Honey Roasted Carrots

 Source:  stayathomechef.com

Best carrots ever!!

Ingredients:

12 med. carrots or 36ish baby carrots (at room temp!)

3 Tbsp melted butter

3 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp chopped parsley, optional

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment

2.  Cut carrots into 2-3 inch pieces.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl

3.  Melt butter and drizzle over carrots (if the carrots are cold out of the fridge, the butter will immediately become solid!).  Add honey, salt and pepper and toss to coat.

4.  Spread carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until tender and lightly caramelized, stirring one half way through.

5.  Remove from oven and garnish with parsley if desired.  

Mexican Street Corn Salad

 Source:  Sixsistersstuff.com

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 16 ounces frozen corn 1 bag
• 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise (I used light)
• 4 ounces Cotija Cheese crumbled, (could use feta cheese in a terrible pinch)
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice (fresh is best)
• 1 Tablespoon jalapeno pepper finely chopped
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons red onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Heat oil over medium heat. Add frozen corn and let cook until corn starts to char, stirring occasionally (it took about 7-8 minutes before my corn was lightly charred).
• While the corn is cooking, mix together mayonnaise, cheese, lime juice, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When corn is done, gently fold it in with other ingredients.
• Serve immediately and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Heavenly Cheesey Potatoes

 Source: Stephanie Hammer

32 ox. frozen shredded hashbrowns

1 cube butter, melted

2 C. grated cheddar cheese

16 oz. sour cream

2 can cream of chicken (murshroom, celery, etc) soup

1 onion, chopped (or a couple of Tbsp minced dry onion)

1/2 rsp salt

1/4 rsp pepper

1 tbsp butter melted butter

2 C. crushed cornflakes or honey bunches of oats or whatever

Combine everything but the cornflakes and the 1 tsp melted butter.  Mix well and place in a greased 9x 13 baking dish.  Mix cornflakes and melted butter and sprinkled over the top.  Bake 250 for 45 mins.  

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

 Source:  Jamiecooksitup.net

This is too much salt!  by a lot.  I'd cut the season salt in half and leave out the other salt entirely and see.  Also butter would taste better than the oil.  I wonder if it would burn.  Coudl use melted butter instead of oil, or less oil and toss with melted butter when it's done

6-7 C chopped Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 medium-sized potatoes)
3 Tb olive oil
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Thoroughly wash 6-7 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, you’ll need 5 cups total.

3. Cut each potato into 1/2 inch cubes.

4.  Combine oil and seasonings in a small bowl and stir well to combine

5.  Put potatoes in bowl or ziplock bag.  Pour seasonings over and stir/shake to coat.

6. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray and lay the potatoes out evenly onto it.

7. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender on the insides.

Cheesey Potatoes

30 oz frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
1 onion chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1-2 tbsp butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup (could try cream of celery, supposed to be good,)
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz sour cream
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Cornflakes or honey bunches of oats

Preheat oven to 350.   In large pot (Dutch oven one from grandma Thomas) melt butter and sauté onions and garlic till translucent and aromatic.   Remove from heat. Add hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, salt, pepper and combine well.  Spread mixture in a greased 9x13 pan.  Top with corn flakes. Bake 30-45 mins till hot in the center and cheese is bubbly throughout.

Green Bean Casserole

2 cans green beans, drained (or 16 oz bag frozen green beans)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 C. milk

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 1/3 C. french fried onions

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium size bowl, stir soup and milk until smooth.  Mix in green beans, pepper, half of the french friend onions and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour into a 9 inch square baking pan and bake 30 minutes uncovered; top with remaining french friend onions and bake additional 5 minutes.  

3-4 x for Thanksgiving

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Source:  The Pioneer Woman

2014 Thanksgiving--I did 20 lbs--too many.  15 lbs would be plenty, plenty!

Sigh. Mashed potatoes. They’re as much a part of Thanksgiving dinner as pecan pie and Uncle Festus.

But mashed potatoes are labor-intensive, and on Thanksgiving Day, that’s not necessarily an asset. The wonderful thing about these mashed potatoes is, they can be made ahead of time, then warmed in the oven when you’re ready. This has made a world of difference in my Thanksgiving Day sanity, peace, blood pressure readings, and hormone levels. The fact that they’re wonderfully delicious is simply the icing on the cake. So let’s go make ‘em!

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 3/4 cups Butter
• 1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

With a vegetable peeler (i.e. carrot peeler), peel 5 pounds of regular Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. After peeling, rinse under cold water.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 3/4 cups Butter
• 1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Sigh. Mashed potatoes. They’re as much a part of Thanksgiving dinner as pecan pie and Uncle Festus.

But mashed potatoes are labor-intensive, and on Thanksgiving Day, that’s not necessarily an asset. The wonderful thing about these mashed potatoes is, they can be made ahead of time, then warmed in the oven when you’re ready. This has made a world of difference in my Thanksgiving Day sanity, peace, blood pressure readings, and hormone levels. The fact that they’re wonderfully delicious is simply the icing on the cake. So let’s go make ‘em!

With a vegetable peeler (i.e. carrot peeler), peel 5 pounds of regular Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. After peeling, rinse under cold water.

Now, I always like to chop the potatoes in half or in fourths before throwing them into the pot. They cook more quickly and more evenly this way.



No need to freak and spaz and wig out here—just cut them so they’re generally the same size.



Now, bring a pot of water to a healthy simmer…



And go ahead and throw ‘em in.



Now, bring to a boil and cook for a good thirty minutes—possibly more.



That’s just enough time to give yourself a nice paraffin manicure or, in my case, haul all your trash to the dump.

What did I just say? Ah, country life. It’s so beautiful and idyllic.



Now. You have to give the potatoes the ol’ fork check to make sure they’re done. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost—but not totally—fall apart. Remember, if the fork meets with any resistance, that means there’ll be little hard pieces of potatoes in the final product. Translation: LUMPS!



Drain the potatoes in a large colander and give yourself a nice steam facial while you’re at it.

Not really.



When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove.



Turn the burner on low. What we’re going to do is mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients. That way, the potatoes won’t be watery or “mealy.”



Do you have a potato masher? You need one! They’re relatively inexpensive and so much better to use than an electric mixer, the sharp blades of which can break down the starch in the potatoes and make the final product gummy. Also, you’ll need a masher later when we make Butternut Squash Puree and Sinful Sweet Potatoes.



Mash away…



Until most of the steam has escaped and most of the chunks of potato have been mashed well, about three minutes.

Now, turn off the stove.



Are you ready to get serious? Good. Find the butter you’ve been softening…



And just slice it right into the hot potatoes. For five pounds of potatoes, I use 1 1/2 sticks.



Or, if I’ve had a particularly stressful week, I bump it up to 2 sticks. Butter, you may not be aware, is an effective psychological salve.



Now. Are you ready to get SERIOUS? Okay, I’m just making sure. This, my friends and cohorts, is THE secret ingredient of delectable, delightful, creamy, perfect mashed potatoes. Do not be afraid. Do not scream and run. You must trust Pioneer Woman. I know of what I speak.



To five pounds of potatoes, I add an 8 oz package of cream cheese. It’s best if it’s softened.


Now, let me just say that Marlboro Man would never—NEVER—touch cream cheese with a ten-foot pole. Never. He’d sooner have his gums scraped than eat cheesecake or spread cream cheese on a cracker. But he loves my mashed potatoes. And he ate them for years before he ever got wind of the secret ingredient. He cried for a few days when he found out he’d consumed cream cheese, but now he doesn’t even bat an eye.

In terms of culinary repertoire, it’s all about baby steps with these cowboys.



Hello, lover.



Now, to make the texture just right, we need to add a little Half & Half.

Hey, I COULD have used heavy cream. But this is a low-fat dish, people. I have to make healthy choices.



Begin with 1/2 cup. You can always add another splash later.



Now it’s time to mash away again! If your butter and cream cheese were softened to begin with, everything should come together perfectly.



Oh, my. Did someone say “creamy?” Oh. I guess that was me.

Okay. That’s the basic mashed potato recipe. From here, you can add whatever seasonings make your skirt fly up: onion powder, salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic salt…even mashed roasted garlic cloves (my personal favorite.)



For Thanksgiving, though, because the mashed potatoes will be served with gravy and all the other stuff, I like to keep it pretty simple. And Lawry’s, to me, is just right. It provides salt content as well as just a hint of some other flavors.



It’s important not to oversalt the potatoes, so start small and you can work your way up. I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon to start, then wind up adding another 1/2 teaspoon later.



In a perfect world, I would now reach over and grab my wooden pepper grinder. But in my world, my pepper grinder is outside, filled with gravel. Don’t ask.



Go ahead an add as much pepper as you like. Again, I start with about 1/2 teaspoon, then add more later.



Now, stir or mash everything together.



Then TASTE the potatoes, and adjust the seasonings. The seasoning process should take a little time, as it’s important to get it just right. Try really hard NOT to undersalt the potatoes. They need seasoning, man.



Now, butter a medium-sized baking dish.



And plop the mashed potatoes right in.



I’m hungry. For mashed potatoes.



Now, to make it look reeeeeal puuuuurrrrty, smooth out the surface of the potatoes with a knife.



Ha! You just THOUGHT this was a low-fat dish, didn’t you? Fooled you once again.



Slice up a few pieces…



And place them all over the top. This just screams rebellion, doesn’t it? Hey, look. It’s Thanksgiving. And I just happen to be thankful for butter.

Now, the great thing here is, you can cover it with foil and refrigerate for one or two days before Thanksgiving! Then, just pop it in the oven when you’re ready. It’s amazing how much trouble this saves on Thanksgiving day. That peeling, boiling, draining, and mashing thing can really get in the way of your holiday joy.

When you’re ready, remove it from the fridge at least an hour before baking (a couple of hours before eating) so the center won’t be so cold. Bake in a 350-degree oven, covered, for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through.



Here’s mine. I actually forgot to cover mine with foil because my boys were dressing the dog in my favorite jeans and I had to intervene. But they turned out fine; the top had a nice little buttery crust, which didn’t bother me one bit.



Oh, baby. Come to mama.



Mmmm….creamy, steamy, flavorful, delicious mashed potatoes. They’re as much a part of Thanksgiving dinner as tryptophan and whiskey.

Go for it, guys!

Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Source:  allrecipes.com

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 4 servings.    

• 8 medium red potatoes, cubed
• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
• 1/3-1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup half-and-half cream

• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon steak seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

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1. Place the potatoes into a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon of the crushed garlic to the water for flavor. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
2. Drain the potatoes, and add the butter. Mash until the butter is melted. Mix in the half-and-half, sugar, steak seasoning, garlic powder and remaining garlic. Mix potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth.