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I could eat my weight in potatoes every day and be happy.  Maybe it’s my Irish roots.  It could be the fact that potatoes are delicious and full of fabulous nutrition.  Maybe it’s because they come in so many sizes, shapes, colors, flavors, and textures.  Whatever it is, I can honestly say I can eat potatoes at least once a day and never get tired of them.

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I want to show the world that potatoes are not just that vegetable sitting in the dark in the bottom of their pantry.  They’re more than just mashed potatoes, baked, fried, or chipped.  They are amazing and can hold up to the most elegant and delicious appetizers on the planet!  Who’s with me??

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Where do waffles come from?

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Waffles have a long and fascinating history. The earliest versions trace back to ancient Greece.  Initially, they were flat cakes were cooked between hot metal plates. They evolved into medieval wafers.  But with the addition of eggs and milk, they evolved into the waffles we’re used to.  In the Middle Ages, European craftsmen began using patterned irons to create the recognizable grid we see today.  During the Renaissance, spices and leavening agents were introduced.  This made waffles light and more flavorful.

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By the 18th century, waffles became a breakfast favorite in Belgium.  This inspired countless regional variations. European immigrants brought waffles to America where they quickly gained popularity.  Thomas Jefferson made them even more famous.  He bought one of the first long handled waffle irons.  But what really skyrocketed their popularity was the invention of the waffle iron in the late 1800s.  This made waffles for breakfast an integral part of American breakfast.

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What Is a Twice Baked Potato?

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 A twice baked potato is a classic comfort food side. First, you bake a potato until it’s tender. The scooped-out insides get mixed with tasty additions like cheese, sour cream, and chives.  The filling is spooned back into the potato skin. The potatoes are baked in the oven again.  Hence “twice baked” potatoes.  These potatoes are fluffy, flavorful, and irresistibly cheesy treats.  They are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

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The twice baked potatoes came about in the mid-20th century.  It’s sort of a two-fold invention.  First, it’s a way to repurpose leftover baked potatoes.  And second, cuisine turned to a more decadent and rich featuring cheese, butter, and creams.  The combination of the two made for a classic side dish that is the center of any dinner table.

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Different Types of Potatoes

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While there are over 4 THOUSAND different varieties of potatoes across the globe, there are about 7 main types found in the grocery stores today.  First there’s the russet potato.  It’s a sturdy go to potato known for its starchy and fluffy texture.  This makes it perfect for baked potatoes and mashed potatoes. 

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Next come the colors.  There’s white potatoes which are great for roasting and mashing.  Next comes Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes that are buttery and perfect for mashing and roasting.  Red potatoes are great for roasting, too, but also perfect for Cajun potato salad.  Purple potatoes are similar to red and yellow, but they have fun purple flesh to add color to your basic potato recipes.

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 New potatoes or baby potatoes are potatoes harvested when they’re young making them more tender with a slightly sweet flavor.  I like to boil them with salt then toss with butter and fresh dill.  Fingerling potatoes look like fingers.  They’re run and perfect roasted or added to salads like a Niçoise.  Then there’s sweet potatoes.  It comes in orange, purple, and white.  They’re great mashed, baked whole, and delicious in soups and salads like this kale sweet potato salad, too.

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Are potatoes healthy to eat?

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Yes.  While they have gotten a bad rap by being a carb and typically fried like French fries and potato chips.  They actually are a great source of fiber.  Not to mention the vitamin C and potassium potatoes have all with zero fat.  Even though they’re carbs, their slow-burning carbs give you lasting energy for your busy day.  Now, where I go wrong are the toppings.  Sometimes I love me a loaded baked potato, but sometimes it’s just a little butter with salt and pepper.

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What other types of potato appetizers are there? 

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The first thing that comes to mind are potato skins.  They’re crispy outside stuffed with cheese, bacon, and onions just to name a few.  They’re great game day food.  Potato croquettes are fun and bite-sized mashed potatoes breaded and fried until golden brown.  This appetizer is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes and make a different dish to serve your family.  Of course you can’t forget latkes.  Their crispy shredded goodness is the star of any dinner table. 

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Turning Nana’s Potato Pancake Recipe into these Waffle Bites

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This recipe is near and dear to my heart. Nana’s potato pancakes were a tradition in our house.  If we had mashed potatoes for dinner, I knew we would have potato pancakes for breakfast the next day.  They are crispy, tender, and full of love. I wanted to honor her classic recipe and make it even more extra special. 

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By altering the recipe just slightly and cooking them in a waffle maker, you get something extra special!  They have perfectly crispy edges and delightful little pockets of potato goodness.  And the waffle pattern is ready to hold all your favorite toppings!

Ingredients to make these Waffled Potato Pancake Bites

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Please use what you have on hand.  This recipe is meant to make a new recipe from your leftovers.

Pantry ingredients – flour, baking powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, white pepper

Refrigerator ingredients – leftover mashed potatoes, milk, eggs, cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, sour cream, mayonnaise, green onions, horseradish

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Instructions to make these Mashed Potato Bites

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Preheat your waffle iron so it’s ready when you are.  Then combine your mashed potatoes or leftover baked potatoes with cream, eggs, cheese, bacon, chives, flour, baking powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, and white pepper in a large mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.  The batter should be between pancake batter and waffle batter.  It spreads but not too runny. 

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When the batter is ready and your waffle iron is hot, pour 2 to 3 tablespoons in the center of the waffle iron.  You don’t want to fill the well complete.  You just want a rough circle in the center.  Close the waffle iron and cook the waffles following your waffle iron instructions.  I cooked mine for between 5 to 6 minutes for a nice crispy outside. 

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It might take a round or two to figure out the perfect time for your waffle iron.  But that’s okay because you get to taste test the “failures.”  For crispier bites, place the waffles on a rack over a sheet pan.  If you like the softer kind, just put them on a plate.

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Make the sauce by combining the sour cream with the mayonnaise, bacon, green onions, and horseradish sauce.  Stir until combined and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.

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Just look at that delicious goodness!!  You can see the flecks of onion and bacon.  Then there’s browned bits of cheddar in the potatoes.  You can see the bacon flecks in the cream and the chive and bacon topping. You can just imagine the flavor explosion that will hit your mouth.  These waffled potato pancake bites are like those potato chips; you can’t eat just one. 

Yield: 10

Waffled Twice Baked Potato Pancake Bites

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Say goodbye to boring potatoes and hello to these crispy, savory Waffled Twice Baked Potato Pancake Bites. Your taste buds will thank you.

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Ingredients

For the mashed potatoes:

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• 4 – 5 large Idaho potatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

For waffle batter:

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• 3/4 cup fat free half and half (or regular cream)
• 1/2 cup two large eggs
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced chives
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

For Sauce:

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• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Instructions

For the potatoes:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Place the potatoes on the rack of the oven and bake until tender, about 40 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to the touch.
3. Carefully remove the skin from each potato and roughly chop before placing them in a large mixing bowl.
4. Using a hand mixer, coarsely mash the potatoes and then beat until most of the lumps are gone and the butter is melted. Add the milk a little at a time until the potatoes a creamy, but not whipped. Allow to cool to room temperature, or overnight.

For the waffles:

1. Preheat your waffle maker.
2. Once the potatoes are cooled (if refrigerated please remove 30 minutes before making the batter), add the next 11 ingredients (half and half through pepper) and stir with a wooden spoon. The batter should be between a pancake batter and a waffle batter with lumps.
3. Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray (or brush with butter) before spooning 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter into the center of the well. Close the top and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown and does not pull apart when opened. Once cooked, remove to a wire rack to cool for crispier waffles or stack on a plate for more tender waffles.
4. Continue cooking the rest of the waffles; spraying with cooking spray before each batch. While the waffles are cooking, prepare the sauce.

For the sauce:

1. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl reserving a small amount of bacon and chives for garnish. Refrigerate until serving.
2. Serve the waffles topped with the horseradish sauce and serve garnished with bacon and chives.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 205Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 67mgSodium 538mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 0gSugar 2gProtein 7g

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Wonderful Waffle Recipes

• Banana Waffles from That Recipe
• Peaches and Cream Buttermilk Waffles from Creative Cynchronicity
• Waffled Twice Baked Potato Pancake Bites from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Whole Wheat Waffles from Art of Natural Living

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There is nothing more comforting or delicious, to me at least, than a homemade pierogi.  The potato and cheese filling surrounded by tender and crispy dough is something that takes me back to my youth.  Pierogi are by no means a southern recipe so they didn’t come from Dad’s side of the family. 

Mom brought pierogi to our family dinners.  I think the recipe stems from some ancestors that lived on the border of Russia and Finland.  Russia has their own version of pierogi, or as we always called them perogi.  Their dumplings are filled mainly with potatoes and served with fried onions and bacon, which is how we usually serve them.  Very similar to these bacon, cheddar, caramelized onion, and potato pierogi.

What are pierogi and where do they come from?

Pierogi are filled dumplings made with a non-yeast or unleavened dough.  The dough is wrapped around the filling and then boiled until the dough is cooked and they rise to the surface of the water.  Most pierogi I’ve had are savory, but you there can be some sweet filling in there, too.  Typically, they’re filled with potatoes but some stuff them with meat, sauerkraut, and vegetables.  The sweet pierogi are usually stuffed with fruits and berries.  And then there’s spinach mushroom pierogi casserole made with either frozen or leftover pierogi.  We never really had leftovers.  LOL

Where they come from is more of a mystery.  I believe dumplings originated in China.  Those are also tops on my list of comfort foods.  With all the travel that occurred one could surmise that the Chinese method of making dumplings traveled the globe and as it landed throughout the world the method and filling adjusted to incorporate local tastes and ingredients. 

How they became prominently related to Eastern Europe, Poland in particular, is a bit of a mystery.  Some theorize that the dumplings landed in Poland around the 13th century.  These Chinese dumplings became widely popular and thoroughly incorporated in the cuisine of that region.  So much so that most people just associate pierogi with Polish cuisine.

What are traditional fillings for pierogi?

Pierogi filling can be as diverse as the culture that makes them.  One common theme throughout all these countries is potatoes like these twice-baked potato pierogi.  Almost every country that makes pierogi fills them with some form of potatoes.  Other regional varieties include:

• Poland – quark which is a soft cheese and fried onions
• Ukraine – cottage cheese, boiled beans, meat or fish, and fruits like currants or cherries
• Germany – they boil or bake theirs and fill them with spinach and soft cheese
• Hungary – jam and/or cottage cheese
• Romania and Moldova – jam, cherries, and cottage cheese or dill seasoned cheese
• Slovakia – salty sheep’s milk cheese
• Bosnia and Herzegovina – minced meat
• Slovenia – theirs are made with buckwheat flour and filled with cottage cheese, millet, and fried onions

What are some tips to making pierogi dough?

For me, I add the 2 cups of flour and then continue to add more about 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is no longer sticky to handle.  This will vary depending on the humidity level.  It might take more flour if it’s more humid.  Once the dough forms you will need to knead it until it becomes smooth and elastic. I usually add more flour during this kneading time, too, to keep it from sticking. 

When the dough is nice and smooth, then you want to let it rest.  Sometimes I put it in the fridge until I’m ready to make the dumplings.  This allows the dough to relax and make it easier to roll out and shape. Also, when rolling out the dough, work in small batches to make it more manageable. Aim for a thin and even thickness so your pierogi have a uniform texture when cooked.  There are silicone bands you can put in your rolling pin or silicone guides to place on your work surface to help you roll the dough out evenly.  I highly recommend one of those for perfectly even dough. 

Don’t be afraid to pull the dough over the filling.  It’s stretchy for a reason.  I usually scoop a little potato onto the dough then pick up the pierogi and pull the dough around the filling.  Then I use a little water on the edge to make sure they seal completely.  I press them with a fork to seal them, but some like to pinch them closed.  I had a dumpling maker but couldn’t find it.  I might have donated it since I didn’t use it too often. 

Ingredients for this pierogi recipe

The only “fancy” ingredient in this Sweet Potato Gruyère Pierogi recipe is the Gruyère cheese.  The rest are staple ingredients for our house.  We always have some kind of leftover potato in the fridge.  In this case it was sweet potatoes, so I mashed those with a little butter, salt, and pepper to make the filling.

Ingredients:

• Sour cream
• Butter
• Half and half
• Flour
• Salt and pepper

Making the pierogi dough

Combine the sour cream with the half and half, butter, 2 cups of flour, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir the ingredients together using a dough whisk or wooden spoon.  The benefit of a dough whisk is the three coils that can easily combine batter and dough easier than a wooden spoon.  If the dough is still ragged, then continue to add flour a 1/2 cup at a time until it pulls away from the sides and starts to form a solid dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and continue to incorporate flour as you knead the dough until the dough is no longer sticky and forms a smooth dough.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

While the dough is resting combine the roasted and peeled sweet potato with the butter, salt, and pepper until combined.  Stir in the Gruyère cheese until thoroughly mixed.  Set aside until ready to make the pierogi. 

Making the sweet potato and Gruyère pierogi

Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and cut it into quarters.  Work with one quarter a time making sure to wrap the remaining dough and keep it refrigerated.  Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness.  Dip your cutter in flour frequently to keep it from sticking.  Also, when I press down, I twist the cutter to make sure the dough is completely cut.

Spoon a teaspoon of filling onto each circle.  Using your finger wet the edge of the dough before pulling the dough over the filling.  Press the tines of a fork around the edges to seal the pierogi.  Repeat with remaining pierogi dough and filling.  Make sure to flour the pierogi before putting them on a plate as they might stick.

Cooking the sweet potato pierogi

Carefully drop the pierogi into boiling water.  Have a pan over medium-high heat with melted butter ready to brown the pierogi as they come out of the water.  When the pierogi float to the surface, grab a slotted spoon and move them from the boiling water to the frying pan to brown the pierogi for added flavor. 

Mom usually has onions in the pan for added flavor, but I wanted to the sweet potato filling to be the star.  But feel free to add onions to the pan and even bacon if you want.  Or fancy it up with some shallots and pancetta. 

What do sweet potato and Gruyère pierogi taste like?

Sweet and tender and salty and crispy.  The roasted sweet potato filling is flecked with the rich and salty Gruyère cheese.  The dough is tender and delicious but also crispy and rich from being sautéed in butter.  I was looking for the dallop of sour cream I always garnish with mine.  Sadly, I didn’t have any extra after making the dough.  I love that sour and creamy garnish for all my pierogi!  But that might have masked the deliciously delicate flavor of the sweet potatoes.

Yield: 24

Sweet Potato Gruyère Pierogi

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Step up your pierogi game with the irresistible twist of Sweet Potato Gruyère Pierogi. Treat your taste buds to a party!

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Ingredients

• 16 ounces sour cream
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups roasted and peeled sweet potato
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Gruyère cheese
• Butter, onions, bacon to sauté the pierogi

Instructions

1. Combine the sour cream with the half and half, butter, 2 cups of flour, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the ingredients together using a dough whisk or wooden spoon. If the dough is still ragged, then continue to add flour a 1/2 cup at a time until it pulls away from the sides and starts to form a solid dough.
2. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and continue to incorporate flour as you knead the dough until the dough is no longer sticky and forms a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. While the dough is resting combine the roasted and peeled sweet potato with the butter, salt, and pepper until combined. Stir in the Gruyère cheese until thoroughly mixed. Set aside until ready to make the pierogi.
4. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and cut it into quarters. Work with one quarter a time making sure to wrap the remaining dough and keep it refrigerated. Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Dip your cutter in flour frequently to keep it from sticking. Also, when I press down, I twist the cutter to make sure the dough is completely cut.
5. Spoon a teaspoon of filling onto each circle. Using your finger wet the edge of the dough before pulling the dough over the filling. Press the tines of a fork around the edges to seal the pierogi. Repeat with remaining pierogi dough and filling. Make sure to flour the pierogi before putting them on a plate as they might stick.
6. Bring a pot of water to a slow, rolling boil. Carefully drop the pierogi into boiling water. Have a pan over medium-high heat with melted butter ready to brown the pierogi as they come out of the water.
7. When the pierogi float to the surface, grab a slotted spoon and move them from the boiling water to the frying pan to brown the pierogi for added flavor.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 934Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 56mgSodium 513mgCarbohydrates 157gFiber 6gSugar 5gProtein 26g

I doubt that, but eat at your own risk!

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There are hundreds of cheeses in the world. HUNDREDS! I haven’t even touched the iceberg in tasting cheese. However, I feel like I’ve had a few more types of cheese this past year than in years past. I’ve tasted stilton and manchego. There’s been a delicious creamy blue cheese or blue cheese brie that I have recently fallen in love with. And then there’s muenster.

Hands down, muenster is my all-time favorite cheese. There’s just something about it’s creamy, slightly tangy flavor that I love. Especially when it’s super fresh. I fell in love with muenster in Rochester at the public market there in upstate New York. Fresh, it is a completely different flavor than one that’s prepackaged in slices.

What are Irish nachos?

Irish nachos are a delightful twist on traditional nachos. Instead of tortilla chips, crispy potato slices are the base for a glorious mountain of toppings. The combination of hearty potatoes with gooey beer cheese sauce and savory extras creates a flavor explosion that is perfect for game day snacking. These Irish nachos also boast a hearty topping of corned beef and Irish cheddar cheese. These layers of flavor will make you the star of game day!

Who invented beer cheese?

I know we have had a beer cheese recipe in the family for a while, but I always wonder where the food we make comes from. It makes me wonder who thought to combine cheese with beer and stir in some garlic and onion for a creamy spread. Not to mention who turned this beer cheese idea into the rich and creamy sauce that takes these nachos to the next level.

Beer cheese originated in Kentucky, where it has become a beloved staple in local cuisine. This explains why my family has a recipe for it and has eaten it as long as I can remember. While the exact origins are unclear, it is believed that beer cheese was created in the 1940s by a chef named Joe Allman at a local tavern in Clark County. Allman reportedly mixed sharp cheddar cheese with beer, garlic, and spices to create a smooth and flavorful sauce that quickly gained popularity among patrons.

 

Today, beer cheese has evolved into a versatile condiment that can be found in various forms across the globe. From creamy dips to tangy spreads and even a burger topping, beer cheese adds a unique twist to dishes like pretzels, burgers, and of course, Irish nachos. Its rich flavor and creamy texture make it a perfect companion to a wide range of snacks and appetizers.

What is beer cheese made of?

Beer cheese is a simple dip or spread made with simple ingredients. It typically consists of a combination of sharp cheddar cheese, beer, garlic, and a variety of seasonings. The cheese provides a creamy base, while the beer adds depth of flavor and a slight tang. Garlic and spices help to enhance the overall taste profile, creating a savory and aromatic sauce that pairs perfectly with a variety of foods.

 

The amount of beer you add will alter the consistency, of course. More beer makes it creamier and less beer makes it more like a spreadable cheese similar to port cheese or pub cheese. Creamier beer cheese makes the delicious sauce for these Irish nachos, but a thicker cheese is deliciously melted into macaroni for beer and brats mac and cheese.

What type of beer is best for beer cheese?

The best beer is the beer that you enjoy drinking. Like cooking with wine, you don’t want to use a beer that you wouldn’t drink. The type of beer you use can greatly impact the flavor profile of your cheese sauce. Some popular options include pale ales, lagers, stouts, or even a flavorful IPA.

The key is to select a beer that complements the sharpness of the cheddar and enhances the overall taste of the sauce. I opted for Guinness which is a full-bodied stout beer. I thought it would pair well with the corned beef and potatoes in these Irish nachos. Pale ale also makes a good beer cheese sauce, too. They taste completely different, but both are delicious!

Is beer cheese the same as pub cheese?

Beer cheese and pub cheese do share some similarities, but they are not exactly the same. Pub cheese typically refers to a spreadable cheese dip that may or may not contain beer as an ingredient. On the other hand, beer cheese specifically incorporates beer into the cheese sauce to add a unique depth of flavor. This distinction is important to keep in mind as you prepare your Irish Nachos with Beer Cheese Sauce.

What ingredients do you need for this nacho recipe?

You will need potatoes, obviously. For the cheese sauce, you will need Irish cheddar. That’s a nice sharp cheddar with delicious flavor. Don’t frown, but to make this melty and delicious I’ve included some Velveeta in my sauce. There’s just 3 ounces of it to really make this a creamy sauce that pours well over the potatoes. Of course, there’s beer in the sauce and a slurry made with milk and flour. Finally, there’s garlic salt, thyme, and rosemary in the sauce and chopped corned beef for the toppings.

How do you make Irish nachos with beer cheese sauce?

To make these delicious Irish Nachos with a Twist of Beer Cheese Sauce, start by preheating your oven to 400 F and thinly slicing your potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper and bake the potato slices on a single layer in a baking sheet lined with foil for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Then flip the potatoes over and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the second side is crispy.

While the potatoes are baking, start the beer cheese sauce by combining the beer, milk, and flour in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the sauce begins to thicken and then stir constantly until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from the heat and add in 2/3 of the Irish cheddar, the Velveeta, and the spices stirring until the cheese melt.

Place a layer of potatoes in the bottom of a cast iron skillet and top with half of the chopped corned beef and half the remaining cheddar cheese. Pour 1/3 of the beer cheese sauce over the top and repeat with the remaining potatoes, cheese, corned beef, and 1/3 of the beer cheese sauce. Keep the remaining beer cheese sauce in a bowl for dipping. Finally, broil the nachos on high until the cheese melts and the cheese sauce is bubbly and brown. Serve with the remaining beer cheese sauce.

What does Irish nachos with beer cheese sauce taste like?

When you think if nachos I think of cheesy, messy, delicious goodness. And now I think of corned beef, potatoes, and beer sauce goodness. And now you will, too! The beer combined with the Irish cheddar in the cheese sauce and on the nachos make for rich and delicious cheese experience.

The potatoes are baked super crispy ahead of time. They stand up to loads of toppings they will carry to your mouth. That includes rich and delicious corned beef, sharp Irish cheddar, and creamy beer cheese sauce. The flavorful corned beef paired with the beer cheese sauce made with Irish stout and the Irish cheddar on top are a total game day nacho goodness your guests will love.

Yield: 10 servings

Irish Nachos with Beer Cheese Sauce

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Irish Nachos with Beer Cheese Sauce are the perfect combination of cheesy and crispy goodness. Grab a pint and dive into this delicious snack!

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Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes (about 4 inches in length)
• 10 ounces shredded, Irish cheddar
• 3 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup porter beer
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch thyme
• Pinch rosemary
• 1 1/2 cups cubed corned beef

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes 1/4 inch thick. Lay on a single layer on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper and spray with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy and they being to brown.
4. While the potatoes are cooking, combine the beer, milk, and flour in a small sauce pan. Stir with a whisk until the flour is combined. Heat on medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken; stirring occasionally.
5. Once the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon, stir in 2/3 of the cheddar cheese and the Velveeta. Continue to stir until the cheese melts. Remove from heat.
6. Place one layer of potatoes in the bottom of a 5 inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle corned beef, cheddar, and drizzle with the cheese sauce. Continue to layer potatoes, corned beef, cheddar, and cheese sauce until all the potatoes are stacked up. Sprinkle with any remaining cheese.
7. Broil on high until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve in the skillet with some Irish stout.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 275Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 70mgSodium 655mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 16g

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Cooking with Beer

• Beer Battered Shrimp from Art of Natural Living
• Beer Cheese Fondue from Jen Around the World
• Beer Mustard from That Recipe
• Cheddar Beer Bread from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Irish Nachos with Beer Cheese Sauce from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Sourdough Beer Bread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

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The post Irish Nachos and Beer Cheese Sauce Makes Game Day Delish appeared first on Bring Gourmet to your Every Day - A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.

I’ve had my eye on making fondant potatoes for a while now. But, like most, I thought they were difficult to make and required more effort than I was ready to put into it. I’m here to tell you, they are super simple to make! And they are so worth it! The crispy outside and tender inside all wrapped in buttery herb goodness. You’ll wonder why you didn’t make these potatoes before.

What are fondant potatoes?

Fondant potatoes are nothing more than cylinders of potatoes browned in butter and herbs, and then roasted in the oven in chicken broth and herbs until tender on the inside. They’re called fondant potatoes because the inside of the potatoes are soft and creamy like the texture of fondant. Russet or Idaho potatoes are best for this recipe. They hold up to this cooking method better than a red potato.  They make a delicious side dish for pork tenderloin with fig preserves or an herbed mustard sirloin.

Who invented fondant potatoes?

The exact origins of fondant potatoes are difficult to pinpoint because most historical recipes were not documented very well. One theory suggests that fondant potatoes were first introduced by the renowned French chef Auguste Escoffier in the late 19th or early 20th century. Escoffier developed the technique of gently browning and roasting potatoes in butter, creating their signature golden crust while keeping the insides tender and creamy.

Another theory is that fondant potatoes dates back even further, with roots in traditional French cooking. French cuisine has long celebrated the humble potato and its versatility. From pommes de terre sautés (sautéed potatoes) to potatoes au gratin or scalloped potatoes, the French have always found creative ways to elevate this starchy staple. Fondant potatoes were probably refined over time to achieve the perfect texture and flavor.

Regardless of their exact origins, fondant potatoes have certainly stood the test of time and continue to captivate taste buds around the world. Their simple yet elegant presentation, coupled with the contrast of the crispy exterior and melt-in-your-mouth interior, makes them an irresistible side dish that will steal the show on any dining table.

How do you make fondant potatoes?

Fondant potatoes may seem intimidating at first, but they truly are not difficult to make. To start with you’ll need to gather your ingredients. Grab your potatoes, butter, broth, garlic, and herbs. Make sure you use a starchy potato like russets or Idaho potatoes. And be sure to grab a pan you can put in the oven. I like to use my cast iron skillet because it maintains even heat throughout the cooking process.

First, peel the potatoes and cut off the ends. Then cut the potatoes into rounds that are even in height, so they all cook evenly. Once you’ve shaped your potatoes let them soak in a bowl of water for about 30 minutes to release some of the starch that can make these less creamy and delicious. Drain them and dry them with a paper towel before rubbing them with some olive oil and sprinkling them with salt and pepper.

Melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in your skillet. As the butter begins to sizzle, carefully place the potatoes in the pan, being care not to overcrowd the potatoes in the pan. The goal here is to sear the potatoes on all sides until they develop a beautiful golden-brown crust.

Once the potatoes are evenly seared, pour in enough chicken stock or vegetable broth to come about halfway up the sides of the potatoes. This liquid will help to tenderize the potatoes as they continue to cook, while also infusing them with additional flavor. I used chicken stock, but you can use whatever stock you like. Vegetable and chicken would be best because beef might overpower the delicate flavor of the potatoes.

 
Pop the pan in the oven and roast the potatoes at 350 F for about 20 to 30 minutes or until they are fork tender. About halfway through the cooking time, make sure to baste them with the juices in the pan. This will keep them moist and make sure the potatoes have all that buttery herb goodness throughout.

What are some tips for making perfect fondant potatoes?

First and foremost, selecting the right type of potato is crucial. For fondant potatoes, it’s best to opt for starchy varieties such as Russet or Yukon Gold. Their high starch content ensures a creamy texture on the inside while maintaining a crispy exterior. Red or fingerling potatoes doesn’t have enough starch to stand up to the extensive cooking time for these fondant potatoes.

Next, consistency in size will help with even cooking. Make sure to slice off the top and bottom to make the potatoes flat which will allow them to stand up in the pan. And be sure to cut them into approximately the same height. This will also help with even cooking times. Since I didn’t want to waste any potato goodness, I tossed in the pieces I cut off. They were tender and delicious, too!

The best fondant potatoes are pan seared and then roasted in the oven. So, begin by heating a skillet with a generous amount of butter and a hint of oil over medium-high heat. The olive oil prevents the butter from browning too quickly. Carefully place the potatoes, flat side down, into the hot pan. Pan sear the potatoes and allow them to brown and develop a flavorful crust. Be patient during this step and don’t rush it. You don’t want them to burn.

After the potatoes have achieved a golden brown color on both sides, it’s time to add the liquid. Pour in a delicious combination of chicken or vegetable broth, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and any other herbs or seasonings of your choice. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the potatoes. Pop the pan into the oven and allow the potatoes to roast in the broth. Baste them halfway through to make sure they stay moist and delicious.

What makes fondant potatoes perfect for date night?

Fondant potatoes, with their delicate balance of crispy exterior and tender interior, are not just an everyday side dish. They elevate any meal, making them the perfect addition to a romantic date night dinner.  They make any surf and turf dinner even more elegant.  Especially as a side to a delicious New York strip steak or perfectly roasted chicken or pork. They are versatile to make a delicious side dish for almost any date night dinner.

What sets fondant potatoes apart from other potato side dishes are their unique texture. The slow and gentle cooking method allows them to develop a rich, buttery flavor while maintaining their structure. As you savor each bite, the crisp exterior gives way to a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth center, fondant like center that creates a delightful combination of textures that is sure to impress your date.

But it’s not just about the taste and texture. Fondant potatoes have a stunning visual presence that is hard to ignore. Their golden-brown hue adds a touch of sophistication to your plate while the elegantly roasted potatoes will certainly impress your date and make them feel special. And then once they take a bite, they will be hooked on the delicious flavor these fondant potatoes have.

Yield: 4

Fondant Potatoes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Unleash your inner chef with this simple yet impressive recipe for Fondant Potatoes. It’s the perfect side dish for your date night dinner.

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Ingredients

• 4 russet or Idaho potatoes
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 whole cloves garlic
• 1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

1. Peel the potatoes and cut off the ends. Cut the potatoes into rounds that are even in height. Soak in a bowl of water for about 30 minutes to release some of the starch. Drain the potatoes and dry them with a paper towel before rubbing them with some olive oil and sprinkling them with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
3. Melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in your skillet. Carefully place the potatoes in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the potatoes in the pan. Sear the potatoes making sure they're golden brown on both sides.
4. Once the potatoes are evenly seared, pour in enough stock or broth to come about halfway up the sides of the potatoes. Pop the pan in the oven and roast the potatoes at 350 F for about 20 to 30 minutes or until they are fork tender. About halfway through the cooking time, make sure to baste them with the juices in the pan. Baste the potatoes again before serving.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 252Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 24mgSodium 209mgCarbohydrates 39gFiber 4gSugar 2gProtein 5g

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Date Night Dinner

• Beet Gnocchi with Arugula Basil Pesto from The Spiffy Cookie
• Boeuf Bourguignon from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Chile Lime Mahi Mahi from That Recipe
• Copycat Applebees Bourbon Street Steak from Palatable Pastime
• Deviled Crab from Art of Natural Living
• Fondant Potatoes from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Linguini and Clams from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Pan Seared Filet Mignon from Jen Around the World
• Sweet and Spicy Chicken from A Day in the Life on the Farm

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

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This is the recipe that is my claim to fame. From an idea hatched at a local restaurant to a contest winning entry, this recipe really made me realize I had some interesting ideas for food. And those ideas sometimes win prizes. This idea got me on Emeril LIVE! And it was the most unique recipe on the show. At least I think it was the most unique recipe. The rest of the winners had recipes I’ve either tried before or was a traditional recipe that many others already knew about.

Who invented potato skins?

There are quite a few restaurants that claim to have created this American favorite. I think the leaders is TGI Fridays, but Prime Rib and RJ Grunts also claim to have created this delicious appetizer. They surfaced around the mid 1970s. The traditional recipe is potatoes that are baked and then hollowed and stuffed with bacon, cheese, and onions before being baked again. I know. My mouth is watering, too. All that potato and cheesy bacon goodness!

What ingredients are in sweet potato skins?

I don’t remember how we got on the top of sweet potato skins. I remember we used to go dancing at this bar/restaurant. It wasn’t far from the house and was a favorite hot spot for those that liked to go country dancing. This included line dancing. Because when I was in college it was a physical education course we could take. And I loved it so much I convinced the family to seek out a place to go dancing.

We used to get potato skins as an appetizer. And they had roasted sweet potatoes as a side dish for your meal. I think that’s how we got to the topic of sweet potato skins. What would you use to make sweet potato skins was the question asked at the table. We toyed around with some interesting combinations.

We settled on some brie and walnuts in syrup. Yes. I know. This calls for pecans. I’ll get there. You see, there is an ice cream topping from Smuckers that has walnuts in syrup. The syrup is simply corn syrup. I see some of you turning up your nose at it. While that was the original idea, it wasn’t the winning recipe.

The final winning recipe, and yes, I did win a contest with it, had sweet potato skins, walnuts, maple syrup, and butter. Lots of butter. I’ll get to that in a bit, too. We suggested many different cheese, but landed on the buttery and delicious brie. The walnuts for texture and the maple syrup to elevate the sweetness of the potato and compliment the brie and walnuts.

How do you prepare sweet potato skins?

To prepare sweet potato skins you first have to bake the potatoes. Try not to over bake them because they will bake again to get crispy. I baked mine in my air fryer. I love my air fryer. Always start by washing your potatoes. I use a vegetable brush to scrub them free of any dirt that may be stuck in the nooks and crannies.

Next, I dry them off and then stab them with a fork. This allows the steam to escape and prevents the potatoes from having a meltdown in the oven or air fryer. This happens more with sweet potatoes than regular potatoes in my experience. After I stab them, I rub them with olive oil and give a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

 
At this point, I popped them into my air fryer at 400 for 20 minutes. Now, I will caveat that my sweet potatoes were smaller than most. I purchased a bag of Simply Perfect sweet potatoes. They were approximately 6 to 7 inches long but they were about 3 to maybe 4 inches in circumference. So, not as big as I’ve seen them before. The larger the potato, the longer it will take to bake. Just throwing that out there.

The fork shouldn’t go through the potatoes super easily. There needs to be a little resistance when pulling the fork out of the potato. After scooping out most of the flesh of the potato, you’re going to roast them again. That’s why you don’t want them thoroughly cooked after roasting. Brush them with melted butter and pop them back into the air fryer at 400 for 10 to 15 minutes or until the skins are crisp.

The rest is smooth sailing! Drizzle them with some maple syrup, sprinkle with the pecans for this version or walnuts, pistachios, whatever nut you want! Top the nuts with some slices of brie cheese. I usually remove the rinds because melted slices of brie with the rind on look weird. Then the sweet potato skins to back into the air fryer at 400 for 5 to 10 minutes or until the brie cheese bubbles with melted goodness.

Before serving, I drizzle them with a little more butter and a little more maple syrup. You could sprinkle them with chopped chives for a little green color. Or a little sea salt to cut some of the sweet and richness of these sweet potato skins.

How can you customize your sweet potato skins?

Well, for those who enjoy a bit of heat you can sprinkle some cayenne pepper to provide a spicy kick. Or garnish with some slices of jalapenos! The sweet potatoes and rich brie would truly lend themselves to a spicy kick and elevate these already delicious potato skins.

I’m sure some were expecting all the sweet spices in there. I never had brown sugar or cinnamon on the roasted sweet potato. I think the potatoes are deliciously sweet without all that added sugar, but if you like those on your potato then by all means add that to these! Sprinkle your sweet potato skins with some cinnamon or nutmeg to infuse your sweet potato skins with warm and comforting spices. The beauty of sweet potato skins is that you can customize the ingredients to suit your personal preferences and experiment with various flavor combinations.

How do sweet potato skins taste?

Sweet potato skins boast a subtly sweet and earthy taste that compliments the rest of the ingredients in this recipe. The skins are slightly crispy on the outside with a tender and creamy center, creating a satisfying contrast of textures. Then you add in the salty and rich butter and sweet maple syrup. Both contrasting flavors in these skins. Finally, the crunchy sweetness of the pecans plays against the salty and creamy brie. All these ingredients make these sweet potato skins a decadently delicious appetizer for your game day!

Don’t like brie? Then try some Gruyere cheese with its salty goodness. Or Camembert cheese. It’s similar to brie. You could use mozzarella, but it wouldn’t have that depth of flavor brie cheese does. A Gouda or smoked Gouda would also be a great cheese to try with these sweet potato skins. Either way you top them, just try them for your game day! Your family and friends will love them!

Yield: 8

Easy Sweet Potato Skins

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Say goodbye to plain old potato skins and hello to these 4 Ingredient Easy Sweet Potato Skins.  They're sure to be a hit with family and friends.

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Ingredients

• 4 whole sweet potatoes, about 3 to 4 inches long
• 6 ounces brie, rind removed
• 1/2 cup halved pecans
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Instructions

1. Clean sweet potatoes and remove any eyes or beard (stringy substances).
2. Dry the potatoes and coat them with olive oil before placing them in the air fryer. Cook at 400 F for 20 to 25 minutes or until just fork tender. Remove from heat slice in half and allow to cool enough to handle.
3. Remove the rind from the brie and cut into slices.
4. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the center part of the flesh with a spoon and reserve it for another use. Place the potatoes back into the air fryer and brush with butter before baking at 400 F for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the skins are crisp.
5. Top the crispy skins with some maple syrup, pecans, and slices of brie. Put them back into the air fryer at 400 F for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the brie cheese is bubbly and melted.
6. Remove from heat, garnish with more maple syrup, chives, or other sprinkles of spices and serve.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 271Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 37mgSodium 202mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 3gSugar 16gProtein 6g

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Potato Lover Recipes

• Blue Cheese Scalloped Potatoes from The Spiffy Cookie
• Cottage Pie Stuffed Potatoes from Palatable Pastime
• Oven Baked Cajun Sweet Potato Fries from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Potatoes O’Brien from Sneha’s Recipe
• Sheet Pan Shrimp, Roasted Potatoes, & Prosciutto from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Spicy Potato & Kale Beer Cheese Soup from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Sweet Potato Skins from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Tik Tok Parmesan Roasted Potatoes from Jen Around the World

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

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I totally had these named wrong originally. I called them scalloped potatoes. But that’s incorrect. Keep reading and you’ll see why. Unless you already know. But still keep reading. I like sharing some history about the food I make and this one has a fun little history.

What’s the difference between au gratin and scalloped potatoes?

Cheese. That’s the main difference between au gratin and scalloped potatoes. Some newer recipes might call for it, but maybe as a topping or accent. Au gratin potatoes have cheese sprinkled between the layers of potatoes and on top of the casserole.

Au gratin potatoes are sliced thinner than scalloped potatoes. Slicing them thinner, like 1/4 of an inch, allows the cream, milk, and cheese to soak into the potatoes. It’s not easy to cut them this thin with your knife. For this recipe I recommend a mandonline. There are several inexpensive ones out there to chose from. Heck, even my Lidl grocery store has them this week for under $20.

Sometimes au gratin potatoes have a cheese and breadcrumb topping. I didn’t do that here. Feel free to do so if you want. I wanted these to be super creamy and delicious. Then again sometimes scalloped recipes call for the same thing.

Finally, scalloped potatoes are simpler with no cheese. It’s layers of potatoes with a simple cream sauce poured on top. So, I guess mine is sort of a combination of both types of dishes. I have a cream sauce on top of my potatoes and I have layers of cheese in between. Maybe I should call them loaded scalloped sweet potatoes au gratin? That’s more than a mouthful to say. I’ll just stick to loaded sweet potatoes au gratin. That’s more Google friendly, I think.

Scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes are very similar, too. The potatoes are sliced similarly. Both are thinly sliced but au gratin are sliced thinner than scalloped potatoes. They’re both baked with rich and creamy ingredients. Finally, they’re both typically served during the holiday season. But I say bake them any time you want!

How do you make loaded sweet potatoes au gratin?

I always fail at au gratin. I’ve tried this recipe before, and it just didn’t come out creamy like I hoped. It was very watery and not delicious. This recipe is not that at all because I borrowed a technique from another recipe. But I’ll get to that in a minute or two.

First I put the herbs and cream together in the pot to simmer. Of course, you have to keep an eye on it. You don’t want it to boil over. There’s nothing messier than boiled over milk or cream on the stove. Actually, there is. My husband every time he cooks anything on the stove. That man makes a total mess.

While the cream mixture is simmering away, I peel and slice the potatoes. I have to keep checking the measurement. Sometimes when I slice potatoes, I tend to press down too hard and it creeps up from a quarter inch to larger slices. So, keep an eye on that.

I shred the cheese and set that aside. I chop the bacon and gather the rest of the ingredients. For this recipe, I bake the bacon. It’s a great way to bake a bunch at a time without having to keep your eye on a pan on the stove. Simply put the bacon on a rack in a cold oven. Set the oven to 400 and then check it in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Before I start assembling the loaded sweet potato au gratin, I rub a clove of garlic on the casserole dish. I didn’t believe it at first, but it truly does impart some flavor into the casserole. I cut the end of clove off so I have a flat surface to start rubbing onto the dish. It makes it easier.

Now it’s time to start layering everything. But before you do that, here’s the trick I stole from fondue. Toss the cheese with some cornstarch. I swear by this. I’ve made this recipe 3 times. Twice I did this. Once I didn’t. The one I didn’t came out watery and not appealing at all.

Layer up your potatoes, cheese, and bacon with a sprinkling of nutmeg in between. Nutmeg is that hidden gem of a flavor in cheese and cream combinations that really make them rich and delicious. Feel free to skip it, but it just will not taste the same. Every good cheese sauce has a sprinkling of it in there. It’s just not so much that you can pinpoint it.

Then you cover and bake and wait. Once the potatoes are fork tender, uncover, sprinkle with the Parmesan, then bake some more. Let it cool before you dish it up.

What do loaded sweet potatoes au gratin taste like?

Don’t let the looks fool you. With the season changing the light is not the best at dinner time. And I refuse to make all these recipes on the weekends when I can photograph them in good light. Yes, I have studio lights, but they just don’t do the food justice. Of course, these photos don’t do this recipe justice either.

The sweet potatoes are, of course, sweet. But there’s no added sugar or other sweet flavors in there. I’m a purist with my sweet potatoes. The potatoes are also tender and creamy. Tossing the cheese with the cornstarch ensures creaminess and eliminates the watery results I’ve received in the past.

The Gruyere is deliciously nutty and salty. It pairs off the smoky and salty bacon. No, this is not very salty. But that salty does play off the sweetness of the potatoes. It makes them sweeter, I think. And the nutmeg brings out the nutty flavor of the Gruyere cheese.

I’ve made this three times. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it 2 of the three times. The one time I didn’t I omitted the cornstarch. Not that it tasted bad but it was not creamy at all. And an au gratin needs to be creamy. This is most definitely creamy. And well worth making every year for the holidays. Or any day for that matter.

Yield: 12

Loaded Sweet Potatoes au Gratin

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Loaded Sweet Potatoes au Gratin are not your typical sweet potato side dish. Packed with Gruyere cheese, bacon, and an herb infused cream it will be a hit at your holiday dinners with family and friends.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 cloves garlic, divided
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 pounds sweet potatoes sliced 1/4" thick (about 3 to 4 medium)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups shredded smoked Gruyere cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped crisp cooked bacon
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Combine the heavy cream with the milk in a saucepan.
3. Add three of the garlic cloves, sprigs of thyme, oregano, and rosemary and simmer until the garlic is tender; about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, stir in the garlic salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
5. Toss the Gruyere with the cornstarch in a mixing bowl.
6. Rub the casserole dish with the clove of garlic. Sometimes it helps to cut the end of the garlic to have a flat surface to rub the dish with.
7. Spray the casserole dish with cooking spray.
8. Layer a third of the sweet potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish.
9. Sprinkle the potatoes with half of the Gruyere, bacon, and nutmeg.
10. Layer another third of the sweet potatoes on top.
11. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, bacon, and nutmeg.
12. Place a final layer of sweet potatoes on top.
13. Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes.
14. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
15. Uncover the potatoes and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.
16. Cook for 10 minutes or until the Parmesan is browned and bubbly.
17. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
18. Garnish with the green onions and serve.
    

Notes

The size of the dish will affect the cooking time. My first attempt I used a Misen 5 quart cast iron brasier that was 16.5 inches around and the potatoes were finished in 30 minutes. This version I used a Corningware French White 2.5 quart casserole that is 9 x 11.5. It took 40 minutes to cook in that dish.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 347Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 62mgSodium 459mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 4gSugar 9gProtein 12g

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Welcome to Holiday Side Dish Week 2022 hosted by Heather from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks. This year we have over 45 side dishes to help you plan your holiday meals.

Monday Holiday Side Dish Recipes:

• Baked Pineapple Casserole from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Brown Butter Pumpkin Sage Pongal from Magical Ingredients
• Cauliflower Gratin from Palatable Pastime
• Cheesy Corn Casserole with Sage from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Crispy Skillet Stuffing from The Spiffy Cookie
• Easy Instant Pot Buttered Potatoes with Garlic and Parsley from Blogghetti
• Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
• Instant Pot Sweet Potato Mash from An Affair from the Heart
• Loaded Sweet Potatoes au Gratin from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Mushroom Gratin from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Pecan Rice from A Day in the Life on the Far
• Smoked Mac and Cheese Casserole from Our Good Life
• Sweet Potato Casserole from Hostess At Heart
• Tomato Parmesan Soup from Art of Natural Living

The post Loaded Sweet Potatoes au Gratin appeared first on Bring Gourmet to your Every Day - A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.

So, I made this sauce. I wanted to make one of the mother sauces I had not made before. I have made 3 of the 5. The other two I haven’t really heard of before. I mean, I knew of the mother sauces, but I didn’t know what they all were. So, I had a brief lesson in them and decided to make Espagnole sauce.

What are the French 5 mother sauces?

Most are probably familiar with the same three that I am: Béchamel, Hollandaise, and Tomato. Though I’m not sure most would think of adding a roux to tomatoes for tomato sauce. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The other two are Velouté and Espagnole.

In the mid a1800’s some famous French chef stated that there were 4 grand sauces, or mother sauces, that all other sauces (daughter sauces) were derived from. Hollandaise was not part of the original list. Strangely enough, he put mayonnaise sauce in a separate cold sauce category, but in my head it’s sort of like Hollandaise.

There are some that list out 7 sauces. They include mayo separate from Hollandaise. And they list demi-glace separately. I don’t know that I buy into adding these as “mother” sauces. Because both are part of other sauces so they should be considered daughter sauces. At least that’s the way I see it. I’m sure others would argue.

Three of the five mother sauces begin with a roux. Tomato sauce could start with a roux, but I think most Italians simply simmer tomatoes down to make the sauce. Hollandaise is in a class of it’s own where it uses eggs to thicken the sauce and not flour. But it does use butter, of course. The French love cooking with butter.

What is a roux?

A roux is simply a combination of butter and flour. You cook both together in a saucepan. Depending on the sauce you want to make you might cook it a little or a lot. A velouté shouldn’t cook for very long. It’s supposed to be a light-colored sauce, so cooking your roux until it’s brown isn’t ideal.

The Espagnole sauce, on the other hand, benefits from the darker roux. It adds richness and flavor to the beef stock. This darker roux is also the base of almost every Cajun soup or stew recipe. The darker the better for their dishes. Try my Chicken and Sausage Gumbo or my Shrimp Étouffée.

Almost every macaroni and cheese recipe starts with a roux. Mine start with a version of it. I don’t cook the butter and flour together first. I usually combine the butter, flour and milk together and simmer that down. But my Beer and Brats Mac and Cheese starts with a roux. And is one of my fave mac and cheese recipes on my blog.

What is Espagnole sauce?

Espagnole sauce is probably the most complicated of the mother sauces to make. First, you have to cook the roux until dark. As dark as you can get it without burning it. For me, that’s somewhere between milk chocolate and dark chocolate in color. Once you’re at that color, be ready to add the veggies!

The veggies are mirepoix. This is a ratio of 2 parts onion to one parts each carrot and celery. This is not the same as the Holy Trinity in Cajun food. That’s even parts of the celery, onion, and green bell pepper. The garlic went in a little after the veggies did because I didn’t want it to get too browned.

I kept stirring and cooking the vegetables until the onion started to almost caramelize. It started to brown around the edges and be very aromatic in the pan. That’s when I added tomato paste, the beef stock, and the aromatics. And then it simmers. I let mine simmer at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I didn’t keep track. It simmered until thickened, and it coated the back of a spoon.

What does Espagnole Tater Tot Poutine taste like?

The day I made Espagnole Tater Tot Poutine I served it over mashed potatoes with a French onion pot roast. That’s still a work in progress. I will share that recipe once it’s perfected. But I’m here to tell ya, it’s so good! The Espagnole sauce is delicious as a gravy.

Served over the mashed potatoes I didn’t get the “bitter” flavor that some talk about with this sauce. It simmers with caramelized veggies for at least an hour. That along with the tomato paste and other items makes it a little bitter. Not like arugula or coffee grounds bitter. But back of the throat, there’s a hint of bitter kind of bitter.

I didn’t taste the bitterness in this Espagnole Tater Tot Poutine until I poured it over the tots and curds. Strange. I know. But the sauce also had simmered a little while longer when I heated it up for the tots. Not so much that it was even thicker, but enough to heat up.

But please don’t let that prevent you from making this Espagnole Tater Tot Poutine! It’s the base of so many delicious sauces. And it’s delicious on its own. Just add a little sugar if it’s too bitter for you. A simple fix so you can enjoy this delicious sauce.

What can you make with Espagnole sauce?

Demi-glace. Of course, that’s the base of many sauces, too. Demi-glace is half Espagnole and more beef stock reduced again. Bourguignonne sauce also uses Espagnole sauce. Simply add some rich red wine to the sauce and simmer. You can make a delicious mushroom sauce or Chasseur sauce or hunter’s sauce. It’s a rich sauce made with vegetables and mushrooms. Sometimes it has tomatoes in there, too.

Yield: 4

Espagnole Tater Tot Poutine

Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Espagnole Tater Tot Poutine has delicious Espagnole sauce poured over crispy tater tots and delicious cheddar cheese curds.  Espagnole takes a little bit of effort, but it's well worth it!

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Ingredients

For the Espagnole sauce:

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• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 4 cups reduced sodium or no sodium beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves

For the tater tot poutine:

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• 4 cups crispy tater tots
• 2 cups cheese curds

Instructions

For the Espagnole sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
2. Sauté the carrot, onion, and celery in the melted butter until the onion is translucent.
3. Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and continue to cook until the roux is nutty and brown being careful not to burn it.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the beef stock and remaining ingredients.
6. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and reduced by half.
7. Strain through a fine mesh strainer
   

For the poutine:

1. Place the crispy tater tots on each of 4 plates.
2. Divide the cheese curds evenly between the 4 plates.
3. Pour about 1/4 cup of Espagnole sauce over the cheese curds and tater tots.
4. Store remaining Espagnole sauce in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.
   

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 814Total Fat 56gSaturated Fat 28gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 22gCholesterol 122mgSodium 1668mgCarbohydrates 58gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 24g

There will be extra sauce to account for the extra calories.

Did you make this recipe?

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Sauce it up!

• 10 minute Teriyaki Sauce from Devour Dinner
• 3 Ingredient Hot Fudge Sauce from Blogghetti
• Aji Criollo from Magical Ingredients
• Basic Tomato Sauce from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Cherry BBQ Sauce from Art of Natural Living
• Citrus Pepper Dipping Sauce from That Recipe
• Espagnole Tater Tot Poutine from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Little Green Dress Sauce from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Meyer Lemon Tahini Sauce from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Spicy Hunan Stir-Fry Sauce from Palatable Pastime

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I love me some tater tots. Heck. I love me some potatoes. In any way, shape, or form. I will eat them smashed or mashed, roasted, fried, sautéed, even in candy. Yes. Potato candy. You’ve not heard of it? I’ll have to make some and share with you.

Maybe it’s genetic? I mean, I have Irish roots. I think that makes me predisposed to loving potatoes. Or maybe it’s just all the different ways you can cook up potatoes that makes them irresistible to me. Honestly, I have no idea what it is about spuds that makes me drool.

How were tater tots invented?

Aside from mashed and fries, my next fave taters are tots. Their crispy outside and tender inside are just delicious to me! They’re like fries in that you can dip them ketchup or cheese sauce. You can load them up with toppings like loaded fries or nachos. I almost went the pizza route with loaded totchos but didn’t have any pizza sauce. That’s going on the blog soon though. So, stay tuned.

The people are Ore Ida (go figure) wanted to figure out a way to use the scraps of cut up potatoes from making fries and what not. The potato pieces, combined with flour and some seasoning, were pushed through an extruder and cut into pieces. And this, tater tots were born!

Ore Ida invented tater tots in 1953 and became commercially available 3 years later. Ore Ida trademark the name Tater Tot. I hope they don’t fine me for using their name! Eek! Tater tots didn’t really take off initially. The general public didn’t see the value in tater tots. I guess Ore Ida sold them too cheap for people to think they would have nutritional value. It wasn’t until they raised the price that people started to buy them. Go figure!

How do you cook tater tots?

Well, the initial intention was that tots would be fried in oil. But homemakers across the globe realized that they tasted pretty good baked. So that’s how most people make them at home. That is, until the convection oven and eventually the air fryer came into being.

I didn’t love making tots at home until I purchased an air fryer. Baking them in the oven didn’t leave them as crispy on the outside as I wanted. There were several years where I made them in the countertop convection oven, but it didn’t hold as many as I wanted to eat. But the air fryer made it a game changer for the tater tots.

I’m one of those that good things on the extra crispy side. Some might say on the verge of being overcooked. But I don’t think they are. I just like things browned, crispy, and a little on the crunchy side. At least where tots and fries are concerned.

Cooking the tater tots in my new air fryer is combination of baking and then air frying. Mine has like 9 settings. So, I bake them for little bit to make sure the center is cooked. Then I kick up to air fry and let the outside get super crispy. If you don’t have that option, no worries! You can air fry at t lower temperature for a short amount of time and then turn up the temp for extra crispy tots.

What are tater tot kabobs?

I feel like that’s sort of self-explanatory. It’s a tater tot skewers recipe where you thread the tots onto skewers to make them even more fun to eat. And they were very fun to eat! Even this big kid loved them. There’s something about food on a stick that’s so fun!

There’s no telling where the tater tot kabobs idea popped into my head. I was thinking more along the lines of like hot dogs or something like that. But tots for me are usually a breakfast item. So I was thinking about kind of crazy tater tot recipes I could make as a kabob for breakfast.

Yes, I know this isn’t a crazy recipe. It’s sort of tame. But you could totally make this a crazy tater tot kabob recipe. I had lots of ideas but settled on the standard for me for breakfast. And that’s eggs, sausage, potatoes, and cheese. Sometimes I omit the potatoes especially if it’s a work breakfast. Sometimes that’s a bit difficult to accomplish in a microwave at work. Just saying.

What are some other breakfast totcho kabob ideas?

I stuck with the basics for me. Eggs, sausage, and tots with some cheese on top. Those are my basics for breakfast. Eggs, meat, potatoes, and cheese. It’s a hearty breakfast I love and can eat every day. But, I realize that some people enjoy a little variety to their breakfast totcho kabobs.

I used sausage links, but you could easily cook up some patties and use those. Then there’s bacon You can stack several pieces of bacon together and thread them on the skewers. OH! There’s chicken. You could do a chicken and waffles type of skewer with chicken tender pieces, tater tots, eggs, and cheese.

Or skip the eggs and go with waffle or pancake bites! I almost ordered some mini pancakes but decided to stick with the basics for this purpose. But totally get or make some pancakes to put on these skewers. Or some waffles! Heck. Even some biscuit bites like these biscuit ebelskiver that I made a few years ago. I need to make them again. They are addictive.

Basically, make whatever your family eats for breakfast and can be threaded onto skewers. For me that’s some eggs, sausage, and tater tots. For others it might be tots, pancakes, and bacon. You could even make a bar for a family breakfast! Have all the items people might want to eat, skewers for them to make their own, and different cheese to top them with for broiling. A great brunch idea!

Yield: 4

Breakfast Totcho Kabobs

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Breakfast Totcho Kabobs are fun and quick! The eggs and sausage bake while the tots air fry making these super easy to make.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups tater tots
• 6 large eggs
• 6 turkey sausage links
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 12 skewers

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine the eggs with the garlic salt and Cajun seasoning in a mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until scrambled.
3. Pour the eggs into an 8 x 8 baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake the eggs at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes or until puffed up and cooked through.
5. Place the sausage on a baking sheet and cooked until heated through.
6. Remove from heat and allow to cool enough to handle.
7. Place the tater tots in the air fryer and cook at 350 for 7 minutes.
8. Increase the heat to 400 and cook for an additional 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
9. Slice the sausage links into three pieces.
10. Cut the eggs into 16 squares.
11. Thread the tater tots, eggs, and sausage onto the skewers.
12. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the cheese.
13. Broil the kabobs until the cheese is melted and bubble.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 629Total Fat 37gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 411mgSodium 2151mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 45g

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Perfect Potato Recipes

• Aloo Masala from Magical Ingredients
• Breakfast Totcho Kabobs from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Herbed Potatoes in the Pressure Cooker from That Recipe
• Japanese Potato Salad from Palatable Pastime
• Pan Fried Potato Slices from Art of Natural Living
• Roasted Cheddar Ranch Potatoes from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Rosemary Roasted Potato Peelings from Blogghetti
• Shredded Hash Browns from The Freshman Cook
• Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce from The Spiffy Cookie

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I am a total gnocchi lover. For me it’s not just the flavor but also the textures. Those pillows of potato-y pasta are completely irresistible to me. And you don’t need a heavy sauce for them either. Yes, this is a cream sauce, but it was quick and easy.

What are gnocchi?

Gnocchi are basically little dumplings. They’re made with a myriad of ingredients depending on region. Some parts make them with semolina, whole wheat, or other flours. There’s usually egg, potato, and cheese in there. But sometimes there’s breadcrumbs or cornmeal in there, too.

Gnocchi are a traditional type of pasta dating back to the Roman era. The Roman legions made gnocchi during the expansion into Europe. One recipe cites a semolina porridge mixed with eggs and baked. Of course, once they hit Europe proper, they found potatoes. That’s how potato gnocchi came into being.

Gnocchi usually start the meal. Or they replace the soup of a multi-course meals. Sometimes they can be a side dish to other meals. And the potato gnocchi that we are familiar with are in Abruzzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, and Lazio.

How many types of gnocchi are there?

First and foremost, there’s potato gnocchi. Served mainly in the north of Italy, gnocchi are with the fresh pastas because they contain flour and egg. The dough gets kneaded and then shaped into ropes that are then sliced into 1-inch pieces. Finally, they’re rolled across a paddle or a fork to create those traditional ridges. Those ridges capture the sauce making them perfectly delicious.

What is gnudi? They’re made with ricotta, egg, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, and sheep’s cheese. No. There’s not potato in there. Gnudi get rolled into balls and then boiled until they float. After drying for a little bit, they’re then fried until golden brown.

Of course, the French have their take on gnocchi. It’s made with choux pastry. Sort of like spaetzle, they’re piped and cut into boiling water to cook. They’re sauteed for a few minutes before tossing with herbs and lemon. It sounds really interesting.

Malloreddus is another form of gnocchi. Mallo- what? Malloreddus. They’re also knowns as gnochetti Sardi. This version is more dense due to the simple ingredients of flour and water with a little saffron for color. Because of their shape they’re perfect to hold heartier sauces like a Bolognese.

Malfatti is similar to gnudi but they’re made with ricotta, spinach, and Parmesan. The addition of semolina and egg help form the dough into balls. Malfatti are boiled and not fried. This keeps the light and fluffly texture they’re famous for.

Finally, there’s gnocchi alla Romana. This is different than any other type of gnocchi. The dough is full of cheese, butter, and milk. The dough cooks in a pan before and is spread onto a pan to cool. Cut into circles, the gnocchi are layered in a pan with sauce and cheese, and then baked. This sounds divine!

What sauce do you top gnocchi with?

Since the gnocchi themselves are delicious, you don’t really want to slather them with something heavy. You want to taste those pillows of potato goodness. One of my fave ways to top gnocchi is with a simple sage and butter sauce. I tossed my pumpkin gnocchi with this sauce. So good.

Another great way to serve them is tossed with a fresh tomato sauce with basil. A traditional pesto is also a great way to serve gnocchi. The bright herbs and pine nuts pair well with the Parmesan in the gnocchi. I also like a simple tomato cream sauce. Yes, it’s cream, but with the tomato it makes for a light sauce to serve with gnocchi.

What does butternut squash gnocchi taste like?

If you know anything about butternut squash, you know it can be kind of stringy. Well, this one was rather stringy. So, I couldn’t put it through the ricer like I had hoped. I put it in the food processor. So, these butternut squash gnocchi have flecks of butternut squash throughout the potato mixture.

Looking at them, you can’t really tell there’s squash in there. But once you take a bite you will taste the butternut squash flavor in there. The first batch I served them with sausage and spinach. And they were good. But the sausage was super salty. But after tasting them without the sausage and spinach, I knew a light cream sauce would be perfect.

And that’s exactly what I did! I boiled them up and tossed them in a non-stick pan with some butter and rosemary olive oil to crisp up a bit. Because I love that little crispy bite on the outside of these pillows of goodness. Then I poured in a little heavy cream to simmer until slightly thickened. Finally, I sprinkled in some Asiago cheese. But you could use Roman or Parmesan if you want. They salty and richness pairs well with the tender gnocchi and richness of the cream.

This recipe makes a couple of meals worth of gnocchi. If you’re not going to cook and serve them all the same day, you can form them and then freeze them. I have half the batch in the freezer right now. Once they’re frozen, I’m going to put them in a vacuum sealed bag to stay in the freezer until I’m ready to have them again. Which I’m sure will be soon because gnocchi are so delicious and these butternut squash gnocchi are super delicious!

Yield: 8

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Butternut Squash Gnocchi are simple to make and has a rich flavor from the ricotta and butternut squash. The flecks of orange throughout the gnocchi make these perfect for a fall dinner.

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5.0 Stars (2 Reviews)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 cups riced potatoes (about 1 potato 4 to 5 inches long)
• 1 cups butternut squash puree
• 3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon rosemary infused olive oil
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup Asiago cheese
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. Place the flour on a clean work surface and form a large circle. Spread the potatoes and squash on top of the flour.
2. Make a well in the center and add the egg. Lightly beat with a fork before adding the ricotta, and Parmesan cheese.
3. Get ready to get dirty! Using your hands, combine the ingredients until the dough begins to form.
4. Knead lightly before shaping into a rectangle.
5. Cut the dough into 6 to 8 pieces.
6. Roll each piece into a rope that’s the same width. For shorter gnocchi, make a thicker rope. For thinner gnocchi, make a longer rope.
7. Using a sharp knife, cut the gnocchi into 1-inch pieces. Lightly toss them with flour to keep them from sticking together.
8. It’s not necessary to indent the gnocchi, but it does make for a prettier dish. I purchase a gnocchi board, but you could easily use a fork to gently make indents in the gnocchi.
9. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop 8 to 10 gnocchi into the boiling water and stir. The gnocchi will start to float when cooked.
10. While the gnocchi are cooking heat a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil and swirl to coat.
11. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the gnocchi out of the boiling water and carefully put them into the skillet to brown.
12. Continue cooking the gnocchi in batches and adding them to the skillet. This makes a lot of gnocchi, see notes for freezing instructions.\
13. Once all the gnocchi are cooked, add the heavy cream to the pan. Simmer until the cream thickens.
14. Remove from heat and stir in the Asiago cheese, white pepper, and nutmeg before serving.

Notes

If you do not plan on cooking all the gnocchi right away, place them on a baking sheet. Make sure they’re separated before sticking them in the freezer. After about an hour, you can move them a zip top freezer back. Do not thaw before cooking. Cook the frozen gnocchi in boiling water and then sauté.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 1045Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 19gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 113mgSodium 282mgCarbohydrates 154gFiber 7gSugar 3gProtein 29g

Wow. Not sure about that. Eat at your own risk.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

More #FallFlavors Recipes Below:

Appetizers and Snacks

• Roasted Grapes Crostini With Rosemary And Pecans from Eat Move Make
• Rosemary Roasted Cashews from SueBee Homemaker

Breakfast and Baked Goods

• Apple Coffee Cake from Devour Dinner
• Apple Pecan Loaf from Palatable Pastime
• Eggless Pear Almond Mini Loaves from Magical Ingredients

Side Dishes

• Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts And Sweet Potatoes from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Chestnut Pesto Brussels Sprouts from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Main Dishes

• Butternut Squash Gnocchi from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• No Marinade Lamb Kabobs from Art of Natural Living

Desserts

• Chestnut Chocolate Mousse from The Spiffy Cookie
• Chocolate Pumpkin Mini Cheesecakes from Jen around the world
• Graham Cracker Crumble from The Fresh Cooky
• Pear Crisp Recipe from Hostess At Heart

The post Butternut Squash Gnocchi appeared first on Bring Gourmet to your Every Day - A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.

So many of my favorite recipes are from our family recipes. Nana’s corn pudding and Mom’s pierogies are favorites with me. Then there’s hot pepper jelly, beer cheese, cabbage rolls. Not to mention the cookies we made every year. Just pure comfort food in my book.

What is boxty?

It’s sort of like a latke but made with mashed and grated potatoes. You can bake, boil, or pan fry boxty. Boiled boxty is like a huge potato dumpling. Baked is made in a loaf pan like a bread. Pan fried is exactly how I prepared these pancakes. However, boxty is not a famine recipe, as some might incorrectly call it.

Boxty is one of those recipes that people were making for decades and maybe centuries before an official record of the dish was published. It’s mentioned in a book from 1828 but was known across the country well before then. Sort of like all those country pasta recipes from Italy like alfredo and carbonara.

What is a potato pancake?

Have you heard the saying that all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares? Latkes, boxty, Swedish raggmunk, Korean gamja-jeon, and Polish placki ziemniaczane are all potato pancakes.

They’re essentially some form of potato (mashed, boiled, grated, etc.) mixed with some form of flour or meal like matzo meal. There’s a binder like eggs or applesauce and they’re mixed with either sweet or savory seasonings. Then there’s the toppings like sour cream, applesauce, powdered sugar, fruit, etc.

There are many different ways to make potato pancakes. You can make potato pancakes from mashed potatoes. Then there’s shredded potato pancakes like latkes. There are potato pancake recipes without flour that probably use matzo meal like latkes or coconut flours. Maybe a nut flour? That might be interesting to try but not this time.

How do you make potato pancakes?

Well, that depends on the type you’re making. These are easy potato pancakes with mashed potatoes. They are not potato pancakes with grated potatoes. You could add some if you want. I didn’t because I am not the biggest fan of grating things. The hubs usually volunteers to do that for me. He was in the living room. I just wanted to whip these up real quick. The mashed potatoes make these potato pancakes easy and super quick..

Making potato pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes makes them super easy! You don’t have to boil and mash potatoes before making them. I’m sure that’s how Nana and her ancestors morphed the boxty recipe into this one.

And it’s not like you have to morph it that far. Just omit the grated potatoes. And there’s the whole repurposing leftovers because you don’t have a lot of money for food. Necessity is the mother of invention and I’m sure that’s how boxty and these mashed potato pancakes came into being.

Mashed potato for dinner means potato pancakes for breakfast.

If we had mashed potatoes for dinner at Nana’s it was almost guaranteed that we would have potato pancakes for breakfast the next day. I don’t remember having hash browns or home fries. I only remember having potato pancakes using mashed potatoes for breakfast at her house. Of course, my memory is not the greatest. Maybe we did have hash browns. But those potato pancakes cooked up in some bacon grease is heaven in my book.

As you can see in this picture, these are potato pancakes with cheese. You could totally make a loaded potato pancake with green onions and bacon. There are minced onions already in this potato pancake recipe, but you could swap green onions if you want. We have made them loaded and they are super delicious with a couple of fried eggs for breakfast.

This is one of those potato pancake recipes where you kind of have to eyeball things. It all depends on your mashed potatoes. Are they whipped? Super creamy? Hand mashed? All those will affect the amount of flour that you will need for these potato pancakes. Mine were whipped and super light and creamy. I added a 1/4 cup of flour but probably could have used one or two tablespoons more to make them fluffier.

Nana’s potato pancakes are creamy and fluffy.

The baking soda makes them slightly light and fluffy while still keeping that creamy mashed potato goodness. The onions and cheese add delicious flavor. Then the crispy, pan fried crust on the outside. My mouth is watering. I think there’s a few left in the fridge. I might have to heat them up for lunch.

The batter is not like pancake batter. It’s thicker so they will not spread when you put them in the pan. I usually wet my hands a little and press them to about 1/4 inch thickness. For me, that’s the perfect thickness because the baking soda fluffs them up to about 1/2 inch when it’s time to flip them. I carefully flip them and cook until golden brown on the second side.

What do you put on potato pancakes?

Now in our house, we have an argument about toppings. I am a purist with sour cream. I have never in my life put applesauce on potato pancakes. That wasn’t even an option in our house. Even though we have some German in our roots, it was always sour cream for us. The hubs on the other hand doesn’t like sour cream at all. The only way he will eat it is stirred into sauce like Swedish meatballs.

I, on the other hand, can eat it plain. Like straight out of the container with a spoon. I see you making that face. Yes. I love sour cream that much. And I will spread each of these potato pancakes with enough to have a decent amount of sour cream with each bite. That cool creamy goodness makes potato pancakes taste amazing.

See what I mean? Don’t they look totally scrumptious with that sour cream on there? And I would put a dollop about that size on each of those for extra creamy goodness. Then I’d sprinkle them with more onions and shredded cheese. Maybe some bacon crumbles.

I’ve also topped them with chili and cheese, salsa and crema. They could be a delicious base for eggs benedict. I bet some smoked salmon could be great on there, if you liked salmon that is. But as y’all know I don’t. But I do love Nana’s potato pancakes. It’s a perfectly delicious and easy potato pancake recipe.

Yield: 6

Nana’s Potato Pancakes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Nana’s Potato Pancakes is our family’s version of an Americanized boxty. Made with leftover mashed potatoes, they whip up in no time for a delicious and fun side dish or brunch recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Combine everything but the olive oil in a mixing bowl and stir until combined.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat (or a two burner griddle pan like I used).
3. Spread the olive oil over the skillet.
4. Drop the batter by 1/4 cup fulls into the pan.
5. Cook on medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes on the first side, flip, and cook 7 to 10 minutes on the second side until puffy and golden brown.
6. Serve topped with sour cream and chopped green onions.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 200Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 37mgSodium 652mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 5g

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Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day!

• Beer Battered Bangers by Palatable Pastime
• Boxty by Magical Ingredients
• Irish Soda Bread Muffins by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Lime Poke Cake by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Nana’s Potato Pancakes by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Raisin Irish Soda Bread by Art of Natural Living
• Shephard’s Pie by That Recipe

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

The post Nana’s Potato Pancakes appeared first on Bring Gourmet to your Every Day - A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.