexie J Wharton)

I have bought and cooked corn, either white or yellow, throughout the Summer season but these last ones I’ve bought fresh for this season were probably the best corn I’ve bought this year.

They’re “meaty”, firm and like I said, the yellow color is a perfect shade of yellow. The taste was great as well. I bit into it and all that corn goodness danced inside my mouth. The best set of yellow corn I’ve bought, cooked and eaten all summer long. I’m glad I found them before Fall officially started.

Post from: Blisstree

End Of Summer Yellow Corn

One of my favorite ways to “dress up” mashed potatoes is with some easy additions. I add the usual milk and butter and depending on what we’re having I like to put in about a teaspoon or so of granulated garlic powder (I’ve tried adding fresh chopped garlic at various stages of cooking and mashing, but the kids aren’t crazy about the bits, so the granulated will do for now!).

Or, if you’re not crazy about garlic or are having a meal where the garlic would be too overpowering, you can still add a little bit of a kick with the addition of some sour cream. After you’ve drained the potatoes and put them back in the pot, add a bit of milk and butter and about 1/2-1 cup (depending on taste and quantity) of sour cream, and mash together.

For something a little more different, you can even add some cream cheese. Yes, cream cheese is sweet but only mildly so, and the addition of it to mashed potatoes makes for a very creamy, smooth side dish, especially with some chopped chives mixed in. Trust me, this is heaven on a plate.

While none of these are what you would call low-cal, served in moderation (as with anything!) they make a great treat and nice change from “plain old” mashed potatoes.

What’s your favorite way to dress up mashed potatoes?

[image: flickr]

Post from: Blisstree

Dressing Up Mashed Potatoes

(Image © Dexie Wharton)

INGREDIENTS
3 large baking potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 spoonful of butter
1 tsp garlic powder
sprinkle of salt and pepper
sour cream for topping

Preheat the oven to 355°

Poke the large baking potatoes with fork on both sides. Put them in the microwave and cook for 7 minutes. After that, turn the potatoes over then cook for another 7 minutes.

Carefully take the potatoes out of the microwave. Slice the top off of the potatoes. Gently scoop the potato off of the skin, transferring them into a large bowl. Try not to break the skin. No need to scrape all the way through.

Add the butter, 1/2 half of the shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and salt & pepper. Mash everything together. Scoop the mashed potato mixture back into the potato skins. As careful and as tight as you can. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top of the filled potato skins.

Lay the potatoes on a sheet pan. Bake it in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Top each potatoes with sour cream and more shredded cheddar cheese if you want.

A great side dish to any chicken, pork, or seafood dishes.

Post from: Blisstree

The Easy Way To Make Double-Baked Potatoes

Potato Au Gratin (Image © Dexie Wharton)

INGREDIENTS :
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly in rounds
1 1/2 cup of buttermilk (regular milk is fine)
1 cup of water
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 355°.

In a medium size casserole dish pan, layer the potato slices neatly.

In a bowl, combine the buttermilk, water, salt and pepper together. Pour it over the potatoes. Add the cheese. Gently stir the whole mixture just to incorporate everything together. Lightly sprinkle with Italian seasoning on top.

Bake it in the oven for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.

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A Very Simple Potato Au Gratin

Potato Risotto With Black Truffles

Ingredients:

* 2 Idaho Potatoes
* 1 Sprig thyme
* 1 Lemon, zest
* 1/2 cup Cream
* 3 Tbsp Butter
* 2 oz Grated parmigiano reggiano (risotto)
* 3 Tbsp Grated parmigiano reggiano (parmesan tuile)
* 1 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
* 1 tsp Cracked black pepper
* Salt & pepper to taste

To prepare the lemon confit:
1. Zest 1 lemon, being careful not to have any white on the zest. Beginning with cold water and a generous pinch of salt, add the zest and bring to a boil. Then strain out of the water. Repeat this process two more times. Once cool, mince the lemon zest.

To prepare the Parmesan tulle:
1. Brush 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil onto nonstick Teflon cookie sheet (on you may use a silplat). Using a 2 1/2″ ring, sprinkle a layer of Parmesan into each ring. Once the circle is covered with Parmesan, sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Place a 350? degree oven and watch until they turn a golden brown. Remove them as soon as you see the bubbling begin to lessen. Remove from oven. Gently lift the tuiles off the cookie sheet (or silplat) with a spatula and place in a tulle mold. Once cooled, remove and place in airtight container.
Peel potatoes, being careful to keep the peeled potatoes submerged in water at all times. Julienne peeled potatoes on a mandolin, being careful to keep the peeled potatoes submerged in water at all times. Cut the julienned strands of potato into 1/4″. (Imitate a grain of rice.) Just before cooking, drain the potatoes of all water for 5 minutes. In a medium saucepot, cook the potatoes in the cream over medium heat. Add the lemon confit and the sprig of thyme. Cook the potatoes until they are al dente, or about 6-7 minutes, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. Remove from the flame and add Parmesan and butter. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To plate:
1. Ladle risotto into warm bowls.
2. Drizzle with black truffle oil and sprinkle with shaved black truffles.
3. To finish, place the Parmesan tulle vertically in the risotto.

It seems like there’s a lot to do to make it but judging by the picture, I think it’s worth it. I hope you’ll be able to make it for your family too.

(Image/Source : Idaho Potato)

Post from: Blisstree

Potato Risotto With Black Truffles