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.

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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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.