Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Last Autumn I made an amazing potato soup with pesto and chorizo. It was so flavorful and well, slurped down in seconds.

I don't think I made enough.

So while reminiscing about that lovely, butter-rific potato soup, I thought, how can I slightly lighten this dish up? I could eat this soup everyday, and my thighs will hang on to it for far too long. And the already brutal lunges would be even more unbearable! Anyone do those? They hurt so good.

So while brainstorming, I came up with something I've never seen, but I am sure the genius foodies who reads my blog (rolling their eyes perhaps?): Pesto Mashed Potatoes! I am a pesto fiend. I make a batch at least once a week. It's an amazing on sandwiches, burgers, salads, dressings, the uses are endless!


This dish is so quick to put together  and even quicker if you're using store-bought pesto. It's gorgeous on a plate and you can tell kids it's radioactive mashed potatoes...ok, don't. If they're anything like mine anyway!
I made this incredibly flavored mashed potatoes with cowboy steaks, and it was a perfect pairing. Try this new (to me) take on mashed potatoes! Hope you enjoy!

Pesto Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
2 to 2 1/2 lbs russet or yukon gold potatoes (or whatever potatoes you use for mashing!)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temp *
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk, warmed (add more or less depending on what consistency you prefer!)

* you can add butter to milk when you warm it in the microwave or stove-top
For Pesto
You can use store-bought pesto or homemade!
Recipe:
2 cups of fresh parsley or basil loosely packed, chopped
1/4 or 1/3 cup of Parmigiano- Reggiano or Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds (toasted optional)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to your taste

Directions
Peel potato and chop however you prefer. Place in pot and cover with salted water and bring to boil. This took me about 10 minutes, yours may vary so watch! After it's been brought to a boil, turn heat down to low and allow to simmer for  about 10 minutes or until tender!

Drain potatoes, then add back to pot. Turn your burner up to high and stir constantly for 30 seconds to minute to allow potatoes to dry!  You don't want watery mash potatoes, do you?

Now place potatoes in a bowl. Mash to the consistency you like, then add milk and butter and mix- do not add salt. At this point, you can separate un-pestoed and pesto mashed potatoes for those who do not want green potatoes on their plate.

To the potatoes you want pestoed (that's a word on this post, k?), add about 3 tablespoons of pesto. Mix, and done! To the potatoes you don't want pesto, add salt and pepper to your taste. Voila! Everyone's happy. And if you want the whole pot pesto, add 1/4 cup of pesto! I hope you enjoy as much as we did!

How I Got My Husband To Eat Spinach!

My husband isn't a big spinach fan. Well, he loves raw spinach, but not cooked spinach. I remember one of the first things I cooked for my husband was a vegetarian lasagna and the main ingredient was spinach. The lovely smell of lasagna filled the house and while my mouth was watering, my husband just gave me a nervous smile. Time to eat, he took a few bites and confessed. I wasn't offended, but I did feel bad. He DID help me and didn't say anything!! Men. ;)

So since then, I only cooked spinach for myself and whenever I prepared a spinach dish for the family, it's always raw. But last night, I HAD to try yet another recipe from my Pampered Chef Cookbook, "Cooking For Two and More." This recipe features salmon, cream cheese, and spinach wrapped in phyllo dough. How yummy is that? And guess what? The husband enthusiastically agreed! Even my spinach phobic 4 year-old gobbled this down. Pair this with easy Skillet Lemon-Rosemary Potatoes and you have an easy, yet elegant looking meal on your hands!

This is a perfect mid week meal and the variations are endless!

Salmon & Spinach in Phyllo
Adapted from Pampered Chef's "Cooking  for Two and More"


Ingredients
1 t olive oil
4 cups of spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8  (9 x 14 inches) thawed, frozen phyllo
Nonstick cooking spray
2 skinless salmon fillets (4-6 oz each), about 1 1/2 inch thick)
2 T chive and onion or any flavored cream cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425F, Heat oil in a skillet until hot. Add spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Remoce spinach to paper towel-lined plate. Squeeze out access moisture; set aside.

Lay out phyllo on large work surface and spray with cooking spray. Place second sheet of phyllo over first, pressing sheets together to seal. Continue laying down  and spraying phyllo sheet to create a stack of four sheets of phyllo. Repeat with remaining phyllo and additional cooking spray to create another phyllo stack.

Season salmon with salt and pepper. Spread each salmon fillet with half of the cream cheese spread and top with half of the spinach. For each phyllo bundle, place salmon, spinach side down, on phyllo stack 2 inches from bottom edge of the short side. Fold long side of phyllo in toward center, Gently roll up phyllo from bottom to top. Place in a small rimmed roastin pan seam side down. Make three diagonal slits across top of each bundle. Spray each bundle with cooking spray and bake for 11-13 minutes or until center of salmon registers 130F and phyllo is golden brown. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.


Lemon-Rosemary Skillet Potatoes
About 4 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T butter
2 T fresh rosemary, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 T lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Put potatoes in a large pan and cover with cold water. Parboil for about 10-15 minutes on medium high. You want firm, not mushy potatoes! You want to do this so they cook quickly and evenly in the skillet.

Now drain the potatoes and dry the potatoes with a paper towel as much as possible. In a skillet, preferable a cast-iron, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add potatoes in one layer, turn every so often to ensure potatoes brown well; about 10 minutes.

Once potatoes are golden brown, lower heat to medium add garlic rosemary, salt and pepper turning frequently. After about 2 minutes, add lemon juice. Stir for one minute, then serve.

 Easy peasy. Crispy on the outside, nice and fluffy on the inside. This was the biggest hit with the baby! Great for folks with small ovens like me!



Sorry no progress photos, was alone with three hungry children and had to work quickly with the phyllo!! It is so simple as you will see!

Autumn in Sandwich Form!

It's most certainly Autumn here in Deutschland. The leaves are changing, the kuerbis (pumpkin) patches are appearing, there's fall decorations up the wazoo at every store you visit and I love it. I know I've made numerous posts about the joys of fall, but hey it's my favorite season! So while grazing through one of my first cookbooks, "Pampered Chef's Cooking for Two or More" I found the PERFECT fall time sandwich for this Sunday's NFL dinner.

I know what you're thinking foodie friends, "Pampered Chef? Isn't that those parties my cousin who I barely know invites me to every month? They have cookbooks?" Yes and Yes. I bought this cookbook and few newlywed items from my first (and only) Pampered Chef experience 3 years ago. And you know what, I am happy I did! This book is full of different and very delicious looking recipes ranging from ultra elegant, to quick weeknight deliciousness. The book, of course, has use this or that from Pampered Chef, but honestly you don't need to.

So what awesomeness did I choose? Turkey Panini with Onion-Cranberry Marmalade. The perfect sandwich for the season!  Made with multigrain bread, smoked turkey breast, seasonal apples and a marmalade with delicious cranberries, orange marmalade sweet caramelized onions and cider vinegar for an extra tang. I dunno about you all, but these ingredients reminds me of my favorite holiday Thanksgiving! The holiday of the season.

 I also made Homemade BBQ Potato Chips on the side. I am surprised the chips made it to the dinner table with my family (ok me, too) sneaking chips the whole time! They are THAT good, though!

Turkey Panini with Onion Cranberry Marmalade
Adapted from Pampered Chef's Cooking for Two & More


4 slices of multigrain bread
Vegetable oil or spray
4 slices of Havarti Cheese
4 ounces or 6 thinly sliced deli mesquite turkey
1 Granny Smith apple, cut into 8 thin slices

Onion-Cranberry Marmalade
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup dried  sweetened cranberries
1 t vegetable oil
2 cups  of onion thinly sliced
2 T cider vinegar
2 T orange marmalade

Directions

Begin with the Onion-Cranberry Marmalade

Pour hot water over cranberries in a small bowl. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat; add onions. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, or until softened and  begins to caramelize. 

Add vinegar; stir to loosen brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add orange marmalade, cranberries with liquid. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Now assemble sandwiches.

Lightly Spray one side of bread slices with oil; arrange bread, with oil side down. Top two bread slices with half the cheese, turkey, marmalade and apple slices. Top with remaining cheese and bread slices, oil side up.

Heat a grill pan on medium heat or electric grill or panini maker. Place sandwiches on grill and cook 3 to 4 minutes. If using grill pan, turn once.

These tasted really nice. Felt like Thanksgiving in sandwich. Certainly a new staple! And the variations are endless.

BBQ Potato Chips

About 4 Yukon Gold potatoes

1 T vinegar

About 6 cups of canola or peanut oil

2 T sweet paprika

1 T sugar

1 t onion powder

1/4 t garlic powder

Salt and Pepper

Direction

Heat oil in large pan on medium high heat. Slice potatoes very thinly with either a sharp knife or a mandoline. 

Places slices in cold water mixed with vinegar to remove all the starchiness. It helps make a crisper chip, IMO. Do so for at least 10 minutes. Prep the sandwiches or barbecue seasoning in the meantime if you like.

Now drain water from potatoes; place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels then pat dry. You must make sure the potatoes are dry as possible to prevent a grease fire! Water and hot oil don't mix!

Meanwhile, prep barbecue seasoning.

Add paprika, sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder to a small bowl.

Now, add potatoes in small bunches at a time to hot oil. Turn and move around with a spatula. Depending on thickness of potatoes, this can take from 3 to 5 minutes. Once, done, add to another baking sheet or plate lines with paper towels. Immediately season with salt, pepper and barbecue seasoning.

Try not to eat them all. It's hard to resist, I swear. Just keep going until all of the potatoes are cooked. And you're left with these fabulous results!

Hope you try and enjoy these!

Potato Soup with Chorizo and Parsley Pesto

MMMM. Yes, I am starting a blog post with an MMMM. That's how delicious, flavorful, comforting this soup is. Last week, David Lebovitz made several blog post about his trip to Ireland. One of them he was a guest at Rachel Allen's home. I was captivated by is writing and photos, but one of the  dishes prepared was Potato-Thyme Soup with Parsley Pesto. THAT made me drool. A lot. I've never made potato soup, and never was that interested until I read this article.

There was no recipe for this, but I searched the interwebs for this recipe. I found the perfect one that used one of my favorite sausages, Chorizo. So I had to try this particular recipe.

This soup called for only 25 grams of butter which is almost 2T of butter. One of the things I remember from the article is that Rachel Allen's husband told David that he didn't want to know how much butter was used! Ha! So I went butter crazy using a whole stick of butter- 1/2 cup. It was salted as there is NO unsalted butter at the commissary at the moment. 

This soup is ready under 30 minutes and is as easy as it's delicious. Great after-work, soccer practice, whatever /whenever you want it meal. Now go, no, RUN to you local market and pick up these ingredients and make this! What are you doing reading? Oh wait, check out the ingredients and directions, then go. Sorry for being pushy, this soup is that frickin' great. My children all loved this and my husband ate 3 bowlfuls! 

Potato Soup with Chorizo and Parsley Pesto!

Adapted from Channel4.com


Ingredients
1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter
1 lb of russet or Yukon gold Potatoes, smally diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cups of chicken stock, reduced sodium if purchased
1/2 cup milk
1 T olive oil
3 oz of chorizo, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper

For Pesto:
2 cups of fresh parsley loosely packed, chopped
1/4 or 1/3 cup of Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup pine nuts, (toasted optional)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and potatoes. Saute for a few minutes, season with  a pinch of salt and pepper, then lower heat, cover pot and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a blender. Add parsley, pine nuts. garlic, and cheese. Pulse until mixture looks like a textured puree. Add a pinch of salt and oil. Puree until it's a coarse paste. A pestle and mortar can be used here, as well.

Any unused pesto can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks. Add olive oil after each use.

Now add chicken stock to the potatoes, then bring to a boil. Stir then lower heat and cover for another 10 minutes.

Sauté chorizo about 30 seconds per side or until nicely and crispy. Reserve red oil for garnish.

Now, add milk to potatoes and whizz with a stick blender to whatever texture you desire. 

Pour soup into bowls then garnish with fried chorizo, pesto, and chorizo oil. My husband wanted to make sure that I tell you all to stir everything in before take a bite. 

I made this comforting, warm, creamy soup at the perfect time. We are going through a rough patch right now, and will not know if everything will be resolved until Saturday. So this week's menu is full of comforting food. Sunday I made Chicken and Smokey Bacon Cheesy Pasta, Monday I made Beer-Braised Pot Roast, and last night the most amazing soup, Potato Soup with Chorizo and Parsley Pesto. If our issues aren't resolved by the end of the week, at least are stomachs will be very happy and fuller!