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| Potatoes: There's More Than Just Mashed! |
by Cindy SanchezThe Basic Potato. Not the most attractive of vegetables. And yet, while its brown and dirt encrusted skin is not all delectably appealing, it IS the most versatile of vegetables. Consider the many ways potatoes can be cooked and presented as a side dish; You can mash them, bake them, boil them, fry them and whip them. You can let them stand on their own or you can spice them up. And, you can add just about any other vegetable as its dinner dish compliment. Oh, and they have some wonderful nutritional values too!
~ Fat Free ~ Cholesterol Free ~ High in Vitamin C ~ High in Potassium ~ Good source of Vitamin B6 ~ Good source of Dietary Fiber Try one of these potato recipes with this evening's dinner and soon you'll be forgetting about that dirty covering to a terrific tasting side dish. ~*~ Delmonico Potatoes 9 medium potatoes 1/3 cup margarine 1/3 cup flour 2 1/4 cups light cream or milk 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 (4 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese 3 tablespoons bread crumbs Cook potatoes in salted water 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Peel and dice. In large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt margarine; stir in flour, stirring constantly. Gradually add cream and cook until thick and bubbling. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently stir in diced potatoes. Pour into greased 12 x 8-inch pan. Sprinkle with cheese, then bread crumbs. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until cheese melts and is bubbly. ~*~ Herb Roasted Potatoes 1 1/2 pounds Idaho potatoes, unpeeled, cut in 3/4-inch cubes 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 small onion, diced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon tarragon 1 teaspoon rosemary 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese Put the potatoes in a colander and sprinkle with the 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside to drain for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 450 degrees; have ready a heavy baking sheet. Put the potatoes in a towel and squeeze dry. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients except Parmesan cheese.Spread on baking sheet. Bake, stirring several times, until potatoes are tender and brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve at once. ~*~ Potatoes & Broccoli Supreme 3 cups hot mashed potatoes, about 5 or 6 potatoes 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup milk 1 egg 2 tablespoons margarine salt and pepper to taste 1 (2.8 oz.) can French fried onions 10 oz. frozen broccoli spears, cooked and drained 1 cup shredded American cheese Whip together first 5 ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in 1/2 can French Fried onions. Spread potato mixture over bottom and up sides of a buttered 8"x12" dish to form a shell. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Arrange hot broccoli in potato shell; sprinkle with cheese and remaining onions Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer. Serves 8. ~*~ Scalloped Potatoes 10 potatoes -- peeled 5 tablespoons butter 1 cup milk 5 slices Velveeta cheese Preheat the oven to 350*F. Slice potatoes and place in a 9 X 13-inch dish; dot with butter. Pour milk over all. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Top with cheese after the potatoes are done; let melt and serve. ~*~ Creamy Stuffed Potatoes 2 large baking potatoes 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups milk salt, pepper 1 cup any of the following, your choice: Cooked broccoli, chopped spinach, carrots or peas, tuna, dried beef, cubed cooked chicken or ham, or whatever you think sounds good, or a combination thereof. A sprinkling of shredded cheese for topping, if desired. Scrub and prick the potatoes. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to one hour, until tender when squeezed or pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, make a white sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan and stirring in the flour. Continue to stir over medium heat until the mixture is bubbly, but don't let the flour burn. Add the milk gradually, stirring or whisking all the while, until the consistency is as thick and creamy as you like. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add veggies and/or meat, reduce heat to low and keep warm until the potatoes are done. When they are baked, place each on a serving plate or shallow bowl. Make an "x" on the top with a knife and squeeze the sides with both hands to "fluff up" the potato. Top each with creamy sauce mixture and a sprinkling of cheese, if desired.  Recommended ReadingOne Potato, Two Potato by Roy Finamore, Molly Stevens If there were any doubt an ingredient as basic as the potato could result in exciting cooking, this tribute to the humble spud should dispel it. Cookbook editor Finamore and Fine Cooking magazine's Stevens have paired up to produce an impressive, wide-ranging potato Bible which covers everything one could hope to know about Solanum Tuberosum. The authors do a heroic job of categorizing the thousands of potato varieties, from waxy vs. starchy to news, blues, yellows and sweets. Courtesy of Amazon.com |
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About the Author: Cindy Sanchez is the owner and editor of MomsMenu.com Sign up for our Practical Recipes Newsletter for delivery of many savory recipes to your mailbox each week. Click here to subscribe.
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