Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes

Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes


4-6 Medium Sized Russet Potatoes
1-2 Cloves, Garlic - Peeled And Minced
Salt And Fresh Pepper
A Pinch Of Nutmeg  
1 1/2 Cups, Half And Half 
1/4 Cup Butter - Cut Into Bits
6 Tbsp Flour
8 Ounces Cheddar Cheese, Cut Into Rough Slices

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Lightly butter a 9x12 baking dish and sprinkle minced garlic over the bottom.

Slice the potatoes 1/8" to 1/4" thick.  Place a layer in the baking dish.  I usually peel and slice as I go so I only use the potatoes I need.

















Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a small amount of nutmeg. Top with 1/3 of butter & cheese, sprinkle with 2 Tbsp flour - distribute over surface as evenly as possible.

Continue layering as such.  You will have about 3 layers of potatoes. Drizzle over the half and half - it should barely cover the potatoes.

Place baking dish on a cookie sheet lined with foil to collect any spillage if potatoes boil over.

Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 1 1/2 hours, until potatoes are tender. Time will vary depending on thickness of potato slices.  Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

These are different regular mashed potatoes. . . not in a bad way, just different, kind of like scalloped potatoes.  This is a great recipe for a holiday when the stove is being consumed by other things . . . you can set this up on the side and let ‘er rip.  Good, creamy and delish!

5 Lbs Russet Potatoes

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Butter, Cut Into Chunks

1 Tablespoon Salt, Plus

¾ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1 1/3 Cups Milk, Warmed

Peel and cut up potatoes into 1-inch cubes.  Place them in crockpot with water and butter then season with salt and pepper.

Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours.

When potatoes are done, mash with a masher or electric beater.   Do not remove the excess water from slow cooker. Add warm milk to potatoes until desired consistency and texture is reached.

Keep warm on low until serving.

Print Recipe

Lemony Rice Pilaf with Basil and Pine Nuts

Lemony Rice Pilaf with Basil and Pine Nuts

1 14 1/2-Ounce Can Chicken Broth

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 Large Onion, Chopped

1 Cup Long-Grain Rice

1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil  

1/4 Cup Pine Nuts

Salt And Pepper

In the same pan you will use to cook the rice, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté pine nuts until toasty brown.  Transfer pine nuts including olive oil to a small bowl. 

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan and sauté onions until soft.  When the onions are done add the rice and chicken broth.

 

Bring broth to a boil.  Turn down heat to simmer, cover and cook rice 20 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed.

While rice is cooking combine the juice of 1 lemon, basil and salt and pepper to taste with the pine nuts.

When rice is done mix dressing in and mix well.

Serve immediately.

Print Recipe

Plop, plop, fizz, fizz; oh what a relief it is!

Oh, Alka-Seltzer . . . how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.  It's good for what ails you . . . aches and pains?  headache?  upset stomach?  and at one time its ads even suggested taking it for "the blahs."  I'm jiggy wit dat!


The lemon-lime variation has a salty-sweet thing going on.  I'd drink it all day long if it wasn't for the whole overdosing-on-medication thing.


Seriously,  it's the best invention since cheesy-poofs.








Alka-Seltzer has been around since 1931 and is simply a combination of aspirin, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid all compacted into a fizzy tablet.  drop into a glass of water and watch it go.  It's like magic!  But watch out because if you have the glass on top of a pile of papers the effervescence will effervesce all over your papers and make a mess.  Don't ask how I know this . . . but there's a reason that Speedy uses an umbrella in the commercial.

It's not only good at curing the icks, but it also can be used as an effective cleaner for your coffee pot, glassware and jewelry  . . . all those bubbles cut through grease and grime.  Don't mock me before you try it . . . it works!




Anyhoo . . . I'm not suggesting that anyone run out and buy this wonder of all wonders, because it's not necessarily good for everyone, I'm just saying that *I* like it.  


Ploppity, ploppity . . . fizzity, fizzity . . . 

Creamy Cabbage with Apples and Bacon

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
6 Slices Bacon, Chopped
1 Large Onion, Chopped
Salt And Pepper To Taste
1 Tablespoon White Sugar 
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
1 Head Green Cabbage, Cored And Chopped
2 Large Granny Smith Apples - Peeled, Cored and Thickly Sliced
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock, Or As Needed
1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds
1 Pinch Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Sour Cream


Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook and stir until most of the fat is rendered, and the bacon is lightly browned but still slightly limp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a small bowl; do not drain. Pour off any excess bacon fat in the pan, according to your taste.


Stir the onion into the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook and stir over medium-high heat until onion is translucent. Sprinkle in the sugar, then stir in the vinegar-stand back or you'll get a nose full! Scrape up the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cabbage, stirring well to combine.





Cook, uncovered, until cabbage is reduced and starts to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in apples, stock, and coriander seeds. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more stock as needed, and continue cooking until the cabbage is soft, but not falling apart.


Just before serving, remove the cover and stir in the bacon with its juices. Cook over medium-high heat until any remaining liquid is reduced to a syrup and the mixture is piping hot, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in nutmeg, and fold in the sour cream.

An increase in light gives an increase in darkness

When my son was four years old, I took him on trip to see some of the places I remember visiting as a child.


One of the places I took him was Crystal Cave near Kutztown, PA.  The cave has been a tourist attraction for over 140 years.  It's known for it's unusual rock and, of course, crystal formations.  




Like any indulgent parent,  we visited the gift shop where he picked out a child-size miner's helmet equipped with a working lantern.  He immediately popped the helmet on to his head and off we went to do the tour.  

The tour guide pointed out formations of interest and talked about the history of the cave.  We reached a point in the cave where he warned us that they would be turning off the lights so that we could experience total darkness.  I explained to my son what was about to happen and he said he wasn't afraid.  


My brave boy!


They turned off the lights and we were engulfed in complete blackness.  For only a moment though . . . almost as soon as they lights were off my son flicked on the light on his miner helmet.  Yeah, that kind of ruined the experience for everyone else on the tour.  But it sure was funny!

___________________

Sauteed Spinach and Green Beans With Garlic

3 Cups Frozen Green Beans

10 Ounce Package Baby Spinach

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Heat a large skillet and then add the olive oil.


When the oil is nice and hot throw in the green beans and season with salt and pepper.


Add the spinach and let that wilt down, stirring occasionally.


Add in the garlic, lemon juice and the butter and stir over low-medium heat. You don't want the garlic to brown but you do want it to cook for about 5-10 minutes and incorporate all the flavors.


Taste and re-season if needed.  Remove from the heat and serve!