I love sweet potatoes (yams) but I’m not a fan of the cloyingly sweet dishes that call for sugar and marshmallows. Instead, I prefer savory sweet potato recipes like this one that includes smoky chipotle chiles. The heat of the chiles is really delicious with the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. This recipe is perfect for a holiday dinner or Southwestern-themed meal.

You can also skip the potato skins and bake the potato mixture in a greased baking dish (about an 8×8 size) at 425° for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Chile
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Chipotle chiles are smoked jalapeños. For  this recipe, you’ll need them canned in adobo; you can usually find them with other canned chiles in the Mexican section of the supermarket. The stuffed potatoes can be  made a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring them back to room temperature before  baking.

Serves four.

4 small sweet potatoes of similar size (about  3 pounds total), scrubbed
1 to 2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup sour cream; more for serving
1/2 chipotle chile in adobo, minced to a paste; more to taste
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 lime, cut into quarters

Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet, rub them with the oil, and arrange them so they’re spaced as far apart as possible. Bake until a skewer or fork slips easily into the center of the potato, 50 to 55 minutes. Set on a rack to cool but leave the oven on.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice off about the top one-quarter or one-third (lengthwise) of each potato to expose the interior. Peel off and discard the skin from this top section and put the potato flesh in a medium bowl. Use a spoon to scoop out the rest of the flesh of each potato, leaving about 1/4 inch of sweet potato attached to the skin to help retain its structure. Put the potato flesh in the bowl.

Beat the sweet potato flesh, sour cream, chile paste, butter, and salt with an electric hand mixer on medium speed just until smooth. Taste and, if you want more heat, mince more chipotle to a paste and add it. Mound the mixture into the potato skins and set them in a  baking pan. Bake the stuffed potatoes at 425°F until hot, 20  to 25 minutes. Serve with the lime wedges and more sour cream.

Tags: chipotle chile in adobo, chopotle chile, Christmas, Christmas side dish, holiday side dish, holidays, sweet potato, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving side dish, twice-baked potatoes, twice-baked sweet potatoes, yams

These delicious thick-cut fries couldn’t be any easier to make! I served them with a smoky Chipotle Mayo dipping sauce along side grilled burgers…sooo good!

Instead of using non-stick spray on the baking sheet, I lined it with parchment paper. In the past, I’ve had potatoes stick to the pan even with the non-stick spray but there was non of that nonsense with the parchment — it worked perfectly! Parchment paper can be found in the grocery store by tin foil, plastic wrap and plastic baggies. I use it all the time for baking.

For the Chipotle Mayo: mix 2-4 teaspoons of minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo with about 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and a squeeze of fresh lime juice (use more or less chiles depending on the desired amount of heat).

Enjoy!

Oven-Roasted Fries
-adapted recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Thick-cut oven fries are delicious—and so easy, especially if you don’t have time to make the deep-fried version. Use russet or purple potatoes, or a mixture of both.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 pounds unpeeled russet potatoes or purple potatoes, scrubbed, cut lengthwise into 1/2- to 1/3-inch wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Toss potato wedges with olive oil in large bowl. Sprinkle potato wedges generously with salt and pepper; spread in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast potato wedges until tender and brown in spots, turning occasionally, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Tags: baked french fries, baked fries, Bon Appetit Magazine, Epicurious.com, french fries, fries, oven fries, potatoes

Always an adventurous eater, I first had corned beef hash when I was about 12 years old.  I had no idea what it was but saw it on a menu while dining with my family and decided that’s what I wanted for breakfast. When the waitress placed the enormous plate of hash in front of me, I was filled with terror. What on earth did I order? Looking back on that first corned beef hash adventure, I’m pretty sure it was made with canned corned beef (not the best way to experience this classic breakfast dish). This recipe is sooooo much better!

Fast forward to this week. I had some leftover corned beef from an early St.Patrick’s Day dinner so I decided to try my hand at turning it into hash. I have to say, I enjoyed it more than the original corned beef and cabbage dinner from a few nights prior.

I wanted more caramelization on the hash so after letting it get brown on one side, I stirred it a few times, letting it brown a bit each time.

Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of chopped parsley for a hit of fresh flavor, and serve with fried eggs. Enjoy!

Corned Beef Hash
-recipe from The Joy of Cooking: All About Breakfast & Brunch by Irma S. Rombauer, Ethan Becker and Marion Rombauer Becker

The name of this beef is a reference to the corn-sized crystals of salt used to brine large cuts of beef brisket, sometimes with added allspice, black pepper, and bay leaves. The corned beef sold in our markets is still a salt-and-spice brine-cured cut of beef brisket or round. In New England, it is still possible to find a “gray-cured” brisket, referring to the color of coned beef made without chemicals to preserve its rosy color. Corned beef is sold in vacuum-sealed bags that contain some of the brine and seasonings used during curing. It needs to be cooked before serving. New Englanders say that this hash must be put together from the leftovers of New England boiled dinner. However, it can be made quite successfully with corned beef bought from a deli. Ask for a slice that is thick enough to be cut into 1/2-inch cubes. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet gives the hash a good brown crust, but a nonstick skillet makes unmolding easy. The quantities and pan size depend on the amount of leftovers you have, but here are approximate measurements. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Add to a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
Cook, stirring, until the onions are lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

Add:
3 cups cooked corned beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 pounds)
2 to 3 cups cooked potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Stir once, reduce the heat to medium, and press down with a spatula to compress the hash. Cook, without disturbing, until the bottom is well browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Slide or invert the hash onto a serving plate.

Garnish with:
Chopped fresh parsley

Serve with:
Poached or fried eggs

Tags: Breakfast, brunch, corned beef, corned beef and potatoes, corned beef hash, corned beef leftovers, hash, leftover corned beef, New England Boiled Dinner, St. Paddy's Day meal, St. Pat's, St. Patrick's Day, St. Patrick's Day dinner

I’m all about using up leftovers and finding creative uses for them. Potato Pancakes (or patties) are a great way to use up mashed potatoes. Even my Picky Eater liked these because he thought they tasted like french fries: crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.

I used 1 large green onion (sliced) instead of the grated onion and 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley instead of the dried marjoram.

It took a few tries until I got the consistency and size of the pancakes perfect. I had the best luck with using a rounded soup spoon-full of potato mixture (about 2 tablespoons). Also, my mashed potatoes were very creamy so I had to add a few more tablespoons of flour to get a stiff enough texture…the first few were too mushy. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and you’re in business!

Mashed-Potato Pancakes
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

2 cups mashed potatoes
1 large egg, beaten lightly
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons grated onion
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped turkey liver if desired (I didn’t use)
vegetable oil for frying the pancakes

In a bowl combine well the potatoes and the egg, stir in the flour thoroughly, and stir in the onion, the marjoram, the liver, and salt and pepper to taste. In a large heavy skillet heat 1/8 inch of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it fry heaping tablespoons of the potato mixture, flattening them slightly with the back of the spoon, for 1 minute on each side, or until they are golden brown. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to paper towels to drain and if desired keep them warm on a rack set on a baking sheet in a preheated 250°F. Serve the pancakes as an accompaniment to meat, poultry, or eggs.

Tags: egg, flour, leftovers, mashed potatoes, onion, potato pancakes, Thanksgiving leftovers

This recipe for Pan-Roasted Chicken with Spinach and Smashed Potatoes is definitely comfort food. Plus, it’s a simple enough meal to pull together on a weeknight…you’ve got to love that! Husband was delighted when he walked in the door from work and was greeted with the wonderful fragrance of roast chicken.

I pretty much followed the recipe except for a few subtle changes. I chose to use a whole onion (quartered and some layers separated) instead of the shallots. Also, I used a different pan for the spinach so I could use the pan drippings from the chicken to make a simple gravy. I didn’t feel like messing with garlic so I didn’t add any to the spinach. If the lemony spinach sits too long then it starts to turn a funky greyish color so definitely wait until ready to serve before adding the lemon. For the smashed potatoes, I omitted the lemon zest and substituted good ol’ butter for the oil.  The taters were delicious and using potato cooking water in place of milk or cream is a genius way to get a healthier version of mashed potatoes. This was a great meal that I know I’ll be making again and again!

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Spinach and Smashed Potatoes
-recipe from Martha Steward Everyday Food Magazine
 
Serves 4.

1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 large shallots, quartered
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound spinach, trimmed and washed
Fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium saucepan, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and thyme. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium-high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until golden and crisp, 5 minutes. Flip, then add shallots; cook until chicken is browned, 5 minutes. Flip shallots, then transfer skillet to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 15 minutes.

Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water from potatoes. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil, the lemon zest, and reserved cooking water; season with salt and pepper and roughly mash.

Transfer chicken and shallots to a platter and heat skillet over medium. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the garlic cloves, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Gradually add spinach, and toss until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve chicken with shallots, potatoes, and spinach.

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Tags: Chicken, Comfort Food, smashed potatoes, spinach

I just whipped up this super-easy Country French Omelet from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredientscookbook. Although the omelet is nothing fancy, it is really good. It makes a nice meal for breakfast or lunch.

I used 6 large eggs instead of 5 extra-large, red potatoes instead of yukon golds, and green onions instead of chives. For a nice lunch, serve with a salad. Enjoy!

Country French Omelet
-recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients by Ina Garten

Jeffrey and I have a wonderful routine when we go to Paris. We arrive late morning, drop our bags, and rush to Café Varenne for lunch. They make this fabulous country omelet with bacon, potatoes, and chopped chives. It’s such a satisfying breakfast or lunch. If you want to serve four people, double the recipe and make it in two pans.

1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, 1-inch-diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 extra large eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned but not crisp. Take the bacon out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

Place the potatoes in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender and browned, tossing occasionally to brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon to the same plate with the bacon.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together with a fork. After the potatoes are removed, pour the fat out of the pan and discard. Add the butter, lower the heat to low, and pour the eggs into the hot pan. Sprinkle the bacon, potatoes, and chives evenly over the top and place the pan in the oven for about 8 minutes, just until the eggs are set. Slide onto a plate, divide in half, and serve hot.

Tags: bacon, chives, Eggs, French, omelet, oven-safe non-stick pan, potatoes

For Mother’s Day, I made my sweet Mom grilled lamb (one of her favorites). She was thrilled when I told her what we were having for dinner! This meal was incredibly easy and really, really good!

For the grilled potatoes, I used large red potatoes, cut them in half, then parboiled them for about 10 minutes on the stove. After I let the water evaporate off the potatoes, I drizzled them with olive oil and tossed them with the herb mixture (as stated in the recipe). I then finished the potatoes on the grill.

I bought the lamb chops at Costco (you just can’t beat the price!). Some people don’t like lamb because it can taste gamey. These chops, however, were delicious: tender, flavorful and perfectly cooked (if I do say so myself)! I served the lamb chops with grilled asparagus and the grilled red potatoes. Everyone loved the meal…especially Mom. 

Rosemary Lamb Chops with Grill-Roasted Potatoes
-recipe from Weber’s Real Grilling™ by Jamie Purviance

Makes 4 servings.

Seasoning
1       tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1       teaspoon kosher salt
1       tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2       teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
3/4    teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 
2       pounds new potatoes, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, washed and quartered
         Extra virgin olive oil
8       loin lamb chops, each about 4 ounces and 1-1/4 inches thick, trimmed of excess fat

1. Roughly chop the garlic, and then sprinkle the salt on top. Using both the sharp edge and the flat side of the knife blade, crush the garlic and salt together to create a paste. Add the remaining seasoning ingredients and chop them together.

2. Place the cut potatoes in a medium bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil over the top and add about half of the seasoning mixture. Stir the potatoes to evenly coat them. Grill the potatoes over direct medium heat (350°F to 450°F), with the lid closed as much as possible, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Keep the potatoes warm while you grill the lamb.

3. Lightly brush or spray the chops on both sides with oil. Spread the remaining half of the seasoning mixture on both sides of the lamb chops. Grill the lamb chops over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to desired doneness, 9 to 11 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Serve warm with the potatoes.

Tags: garlic, Grilling/BBQ, lamb chops, Quick Cooking, red potatoes, rosemary, thyme

I’ve tried different methods of making mashed potatoes: squashing with a masher, whipping using a hand mixer or my Kitchenaid mixer, and using a potato ricer. Each method gives potatoes a different texture.

I reach for a masher when I don’t mind if the potatoes are a bit lumpy (I like to call it more of a rustic mash). When I’ve experimented with the hand mixer and Kitchenaid mixer, I’m always left with gluey potatoes (not exactly the texture I’m after). My best mashed potatoes (the ones that were perfectly smooth, light and fluffy) were the result of using a potato ricer, a kitchen tool that forces the cooked potatoes through little holes. You can spend upwards of $50 on a fancier model but I went with a basic yet sturdy Norpro Potato Ricer, which sells for under $15.  Below is an article I found on the pros and cons of potato ricers and mashers. Hopefully this will help you as you prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Potato Ricer vs. Masher
-from Fine Cooking Magazine (by Lisa Waddle)
  
Ricer: This extrusion tool forces cooked potato through small holes, resulting in rice-like pieces of potato (hence the name). It’s constructed of a hopper into which you put a cooked potato (peeled or not) and a plunger that forces the potato through the holes. Because air is incorporated into the potato as it’s pressed, this tool gives you the lightest mashed potatoes possible. A ricer guarantees no lumps, and your potatoes will be very smooth. The only downside is that it can be a bit time-consuming, especially if you’re using unpeeled potatoes, as the skins must be removed from the hopper after each pressing; otherwise, they clog the holes.

Masher: Hand mashers get a bad rap for leaving lumps, but I found that they can, in fact, deliver smooth, creamy potatoes. You just have to be methodical with your mashing method, getting into every corner of the pot and using a press and twist motion with the masher, adding a little liquid at a time if you must. (Be sure your potatoes are thoroughly cooked, too.) If you like the skins in your finished dish (for nutrition and texture), a masher or metal spoon is the only way to go. Don’t expect mashers to deliver light or fluffy potatoes, though.

The bottom line: Which tool you use depends on your definition of ideal mashed potatoes. If you’re after a bowl of textured spuds, especially good when adding extras like herbs or cheese, a masher should be your choice. If fluffy and smooth is your idea of potato nirvana, go with a ricer. Either way, be sure to buy a durable model that feels good in your hand. When you have a pile of potatoes to work through, you don’t want a flimsy tool that’s going to cause a hand cramp.

Tags: chrome finish, fluffy mashed potatoes, Norpro Potato Ricer

Have you ever seen those funny-looking, elongated, slightly knobby fingerling potatoes at the grocery store? Next time you do, buy a few pounds of them. This super simple recipe is an excellent way to use this root vegetable. All you do is scatter the clean potatoes on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until tender. For a little extra color, sprinkle the roasted potatoes with some chopped fresh parsley. And there you have it…a perfect side dish for chicken, beef or pork!

Note: This recipe originally called for crushed garlic but it turned into charred little bits in the high oven heat. Burnt garlic doesn’t do anything for me so I wiped it off the potatoes and scratched it off the recipe.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- adapted from a foodnetwork.com recipe

4 servings.

2 pounds small fingerling potatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, 1 to 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 500 degrees F.

Spread potatoes out on a cookie sheet. Coat lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and season potatoes with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.

Tags: fingerling potatoes, roasted, Side Dish

Here’s a delicious, summery salad that is perfect for your next potluck: roasted red potatoes and crisp-tender green beans tossed in a flavorful rosemary dressing. Yumm!!!

For the dressing, I add a little Dijon mustard for extra flavor and a bit of sugar to soften up the acidity. Also, I roast the potatoes until they are nicely browned, which can take longer than 30 minutes (depending on the size of the potato chunks). I use the ice water that the onions soaked in to cool the cooked green beans. The salad is also really good with the addition of crumbled feta, blue cheese or goat cheese. Enjoy!

For other recipes, check out: Ultimate Recipe Swap hosted by Life As Mom.

Green Bean, Red Onion and Roast Potato Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette
-recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Serves 8 to 10

3 pounds red boiling potatoes
2/3 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon crumbled dried, plus rosemary sprigs for garnish
1 red onion, halved lengthwise and sliced thin lengthwise
2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
24 Kalamata or Niçoise olives, pitted and halved

Halve the potatoes, unpeeled, and cut them into 1-inch wedges. Add 1/3 cup of oil to a large roasting pan then add the potatoes, tossing them to coat them with the oil, and roast them, stirring them every 10 minutes, for 30 minutes, or until they are tender in a preheated 425 degree oven. Let the potatoes cool in the pan.

In a blender purée the garlic, the vinegar, the rosemary leaves, and salt to taste, with the motor running add the remaining 1/3 cup oil in a stream, and blend the dressing until it is emulsified.

In a small bowl of ice and cold water let the onion soak for 5 minutes, drain it well, and pat it dry.

In a kettle of boiling salted water boil the green beans for 5 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, and drain them in a colander. Refresh the beans under cold water and pat them dry.

In a very large bowl combine the potatoes, the onion, the green beans, and the olives, add the dressing, and toss the salad gently. Serve the salad, garnished with the rosemary sprigs, at room temperature.

Tags: green beans, kalamata olives, potato salad, potatoes, red onion, rosemary, Salad, Side Dish