Funeral Potatoes 101 or What Mitt Ate Last Night (part two)

Did you see the debate last week? I'm not a big fan of politics in general. In fact, every time we see a politician make a speech, see a campaign commercial, or watch a debate, the conversation usually goes like this:

me: sheesh, I would never want to be a politician.
grant: you could not pay me enough to be a politician.
me: being the wife of a politician would be the worst.
grant: that job would stink.
me: you know, people say the same about lawyers.
grant: no they don't.
me: yes they do.

So.
That said, newsflash- we are Republicans.
I know, you're shocked. Mormons and Republicans.
And we like Mitt.  Mittens, as we affectionately call him. Not that we know him, but you know how that goes. We talk like we do.
Anyway.  Remember when I posted that JELLO recipe several months ago? I titled it "What Mitt Ate Last Night". This is the second recipe in the installment of "What Mitt Ate Last Night".
Classic Mormon food.
This will either make you :
a) feel warm and fuzzy inside, and run to the nearest grocery to buy some Cream of Chicken Soup.
or
b) stop subscribing to this blog.

Everyone needs a recipe for this dish in their files. Guaranteed to comfort and clog the arteries. This is my favorite version of Funeral Potatoes. Been making it for 30 years. Funerals, family parties, neighbor dinners, you name it, this dish goes with it.
Bon Appetite :)





Funeral Potatoes
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

12 large Russett potatoes, boiled, then peeled and grated or
1 large  24-32oz package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, divided

1/4 cup  melted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each

Topping options:
1 cup Panko Crumbs or 2 cups crushed Corn Flakes + 2 tablespoons melted butter (optional)
or

1/2 cup grated cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in middle of oven.

Place butter, chopped onions, salt and pepper in a sauce pan over medium heat. Cook just until onions are softened. Place soup, sour cream, 2 cups of the grated cheese in a large bowl. 

Pour the cooked onion/butter mixture over the soup mixture in the bowl. Mix well. 

Add grated potatoes.  Fold ingredients together. 

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 greased pan. 

If using topping, spread the Panko or cornflake mixture or additional 1/2 cup of cheese over the top of the casserole and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and golden on top. 

Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
About 16  side dish servings.

Tips:

-This recipe has oodles of variations, here are a few:

• You may cut ham into cubes and place in the casserole. 
• I have used low fat sour cream and low fat soup with good results. It is better with regular  soup and sour cream, but is fine with low fat. 
• Some people use part cream cheese, cut into cubes, and cut some of the sour cream and or cheese.
• The onions may be substituted with green onions.   
• You may use flavored cheeses such as Smoked Gouda or Pepper Jack in place of the cheddar cheese.

-Almost everyone makes this recipe with frozen hash browns. That's fine in a pinch, or if you are making it for the masses. Make sure if you use frozen potatoes to thaw them before using.
Funeral potatoes taste best when you take just a little more time and cook your own potatoes. Scrub the russets, boil them until tender. Peel the potatoes and grate them before folding in the soup mixture. Make sure to always boil the potatoes with the skins on, to avoid watery tasting potatoes.

-I like to use Russets when making funeral potatoes. Never use Yukon Golds, the texture is too waxy.

-This recipe freezes well. Follow the recipe and cover with foil or saran wrap. To cook, place in oven at 325 for about 1 hour. You may take it directly from the freezer and bake. You may need a bit more or less time depending on your oven. Sometimes I put it in my oven at 275 for 2-3 hours.  When I bake a frozen dish, I cover it tightly with foil until it's done so it does not dry out. I remove the foil the last 15 minutes of baking or broil for a couple of minutes to get a golden top. 

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Mango-Peach Tango

Hooray, our plums are finally ripe!  I found this recipe in the August Southern Living Magazine and thought it would be a perfect way to use up some of our fruit. We served it with Honey Lime Enchiladas.
Everyone at dinner agreed- it's a keeper.

Mango-Peach Tango
Southern Living Magazine, August 2012
print recipe

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon seeded and minced jalapeño pepper
2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
3 large peaches, peeled and chopped
3 cups chopped plums
1-2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1-2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Stir together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl until sugar dissolves.
Add mangoes and next 4 ingredients, tossing to coat.
Cover and chill 2 to 6 hours.

Tips:
-I made this immediately before serving, chilling for 2-6 hours is not necessary, but allows flavors to blend.
-You may slice or chop the fruit, I preferred it chopped.

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Fresh Peach and Blackberry Slaw

You know all of those jokes about zucchini showing up on your porch while you are sleeping? At my home, it's usually peaches, or tomatoes or other various fruits and veggies. The zucchini usually comes via the back fence from my friend Chris, who keeps me in zucchini in the warm summer months.  My friend Marsha gave me some of her absolutely delicious white peaches a while ago. I can't get over how wonderful they taste. In my next life, I am going to be a farmer. Or at least own a peach tree.   Last week, the Tingey's gave me some of their peaches and cabbage. Oh-so-good.  Remember that year I thought instead of canning, I could just make loads of peach desserts? Remember how I thought I could just make Perfect Peach Crumble for everyone so I could get out of canning peaches?
Hello Einstein.
Flash of brilliance stupidity.

Making enough Perfect Peach Crumble to use up a bushel of peaches? Not a good idea. 

In the next day or two, I'm going to can peaches. I am. I will not just talk about it. I will do it. I will.  I think I've talked myself into it.
Last week, I was in the cooking (or for this recipe, chopping) mode, and made several recipes using up the fresh fruit and veggies that found their way into my kitchen. I was playing nurse to Jake, who got his wisdom teeth out. Needless to say, he ate a lot of peach shakes.
This slaw recipe is perfect if you have some fresh cabbage, peaches and blackberries around. I liked the crunch of the cabbage with the soft peaches and blackberries. Tangy and sweet, crunchy and soft.  Lots of interesting textures and flavors. Great summer side dish.
Not that it's summer anymore. Tomorrow is the first day of school.
Yikes.

Is this the most beautiful cabbage you have ever seen? I thought so.

Fresh Peach and Blackberry Slaw
adapted from BHG

1/4 cup vinegar, white balsamic or cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
4 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 small head of cabbage, washed cored and sliced or shredded
3 white or yellow peaches, or a mixture of both
1/2 pint blackberries
2 oz crumbled blue cheese, optional
snipped fresh chives, bail and or tarragon

Make the dressing:
Whisk together the vinegar, olive or canola oil, brown sugar and salt. Pour over the cabbage. Toss well.
Add the peaches, blackberries and blue cheese, if using. Gently fold together. Place in serving bowl or platter, top with snipped fresh herbs.

Tips:
-I found half of the dressing was more than enough for this amount of cabbage. Toss the salad with half of the dressing and put the other half in a bowl and pass alongside the salad.
-Reviewers on the BHG site recommended using a broccoli slaw, purchased at the grocery. Sounds like a good combo if you don't have fresh cabbage available.
-You don't need to worry about the peaches going brown in this salad the vinegar will prevent that from happening. Remember to keep the salad cool.

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Black Bean and Corn Salsa

It's the last weekend of summer. I know, summer is not officially over until September 22nd  (Melinda reminded me of this on our morning walk), but it feels like it's over when the kids go back to school.
With the end of summer, comes the end of local fruits and veggies. It was a hot summer here, and the peach crop came on unusually early. Tomatoes have been plentiful. Local corn has been amazing. I've been eating lots of these:

Tomato Toast

Yum.

I cooked like a crazy person last week. I tried to keep up with the fresh peaches, tomatoes and corn on my counter before they attracted my personal favorite, fruit flies. What is it about fruit flies??  I have a serious hate relationship with fruit flies and moths. I'll spare you a crazy rant about both :) 

I've been making this Black Bean and Corn Salsa for years. The recipe originally came from a cookbook in my collection. It's simple and can be made anytime of the year, from summer to the dead of winter. In September, it's a crime to use anything but fresh tomatoes and fresh corn. If you haven't ever made black bean salsa, this is the recipe for you. It's foolproof and absolutely delicious. Enjoy your last weekend of summer! 

Next week, two more early harvest recipes: Fresh Peach and Blackberry Slaw  and Mango-Peach Tango. 

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

print recipe

15 oz can black beans, rinsed with cold water and drained ( I like S&W brand best)

2-3 ears corn, cooked and cut off cob, or half of one small bag of frozen corn, about 1 cup

1/2 bunch chopped cilantro, about 1 cup

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1/2-3/4 cup chopped red or purple onion

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 fresh medium size tomatoes, chunked or 1/2 can of *Rotel (pureed if desired)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix gently with a large spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours if possible. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish with enchiladas or other Mexican dishes. 

Tips:

-If you want to make a large amount, this recipe is really easy to double. I often spoon half of the salsa into a mason jar, top it with a screw on lid and share with a friend

-*Rotel is a mixture of tomatoes, spices and green chilies.  

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Italian Oven Fries

We had these at River's Run last time we visited Mary and Will in Mississippi.  I use this recipe when I'm short on time and want to whittle away at the 50 lb bag of Idaho potatoes in my garage. It's a quick, kid friendly side dish that goes with almost any meal. YUM.

Baked Italian Fries
adapted slightly from Mad Hungry
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6 or 7 Idaho Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch-thick French fry-style strips, soaked in cold water
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or some combo of dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, and basil
2 cups freshly grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400* degrees.
Drain the potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Spread 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on each of 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread out the potatoes. Overlapping is fine.
Sprinkle the dried herbs evenly over the potatoes. Liberally spread the cheese and parsley on top. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the cheese. Scatter the cubed butter around the pans.
Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, rotating the pans after 30 minutes, for 45 to 50 minutes total. Use a spatula to lift off the potatoes with all the crusty cheese adhered to them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. 

Potato Prep: For a French-fry cut, peel the potatoes and slice lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Stack the slices on top of one another, a few at a time, and slice lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick strips. Peeled and sliced potatoes can turn brown pretty quickly. To avoid this, try floating the peeled, cut pieces in cold, salted water. When you're ready to cook, drain them and pat dry.

Tips:

-Soaking the potatoes in water is not necessary if you are in a hurry. I have made this recipe several times and skipped this step.

-You may also skip the peeling step. Just scrub the potatoes clean before slicing. 

-* I turn the oven to 425 convection and bake them for about 20 minutes total.

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Mexican Couscous

Here's the couscous dish I told you about yesterday. Loved it with the Cream Cheese Enchiladas. Unbelievably simple. And if you were feeling guilty about the cream cheese and sour cream in the enchiladas, this dish has very little fat. Perfect side for the rich enchiladas. Have a great weekend!

Mexican Couscous

adapted from Allrecipes
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1 cup couscous, dry  (equals about 3-4 cups cooked)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

fresh ground pepper
1 1/4 cups boiling water

1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1 cup chopped tomatoes, optional
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil

zest from one lime
3-4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

Combine the couscous, cumin, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the boiling water and seal bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes.
After couscous has "cooked" break up with fork so the pieces are not clumped together.  Stir remaining ingredients into couscous. Add more salt and fresh ground pepper if needed. 

May be served hot, cold or at room temperature. 

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Sheri's Creamy Southern Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese. What comes to mind when you hear those words? If it's a pan filled with an unnatural yellow/orange color sauce coating macaroni, your world is about to change.
In a good way.
My SIL,  Sheri, is famous for making huge pans of luscious, creamy mac and cheese. She perfected the art of making an amazing pan of one of my favorite dishes when she lived in the South.
I love it when we have a family dinner that includes a pan of her mac and cheese. Love it for days after too. This dish re-heats beautifully.  Sheri's version includes lots of sauce,  coating the pasta generously,  so it doesn't become a thick, gluey mess when heated up for leftovers. This is mac and cheese heaven.
You're gonna love it.

Creamy Southern Macaroni and Cheese
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½ cup butter
3-4 tablespoons grated or crushed onion
1 cup flour
6 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons pepper
5 cups sharp or combination of sharp and extra sharp cheese
1 ½ cups fresh grated Parmesan
1 pound macaroni

Boil macaroni until al dente. Set aside.
Melt butter. Sauté onion in butter until onion is translucent not brown. Add flour and cook for about two minutes. Add milk and stir with wire whisk. Cook until thickened. Add nutmeg, dried mustard, salt, and pepper. Turn off heat. Add 3 ½ - 4 c. sharp cheddar and 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan. Put in greased 9x13 pan and cover with 1 c. sharp cheddar and ½ c. Parmesan. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes until lightly browned.

Tips:
-You may add any of the following in the recipe above: sautéed mushrooms, diced tomatoes, diced jalapenos, chopped spinach, chopped broccoli, smoked chicken.
-Also, you may substitute Gouda, smoked Gouda, smoked Cheddar, Swiss, or any other type of cheese you like as part of the cheese. Mild cheddar is not recommended, as the flavor is too bland.
-This is also great as a make ahead dish. Prepare as directed, refrigerate and bake within two days.
-This dish also freezes well. To cook, remove from freezer and keep covered with foil. Bake at 325 for  about 1 hour. Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.
 

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Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugared Pecans

 

This dish was a big hit at the Southern Cooking class held on Monday at South Fork. We all loved the texture and just the right amount of sweet in this dish. Instead of marshmallows, Sheri used pecans coated with a brown sugar-spice mixture.  Mmmmmmmm. 

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugared Pecans

print recipe

Sweet potato casserole:

4 cups mashed cooked sweet potato  about 4 1/2 lbs

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup half-and-half

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons brandy extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon pepper


for topping:
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups chopped pecans
¼ cup butter, melted
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon


Combine first 11 ingredients; spoon into a lightly greased 11-×7-×1 ½-inch baking dish.

Combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, chopped pecans, melted butter and cinnamon in a small bowl.  

Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. 

Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. 

Tips:

For make ahead - Prepare as directed in recipe, leaving out pecan topping. Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool. Place in refrigerator. 

When ready to serve, remove from fridge about 45 minutes before serving, top with pecans and bake in a 375 oven for about 10-15 minutes, uncovered. 

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Make Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole

If you are into planning ahead, and want to get some of the cooking out of the way before the big day, you may want to try out this recipe. It's simple and really yummy. The great thing about this recipe is all of the work is done before your holiday meal is in the final stages of preparation; leaving you free to worry about other items like where to place Aunt Edna's Porkbelly and Egg Aspic.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
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8 large potatoes, I like Russets
8 ounces sour cream, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temp- low fat or regular (I used regular)
1/2 cup milk, warmed
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1-2 teaspoon salt

Place potatoes in large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and skins split.
Drain potatoes, peel and place in large bowl. Mash with sour cream, cream cheese, warmed milk, salt, and butter, stirring until butter and cream cheese have melted.
Spread potatoes into greased 13 x 9 baking dish.
Dot top of casserole with butter if desired.
Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to use.
Let refrigerated potatoes sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Bake covered dish at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Tips:
-If you like mix-ins with your potatoes, add some crushed garlic, bacon, cheese, and or chives before baking.
-You may prepare these up to 5 days before serving. 

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Balsamic Roasted Yams and Onions

Here's my vote for a super simple, fresh and delicious holiday side dish. Balsamic Roasted Yams and Onions. You've roasted veggies in your oven, right? If not, you are really missing out. The difference between say, boiling yams on the stove and roasting, well, in my humble opinion, they're not even comparable. Roasting brings out the sweetness in any vegetable. And it's the perfect choice if you want to enjoy yams, but are trying to save calories for other traditional treats. Like PIE :)

Balsamic Roasted Yams and Onions
adapted from Sparkpeople.com
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3 yams
3 onions (preferably sweet)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
garnish with fresh herbs, if desired

Peel and cut the yams and onions into bite size chunks. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and balsamic. Pour veggies onto a jelly roll (13"x18") pan. Generously season with salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until tender. Toss once during cooking.
Serves 8.

Tips:
-You may prep the veggies the day before and store in a container in the fridge. Toss with oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Roast before dinner. Or, you may prepare this a day or two before and refrigerate. Take  out and heat up in oven or in microwave just before serving. We had these for dinner last week, and they were yummy heated up as leftovers the next day.

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Sheri's Southern Cornbread Dressing

Yesterday at "The Fork" as my kids affectionately call it, Sheri taught an amazing class on Southern Side Dishes for the Holidays. She made Southern Cornbread Dressing, Broccoli Casserole, Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugared Pecans, and Peanut Butter Pie. It was a little bit of (Southern) heaven on earth, and a delish preview to what we are having next week for the best holiday of the year, Thanksgiving!
We always have this dressing along with our regular Apple and Sausage Stuffing. I love the combination of flavors and the texture of this dressing, vs the traditional bread stuffing. The fresh herbs and white cornbread in this stuffing really set it apart from most recipes.
Y'all are gonna love it !

Sheri's Southern Cornbread Dressing
print recipe

 For the Cornbread:

3 cups white cornmeal

4 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3 cups buttermilk

3 large eggs

½ cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir  together white cornmeal, baking powder, salt, flour, and sugar in a large bowl.

Whisk in buttermilk, eggs, lightly beaten; and melted butter.

Pour batter into a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, cool completely; then crumble the cornbread.

For the Dressing:

·       1 cup butter

·       3 cups diced celery

·       2 cups diced sweet onions (Vidalia, Walla Walla, etc.)

·       2 cups  skinned, chopped apple

½ 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage

·       1 package fresh poultry herb blend* (found in the produce section)

     cornbread crumbles

·       3 cups dried breadcrumbs

·       8 large eggs, lightly beaten

·       6 ½ cups chicken broth

·       1 can cream of chicken soup

·       ½ cup orange juice

·       1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

·       2 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 400º. Melt butter into large skillet over medium-high heat; add celery, onions, and apples, and saute 5 to 6 minutes or until onions are tender. Stir in sage and fresh poultry seasonings and saute 1 minute.

Stir together cornbread crumbles and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Stir in eggs, rest of ingredients, and celery mixture, stirring until blended. Divide cornbread mixture between 1 lightly greased 13×9 inch baking dish and 1 lightly greased 8 inch square baking dish.

Bake  45 to 55 minutes or until set and golden brown.

Tips:

-Make ahead: This recipe can be made ahead and frozen until ready to use. Bake the dressing for about 35-40 minutes or just until set and remove from oven, let cool, wrap and freeze. When ready to use, let thaw and bake for about 10-15 minutes until heated through. 

-* A Poultry Herb Blend is a packet of fresh herbs, found in the produce section of the grocery store usually containing sage, thyme and rosemary. 

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Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks

Sheri, my SIL found this recipe in Southern Living mag last spring. She served it at a family dinner and her brother, (my hubs) loved it so much he ate three or four in one sitting. Did I mention he usually won't touch sweet potatoes?  You can make this as a side dish in a regular size muffin tin, or in a mini tin for an appetizer portion. I've made Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks several times and the  result is the same every time.  Everyone loves this recipe. It's perfect for my favorite holiday of the year.
Thanksgiving!!!!!!
Two more weeks.
Can you tell I'm excited?

Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks adapted from Southern Living Magazine, 2011

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1 1/2 pounds small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced *
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, divided 

1 cup (4 oz.) freshly shredded mozzarella or Gruyere cheese, divided*
2/3 cup heavy cream 

1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Garnish: fresh thyme or rosemary

Preheat oven to 350°. Layer half of sweet potatoes in a lightly greased 12-cup muffin pan. Sprinkle with a light layer of salt.  Then sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp. thyme and 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining sweet potatoes. (Potatoes should come slightly above the rim of each cup.) 

Microwave cream, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. thyme or rosemary at HIGH 1 minute. Pour cream mixture into muffin cups (about 1 Tbsp. per cup).
Bake at 350°, covered with aluminum foil, 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.
Let stand 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around rim of each cup, and lift potato stacks from cups using a spoon or thin spatula. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish, if desired.

Tips:
-Try to buy potatoes that are no larger than about 2 inches wide. When sliced these fit nicely into the muffin tins. Stagger the slices as you stack to get a fully formed stack. Is you are unable to find long, slim sweet potatoes or yams, use a wider potato and cut the slice in half.
-I prefer to use a sweet potato or yam that is orange in color, not the whiter type sweet potato.
-Make sure to stack the potatoes about 1/2 inch above the rim if you want  a nice stack, the potatoes will shrink during baking.
-I like this recipe with thyme, rosemary or sage.
-If you don't have a mini muffin pan, and want to serve these as an appetizer, just stack the potatoes about half way in the baking cup (instead of to the top) and bake until the edges are browned a bit. This will make them closer to bite size and they will hold together better when picked up.
-One more thing...You can make these early and take them to a gathering. Just pop them into the oven for about 3 minutes at 350 to warm them up a bit. Or they are fine served at room temperature.

This is an example of a stack that was used for an appetizer portion, not stacked quite as high in the cup, and baked a bit more. 

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Cafe Rio Style Black Beans

A few weeks a go, my friend Mel, aka the Dancin' Queen, had to make beans for 250 guests.  Yes, two hundred and fifty.  We talked about how this was going to happen. She gathered ingredients. I showed up with my apron and big bowls. We went to work. About an hour and a half later, we had made four batches of beans (she made a test batch the night before).  Each batch contained enough to serve fifty. Seriously, it was really simple. The hardest, or I should say the most tedious part was opening all of the cans. Why use canned beans- when between the two of us I bet we have 400 lbs of dried beans in our food storage? Don't ask me these questions. I have no idea. Remember, I'm the woman who recently figured out I needed a wheat grinder to grind the wheat in my storage into flour. Ahhhem.
The finished product? Yum.  I'm posting the recipe for 8 and for 50. Depending on how many you are serving, or how much you love beans, or how much you love your hubs after he eats beans- choose the quantity.


Cafe Rio Style Black Beans
adapted from delish.com
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2-15 oz cans black beans, (drain one can, don't drain the other)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-11.5 oz can tomato juice
salt ( kosher or sea salt) and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a non stick pan, cook garlic, cumin and olive oil over medium heat until fragrance is released, about one minute. Be careful not to burn garlic.
Add beans, cook down for about 5 minutes until some of the liquid from the beans is absorbed and evaporated. Add can of tomato juice and seasoning to taste.
Stir in chopped cilantro when ready to serve.
Yield 8 servings


Cafe Rio Style Beans for 50
Si and Mel, A Bountiful Kitchen

1/2 cup olive oil
12 cloves garlic, about 1/3 cup chopped garlic
1/4 cup ground cumin
12-15 oz cans of black beans ( drain 6 cans, do not drain 6 cans)
60-70 oz tomato juice (about 1 1/2  46 oz. cans)
2 bunches fresh cilantro, stems removed and chopped
Salt to taste about 1-2 tablespoons

Place oil in large pot. Add garlic and cumin and continue to cook over medium heat until fragrance is released, about  one to two minutes. Add black beans, tomato juice and fresh cilantro. Cook until mixture
is heated through on medium heat, about 20 minutes. When mixture has cooked about 30 minutes, turn off heat and add chopped cilantro. Cool and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, heat slowly on medium heat, stirring gently to avoid burning beans at bottom of pan.  Add more tomato juice if needed.
This may be made and stored up to five days before serving.

Tips-If you are interested in cooking black beans from the dry bean stage, I Dare You to Eat It has an excellent tutorial.

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Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach

A few weeks ago, I received an email asking if I wanted to join a group of bloggers (about 50) to post mac and cheese recipes they find on the Internet. Same day, same time, random recipes. The only rule: the recipe had to be found on a blog.

Remember when I told you there were approx 40 THOUSAND food blogs out there?  I think almost every single one of those blogs has a mac and cheese post. How to find a special recipe? One worthy of a mac and cheese challenge? I turned to my cheese drawer, and my good friend Google. In the fridge,  I found some Baby Gouda (still in the wax) that Brookie brought me back from Henri Willig while in Amsterdam.  Also, some white cheddar,  yellow cheddar, and about 7 other types of cheese. Cause you never want to be without at least 10 varieties of cheese in your fridge, right? Just in case. Anyway.  I had eaten some of this special Gouda months ago, but was saving this round for a special occasion. Btw, if you are thinking whaaa? Didn't Brooke go to Europe last year? Answer, yes. But hard, low moisture cheese wrapped in wax stays good indefinitely, so no worries.  I googled Gouda Mac and Cheese and came up with a great little recipe from A Cozy Kitchen .
Result: move over children, this mac and cheese is for grownups.

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach adapted from Chase Livengood, a Cozy Kitchen print recipe 1 lb package short pasta (penne, elbow macaroni, etc) I used large macaroni 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted 5 cups milk ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 8-oz block sharp or regular white cheddar cheese, grated and divided (about 2 cups) 8-oz block smoked Gouda cheese, grated and divided (about 2 cups) 4-oz  medium cheddar cheese, grated and divided ( about 1 cup) 4 oz  regular Gouda cheese, grated and divided (about 1 cup) 2 cups fresh spinach, washed 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained Cook the pasta about 7-8 minutes in boiling salted water, remove when pasta is al dente.  Set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Whisking constantly, cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low and stir in salt, black pepper and most of the cheese, reserving about two cups of cheese. Stir in the fresh spinach and sun dried tomatoes. Remove from heat. Pour the pasta in a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce over the pasta. Using a large spoon, evenly distribute the sauce without stirring.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining cup of assorted cheeses. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven, let sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Tips:

- This recipe is easy to half. I halved this recipe, and baked it in a 8 inch casserole. Perfect!
-You may use any combo of cheeses in this recipe, I would not suggest using more than 2 cups of smoked Gouda, the flavor is very distinct, and 2 cups of smoked Gouda goes a long way :)

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Pasta Al Pomodoro!

Remember last fall, when I had to accompany Brookie to Europe? We traveled through Spain, Italy and France on our two week vaca. I could go on and on, and bore you about every bite of pastry, pasta and gelato we consumed, but I'll spare you and just say, Italy was the highlight of our food experiences.

When I received my May, 2011 Bon Appetit, I was delirously happy to see the entire issue was dedicated to ITALY.  Yips!  The cover photo, Pasta Al Pomodoro is our recipe of the day.  BA shares some of Italy's cooking secrets in their article "Pasta Perfect, A  BA Cooking Manifesto".  Their 10 point guide to the "simplest, most luxurious sauces imaginable" is at the very least, informative. Here are five of their ten pointers:

1. Forget the pot, use a pan-   BA points out the difference in pasta you get in "top flight" restaurants as opposed to everywhere else.  The key - a saute pan. The reason pasta in a top quality restaurant tastes better- "the pasta is cooked till almost done, then transferred to a saute pan, where the pasta and sauce are cooked together, therefore insuring each strand of pasta is coated with the sauce."
Brilliant!  I've never thought of this. 

2. You're not using nearly enough salt-  You should use about 1 tablespoon of salt- per quart of water. Well, this one I did already know, blogged about that here. Yes, this really makes a difference in the way your cooked pasta tastes.

3. Don't dump the pasta water- Starchy, salty pasta water is the secret ingredient in most sauces. Always save some of the cloudy, starchy pasta water to add to your sauce.  It gives your dish body and flavor.

4. Everything is better with butter- This goes without saying.  BA says-the secret to "rich, silky sauce" is extra fat.  They also share this tidbit of info (not sure if I needed to know this) "Yes, all of the restaurants use it. "  Andrew Carmellini of NYC's Locanda Verde restaurant says "In Italian its called mantecare which means to make creamy" .

5. Cheese is not just a garnish-  "Restaurants also always enrich pasta sauces with cheese before grating it table side. When a little is added to the sauce, it melts and becomes a binder that lends to texture and flavor."

So there you have it. If you want to read the rest of the article, click here.  The article, written by Oliver Strand is a wonderful mini-education on how to make perfect pasta in your very own kitchen.

Oh yes, the recipe! Why you'll love this dish:  It's easy on the budget, but tastes like a million bucks. It's not complicated. It takes less than an hour start to finish (most of the time is simmering on the stove top, not actual work). I've made it twice, and we've loved it both times.  Last Sunday, I started this at about 5.  Served it before 6 with some crusty rolls, olive oil, balsamic and fresh green beans. It was almost like being back in Firenze.
Almost.

Venice, Florence, Siena and Pisa

Pasta Al Pomodoro
Serves 4
Bon Appetit, May 2011
print recipe

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped or minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
1-28 oz can peeled tomatoes, pureed
kosher salt
3 large fresh basil sprigs
3 quarts water
12 oz bucatini or spaghetti
1/2 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking pasta
2 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium low heat.
Add one minced or chopped onion, stirring until soft, about 12 minutes.
Add minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring for 2-4 minutes.
Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium and add can of tomatoes that have been pureed in a food processor or blender. Lightly season with kosher salt.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.
Remove pan from heat, stir in fresh basil and set aside.
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a 5 quart pot. Season with salt. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally until about 2 minutes before tender.  Drain pasta, reserving at least 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Discard basil and heat skillet over high heat.
Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce, bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook stirring until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente about 2 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and add the cubed butter and grated cheese. Toss with metal tongs until the cheese melts. Transfer to warm bowl or plates; serve with more grated cheese if desired.

Tips:
-Long (12" or longer) metal tongs, get some. Cost just a few dollars. You need them for this dish.
-Both times I have made this, I chopped my onion, because I usually like my onions chunky. In the future, I think I'll mince. It would lend to an even smoother sauce.
-One time I was out of whole peeled tomatoes, and I subbed chopped tomatoes. No prob.
-If fresh basil is unavailable in your area, go ahead and use dried basil. Of course, you won't be retrieving it from the sauce before serving, as you would with the fresh sprigs. I would try about 1 tablespoon of dried basil leaves. Fresh is best, if at all possible.
-I'm not a huge garlic fan ( upsets my tum) so I cut back and used only 2 cloves. Still plenty of flavor.

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Orzo, Shrimp and Summer Vegetable Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

For some unknown reason, I feel the need to have an orzo salad with our Easter meal. Why orzo? Why at Easter? We don't really need to answer these questions.    Information that actually might be useful: Orzo is a small rice shaped pasta.  It comes in different sizes, some look more flat and like short grain rice. Other varieties of orzo are more similar to a piece of long grain rice. I prefer the longer, thinner shape. It's not rice, just pasta shaped like rice. Find it in the pasta section of your grocery.

The Easter orzo salad changes a little each year. I love shrimp, orzo and vegetables together. I tried a new recipe this year, and everyone agreed it's a keeper. I know you're going to love it too.





Orzo, Shrimp and Summer Vegetable Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette
Adapted from Bon Appetite 2008
print recipe

8 ounces orzo (about 1 1/3 cups)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium zucchini or summer squash (about 9 ounces total), cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 red or yellow bell pepper, quartered
3 tablespoons purchased pesto
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 cups tomatoes, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups) or 2 cups grape tomatoes, slice in half
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves plus sprigs for garnish
1 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush zucchini and bell pepper with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk pesto, lime juice, remaining 4  tablespoons oil, and remaining 1-2 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl for pesto vinaigrette. Place shrimp in medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons pesto vinaigrette; toss to coat.

Grill zucchini and bell pepper until crisp tender, about 2 minutes per side for zucchini and 3 minutes per side for bell pepper. Transfer to work surface. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper; grill until charred and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place shrimp in bowl with orzo. Chop zucchini and bell pepper; add to bowl with orzo. Add remaining vinaigrette, tomatoes, sliced basil, and mozzarella; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Garnish with basil sprigs and serve cold or at room temperature.
Serves 4-6 as a side salad

This can be made ahead and kept in refrigerator for up to a day before serving. 


Tips:
-This can be prepared without a grill. If you have a convection oven, turn the heat to about 425 and cook just until vegetables start to turn golden. You may cook the shrimp in the oven as well, or saute in a pan on the stove. The flavors are definitely better when the vegetables ad shrimp are grilled on a barbecue grill.
-Don't overcook the vegetables.  They should be barely softened when cooked properly. 

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