Mom's Potato Cheddar Casserole- 50th post!

I find that everyone has some special dish from childhood that holds a special place in their heart.  Usually something simple, warm, and comforting.  I was lucky, my mother was and still is a wonderful cook, so I have quite a few childhood favorites.

One of these is my mom's hamburger and potato casserole.  A quintessentially American dish that my grandmother used to make for my mom.  The tangy tomato sauce loaded with lean ground beef is a perfect match with the tender yet firm potatoes.  The cheddar makes the dish feel extra homey, and the extra crisp bits of cheese on the sides are quite possibly the best part.

I'm sad to say that while I've always been interested in eating, the cooking part of the whole process was quite foreign to me until a few years ago.  While my mother was performing magic in the kitchen, I was elsewhere.  So when I have a craving for an old favorite, I call my mother and try to squeeze the recipe out of her.

Don't get me wrong, she loves it when I call to ask for a recipe, but she is one of those skilled and experienced cooks that hardly ever follows a particular recipe.

Fortunately for me, I was able to recreate this dish (with a few small changes) that was almost as good as the real deal.

I replaced the classic orange cheddar with some extra sharp white, and I traded in a mix of red and green lentils for the lean hamburger (don't tell mom!).  The casserole tastes almost exactly the same, but the texture was a little off.  Lentils just can't compete for the delightful chew of ground beef.  At any rate this recipe is delicious, and makes a wonderfully hearty vegetarian meal.

Lentil and Potato Casserole

Ingredients

4 large yellow potatoes, sliced into 1/3in. circles
2 tbsp salt
3/4 cup green lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
3 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock
1 tbsp oil (olive, canola, bacon grease, etc.)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1/2-3/4 cup ketchup (one made with sugar is preferred)
4 ounces extra sharp white cheddar, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1.  In a large bowl place sliced potatoes, 2 tbsp salt, and cover with cold water until all slices are submerged.  Set aside.  In a large non-stick pot place all of the lentils and 3 cups of your liquid of choice.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until the lentils are cooked, about 20 minutes.  By this point the red lentils will have lost their shape, and the green will still have a slight bite.
2.  Preheat the oven to 350F.  In a large sauce pan heat 1 tbsp of oil and add the chopped onions.  Saute until softened, and then add the minced garlic.  Continue cooking until garlic is fragrant.  Add the lentils, tomato paste, water and 1/2 cup ketchup.  Stir until combined and taste for seasoning. Add salt, pepper, and ketchup to taste.
3.  In a large baking dish (I used 9x13x4) place 1/3 of the lentil mixture.  Top with half of the potato slices in a uniform and single layer and cover with half of the remaining lentil mixture.  Repeat with the remaining potatoes and lentils for a total of two layers of potatoes.  Cover the entire casserole with the cheese and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.  Let cool slightly before serving.

As my title suggests, this is my fiftieth blog post!!  I have to say that I'm a little surprised to have continued with my blog so long.  Thank you to everyone who has ever left me a comment, or visited my blog!

Check out this fun blog party!

greenhorn gourmande is on a budget- episode 3

Hello WIAW friends, this post is part of my week long series on how I manage to feed myself and my boyfriend for about $60 a week in New York city.  See the previous posts <<here>> and <<here>>.


In my last two posts I discussed the importance of planning and meal types (less meat more grains).  Today's post is about the importance of selecting recipes that have ingredients in common so that you waste less, and save more.


Now some may think that this will involve a lot of repetition, but it doesn't need to be the case!  Today's recipe is Roasted Garlic, Leek, and Purple Potato soup.  Believe it or not, it was made with ingredients left over from my last two posts.  

Homemade Pizza

+

Perfect Roast Chicken

=

Roasted Leek and Purple Potato soup

What?

Let me explain.  That tasty bread stick perched on the edge of my bowl is made from the other half of the pizza dough recipe I had made and froze.  I used the chicken carcass (after picking off the remaining meat) to make a delicious homemade chicken stock.  

I'm actually quite pleased with myself over this stock.  I used the tops of the leeks, which are inedible, giving me the perfect base for a leek soup.  Don't be disturbed by the white layer that sometimes forms on homemade stocks.  It's the gelatin and fat from the chicken that makes homemade stocks so rich and flavorful.

These strange beauties are purple potatoes.  I had read about them online- they apparently taste just like regular potatoes, so when I saw them at Whole Foods for $0.99lb (a whopping $0.50 less than all the other varieties) I figured, why not?

I'm glad I did, I can confirm that they do in fact taste like your everyday spud, with the added bonus of an awesome hue.  

Okay, I've put you through enough ;)  On to the recipes!

Roasted Garlic and Leek Soup

*This soup calls for two heads of roasted garlic.  Don't be intimidated by that amount, roasting really mellows the flavor and makes them subtly sweet.  To roast simply slice off the top of the head, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes at 400F.

Ingredients

2 leeks, tops removed, thoroughly cleaned, and diced-$1.60

2 heads worth of roasted garlic cloves*- $0.50

3 large potatoes (about 1.5lbs), cubed (if you want a perfectly smooth soup you can peel them.)-$1.40

1 tbsp butter-$0.10

5 cups homemade chicken stock- $0.50

kosher salt and black pepper-$0.10

1/3 cup half and half- $0.25

3 strips bacon for garnish (optional)- $0.80

Total cost: $5.25

Directions

1.  In a large pot or dutch oven melt the butter over medium heat, and add the leeks cooking until softened.  Next add the potatoes, garlic, chicken stock, and 1 tsp of salt and a 1/2 tsp of pepper.  Bring mix to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

2.  Remove pot from heat and allow to cool slightly.  With an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth and return to a low heat.  Stir in the half and half and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve garnished with a half strip of bacon.

Serves 6.

Happy WIAW everyone!!!  As always thanks to the wonderful Jenn over at Peas and Crayons for hosting!

Pinto Beans and Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

This post should be titled "Caramelized Onions and what I had left in my pantry."  Seriously though, I think I may have an addiction.

Anyone who has every experienced the sweet, salty, melt in your mouth wonderfulness of a caramelized onion will understand my predicament. All this week I've found myself fantasizing about what concoctions I could come up with to justify the manufacture of these savory goodies.

After coming up with countless creations, all of which involved some ingredient I didn't have on hand, I decided to throw caution to the wind and just say "f*ck it!  I'll just make the damn onions and invent the dish as I go!"

I'm happy to say that this abandon was rewarded greatly with a dish that is satisfying both in taste and texture.  Unfortunately it doesn't make it into the 'eat with your eyes' category, this dish is uggglllly.  However it is so delicious it would be criminal to not share the recipe, beauty or no.

Roasted Broccoli and Potato Cheddar Soup

Soup is probably one of my favorite kinds of food.  There are so many different varieties, are generally easy to make, and are usually made in large batches.  Hello leftovers!!

This soup was made one night last week on a pure spur of the moment whim.  I originally was set on making some corn chowder, but then I realized I had a whole head of broccoli just languishing in my crisper.  Okay no big deal right?  I'll just make corn and broccoli chowder.

Roasted broccoli = best broccoli?  You betcha!

One thing led to another and eventually the corn was out and broccoli reigned supreme.  Soup eaters rejoiced throughout the kingdom.  Well... not really, but this soup was so good I had to make it again this week!  The creamy texture, depth of the roasted broccoli, and heat from the jalapeno make this soup positively addicting.

Sookhe aloo- Samosa Potato Filling

Raise your hand if you love samosas!!  (Me ME me mE Me!!!!!)

The required spices.

 I can't seem to get enough of the damn things, but making them is a bit labor intensive (not to mention deep frying things scares the bejeesus out of me.)

The solution?

WIAW 9- Last Post of the Year!

Happy WIAW everybody!  As always thanks to the wonderful Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting this wonderful linkapalooza.






I've been gorging myself this holiday weekend (actually, it's kind of turned into a week long food fest), but unfortunately I didn't manage to snap many photos.  So this week I'm keeping it short and sweet with some of the good eats I did manage to make/photograph/eat.


They are all crazy delicious recipes that you have to try.  If you only make one, please let it be this:

Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Red and Brown Onions

Seriously, I could not get over how amazing these potatoes are.  I had about four cups of leftover mashed potatoes from Christmas dinner, which would have been pretty good on their own.  However, I find that reheated mashed potatoes kind of loose their sparkle, and since I'm one who can't leave well enough alone, I had to jazz them up.  It's so easy, and the results are insanely delicious.  Imagine the savory, salty, oniony goodness with the creamy buttery potatoes.  Make these.  Right now.  

Ingredients

3-4 cups mashed potatoes

1 medium brown onion

1 medium yellow onion

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh thyme

garlic powder

cayenne powder

Directions

1.  Peel and cut your onions into half, then slice into thin rainbows, about 1/8 of an inch thick.  In a large skillet melt butter and oil over medium high heat, when hot add the onions and stir to coat evenly.

2.  Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste to the onions and let cook over medium high heat for about 15 minutes.  Lower the heat and cook an additional 5-10 minutes until thoroughly caramelized.  They will be pretty browned and very soft.

3.  Add the thyme and garlic powder to taste.  I used 3 sprigs and 1/2 tsp.  Next add the potatoes and stir until thoroughly combined.  Allow to cook until heated through. 

Buffalo Chickpea Dip

As a lover of all things 'buffalo' I often find myself faced with the problem of delicious food that is absolutely horrible for me.  For most people this is not an issue because the are sated with the occasional buffalo product at a party or potluck.  I however have to get my fix on a more regular basis.  If you find yourself in the buffalo crazed crowd, then by golly you should give me a medal.... or at least try this spread.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1/3 cup melted butter

2 tbsp blue cheese crumbles

7-8 tbsp Franks' Red Hot

Directions:

1.  In a small sauce pan melt the butter and add the blue cheese and hot sauce.  Stir to combine.

2.  In a food processor combine chickpeas and butter mixture.  Puree until smooth and creamy.  Add additional hot sauce if desired, and serve with celery sticks, tortilla chips, etc.

This dip tastes exactly like buffalo chicken dip (a.k.a crack-cocaine of the culinary world), with the smooth creamy texture of a fine hummus.  Give this a try, you won't regret it.

And this boys and girls is where I must end my post.  I've been a bad photographer this week, but I pledge that next year (only a few more days!!) I will make a more valiant effort to document my culinary exploits.

Have a fantastic New Years!

Bacon. Need I say more?

Hey kids, I've just heard about another awesome blog party.  Tasty Tuesday!  I knew I had to join, it shares the moniker of the wonderful day when restaurants would come and sell stuff in my college's student center.  ( I still miss those fucking empanadas.)  Anyway, as far as I can see this party is the celebration of tasty recipes, and boy have I got some for you today.