The secret to Flavorful and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

These are to die for!!!

I use Idaho potatoes for the most flavor.  Wash, scrub and peel about 10 large potatoes.  Dice them and put them in a large pot.  Add just enough water to cover the potatoes.  Bring to a boil.  reduce heat to med. high and boil til tender.  Once you can easily mash them with a fork, remove from heat.  Do not pour off all of  the water.  Keep about 1/2 of the water.  put water and potatoes in a large bowl and use a mixer to mash them completely. add about 1 tbs. of coarsely ground black pepper.   add 1 stick of real butter.  it will melt while you beat it into the potatoes.  Now turn the mixer on high and whip the potatoes til they are smooth and creamy.  The secret is using the water you boiled the potatoes in.  This is where alot of the flavor is lost when you throw it out.  And the black pepper adds just enough to bring out the flavor of the potatoes.  You can add milk if you like but you really don’t need to.

MeatLoaf

Fairly easy and very tasty!

2 lbs. Lean ground beef ( I use ground chuck ),  1 stalk celery diced.   1 small onion chopped.  2 whole eggs, beaten.  1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.  1/4 cup milk.  about 10 saltine crackers, crushed.    1 can cream of mushroom soup

in a large bowl, combine all but the mushroom soup.  mixing til well blended.  shape into a loaf in a  large pan or crock pot.  cover with mushroom soup. do not dilute.  Bake in 350 degree oven covered for about  45-55  min.  is done when juices are running clear.  (no pink)  If you put it in the crock pot just leave it on low for 2-3 hours.  This makes its own gravy.

now how easy was that?

Breakfast Burrito

                                                                     A favorite with my family.

1 pkg of 8 burrito wraps.  I use white flour ones.  1 lb roll sausage, your favorite kind.  10 large eggs, scrambled. 1/2 a green pepper chopped, and 1/2 a large sweet red pepper chopped and 1/2 large chopped sweet onion, saute all 3 in butter (about 4-5 tbs. )  til tender.  1 8 oz. bag shredded mexican cheese. not the one with the spices but the one with the four  different cheeses. Salsa.  Of course homemade is best but if you don’t have homemade, then get your favorite.  You notice there is no heat in this.  You can use spices when you make the sausage, I never do though.  Or You can use hot pepper cheese.   And You can use the salsa to spice it up.  And of course you can always put hot peppers in with the green and red sweet peppers.  I keep mine fairly mild and let each person spice it up with an offering of mild, to not so mild salsas.

I heat the wrap one at a time, in a heated skillet with a little melted butter.  As it heats I put a generous amount of shredded cheese on to melt.  This only takes less than a min. to heat up the burrito shell.  You don’t want it cooked.  Don’t worry if the cheese isn’t melted, the heat from the meat will take care of that.  Now take the shell from the pan and place it on a plate.  Take  about 1/4 cup cooked  sausage, still hot from the pan, and place it in the middle, spreading it out lengthwise.  then do the same with the green and  red peppers and onions.  add more cheese and begin at the bottom.  The bottom is the part nearest you.   Fold about 1/3 of it  over the top and then take one of the sides and fold it over then the other side, folding it over the top. Garnish with some sour cream and salsa, sprinkle a little more cheese on top.

Old Fashioned Biscuts and Gravy

Ok so maybe not just like gramma used to make.  I cheat and buy the Bob Evans Frozen Biscuts.  Or something similar. Just bake according to package directions.    But the gravy is homemade.  Here’s how….

1 lb roll sausage.  Cook it over med/high heat til thoroughly browned, add about 1/3 tsp freshly cracked black pepper.  If the sausage is very lean, you will need to add some fat.  You can use butter, olive oil, shortening, anything you want, just so it is fat. You want no more than  a few tbs  of  added fat.   Then add about 3-4 tbs flour,  keep cooking and stirring til flour is lightly browned, reduce heat to med.  Then add about 2 cups water, constantly stirring.  When mixed with flour, add about 3 cups of whole milk.  reduce heat and simmer.  stir often.  once thickened, if too thick add more milk, if not thick enough continue to cook til it is.  Spoon over biscuts.

Gourmet French Toast

This looks more intimidating than it is.  Just bread and eggs.  Slice up some fruit, use what you like. I love berries so most of the time I use strawberries and raspberries or blackberries or whatever other berries I can get my hands on, depending on the season.  If you like peaches, mangoes, mandarin oranges, then go for it.  The sauce is  wicks pie filling and glaze.  You can get that in many flavors. I prefer the strawberry, but I know they have peach too.

Now for the french toast itself….. easy.  For every 4 pieces of bread, use two or three eggs, depending on the size of eggs and the size of bread.

I use texas toast or sliced french bread.  I also use regular sandwich bread.

3 extra large eggs beaten, about 3 tbs your favorite brand liquid flavored creamer.  use your imagination.  I use french vanilla most often.  however the cinnamon vanilla is really good.  Look at what is out there.  During the holidays, you can get some really good stuff.  Try the egg nog flavored creamer, or the ginger bread, or the white chocolate with raspberry……. well you get the idea.

Pre heat a skillet on medium heat and melt about 1 or 2 tbs real butter in the skillet.

place each piece of bread into egg mixture, covering the whole slice.  Give it a min to soak up some of the flavor and then put it immediately into a preheated skillet, (on med. heat) . When beginning to brown on the bottom, (about 3 min or so) turn over til slighly brown on both sides.

Place one piece on a plate and add fruit and glaze mix, then place the other piece of french toast on top.  sprinkle a little powdered sugar over it if desired.  I like a little french vanilla cool whip.

 

Hot and Sweet Breakfast for Two

How about breakfast?  These aren’t just scrambled eggs.  They are a very unique and wonderful omellette.   Before I tell you the ingredients, and you turn your nose up, keep an open mind and be adventurous!   I do not like pepperjack cheese or sweet potatoes.  But the combination of the two blended with the sweetness of the  maple sausage is to die for!!  Even my picky children ask for this one!

1/2 lb maple roll sausage cooked, 1/2 cup sweet potato pieces, cubed, and  about 4 oz pepperjack cheese cubed or diced.  you don’t want large pieces since you do want it to melt.  about 6 large or extra large eggs.

Beat the eggs til slightly frothy.  Melt 3 tbs butter in hot skillet, try not to get it so hot that it burns the butter. Pour beaten eggs into  hot buttered  skillet, heat should not be more than medium/low.  Evenly place diced cheese over all the eggs.   As it cooks add just to one half, (you are going to fold the other half over the top when done)  the precooked sausage, and the cubed sweet potatoes. Check the bottom periodically  to make sure the bottom isn’t browning too fast.  When the cheese is melted, fold the other half over the top.  Now don’t get upset if it looks more like scrambled eggs than an omellette.  It doesn’t really matter.

Jumbo Mushroom and Swiss Burgers

These burgers are excellent.  Of course the quality and flavor is dependant upon the quality of the burger you start with.  I am very fortunate, in my town, I have a meat shop with the very best.  Try to get at least ground chuck, or ground sirloin.  I know it’s more expensive, but if this is for a special occasion, it may be worth the upgrade from your normal ground beef.  Ground round is too dry, not enough fat content.

Next, the bun.  Get a better quality, for these I use either a rye or a very soft onion bun, in the larger  restaurant size.  The taste of the bun blends with the rest and makes or breaks it.  A dry, bland bun lends nothing.  A little extra effort when shopping, will make all the difference.

1 lb pkg sliced fresh mushrooms, 1 sweet onion sliced thin,  saute’ them both in 1/2 stick real butter.  when done, add 1 can campbells beefy mushroom soup, do not add more than 1/2 can of water.

use a full pound of ground sirloin,  for 3 nice sized hamburgers.

mix with 1/2 pkg dry beefy   onion soup mix…… divide evenly into thirds and shape into patties, try to make them the size of your bun.  cook over a grill (best method for taste) or stovetop, til done. Do not overcook.

Place a slice of swiss cheese on bun, then burger, then another piece of swiss, last top with mushroom and onion gravy mix and be generous.  serve with the top part of the bun off to the side for the full effect.  This is mouth watering for any carnivore!

Homemade Ham and Bean Soup

                                                                 Nothing better on a cold winter day! Easy to make, and with cornbread, Yum!

I make mine in a crock pot.  This is so easy, takes no time at all, the crock does the work for you!  Start by rinsing 1 lb. bag of great northern beans and 1/2 a 1 lb bag of pinto beans.  1 pkg dry onion soup mix.  1 ham bone with plenty of meat left on it…… now you can use ham or ham hocks, whatever you prefer.  I usually use the ham bone with lots of meat.  Of course the bone gets removed before serving…..

Put all ingredients in crock pot and add water to top of crock pot.  Cook overnight or for 5 or 6 hours, on high heat.  In the morning, or after beans are nice and tender, reduce heat to low and continue cooking til ready to serve.  Watch them and add water if necessary.  I never have to.  I like them a little thick and less soupy.

The pintos and the soup bone, give this soup a very full bodied flavor.

Now add your favorite cornbread and mmmmmmmm!!!!!

Creamy Potato Soup

          Creamy Potato Soup with Rivels…… just like Granny used to make!  Warm up with a nice hot bowl of soup on a cold, blustery, winter day!

This is pretty easy to make and you can make it “yours” by changing the meat you put in.  I normally use diced ham.  I have used little smokies, (those little cocktail sausages). I have also used crumbled, cooked bacon…. also good is a nice polish sausage or kielbasa, sliced.

Start with a pot that will be large enough to hold the amount of soup you want to make.  I normally make it for a group of at least 6-10 so, scale up or down your ingredients accordingly.

Wash and peel about 8-10 large Idaho potatoes.  cut into bite sized pieces.  place into pot and cover with water.  once boiling, add to water 1 pkg dry onion soup mix.  continue to boil until potatoes are tender.  not mushy, try not to overcook.

While cooking potatoes, make rivels.  Mix about 1 tsp salt with 2 cups of flour, put this  flour  into a bowl.  Make a well in center and add 2 whole eggs.  Now with a fork mix together eggs and flour by starting at the outer edge of the bowl and “turn” the flour into the eggs.  The fork will proceed down through the eggs and by repeating this motion you will eventually mix all the flour with the eggs.  You are not making a sticky dough. your mixture should look more like a dry crumbly mix, almost like pie crust, but much larger pieces.  Make sure the eggs are thoroughly mixed.

Once the potatoes are cooked, continue boiling, do not drain potatoes.  Drop the rivels into the boiling water by gently adding the entire bowl and stirring the potatoes while you add rivels.  Cook allowing to boil for about 5 min. remove from heat.  Add 1/2 stick real butter, allow to melt and then stir.  Add meat, what ever you want to use.  Like I said I normally use diced ham.  I like a generous amount of meat so I will use about 2 cups of diced ham.  Add about a quart of whole or 2% milk, stirring to blend.  Now either return to heat, on low or do as I do.  Put it in a crock pot on warm or low.  After about an hour, this soup will be blended and thicken up to a wonderful consistancy.  If it gets too thick add more milk or water.  Do not cook this on high heat or allow to boil after adding the milk.  Milk will scortch and burn very easily.  Thats why I use the crock pot once its cooked.

I have also added some cubes of velveeta about 1/2 an hour before serving.  Makes an awesome cheesy potato soup too.