CROCK-POT MASHED POTATOES

This is a great method of making mashed potatoes for a crowd. It seems like I'm always short on time (or a burner) when it comes to last minute side dishes during the holidays, so this method is a big help.

TO FEED A BIG CROWD
5 pounds peeled potatoes cut into 1" cubes
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups HOT half and half (divided)

The ABOVE ingredients will take a large

(7 quart) crock-pot:

If you are just feeding a family of 6, cut the above ingredients in HALF and

it in a

4 quart crock-pot:

In either case, spray the crock-pot with cooking spray and put your raw cubed potatoes and butter pieces in the crock-pot.

Mix the water with the salt and pepper and pour it over the potatoes and butter pieces:

Cover with a lid and cook on high for 4 hours (or till tender). TIP: If you put a couple of potholders on the top of the crock-pot lid (as shown in the above photos), then the potatoes will be cooked in 3 hours instead of 4.

After the potatoes are tender, DO NOT DRAIN. Give the potatoes a rough mash with a hand held potato masher first, then add one cup of HOT half and half and finish whipping them with a hand held electric mixer (right in the crock-pot). Add the final half cup of half and half if you think the potatoes need it.

These mashed potatoes can be kept on the warm setting of the slow cooker for up to two hours.

Even if your crock-pot doesn't have a warm setting, you can still keep these mashed potatoes hot by covering the whole crock-pot with a heavy towel. They will stay hot for quite a while. 

ENJOY !!



YUMMY POTATO SIDE DISH

If you are looking for a new way to cook potatoes, I hope you will try this recipe. It is not only EASY, but it is oh so tasty and a very nice change from baked or mashed potatoes.

This recipe would also be wonderful for a potluck or buffet because you can make a huge batch AND they stay hot for a long time; they are also very tasty at room temperature !!

2 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes (washed and dried)
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cut the potatoes into 1" thick slices and put them in a bowl. Mix everything else together and pour over the potatoes, coating well.

Spray a baking pan (that has a lip) with cooking spray and then lay the potatoes in the pan, cut side down and don't let the slices touch each other. 

Bake in a preheated 450° oven for 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and bake for another 20 minutes.

ENJOY !!

BACON HASSELBACK POTATOES

As I understand it, Hasselback potatoes originated in Sweden as far back as the 1700's and there are a lot of variations. Basically it is an unpeeled baking potato that has been partially sliced, buttered and baked. The outside is crispy, salty and chewy but the inside of the potato is smooth and moist. They are very easy to make, delicious to eat and pretty enough to serve over the upcoming holidays.

A word of warning about these photographs: I didn't realize that the photos were on the blurry side until we finished dinner, so I couldn't re-take them. Sorry about that.

 

This version has bacon in it !!

 

There really isn't a specific recipe, but I do have a few tips that will help you in the process.

Things to do ahead of time: 

Lay 1 strip of good quality smoky THICK bacon (for every 2 potatoes) on a flat surface and freeze for about 30 minutes. This will help you slide the bacon down into the cuts of the potato.

Use meaty bacon

Bring a pot of water (large enough to hold the potatoes) to a full boil.

Wash the unpeeled potatoes, scrubbing them with a vegetable brush, then drying them with a paper towel.

Next, it's time to cut the slices into the potato. Because it is easy to cut too far, it's better to use some sort of cutting depth guide. Personally, I lay the potato between 2 spoon handles and use a sharp (thin bladed) knife to cut down only as far as the spoon handles.

 

Next, put the potatoes into the pot of boiling water. Let boil 4 minutes for larger potatoes and 2 minutes for medium potatoes. Gently lift them out and pat them dry.

Coat the potatoes with melted butter, making sure it gets down into every cut (just don't try to PRY the slices apart too much).

After you've buttered the potato, insert 3 pieces of frozen bacon (evenly spaced) into the potato. Make sure the bacon is big enough to be a little wider and taller than the potato because it will shrink as it bakes.

Butter again and then sprinkle with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

Bake at 350° (2 hours for large potatoes and 1 1/2 hours for medium potatoes). Dab them with a little butter about half way through.

The last 5-10 minutes of baking, melt a little butter and add a finely sliced green onion(optional) and half a clove of minced garlic. Let the garlic toast in the butter JUST A LITTLE, then drizzle the garlic butter over the potatoes and bake a few minutes more.

Carefully lift the potatoes out of the baking dish with a sturdy utensil.

The potatoes have a smooth and slightly smoky flavor. Picky-picky husband loved them.  Like I said, sorry about the poor quality of todays photos.

ENJOY !!

BEER BATTERED HALIBUT with (TWICE FRIED) FRENCH FRIES

Most people in our part of Alaska have halibut in the freezer. Whether they caught it themselves, or (like us) they have a generous neighbor who is an avid fisherman...it is a delightful mid-winter staple. Fish & Chips is one of Hubbies all time favorites and it is very quick to make.

BEER BATTER HALIBUT
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt & ½ tsp. black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch of Old Bay seasoning
12 ounce bottle of COLD beer
.
Whisk everything together until it is very smooth and free of any lumps; cover and let this sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or up to an hour).
.
In a deep, heavy bottomed pan, preheat cooking oil to 350F. Cut the halibut into 1½ to 2" chunks and roll them in corn starch before dipping into batter. Fry in hot oil until the fish is golden brown. Drain well and keep warm in the oven.

(TWICE FRIED) FRENCH FRIES
For years, I made french fries that were limp, greasy and soggy. We still ate (and enjoyed) them, but they were never, what I would call, "company worthy". Then, this past year, I noticed that several of the shows on the food channel were frying their potatoes twice, so I thought I would give it a try. I was amazed at the difference this pre-cooking step made. If you haven't tried it yet, you will be very pleasantly surprised. As you can see in the above photo, my fries are now "company worthy".

Peel and slice 4 large Russet potatoes into ¼" thick french fries (Alaska potatoes do not work well for this because their water content is too high). Soak the cut potatoes in cold water for half hour (see note). Remove from water and pat dry.

Working in batches, so you don't overcrowd the pot, fry the potatoes in 325F cooking oil for two or three minutes, or just until they turn pale and a little limp. Remove from the oil and drain well on paper towels and cool the potatoes to room temperature. Make sure you let the oil heat back up to 325F between batches in this first-cook step.

For the second-fry, increase the cooking oil temperature to 375F and fry the potatoes again, this time for about 2-3 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on fresh paper towels and salt immediately.

NOTE: Most cooking shows call for frying in peanut oil, which I never seem to have. I fry in canola oil, but any good cooking oil would work well.

NOTE: If you don't have the time to soak the cut, raw potatoes in cold water, don't worry about it. This step does help, but it is not absolutely necessary.

CHEDDAR & BACON HASH BROWN SIDE DISH

I needed an easy side dish to go along with some fried chicken yesterday and decided to throw together some "cheater" Au gratin potatoes. I had a bag of fresh hash browns (called Simply Potatoes) so I decided to use those (they are sold, in our market, next to the eggs). I made a quick white sauce, stirred in the hash browns, some cheddar, a little sour cream and some bacon. What more can you ask for?? They were very cream & cheesy-delicious.

1 package Simply Potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2¼ cups milk
¼ cup chopped onions sauteed
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
¼ cup sour cream
4 slices bacon fried crisp and crumbled

This is what the potatoes look like:

In a small, heavy bottomed sauce pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter and add 3 tablespoons flour and simmer for about a minute; stir in the sauteed onions and crumbled bacon. Whisk in the milk (whisk quickly, at first, so you don't get lumps) and cook until the mixture thickens. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat and stir in the cheese, potatoes and sour cream. Pour into a greased 2 quart baking dish and bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and potatoes are tender.

I don't see why you couldn't use frozen hash browns (as long as you thaw them first).

CLASSIC STUFFED POTATOES

I think almost everyone has their own version of stuffed baked potatoes, but for those who don't, I hope you will try this recipe. It is such a versatile dish that you can add just about any ingredient to this recipe to suite your tastes. My favorite version has crisp bacon, sauteed onions, broccoli, cheese, sour cream and butter. It is an excellent side dish for dinner guests because you can make these early in the day and then just heat them up while you are grilling the main course. Stuffed potatoes and a small salad also make a wonderful meal all by themselves.

3 large baking potatoes (1 pound each)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup of butter (divided)
1/2 cup light cream (or less)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
3 slices bacon fried crisp and drained
1 cup broccoli chopped small

Wash and dry baking potatoes. Bake them (unwrapped) in a 375 degree oven for about one hour and 20 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them or use a oven glove to protect your hands. Cut potatoes in half, lengthwise; carefully scoop out pulp and put it into a mixing bowl (try not to tear the potato skins). Saute onions until they are tender and sweet in 1/4 cup butter then add them to the potato pulp. Saute the broccoli until tender and set aside.

Removed a few of the "prettier" broccoli florets to decorate the potato tops and set those aside. Mix the potato pulp, onions, remaining 1/4 cup butter, sour cream, cheese and seasonings until very well mixed. Whip in enough of the light cream to make a consistency like mashed potatoes(you may not need all of the cream). Stir in the crisp bacon and small broccoli pieces with a wooden spoon.
Fill potato skins with this mixture (mounding slightly) and top with a little extra cheddar, decorate with broccoli florets and drizzle with a little butter. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes six half potatoes.

NOTE: If you make these earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate them. At dinner time, bake them at 350 for about 40 minutes.
NOTE: These potatoes are also excellent topped with beef stroganoff or Swedish meatballs.

GLAZED SPUDNUT (style) DONUTS

For those people who are old enough to know what a Spudnut is...this recipe will be a treat. For those of you too young to remember Spudnuts...let's just say that they were the best donut in the universe. I heard that there are still a few Spudnut shops around, but it appears that they are few and far between.

This recipe (from the Idaho Potato Commission) makes a LOT of Spudnut-style donuts (about 4 dozen) so you might want to half the recipe if you decide to make them. If you are not experienced with yeast doughs, I don't recommend trying this recipe, however, if you have had even moderate success with yeast doughs, I hope you give the recipe a try (it is not a hard recipe at all).

The donuts are very moist, sweet and have just a HINT of lemon. My hubby is a donut (and Spudnut) connoisseur from way back, and he gave these donuts two thumbs up!!

 

 2 pkgs. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening (do not use butter)
1 & 1/2 cups cold instant mashed potatoes
3 eggs well beaten
2 cups scalded milk (cooled to luke warm)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon extract
6 to 8 cups all purpose flour

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside. Cream the sugar and shortening and beat in the cold potatoes, eggs, cooled milk, yeast water, salt and lemon extract. Gradually add the flour to make a soft dough, knead well. The dough will be quite sticky, but holds together well. It should be a softer dough than bread dough.


 Cover dough with plastic and let it raise in a warm place until doubled in size (this takes a huge bowl and about an hour). After an hour, pull dough out of bowl and onto the counter. Sprinkle with flour and knead it a little to get most of the air out of it. If dough seems really sticky, just flour your board. Roll the dough out to a half inch thickness. Cut with well-floured cutter.


Spray a piece of parchment paper (or waxed paper) with a little vegetable spray and then wipe it down with a paper towel. Cut the paper into squares and put a cut out donut on each square. This will help you when it is time to transfer the raised donuts from the counter to the hot oil (see notes).

 Let the doughnuts raise until they get nice and puffy, then

deep fry the donuts in 375 degree vegetable oil until they are deep golden (mine took about 2 minutes a side). Only fry two or three donuts at a time.
Drain on paper towels. Glaze while still warm

CLICK ON THIS PHOTO FOR BREAKFAST

GLAZE

1 pound of sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Whisk in enough boiling water to make a thin glaze, drizzle over donuts.

And don't forget the donut holes!!!

NOTE: Recipe calls for shortening, I used butter flavored Crisco.

NOTE: Recipe calls for prepared instant potatoes. I prepared my potatoes per the box instructions including water, milk, butter and salt.

NOTE: Recipe calls for a tablespoon of lemon extract. That sounds like a lot, but it leaves just a tiny HINT of lemon flavor in the final product.

NOTE: Recipe calls for 6-8 cups of flour. I used all 8 cups and it was no where near as "solid" as bread dough, so expect a sticky dough.

NOTE: I let my donuts raise on squares of sprayed parchment paper. If you do that, then you can pick up the donut without deforming or deflating it and gently turn it over in your hand and gently peel off the paper before you ease the donut into the hot oil.

NOTE: I have a 2" donut cutter, but it just seemed to make a very tiny donut, so I cut the bottom and top out of a pineapple can and used that as my cutter. I cut out the center of the donut with a tiny cookie cutter.
NOTE: I used my smallest electric frying pan with 3" of vegetable oil to fry these donuts. The electric fry pan allows you to easily adjust the oil to 375 degrees and since you should only fry two or three donuts at a time, the smaller electric fry pan makes sense.

HOME MADE TATER TOTS

This recipe is one the kids will get a kick out of...home made tater tots!! Super quick and simple to make, they are a mixture of chopped potatoes, shredded cheddar, egg, flour, seasonings and fried crisp in a little oil. They are excellent dipped in your favorite barbecue or ranch dressing...inexpensive too!!

2 medium Russet potatoes (see note)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (don't pack)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 beaten egg

Peel and cube potatoes into your food processor bowl. Pulse them a few times but don't chop them so fine that they become mush. (First picture is the cube size, second picture is the desired chopped size)

In a bowl, mix the chopped potatoes & 1 cup of loosely packed shredded cheddar cheese. Thoroughly mix in the flour (make sure everything is coated). Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes before you fry them. Heat 1/2" vegetable oil to 375.

Scoop spoonfuls of the potato mixture and compress it a little with your fingers while it is on the spoon. Push the "tater tot" off of the spoon (gently) into the shallow (hot) vegetable oil. Fry until golden brown (about 2 minutes per side). Season with salt while still hot.

NOTE: For those of you who live in Alaska, I don't think our Alaska potatoes would work very well in this recipe (the hold too much water and won't crisp up). Recipe calls for Russet (or baking potatoes).

NOTE: For a variation, I am going to try pepper Jack cheese in this recipe instead of the cheddar. I'll let you know how it goes.