Growing up, we ate a lot of baked potatoes. A lot. I would load mine up with butter and salt, at first. But that got boring. Then I turned to mixing in salsa and occasionally adding cheese. That’s tasty, but I like it to be a tasty treat — not an all the time thing. These days, I just slice baked potatoes and salt them. Unless I am making a meal out of them, which happens most often in the fall when the leaves are turning and air begins to take on that familiar chill, a preview of the long months of winter that will come. When I am making a meal of them, I like to add broccoli, bacon and cheese. Good combination.

In the spring and summer though, we eat a lot of potatoes — in fry form. Sometimes I grill them, other times I make delicious sweet potato fries (or my fave: Parmesan Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries) … and of course there are oven fries. Mmm. Fries are the perfect accompaniment for barbecued foods like burgers, hot dogs, chicken … you name it.

These steak fries are fabulous with chicken like the Salt and Pepper Chicken Breasts recipe I wrote about last week. The chicken is delicious served plain with these fries and a side of a colorful veggie. It’s even better if you put the chicken on a roll with some barbecue, cheddar and bacon. Mmmm.

(P.S.: I just ordered the Progressive International Vegetable/French Fry Cutter. If it works well, you will be hearing a lot more about it … and more fry recipes. Who doesn’t enjoy low-fat, crispy fries with fun flavors?)

Read the rest of this entry…

“Mommy, I wannnnt an app-pull.”

“No, Will, this is a potato, not an apple, silly!”

“Mommy, I want a potato.”

The little hand is outstretched, reaching for the just washed, raw potato . . .

“You will have some, Will, but it needs to be cooked first. Raw potatoes are yuck.”

We have conversations like this a lot in my kitchen. Sometimes it’s the potatoes, other times it’s uncooked pasta or rice. Fortunately, I think he’s beginning to catch on. These days, Will asks for me to “cook it!” a lot more often.

The other night, I knew I wanted to make some potatoes. But time wasn’t on my side. That’s how I came to slice them. I wanted them to be flavorful, but didn’t want the hassle or mess of tossing them in herbs and olive oil, so I drizzled and sprinkled instead. It was only later that I realized the tremendous potential for cheesing them up and giving them a salty zest with bacon. Read the rest of this entry…

We love us some potatoes in this house. Whether its some quickly whipped up mashed potatoes, which can be a quick and versatile starch to accompany meals, or baked fries and roasted potatoes, it’s tasty stuff.

In terms of types of potatoes, we are pretty open.

A sampler of types of potatoes:

• Red potatoes are great for boiling, roasting, baking and potato salad. But they are too wet for hash browns.
• Idaho potatoes are a great all-purpose potato that can be used for hash browns, baked potatoes, roasting, fries or mashed potatoes.
• Fingerling potatoes are great for roasting. Read the rest of this entry…

I was never a fan of baked potatoes. But last year, I suddenly developed a taste for them. Perhaps it was just that until last year I had never had a baked potato with toppings or fillings. Growing up, it was always bake, squeeze, pop on plate. Sometimes there would be a pat of butter thrown on top and perhaps some salt, but never any exciting toppings like cheese or bacon.

These days, baked potatoes are a staple in our home. They are filling and help us eat smaller portions of protein — definitely a good thing. Potatoes are also inexpensive. But, be sure to eat the skin too – that’s where all the nutrients are.

I made these with delicious, golden-fleshed Yukon Gold potatoes, which are fantastic for mashing (and that is kind of what you do with the filling).

This is another toddler approved meal component. Will loved “finding” the hidden bits of bacon and cheese and ate nearly his whole (small) potato. And they aren’t that bad for you — all in all, they are about 380 calories or so (this is an estimate based on my calculation on SparkRecipes.com). So, if you serve them with a bit of veggies and a small hunk of lean protein, this can still be a pretty fit meal.

Cheddar Bacon Twice Baked Potatoes
serves 4

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
1/3 cup milk (I use 1%)
salt and pepper
3/4 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese, plus 1 tbsp
4 slices uncooked bacon, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick each potato a couple of times with a fork. Place on the rack in the oven and cook for an hour. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before handling.

Cook the bacon and discard any fat drippings.

Slice a thin strip off the top of each potato. Scoop out insides into a medium bowl. Add milk, salt and pepper to the bowl. Using a potato masher, mash well.

Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheddar and bacon. Scoop the potato mixture back into the potato shells. Divide the remaining tablespoon of cheddar among the potatoes. Return to oven and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

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I thought this would be a great recipe to share for Eating Leeds’ Potato blogging event. Did you know that this is the International Year of the Potato?

My husband doesn’t like sweet potatoes. He won’t eat them. He turns his nose up when I mention them. It’s one of many veggies that he just doesn’t like. So the other night, I whipped up a batch of Super Easy Low-Fat Oven Fries and made a batch of Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries for Will and I. Yum! Two kinds of low-fat fries with dinner . . . perfect.

Did I mention that my husband hates sweet potatoes? Okay, just checking. That’s important. See, you can imagine my surprise when Shawn saw me plating the food and asked for some of the sweet potato fries too. He asked to eat them. Of course, I couldn’t say no (even though I wanted to eat them all myself. Mine! All mine!). How can you say no to that?

Perhaps better than his requesting some, he ate the whole handful I plopped on his plate and declared them “not bad.” High praise, ladies and gentlemen. High praise. Read the rest of this entry…

Not the best picture, I’ll admit. But this is one of those “gotta try it” recipes.

I adore French fries (but I don’t love the damage they do to my weight) and always have. Like many folks, McDonald’s fries were my first love. But I have eaten some awesome ones since them. In fact, I still salivate over the delicious, crispy waffle fries that I had at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples three or four years ago. They were coated with an amazing spice mix that made them wildly addicting. Unfortunately, when we returned the following year, there was a new chef and the waffle fries weren’t served any more. Darn. If anyone happens to know the recipe though, I am all ears!

For years, I have been trying to make a good French fries at home that didn’t involve deep frying. No such luck, though. The combinations I tried (cooking method, temperature, oil, etc) just didn’t do it. But I’ve finally got it. These Super Easy Low-Fat Oven Fries are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside — just the way I like ‘em!

These fries are low in fat, since they are oven baked and use little oil, which means I can still eat them whether I am watching my weight or not. They are also highly customizable, which I love.

Looking for more great fry ideas?

• Chipotle Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries
• Asiago Pepper Steak Fries
• Homemade Ketchup

About Potatoes:
Potatoes are complex carbohydrates (that’s good) and contain about 100 calories each. It’s best to eat them with the skin on, since that is where all the good nutrients like vitamin C are stored. They are good sources of fiber, potassium and are naturally fat and cholesterol free, so long as you keep the skin on (just be sure to wash well to remove any dirt).

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4 medium potatoes (I suggest Idaho or Yukon Gold)
2 tbsp olive oil
seasonings of choice (see below)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Wash the potatoes well and pat dry. Using a mandolin or cutting by hand, cut the potatoes into long strips, about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch on each side. Put the potatoes in a zipper bag or large bowl and toss with olive oil. Add seasonings and toss again to coat.

Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet in one layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing several times during the cooking process. The fries are done when they are a light brown, cooked through and a bit crispy on the outside.

Serve warm.

Seasoning suggestions:

• The Refined Fry: 1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary and 1/2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
• Winter Herb Delight: 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp dried basil and 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• Hungarian Revenge: 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp paprika
• Cajun Capers: 1 tsp Cajun seasoning

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Yes, potatoes are not an herb, but they are a vegetable (although I consider them more of a starch. With all the herby possibilities for seasoning these though, they are a great addition for this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging. WHB was created by Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen and is being hosted by The Expatriate Chef from The Expatriate’s Kitchen. Check out the site tomorrow for a roundup of great herb and veggie related posts.

Well, not really. But geez would I like to – back to the city, where it’s safe. (If you just want to read about food, hop down to the Food, yay! header.)

Yesterday afternoon/evening was, in a word, stressful. I battled bumper to bumper traffic to get to Will’s daycare by 5:30 (I got there at 5:31), which always leaves me stressed. Then it took about 15 minutes to drive the one mile or so from daycare to my house.

To ease the nerves, Will and I broke out some cheese and were sampling different varieties (more on that later) when I heard Snoopy bark. Now, I know for some dogs that’s a normal occurrence – hell, Scrappy barks all the time. But Snoopy? His bark is kind of like a big foot sighting – you think you heard it but it’s so rare that you have to listen intently for more.

More came, except it was a bark I had never heard from him before – something between a yelp and a growl. I rushed to the back door and saw a gigantic deer (like HUGE) nosing Snoopy up in the air and dropping him. It looked like it was going to charge him or something, perhaps spear him with those enormous antlers.

I ran, down the stairs and across the yard, barefoot and yelling at the beast to “GET AWAY FROM HIM.” Instead of running, it turned and started to come at me. Before I could budge or find something to throw, Scrappy came dashing outside, down the stairs and got between us. The deer went after him and nosed him to the ground too. But then, amid all my yelling (because I was still yelling) and all of Scrappy’s barking (and Snoopy’s too), it finally turned and ran off into the woods.

Now I wonder, should I be concerned about playing or cooking in my yard? I wouldn’t want Will to be attacked by the monstrous deer. I hate nature.

(Don’t worry, everyone is okay.)

I did end up cooking in my yard though last night. It was in the plan, and far be it from me to deny the plan (especially when it’s MY plan).

Anyway, I had picked up a delicious twin pack of Chef Bruce Aidells’ sausage at Costco last weekend (Mango and Sun-Dried Tomato flavors). Costco had set up a little tasting station and it was good stuff, so I grabbed a pack. It’s chicken sausage, and these flavors are gluten-free and dairy-free. Though my family isn’t on the gluten- or dairy-free track, maybe yours is. I decided to cook up some Mango for dinner last night since I am not sure that Shawn will go for the Sun-Dried Tomato.

It was delicious. And since it’s precooked, it only took about 8 minutes on the grill. How easy is that? Will loved it so much that he ate two whole links. That’s my boy!

The one funny part is that I have since discovered that the links are in fact breakfast links – LOL, but served with roasted potatoes and corn, they made a good dinner. They are larger than your typical breakfast sausage, but smaller than your average dinner sausage. Ooops.

As for the roasted potatoes? Sorry no pictures. They were simple and tasty as well, but looked a little naked to me. See, Cate (of Sweetnicks fame) and I were having a conversation about organics the other night and she went off about how non-organic potatoes are ranked high (number 10, was it?) on the list of worst non-organic produce in terms of pesticide retention. These were perfect  red potatoes, but they weren’t organic and I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. So I did something I NEVER do – I peeled them.

8 small (or new) red potatoes, peeled if they aren’t organic
2 tbsp olive oil
a generous amount of Kosher salt
a generous amount of pepper
a generous amount of paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Quarter the potatoes. Place all ingredients in a plastic Ziploc bag and shake until evenly coated.

Spread potatoes out on the baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes, turning once about half way through.

Fingerling potatoes are small, sweet tubers that vaguely look like deformed and fat fingers. I was lucky enough to pick up a giant bag of them at Costco not long ago (yay!) and finally got to sample their deliciousness. Man, are they ever good.

I am a big fan of roasting great potatoes, so that’s what I have done with these. Will gobbles them down too, as does my husband (always making sure that I have used the fresh rosemary . . . a few years ago he’d never even seen a fresh herb).

4 cups fingerling potatoes
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded Romano cheese
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Slice the fingerling potatoes in half lengthwise and place in a large Ziploc bag.

In a small bowl, mix together the rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and Romano. Pour into Ziploc bag.

Add the olive oil to the Ziploc and seal. Shake vigorously until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Pour the potatoes out onto the baking sheet in a single layer.

Place in the oven and cook for 35-45 minutes, until cooked through. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking.

If desired, finish with a touch of sea salt.

Can you tell I am on a grilling kick here? It’s been beautiful out this week and I have barely come in contact with my stove. It’s so nice to be able to roast my entire meal on one cooking surface. It really cuts down on dishes, clean up and time.

Now if I could just have a night where dinner doesn’t entail me leisurely cooking the meal, and then rushing to scarf it down so that I can run out to work, it would be perfect. Actually, tonight just might be that night.

With any luck.

Grilled Potato Wedges
serves 2-3

2 large Idaho potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 to 1 tsp salt, depending on taste
1/2 tsp pepper

Slice the potatoes into eight wedges each, lengthwise.

Combine all ingredients in a large sealable bag and shake vigorously until well coated.

On a preheated grill, roast the potatoes turning frequently until all sides are browned and crisp.

Let cool 5 minutes before serving, so as not to burn your tongue.

Soften a stick of butter or two – place on a microwave safe plate in a microwave and cook on high for 20 seconds for 2 sticks, 15 seconds for one.

Defrost a ice cube of baby food – plate in microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 25 seconds. Immediately remove from microwave and stir rapidly, breaking up any ice left into smaller pieces. Transfer to cool dish or container and stir until completely melted. The whole process takes about 1 minute from start to finish.

Make great (and easy) garlic mashed potatoes – boil 4 medium potatoes (cubed) and 2-3 cloves roughly chopped garlic until soft. Drain. Add 1 tbsp butter. Mash together with potato masher or hand mixer. Add milk slowly while stirring or beating until desired consistency (about ¼ cup works for us). Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Make perfect rice in a rice cooker – rinse dry rice until water runs clear. In cooker bowl, stir together rice and water at a 1:2 ratio. Add a dash of olive oil and cook.