Potato-Leek Gratin

A gratin is simply a dish topped with cheese or bread crumbs which are browned and crisped for ultimate deliciousness.  This potato based gratin is made with thinly sliced potatoes and leeks, topped with Swiss cheese, which is then browned for ultimate deliciousness.  You may use a mandolin to slice the potatoes, I opted for a knife and I was able to get the potato thin enough. Between slicing and cooking the potatoes will begin to brown a bit, but this will not effect the flavor. 

Leeks are the other star of this dish.  Leeks are vegetables from the same family as garlic and onions, and therefore have a taste similar to onions, but are to me milder.  The usable part of the leek is the white end up to the lightest green part of the stalk.  I usually cut my leeks first and then rinse them. 

The Ingredients

2 1/2 cups milk

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

3 medium leeks, thinly sliced

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

The Tools

sharp knife or mandolin

small mixing bowl

large skillet

gratin dish

The Cooking

 Heat the oven to 425 degrees and grease a 2-quart gratin dish (or other shallow dish).  Then, heat the milk, garlic, salt and pepper to a gentle simmer in a large skillet. DO NOT allow to boil.

Stir frequently while you bring the milk mixture to a boil

Add the potatoes to the milk mixture

And the leeks

Cook uncovered for 15 minutes

Stirring frequently, but carefully

 Combine the sour cream and Dijon mustard in a small bowl

Once the vegetables are tender, place them in the gratin dish

Top the potatoes and leeks with the sour cream mixture

Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling hot.  

^^ Melted cheesy deliciousness^^

Nutritional Information

Serves 6

1/6 of the gratin 

Calories per serving: 210

Fat per serving: 7
Fiber per serving: 2
Protein per serving: 12
Sodium per serving: 574
Potassium per serving: 363

Recipe source: Betty Crocker

Yorkshire Pudding

This dish is fast becoming a standard for Christmas dinner.  This is a classic dish from England which was traditionally made with the drippings from a roast.  Of course, as a vegetarian cooking blog roast drippings is just will not cut it.  Instead I use butter seasoned with salt.  I suppose I could break down and purchase some salted butter, but I don't typically use salted butter so this seems the best route for me. 

There are a couple of points I need to make about making at Yorkshire Pudding.  First, all your ingredients MUST be at room temperature.  This is very important.  Second, your oven must be at the right temperature.  If you are uncertain as to the accuracy of your oven's temperature reading invest in a thermometer for your oven.  Third, be patient.  You cannot risk the temperature on your oven dropping so once your Yorkshire pudding is in the oven you may not open the oven for 20 minutes. 

The Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk, at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/8 teaspoon salt

The Tools

bowl

whisk

handheld mixer or stand mixer

9x13 baking dish


The Cooking

Whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. 

Beat together the eggs and milk.  Allow the mixture to sit for about 20 minutes. 

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix together.  Then allow the batter to rest again, for about 20 minutes.  Take this time to preheat the oven to 450°.  

 A few moments before you are to place your Yorkshire Pudding in the oven place the butter in the 9x13 inch baking dish topped with about 1/8 teaspoon of salt.

Allow the butter to melt in the oven, once it is melted pour the batter into the now very hot baking dish and return the pudding to the oven. 

Bake the pudding for 20 to 30 minutes, but it is imperative that you not open the oven for the first 20 minutes to insure that the oven stays hot. 



Roasted Cauliflower

As a mother and as a human being in general I am always trying to add more vegetables to our meals.  Often I am lucky enough to make a recipe which is largely vegetable in base and I in those cases do not have to worry about a side dish.  More often than not our main dishes are made up of primarily starch foods and therefore I feel compelled to serve a vegetable on the side.  My standard side is roasted broccoli, but honestly there is only so much broccoli on person can take. 

I decided to stay away from broccoli and try some other vegetables.  Not being one to stay from too far from the norm, I picked Cauliflower.  I have shared a mashed cauliflower with you the past and it turned out to have been on the Veggie Dad's favorite dishes, but this time I thought I would roast the cauliflower. 

The Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, minced

freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste

The Tools

large bowl

9x13 in baking dish

The Cooking

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl until the cauliflower is well coated.

Pour the coated cauliflower in the baking dish and bake it for 20 to 25 minutes. 



Hoison Sauce Broiled Broccoli

Anyone who has followed for me for any length of time knows how much we love broccoli, espcially when broiled.  This is a sure fire way to get everyone in the house to eat their vegetables.  Typically, I broil it up with some balsamic vinegar like in my Broiled Broccoli recipe. This time around I thought I would use some less spicy seasoning to the broccoli and go with something more Asian in flavor.  I started with hoison sauce, and added some soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to thin it out.  Then I add some mince garlic and sesame seeds for some extra flavor. 

I always steam my broccoli before I broil it.  This way the broil just has to crisp up the broccoli and carmelize the flavors.  You steam the broccli in a steamer, the microwave or on the stove top. 

4 cups steamed broccoli

2 tablespoons Hoison sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix the hoison sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sesame seeds together.  Pour the sauce over the broccoli and toss to cover. 
3. Broil for 3-4 minutes. 

Spicy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This is a play take on my classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese.  I wanted the sauce to remain as smooth as possible, so I used a variety of spices to the sauce.  Chile Powder, Chipotle Powder and Cayanne powder chief among the additions.  Next time I believe I may attempt to add a Spicy Jack cheese in place of the Monterey Jack that I typically use. 

I recently went to a food blogging conference, The Foodbuzz Festival to be precise.  I am very fortunate that foodbuzz (my advertising network) is located in San Francisco and that they always hold their festival in the city.  I did chose to stay the weekend in the city, but still is nice to skip the airfare and just take BART into the city.  I will be posting about my experience next week and I will over the next few months be attempting to make changes to this site, which will hopefully make the experience better for my readers. 

On thing I am going to attempt is to get more pictures into each posting.  I have attempted to take photos of my food as I cook in the past and I quickly became lazy, and stopped.  I think, however that it is time to start again.  Now the remembering to do it part....that is always the hardest.

1 pound elbow macaroni

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon chile powder

1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder

6 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour

3 1/4 cups milk

2 cups vegetable broth

4 cups shredded colby jack cheese

2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

1. Move the oven rack to the lower middle position of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add the macaroni and boil for 8 to 9 minutes or until the pasta is just slightly tender.  Drain and leave in a colander.
3. Wipe out the pot, and return it to the stove.  Melt the butter over medium heat, and add the dissolved mustard.  Stir until well incorporated and add the chile powder, chipotle powder, onion powder, garlic powder and the cayenne powder.  Whisk this mixture until fragrant, and slowly add in the flour.  Cook the flour into the spice/butter mixture until the mixture is a lovely golden color and resembles a roux.
4. Slowly whisk the broth and milk into the flour mixture, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 
5. Remove the pain from the heat, and gradually add in the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted.  Add the macaroni to a cheese sauce and stir until well combined
6. Pour into a 9x13inch baking dish, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is a golden brown.
 

Chile Balsamic Kale

Ohhhh! This recipe is so good.  This is recipe is from the Red Chile Bible, which is a cookbook the Veggie Dad bought me while he was in New Mexico on business.  I also have the Green Chile Bible and I highly recommend both cookbooks.  Sadly, I have not been able to find some of the chilies or chili powders described in both books.  I have instead used those items which are widely available in many grocery stores.  This recipe called for 1 tsp chile Caribe.  I considered using red pepper flakes in it place, but in the end I chose to replace it with a combination of regular chili powder and smokey chipotle powder.  I could not have been happier with the results. 

3 lbs baby kale, washed and torn into pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chile powder

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons toastes sesame oil

salt and pepper to taste

sesame seed to garnish

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the kale and allow to simmer until crispy-tender; about 2-3 minutes.  Strain the kale in a colander and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the garlic for about 1 minute.  Add the two chile powders and allow to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil to the skillet.  Allow the vinegar mixture to quickly boil, and add the kale a little at a time allowing one batch to wilt before you add another.  Salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.

Chili Scalloped Potatoes with Asiago and Sage

This recipe is from the Red Chile Bible, which is of course a companion to the Green Chile Bible.  Both these cookbooks are designed to specifically highlight the noble New Mexico chile. 

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons Chimayo chile powder or other mild chile powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
2 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup Asaigo cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped finely
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups half and half

1. Preheat the oven to 400° and grease a round baking dish.  Warm 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet and add the onion.  Cook until the onion is slightly tender, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.  To this add the chile powder, nutmeg, and cumin, stir to combine and cook until fragrant. Lower the heat, and add the 2 tablespoons sage and the sliced potatoes.  Saute until the potatoes and covered in the chile powder mixture, about 2 minutes.  Sit aside
2. In a medium sized bowl combine the bread crumbs, asaigo cheese, 1 tablespoons finely chopped sage, black pepper and the olive oil. 
3. Place 1 half of the potatoes in the prepared baking dish.  Top this with half of the cheese mixture, and then with the other half of the potatoes mixture.  Pour the half and half over the second layer of potatoes and then top with the remaining cheese mixture. 
4. Bake for 1 hour or until the top is nicely browned and the mixture is bubbling nicely. 

Grilled Garlic Bread

This is another way to use any leftover French Bread or other fancy loaf of bread.  I was grilling anyway so I thought I would toss the bread on the grill and see what happened....What happened was delicious. 

4-6 thick slices of French Bread
4-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
garlic salt

1. Preheat that grill until placing you hand 6-inches over it makes you say, ouch. 
2. Brush each side of the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic salt
3. Grill on each side for 2 minutes

Balsamic Red Cabbage

This is a quick and easy way to make red cabbage.  It is reminescent of pickled cabbage with out the long cooking time.  The cabbage is picture above with my Horseradish Mashed Potatoes.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 cups shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablesoon white sugar
1/2 cup water

1. Warm the oil in a large skillet, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the cabbage, balsamic vinegar, white sugar and water.  Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce it thickened.  The cabbage will still have a pretty good bite at this point, but that is how we like it.  If you wish to have your cabbage softer, then increase your cooking time. 
2. Serve warm. 

Roasted Artichokes

This is a good basic way to serve artichokes.  When these toppings you really do not need to dip the leaves in to anything.   I purchased only two artichokes assuming that only my husband and I would eating them.  Much to my surprise my oldest son loved them, so we ended up sharing with him.  Next time I better buy three!

2 large artichokes, stems removed and ends trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 teaspoons minced garlic

pepper to taste

1. Cut the stems off the artichokes, cut off the tops with a sharp knife and using scissors trim the pointy ends off the leaves. 
2. Steam the artichokes however you desire.  I use a steamer, but you can steam them on the stove or every cook them in a pressure cooker.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 
3. Place the steamed and trimmed artichokes in a baking dish and pour 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of minced garlic over each artichoke.  Pepper to taste. Place the artichokes in the oven and roast them for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tips of the artichokes are slightly browned. 
4. Serve warm and enjoy!

Spicy Asian Roasted Asparagus

I love asparagus and I try and use it as much as I can when it is at its freshest.  I roasted this asparagus as I have in the past, but added some Rooster Sauce to spice things up a bit. 

1 pound asparagus, rinsed and ends removed
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Rooster Sauce to taste

1. Preheat the over to 450 degrees, and cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the asparagus in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of water and cook it in the microwave on high for 5 minutes or until lightly steamed.  Remove from the microwave and dry completely. 
2. Toss the asparagus with the oil, vinegar and rooster sauce.  Place it in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheet and roast it in the oven for 10-12 minutes

Sauteed Spinach with Almonds and Raisins

This recipe is adapted from the Little Guide to Vegetarian Cooking. This is a perfect side dish to any meal.

1 pound spinach, washed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 ounce sliced almonds
2 ounces golden raisins
1 teaspoon grated ginger root
pinch of salt

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. Add the almonds, raisins, ginger and salt, stirring for 3 minutes or until the nuts are golden brown.
2. Add the spinach and saute until wilted, stirring constantly.
3. Serve immediately

Yorkshire Pudding

My mom used to make this on special occasions and I have not had it in years. I used to love it when she made it, but at a certain point it just would not rise for her. After some research I decided to add an egg to my recipe, rest the batter like you would for crepes and to avoid opening the oven at all cost. It turned out beautifully!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter with 1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl beat the eggs well with an electric hand mixer. Add the milk and beat with the mixer until well incorporated. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix with the hand mixer until the batter is thin and smooth. Allow the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes (longer if possible).
2. Preheat the oven to 450°. Place the 1/4 cup of butter in a 9x11 inch baking dish and sprinkle it with 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Place the butter and baking dish into the oven to allow the butter to completely melt. Once the butter is melted, add the rested batter to the baking dish. Return to the oven and allow to bake for 25 to 30 minutes. It is important that the oven stay at a constant temperature so do not open the door during the cooking time.

Cut into 6 large portions: 180 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 0 grams of fiber. You can cut this into 8 portions and that will lower the calories per serving, but you are going to what the larger piece!!!

Mustard and White Wine Green Beans

This recipe was originally posted in January of this year, but they would work for just about occassion. I make these on a near constant basis. This recipe is from The Grit Restaurant Cookbook.

1 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 to 2/3 pound fresh green beans, tipped and trimmed

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar

r1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Place olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. The, add the green beans and saute, covered but stirring often, until bright green and softened slightly
2. Add the white wine and cover, simmering for 30 to 40 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook. Tossing until the sauce begins to thicken. Beans should be a dark green and tender, but still slightly firm.
3. Serve immediately

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

This recipe was originally posted June of last year, but it would be a perfect addition to any Thanksgiving feast. Enjoy!

3-4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup warm milk
2-3 tablespoons prepared creamy horseradish sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cover potatoes with one inch of water in large stock pot or sauce pan
2. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are done, about 20 minutes
3. Drain potatoes, wipe out the pan, and return the potatoes to the pan.
4. Mash potatoes by hand with masher until smooth
5. Add melted butter and continue to mash. Add one half of you warm milk and continue to mash. Add the remaining hot milk if needed to achieve your desired consistency. Once you have your desired consistency, add the horseradish to taste.
6. Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetarian Stuffing

Obviously this stuffing is not meant to be stuffed into anything. It is just meant to taste really yummy and give the vegetarian a stuffing to eat. If you use a glass or corning ware dish to bake this recipe in you are going to want to very careful about adding any extra broth; only do so if the broth is warm or you may crack you baking dish.

1 loaf of day old or dried out french bread, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 can 98% fat free cream of celery soup
1 cup vegetable broth, divided
12 ounces sliced white mushrooms

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and celery. Saute until the vegetables are softened. Add the salt, pepper, celery seed, poultry seasoning, rubbed sage, cream of celery soup, and 3/4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer slowly for about 10 minutes.
3. While the soup mixture is simmering, saute the mushrooms in a skillet until browned. Add the mushrooms to the soup mixture.
4. Combine together in a large bowl the soup mixture and the bread pieces. Spread into the prepared baking 9x11 dish (preferably a metal dish) and bake for 30 minutes. Check the stuffing at the half way point and add the additional 1/4 cup of broth if needed to maintain a moist stuffing. Again, if using a glass or corning ware dish you should heat the broth up so as not to cause your dish to crack.

Serves 8: 202 calories, 3 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This recipe is completely from my mind. Now, what I am calling a sweet potato is the orange fleshed variety which is often sold as a yam in the grocery store.

4 medium sized sweet potatoes, chopped in bite size pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 small pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a deep 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Toss the sweet potatoes with the olive and seasoning.
3. Spread them in an even layer in the baking dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. You might want to begin checking on their progress after the first 30 minutes.

Serves 6: Calories 96, Fat grams 2, Fiber grams 3

Lazy Girl Mashed Potatoes

I made these mashed potatoes after a very hectic Sunday. I had been running errands and had come home to discover I had purchased the wrong sizes for my 5 years. So back the store I went. By the time I got back home I was no mood for anything long and drawn out. So, I decided that these potatoes would be just fine with their skins on. They turned out delicious!

3 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup milk, warmed
2 tablespoons light sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

1. Scrub the potatoes, place them in a large stock pot and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil and boil the potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are tender.
2. Drain, and return the potatoes to the pot. Mash with a potato masher until potateos and a mealy mass. Add the melted butter, milk, and sour cream and mash until well incorporated.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve warm and enjoy!
   

Oven Fries

You have until 6pm Pacific time on Thursday, Sept 23rd to vote for me in the Project Food Blog Challange. All you need to do is click on the vote for me button in my Project Food Blog Challange Badge, which is to the left of this post. Thanks

I have had at least one other Oven Fried Potato recipe on the blog before, but this recipe is significantly lower in calories. I reduced the fat, but still got a nice crisp potato. I also left the skins on the potatoes because it is healthier and a heck of lot easier!

4 medium sized baking potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into french fry like slices
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line to cookie sheets with heavy duty aluminum foil and spray slightly with cooking spray. Place your oven racks so that both cookie sheets will fit in the oven at the same time. My instructions are assuming that like me you have a narrow oven and have to put each sheet on a different rack.
2. Toss the cut potatoes in a large bowl with the oil, sea salt and pepper.
3. Place a single layer of potatoes on each cookie sheet. Bake the fries for 15 minutes, then switch the cookie sheets so that the one of the bottom goes to the top vice versa. Bake for another 10 minutes or until fries are cooked.
4. If they are not crisp enough you can put each cookie sheet under the broiler for about 2 minutes.
5. Serve warm and enjoy.

Serves 8 equal servings. 148 calories and 5 grams of fat.

Very Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

For Father's Day my husband requested very, very garlicky mashed potatoes for his special dinner. This is what I came up with. They are delicious and guaranteed to keep the vampires at bay.

2 bulbs of garlic

olive oil

3 medium sized baking potatoes, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 cups warm milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Cut the tops off of the garlic bulbs, place them in a small baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and bake until the garlic cloves in the bulbs is softened, 30-45 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool. Once the garlic bulbs are cool enough to handle, squeeze out the garlic, cut off the rough end of each clove and mash the remaining softened garlic. Set aside the mashed garlic.
2. Bring 3 quarts of salted water to boil in a large stock pot, and add the diced potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes. Half way through the cooking time add, 2 tablespoons of minced raw garlic to the boiling water.
3. Drain the potatoes, dry out the stock pot and return the potatoes to the pot. Mash the potatoes with a hand masher until they are smooth. Add the melted butter, warm milk and mashed garlic and continue to mash until the desired consistency is achieved.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.