Parmesan Crusted Potato Halves

What an awesome variation to the baked potato. I absolutely love these! Wish I had better pics but the craving for these suckers took over & I didn't make time for photos with them as the focal point.

{Printable Recipe Here}

6 small potatoes, scrubbed & cut in half

1/4 cup butter

Grated parmesan cheese

Garlic powder

Other seasonings (to personal preference)

Sour cream for dipping 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9x13 inch pan and spread evenly across the bottom. Generously sprinkle parmesan cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings all over the butter. Place potato halves face down on the butter and seasonings. Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for at least a FULL 5 minutes before removing from the pan, otherwise the parmesan crust won't stick to the potato. Serve on a plate with a side of sour cream for dipping. 

Food for Thought

Obviously use less butter if you are using less potatoes and a smaller pan to cook them in. These are simply incredible and nice variation to a baked potato.

Breakfast Potato Skins

My best friend Jennifer & her family visited from NY this weekend. We had a blast eating lunch at a tiki bar on the lake, watching the kids play & visiting Animal Kingdom. I would share with you some pics but I don't even think I got one picture of her & I together. It's sad actually. I guess I'm a better foodie than a friend since I got pictures of breakfast I made one morning. I really enjoyed having a full house & spending a couple of hours in the kitchen each morning being the short order cook.

Oh, here's a great one of The Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom. We stood there trying to capture as many of the over 300 animals carved into this tree. It's beautiful. You need to double click to really appreciate!

{ Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom }

Back to the breakfast. I cannot wait to make these breakfast potato skins again & again & again. I have been wanting to ever since I had them at a restaurant once & thought maybe I could do better at home. I am a stickler for every bite having a bit of goodness & I think some restaurants just forget that.

These were easy, fun to make & just downright delicious. What's better than eggs, potatoes, cheese & bacon together ????? Aside from the bacon, these are healthy if you cook your eggs in cooking spray & have a gentle hand with the cheese. And you can always use turkey bacon.

BREAKFAST POTATO SKINS

{ Printable Recipe Here }

4 baked potatoes such as Idaho
6-7 eggs (you may have a little leftover)
Salt & Pepper
Shredded cheese, such as Colby Jack (about 1 cup)
Bacon, cooked & crumbled
Sour cream, reduced fat
Fresh chives, chopped

Pierce potatoes with a fork in several spots. Bake them in microwave in 5 minute intervals until fork tender. 4 potatoes roughly take 12-15 minutes. I like to rotate mine as well & turn them over halfway through cooking time to ensure even doneness.

Set potatoes aside to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 375.

Cut potatoes in half length-wise. Leaving ¼” wall, scoop out pulp & reserve for another use. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes just until the shells crisp up a bit. While they are cooking, scramble eggs just until set. They will cook further in oven. Season with a little salt & pepper.

Sprinkle a little cheese in the bottom of the potatoes.

Divide scrambled eggs between all. Then add more cheese on top as well as crumbled bacon.

Heat in oven just cheese is melted & bacon is warmed through. Serve with sour cream & chives.

No food for thought today. These are too easy. Just use whatever cheese makes you happy & enjoy!!!!!!

And if you want something just as easy but even healthier, what about a ham burrito without the burrito?

{ I created these by cooking up some Virginia baked ham fresh from the deli & rolling it around some sauteed onions with a scrambled egg & a little cheese }

Can't wait to be by to see what everyone has been up to. I have been MIA for a few days & starting to have blogger withdrawal.

Oh, see this car? It's also a boat. No joke. As we sat eating lunch by the lake, this was in the water. We thought it was just a boat that looked like a car on the top but then it rolled onto land & drove up to park.

Broiled Zucchini & Potatoes with a Parmesan Crust

I made this wonderful dish, another recipe out of Giada's new book, as a side for last Sunday's dinner with the parents. I recommend using fresh herbs & parm but if you can't I wouldn't let that keep you from making this. It was so flavorful & beautiful!

Although there's 3 phases of cooking here between the boiling, pan time & broiling it really is simple. I did the potatoes ahead of time & I also combined the butter, garlic, herbs in a bowl ahead of time. Later, I let them lay on the baking sheet until I was ready to put them under the broiler.

4 small new potatoes (red or white, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter)
2 tblsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 small zucchini, cut in 1/2 lengthwise & then cut into 1 in pieces
Pinch kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes & cook until just tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes & let cool. When cool, cut the potatoes in half.

Place your largest saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter, garlic, thyme & rosemary & let cook until the butter melts, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, season the cut sides of the zucchini and potatoes with salt & pepper. Carefully place the zucchini & potatoes cut side down in the melted butter. Let them cook until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. (Even my biggest pan was not enough to have it all laying flat. No worries. Just let it all sit & then rotate but don't keep stirring like your sauteing. You want them browned not steamed).

Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the browned zucchini & potatoes on the baking sheet cut side up. Sprinkle the tops with the Parmesan. Place in the broiler until the cheese is golden brown, about 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate & serve.

My Thoughts:

If you're like me & you don't like your zucchini mushy make sure your potatoes are very tender after boiling so that they are just waiting on the zucchini when they are all combined in the pan. I also doubled this recipe for 4 adults by using 2-3 large zucchini & 6-8 small red potatoes.

Click Here for a Printable Recipe

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Have a great weekend everyone! I am doing a 5K tomorrow morning, getting my haircut & rid of my highlights to go back to my natural brown for the Fall & spending quality time with the fam. And plenty of cooking too!!!

Ranch Potato Casserole

This right here is potato goodness at its absolute finest, a recipe I am so excited to share & one I got from Real Mom Kitchen. We had this dish as a side to some steak I threw on the grill this past Sunday as well as some sauteed squash & zucchini. Delicious times! This one is good for the whole family, like a loaded baked potato but without the fuss. The picture speaks for itself I think. This is a must try!!!!

I believe I am out of my funk, thanks to all of you who inspire me with your creativity, intelligence, wit, humor, even the cute practicalities of your everyday life, the list goes on. It really does!! 2 more days until my little boy's 5th birthday party & I believe the adrenaline rush I desperately needed is starting to come on. I am also 100 pages away from the end of Eclipse. I have been very good with savoring!!!!!! It has left me breathless on more than one occasion.

Ranch Potato Casserole

6 to 8 med. potatoes, cubed (I used the tiny bag of fingerlings, unpeeled)

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. prepared Ranch dressing

1-2 strips bacon, torn (I only used 1 strip of turkey bacon & it seemed enough)

2 tbsp. fresh minced parsley (I just sprinkled in some dried)

1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Boil the potatoes until tender (approx 15 min) & set aside. Combine sour cream, dressing, parsley & 1 cup of cheese. Carefully mix in the potatoes. Place in a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Top with 1/2 cup of cheese & bacon. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Thoughts:

I made just a few changes from Real Mom. I didn't peel the potatoes as she does because anytime I can leave some skin I will. I also did not cook the potatoes for too long because I wanted them to maintain their form & not turn to mashed when I incorporated the wet ingredients. So, make sure to mix carefully.

Islamorada & French Fries

Hello, this is Stephanie, I can't come to the phone right now so please leave me a message & I'll get back to you just as soon as I come back from here...

Islamorada, FL is one of my favorite places because I always feel like I am in the Bahamas yet it's just a short drive away especially when the drive is broken up by stops to my best friend, Tara or my sister Lauren, who are also coming along with their guys. This weekend will be my 5th time there but just my 2nd time at the Full Moon party below & the 1st going as a couples weekend.

Islamorada means feeling laid back with a boat ride to the sandbar, visits to the tiki bar, breakfast on the water, seafood.......

Every Full Moon, Pierre's Restaurant (above) hosts a large beach party with multiple bonfires in the sand & many different specialty drinks available at indoor & outdoor bars. You can find couples as well as families relaxing on adirondack chairs, tropical colored tiki tables & stools, or on blankets, enjoying the Reggae band in the center of the beach, while DJ's maintain the dance & party vibe. There's also Brazilian Capoeira dancers, Bahamian Junkanoo Parade, a circus thru the beach (stilt walkers, fireblowers, acrobats, etc.), face painters, balloon artists, giant screen TV’s & fireworks.

I bought these red baskets at a restaurant supply store along with the waxed paper which I no longer have. They're perfect for hot dogs & french fries.

Just as I like to always have a cocktail while cooking, it's the same for when I am packing for a trip. So, last night while having my solo night & before watching the last bits of Serendipity, I put the iPod on high, poured a nice cold Blue Moon. Then, I noticed 2 lonely potatoes on the counter & felt the need to make french fries. It's been years since I've made french fries at home. French fries are my chocolate....if I could have them everyday I would. I'm almost regretful they came out so good because now I am going to want to do it again. So simple:

Potatoes, skin on
Vegetable Oil
Peanut Oil

Heat oil in a deep pan. I only put an inch or so of oil & since I ran out of veggie oil I added some peanut oil. I really think it contributed to the taste so next time I will purposely do the same. Cut the potatoes into uniform ¼ inch sticks. Place in oil & fry for 10 minutes, turning periodically. Drain on paper towel & sprinkle with sea salt, pepper & a tiny bit of garlic powder.

The good news is there was sooo much oil left in the pan so how much could have really gotten into the french fries ?

Happy Weekend All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chicken Bruschetta Bake & Parmesan Potatoes

Last week I found 2 wonderful recipes, one for a Chicken Bruschetta Bake at Kim's over at The Cottage Cafe, and one for Parmesan Potatoes at Rightmyer Recipes . Both are quick & easy enough for me for a work night so I made these Friday evening. What a delicious meal. I modified both just a tiny bit to suit our needs and tastes.



Look at the beautiful colors in the bruschetta bake!! We also had leftover so I brought some to my friend's house.



I had good intentions with only 1/2 potato on my plate but it was futile once I took a bite. Two more found their way to me. YUM!!!


CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA BAKE
___________________________

1 can 14.5oz diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, in bite size pieces
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Fresh baby spinach (I added this for some greenery)

Preheat oven to 400. Combine diced tomatoes & liquid with stuffing mix & water. Add garlic & mix well. Spread chicken in a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle with dried basil and shredded cheese. This is where I added the spinach by just tearing up fresh spinach leaves and placing over the cheese. This was such a nice addition since I didn't get my greens in earlier that day. Spread the tomato stuffing mixture over the spinach and bake for 30 minutes.


I left a few plain in case the little guy wanted to try.

PARMESAN POTATOES
_____________________

1 medium potato for each person
Olive oil (I opted for olive oil instead of butter)
Oregano, Salt & Pepper
Parmesan cheese
Paprika (I forgot to add a little from original recipe)

Cut each potato lengthwise & place on microwave safe dish cut side up. Spray with olive oil. Sprinkle on oregano along with some salt & pepper and shredded parmesan cheese, patting the cheese down a bit. Microwave for about 10-15 minutes depending on how many potatoes you have. I always nuke my potatoes in 5-7 minute increments and then rotate them.

These were so perfectly simple & simply perfect. Just the minor variation of microwaving them while cut in half rather than whole gave such a different result from just a baked potato. The olive oil made the potato so moist that I did not feel the need for any added condiments. This saved me extra calories as I would normally douse my baked potato with butter. Oops I forgot, I ate 3 halves though. Oh well. It was so worth it and I did get on the treadmill that evening!!!

U Say Potato, I Say Potato

Potatoes. I love them. Any way I can get them. I just don't eat them too often. Just enough. After all, they are healthy & a good carb. I prepare them this way at home when I have the urge yet am still health conscious. Talk about so simple, fast and easy yet so delicious. You'd almost think you deep fried these babies. This was my own simple creation & I can't explain the flavor that comes from just putting these in a pan with very little olive oil and then letting the heat take over, turning them into a crispy dream. You don't have to stand over the stove watching them either so you can assemble the rest of your dinner easily. I usually just season them with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder. On days when I am being a little more naughty I shred some cheese over them and let it melt before sliding them on a plate. Any seasoning or cheese would do, adjust to your tastes. But you should try!!!

Potato Rounds

1 tblsp Olive oil
2 lb bag fingerling potatoes, sliced thin but not paper thin
Sea salt, pepper, garlic powder

Heat oil in pan over medium high heat. Place the potatoes in a single layer in pan, overlapping slightly if necessary. Let them just sit there for 10 minutes to get cooked on the bottom. Then toss around a bit. After about 20 minutes, season them with whatever your heart desires and serve. Even when pan gets dry and there's no more oil, don't worry about it. They don't stick and this is why they're healthy. Only 1 tblspn of oil between 2-3 people.

Golden Crushed Potatoes

This recipe is so unique and interesting I had to try it, and I am so glad I did. Who woulda thought to just crush a potato. Sure it would be easier to bake a potato and be done with it but baked potatoes always call out to me "more butter and sour cream please." Because these little guys are crushed and part of the inside exposed it just makes them a little crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. With just a little sea salt and pepper the taste goes a long way. When you're a potato lover, it doesn't take much I think.

8 small gold creamer potatoes (like Yukon gold)

Cooking spray

Olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

__________________________________________________________

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

You can steam the potatoes, whole, for 20 minutes, until they are still firm yet easily pierced with a fork but I just microwaved them in segments of 5 minutes and also turn them over, just until I could pierce with a fork like the recipe states.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place a potato on the tray, cut a small cross about 1/4-inch deep into the potato and crush the potato with the back of a wooden spoon to flatten into a patty about 1/2-inch thick. Try to crush it just enough so it stays together with most of its skin intact. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.

Brush the tops of the potatoes with the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper (maybe even some garlic powder) and bake until crisp and golden, about 20 minutes.

Potato Gratin

This is another recipe from Tyler Florence -
BEST I EVER HAD!!!! Some may not be gratin or scalloped potato people but this is not as rich as some similar dishes. It's just right!!!!!!!

2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 cups heavy cream
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 tblspns chopped fresh chives plus a little for garnish
1 cup grated Parmigiano cheese
Sea salt & pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350. In large bowl combine all the ingredients tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a casserole dish, flatten a bit with a spatula and bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with a few more fresh chives.