Mini Chili Meatloaf with Smoky Potatoes

Meatloaf isn't something that I eat very often, but for some reason I was craving it the other day.  I didn't want to just make regular meatloaf though, I wanted to try something different.  I decided to try making a chili meatloaf, and it turned out to be delicious.  I also wanted some mashed potatoes on the side (because meatloaf and mashed potatoes are soul mates), so I decided to add some smoky spices to them so that they would compliment the meatloaf.  And to get some veggies on my plate I made some roasted peppers and zucchini to go with it.  It was a wonderful meal, and I will definitely be making this meatloaf again!

Chili Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef

1 egg

2 green onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 + 1/4 cup taco sauce

1/2 + 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne

Smoky Mashed Potatoes

4 large potatoes

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp chipotle pepper powder

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine all ingredients except for the 1/4 cup each of taco sauce and grated cheese.  Divide the beef mixture into four mini loaves.  Top each with a tablespoon of taco sauce and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes.

To make the smoky mashed potatoes peel four large potatoes (if you are using new potatoes you can leave the skin on for a more rustic look) and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Place in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil.  Let simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, but not mushy.  Drain the potatoes and place back in pot.  Add  milk, sour cream, and spices.  Use an electric mixer to puree them, or just mash with a potato masher.  Add extra milk if the potatoes seem too dry.

Home Made Perogies!

A few months back my cousin mentioned that she has always wanted to make perogies from scratch, so when she was coming to visit for a weekend of skiing fun I thought it would be a great time to make them together.  Although I have made perogies before on my own, it was definitely easier, and more fun, to make them with someone.  We took turns being the roller/cutter and the filler to make an assembly line of tastiness...all the while drinking wine to make the work merrier:)  

We made a traditional bacon/onion/cheese perogie and we also got creative and made jalapeno/onion/cheese, sweet potato/bacon, and mushroom/onion/cheese fillings.  They all turned out great...well, I didn't try the mushroom one, but my cousin and her boyfriend told me they were delicious!  They really do taste so much better than the frozen ones.  

When making the dough you will find it very elastic-y.  I found I would have to keep rolling it out after cutting a few circles.  But the elasticity did make it easier to stretch the dough around the filling.  And when it came to the filling I didn't measure anything, I just mixed mashed potatoes with all the different ingredients I wanted and figured if there was leftover filling I would just eat it on its own.  Which my cousin did with the mushroom filling.  For this recipe I will give an approximation of what we used for each filling, but if you want it cheesier or less oniony just use what you would like in the fillings.  I did want to make a sweet apple and cinnamon filling too, but we just didn't have the time, or the energy.  All together we made over 50 perogies, and we ate most of them too!  They were just so yummy!

Home Made Perogies

For the dough:

3 cups flour, plus more for kneading

1 cup water

1 egg

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

For the filling:  

(potato/cheese/onion/bacon, potato/cheese/onion/jalapeno, potato/cheese/onion/mushroom, and sweet potato/bacon)

6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups cheddar cheese

3 onions, chopped

6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

3 jalapeno peppers, finely diced

1 large sweet potato

3 shitake mushrooms, finely diced

any other fillings you would like to try

Place the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Beat the water, egg, and oil with a fork in a separate bowl and then add to the flour.  Slowly mix in with a wooden spoon until the dough forms (it may still be a bit crumbly).  Transfer onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, sprinkling with flour to prevent sticking.  The dough should be smooth and start to feel stretchy.  Invert a bowl over the dough and let it sit at room temperature for an hour.  (This will give you time to get the other ingredients ready.)

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until cooked through.  Drain and use a hand-mixer to puree them.  Divide the potatoes and cheese into three bowls. Bake the sweet potato, or microwave it, until it is cooked through and then scoop out the pulp and place it in a bowl.  Fry the onions until well-done and add to 3 of the bowls of potato.  Fry the mushrooms and add to a potato/onion mixture.  Add the jalapenos to another of the bowls of potato and onion.  Divide the bacon between the remaining potato/onion bowl and the sweet potato bowl.    

Divide the dough into 2 parts to make it easier to roll.  Start with one half and roll it until it is about 1/8" thick.  Use the top of a glass or a round cookie cutter to cut circles (about 2 1/2" in diameter) from the dough.  Place a tablespoon of filling into the middle of each circle, and then fold the dough over and seal at the edges.    Brushing a small amount of water on the dough edges before pinching together helps the perogie to stay closed.  

Place the perogies in a large pot of boiling water, about 10 at a time, and boil for 4-5 minutes or until they float to the top.  Drain the perogies and fry in a large skillet with olive oil until they are browned on both sides.  Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions.  Enjoy!!

   

If you wish to freeze or refrigerate some for another time then skip the frying step.  They taste better when they are freshly fried.         

Potato and Cauliflower Mash with Leeks

I was giddy with excitement and had to bite my tongue the whole time my hubby was eating this because I couldn't wait to blurt out "you're eating cauliflower!! muahahahaha!".  I had just told him it was mashed potatoes with leeks and spinach, which was bad enough in his opinion.  But he really liked it, despite my maniacal laughter, and even said he would eat it again!  

I loved the addition of the cauliflower to the potatoes, it made them more light and fluffy, plus made it that much healthier!  It was also nice having so many vegetables in one dish, it eliminated the need of having another side dish for my salmon.  I look forward to making this dish again as it was a really great accompaniment to the meal.  

Potato and Cauliflower Mash with Leeks

3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups cauliflower florets

2 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 leek

4 cups chopped spinach

salt and pepper

In a large pot of boiling water cook the potatoes for 5 minutes.  Add the cauliflower and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Cut the root and and the tough green parts off of the leek.  Run water through the leek to rinse out any grit.   Slice the leek lengthwise in half and then cut into thin slices.  Heat a large pan over medium heat.  Add the oil, garlic, and leek and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the spinach along with 2 tbsp of water, cook until spinach is wilted.

Drain the potatoes and cauliflower and mash well.  Mix in the spinach and leek mixture and season with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Crispy Oven Wedges with a Kick

When I saw these potatoes at the grocery store I knew I had to make some wedges with them.  They were the perfect shape, all I had to do what quarter them lengthwise into wedges.  I have been trying out different recipes for potato wedges and thought I would try something new with these ones.  I think I have finally figured out how to make crispy oven fries.  I just had to boil them for a few minutes first and cook them at a high temperature.  After cutting them I put them in a deep frying pan and covered them with water and then boiled them for about 5 minutes.  Then I drained them and put them back in the pan so that the heat could completely dry them. Once the potatoes were dry I put the oil and seasonings on them while they were still in the pan and shook it around to cover them.  That way the oil was already warmed up when I put them in the oven, which seemed to make a difference.  They turned out really well and I will definitely make them this way again.

Crispy Oven Wedges

4 medium potatoes, cut into wedges

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

a few lemon wedges, if desired

Preheat oven to 475F.  Place the potato wedges in a pan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and continue to boil for about 5 minutes.  The potatoes should be just starting to get tender.  Drain the potatoes well and add back to pan.  Let sit for a minute or two so that any water left on them evaporates.  Toss with the olive oil, garlic, and spices and transfer to a large baking sheet.  Add the lemon wedges to the pan, if desired.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.  Enjoy!

Smashed New Potatoes

These are wonderful crispy little potato bites that are easy to make and easier to eat.  They are a good alternative to fries or potato wedges, and make a great side to this chicken.  In potato terms there was an extra step in making them, since you had to boil them and then bake them, but it's worth it.  I may try to roast the potatoes first next time, and then smash and bake them longer.  Saves the use of a pot:)  

I used cayenne pepper to season them because I like spice, but any number of seasonings would work.  They would be good with rosemary, garlic, chives...or just salt and pepper.  Anything you choose will taste wonderful!  

1 1.5lb bag of baby new potatoes (or as many as you would like to make)

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Parsley, finely chopped

Cayenne

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender.  

Preheat oven to 450F.  Drizzle olive oil on a foil-lined baking sheet and the place the drained potatoes on it.  Smash each potato with either a potato masher or the bottom of a glass.  Brush the tops of the potatoes with more olive oil.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, and parsley generously over the potatoes.  Sprinkle a bit of cayenne on each potato.  Bake for 20 minutes until crispy and golden.  Enjoy!

Potato Skins

After making this yummy Baked Potato Soup I had some left over potato skins that I didn't want to throw out.  After all, the potato skin is the healthiest part of the potato...which makes this recipe a healthy one even though it involves cheese, bacon, and sour cream!  (OK, I may be lying about that last part.)  Everyone loves these baked skins, and they are good without the bacon too if they need to be vegetarian.  And notice that I said 'good' and not 'super-duper amazing' like they are WITH the bacon:)  

These can be pretty much made as cheesy and bacony as you want them.  I didn't have a whole lot of bacon left so mine are pretty chintzy on the bacon side, but they were still delicious!  Just make do with what you have.

Potato Skins

Skins from baked potatoes

Cheddar Cheese

Green Onion

Cooked Bacon

Sour Cream 

After removing the pulp from the baked potatoes cut the skins into the size you would like.  Lay them on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over each one and then top with bacon and green onion.  Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and potatoes are a bit crispy.  Serve with sour cream for dipping.

Baked Potato Soup

This is a soup recipe my hubby actually likes...and really, what's not to like about it?  Bacon, cheese, potatoes, green onion, and sour cream made into a rich soup.  It's delicious, it tastes just like a twice-baked potato.  And one of the reasons it tastes so much like a baked potato is that it is made with...wait for it... baked potatoes! When my sister-in-law made this she just boiled the potatoes instead and it was not nearly as good.  Baked potatoes have a different texture to them than boiled, and it makes a difference in this recipe.  Plus baked potatoes are healthier since all the nutrients stay in them and don't get boiled out.  And if you're wondering what to do with the leftover skins try this recipe for tasty cheesy potato skins.

Baked Potato Soup

5 Baking Potatoes, washed and scrubbed

3 cups Water

3 cups Milk

2 Celery Stalks, chopped

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 cup Sour Cream

6 Strips of Bacon , cooked and crumbled

1/3 cup Green Onion, sliced (plus more for garnishing)

1 1/2 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese, divided

Salt and Pepper

Bake potatoes for 1 hour at 350F, let cool slightly.  Heat water in a large pot and add the celery, simmer until the celery is tender.  Scoop the pulp out of the baked potatoes and add to the celery with the milk, butter, sour cream, bacon, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper.  Simmer until it is thickened and at the consistency you like.  Serve with the extra cheese and onions sprinkled on top.

Greek Style Potatoes

One of my favourite places to eat in the mall is at Jimmy the Greek.  (Sometimes I go to the mall just for the food court:)  I love their potatoes, salad, and rice, especially since they cover everything in feta cheese and tzaziki sauce ( I always ask for extra).  The potatoes are so moist and flavourful, so I decided to try to replicate them at home.  I looked at a few recipes for Greek potatoes and used ingredients from a couple of them.  They turned out really well, but I think the next time I make them I will drain the liquid and cook them for another 10-15 minutes so that they get a little crispy on the outside.  They were quick to prepare though, and my hubby loved them which is always nice.  I served them with my homemade tzaziki sauce, yum yum.

Greek Style Potatoes

4 large potatoes
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp chicken stock powder
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F.  Peel and cut potatoes into 4 wedges each.  Place in a baking pan.  Mix remaining ingredients together.  Cover pan with tinfoil and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until cooked through.  For a crispier exterior drain liquid and broil for 5 minutes, turn potatoes, and continue broiling for another 5 minutes.

Barbecued Lemon Rosemary Spuds

Barbecue season has officially started!  What an exciting time it is.  There's nothing better than being able to cook outside, especially when there's a cold beer in hand and a hot sun in the sky.  Potatoes are my go-to side dish of the summer.  I hardly ever cook them inside, but when I can just throw some on the barbecue I love to make them!  This is one of the easiest ways to make some barbecued spuds, and they are mighty tasty too!

Barbecued Lemon Rosemary Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds mini potatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, cut in wedges

1 tbsp fresh rosemary 

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix to evenly coat potatoes.  Take 2 large sheets of tinfoil and make an 'X' with them.  Place the potatoes in the middle of the X, folding first one sheet around them, and then the other.  Fold ends to make sure it is really secure.  Barbecue the potatoes until soft, about 30-45 minutes, turning them over half way to evenly cook them.  (If you are cooking over a high flame, place the foil pouch on the upper rack so the potatoes don't burn.)

Grilled Twice Baked Potato Sandwich

I recently saw a recipe for a twice baked potato grilled cheese, and liked the idea, but thought having potatoes and bread together would be a little too filling and starchy.  So I had this idea, a grilled cheese like no other, because it has no bread.  I used thinly sliced potatoes instead, and filled the inside with cheese, bacon, and green onions, you know, the most delicious part of a baked potato:)  And then served it with sour cream to dip in.  It was so good.  And it was much faster to make than a traditional baked potato.  Plus, if you ever find yourself craving a grilled cheese but have no bread you can make it this way.  (I hardly ever have bread, when I do buy it, it goes moldy before I eat it all.)  The outside of this sandwich was golden and crispy and the inside was a gooey, melty mess of cheese, bacon, and onions...perfect.

For this recipe I am just listing the ingredients, it's up to you how cheesy and bacony you want the sandwiches.  Each potato makes about 2 sandwiches, since only the biggest slices are used, but if you want to make smaller sandwiches, or bite-sized ones, you could get more out of each potato.  I just used the leftover potato to make hash browns the next day.

Twice Baked Potato Sandwich:

Large potatoes (The bigger the better!)

Cheddar cheese, sliced

Cooked bacon

Green onions, sliced thinly

Vegetable oil

Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Wash the potatoes, leave the skin on.  Slice the potatoes lengthwise, for the largest slices possible.  Make each slice about a 1/4" thick.  Place the slices of potato on a foil lined baking sheet and lightly brush each one with vegetable oil.  Turn over and brush other side as well.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, turning half-way through.  They should be tender, but not so cooked that they fall apart. (Mine took 10 minutes.)

Place slices of cheese on half of your potato slices, then add bacon and green onions.  Top with remaining potato slices.  Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat.  Cook the sandwiches slowly so that the potatoes have a chance to crisp up and the cheese melts.  Cut each sandwich in half and serve with sour cream.  Enjoy!