Parmesan Potatoes

Years ago, Angela got me a bed and breakfast cookbook.  It was a compilation of recipes served in Northwest Bed and Breakfast hotels.  We made this recipe right away and it has been a staple of many a Lewis gatherings ever since.  Easy, tasty, and the leftovers everyone wants...if only there were any!

6 medium potatoes, peeled

½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

¼ cup flour

1 tsp salt

Pepper to taste

½ cup butter. Melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Quarter potatoes and then cut them in half again.

In plastic gallon zip lock bag, combine cheese, flour and seasonings.

Pour melted butter into a 9 X 13 pan.

Add potatoes to plastic bag and mix with flour.

Add coated potatoes to pan and toss them in butter.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Stir potatoes.

Bake for another 20 minutes.

Baked Potato Soup

 Ingredients

4 large baking potatoes (Idaho or russet)

12 slices   bacon

1 onion diced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups 2 percent low-fat milk, heated

5 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces sour cream

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the potatoes on a roasting tray and bake for 45 minutes. When done, the tip of a paring knife should go through the potatoes easily.

Sauté the diced onion in some light olive oil till translucent.

 

Add the flour to the onions in the pot and stir to combine.

 Cook, without adding color, until the flour and fat has combined, about 1 minute.

 Pour in the milk while you whisk to incorporate. 

Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.

Scoop out the potato pulp from the skins and add to the milk mixture. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon leaving it a little bit chunky.

Prepare bacon in microwave.   I like mine to be slightly crunchy for this application.

Beyond this point, you can add the bacon directly to the soup or allow people to garnish as they will.  I usually do not add them to the soup but serve them as condiments to make the vegetarians happy.

Add the cooked bacon (leaving a little out for garnishing the soup), 1 cup of the cheese, and season well with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted.

Remove from the heat.

Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with sour cream (from a squeeze bottle), sprinkle with remaining bacon bits, grated cheese and chives.

Mustard Sauce (not glaze)

This is from Nadine Onstot who made it for a ham dinner at SPC.

1 c. white sugar

1/2 c. yellow mustard

1/4 c. vinegar

1/2 c. water

1 T flour

1 beaten egg

1/4 c. butter

Mix sugar and flour in pan. 

 Add liquids and egg. 

 Stir. 

 Add butter.

Cook over low heat until thickened.

Store in jar in refrigerator.

Insanely Easy Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

1 TB vegetable oil
1 Cup Chopped Onions
3/4 Cup Chopped Carrots
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
1 Cup Chopped Red Bell Pepper
3/4 Cup chopped celery
1 TB Chili Powder
1.5 Cups Chopped fresh Tomatoes
1.5 Cups Chopped fresh Mushrooms
1 Can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
1 Can (19 oz) Kidney Beans with liquid
1 Can (11 oz) Whole Kernel Corn, un-drained
1 TB ground Cumin
1.5 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tsp dried basil

Directions

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat

Sauté onions, carrots, and garlic until tender.  

Stir in green pepper, red pepper, celery and chili powder.

Cook until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms, and cook 4 minutes.
  
Stir in tomatoes, beans, corn.  

Season with cumin, oregano and basil.


Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium.  

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally,

Baked Mashed Potato Casserole

This recipe is from Nanci Zombro.  We have used it at SPC many times.  

Ingredients

·        14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, and more for the pan

·        6 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

·        2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

·        1 ½ cups sour cream

·        1 teaspoon black pepper

·        6 tablespoons finely chopped chives

·        ⅔ cup bread crumbs

·        ⅔ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

1.     Lightly grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan.

2.     In a large pot, bring the potatoes, 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

3.     Mash potatoes with 10 tablespoons butter, sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Mash in the chives. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Spread potatoes into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate for up to three days.

4.     In a small bowl, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, bread crumbs and cheese. Mix together until it forms coarse crumbs. Crumbs can be refrigerated for three days.

5.     Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the potato casserole and bake until golden and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.

Lentil Soup

We made this for a dinner at Southminster and people loved it.  Vegetarian and GF!

From Alton Brown

Yield:6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped carrot

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed

1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes

2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground toasted cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground grains of paradise

Directions

Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart Dutch oven and set over medium heat.

Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes.

 Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander, cumin and grains of paradise and stir to combine.

 Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil.

 Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes.

Using a stick blender, puree to your preferred consistency.

Serve immediately.

Dahl

Ingredients 

1/4 cup ghee or clarified butter

1 1/2 cups diced onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed

2 cups orange lentils

2 tablespoons finely minced ginger

2 tablespoons Garam Masala, recipe follows (Just buy it!)

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

1 bay leaf

3/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar

8 cups vegetable stock

Garam Masala:  (We bought ours at grocery store- out West, you can do that...)

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1/2 tablespoon whole cloves

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds

3 tablespoons cumin seeds

3 tablespoons coriander seeds

4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

1/4 cup dried red chilies

1/2 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

In a large pot, heat the ghee and stir-fry the onions just until wilted, do not brown. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, lentils, ginger, Garam Masala, salt, pepper, sugar and bay leaf. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until the herbs and spices bloom (aromatic). Add the tomatoes and deglaze with the vinegar. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning with cumin, salt, pepper and sugar.

Garam Masala:

In a large saute pan, combine the black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, and dried red chilies. Over medium heat, cook just until slightly toasted, stirring constantly. Turn off heat and stir in the grated nutmeg.

Transfer to a food processor and grind to a fine powder. Pass through a fine strainer. Allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight jar. Use as needed.

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

300 g basmati rice

25 g butter

1 large onion, finely sliced

1 bay leaf

3 cardamom pods

1 small cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon turmeric

4 chicken breasts, sliced

4 tablespoons curry paste

85 g raisins

850 ml chicken stock

coriander, chopped

sliced almonds

Directions

Soak the rice in warm water, then wash in cold until the water runs clear.

Heat the butter in a saucepan and cook the onions with the bay leaf and other whole spices for 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the turmeric, then add chicken and curry paste; cook till aromatic.

Stir the rice into the pan with the raisins, then pour over the stock. Place a tight fitting lid on the pan and bring to a hard boil, then lower the heat to a minimum; cook the rice for another 5 minutes. Turn of the heat & leave for 10 minutes. Stir well, mixing through half the coriander.

To serve scatter over the rest of the coriander and the almonds.