Golden Potatoes

I love finding new potato recipes. (I should probably make more actual vegetables buuuut....I love potatoes. 

#sorryimsortofactuallysorrybutveggiesdonttasteasgood

Can we talk about how much I empathize with the 21 month old I nanny? We're constantly battling trying to get her enough nutrition (sometimes all she wants is mac n cheese and yogurt #respect) and I just...I'm like..."Girl. I GET IT. I don't want those vegetables we're trying to trick you into eating either" And then sometimes, when we successfully trick her into eating something I think "hmm...I need to try to trick myself like this." And...I do. And I will! But first...potatoes.

They're baked in buttahhhhhhhh (mmmm butter) and topped with Parmesan cheese (mmmm Parmesan cheese) and they're just tender and flavorful and awesome. Michael approves as well. 

They're the perfect accompaniment to your fave dinner. They'd also be the an amazing dish to bring to any kind of potluck/party, etc. I know my family would certainly love them! (EEEE I cannot wait to be moved and back and able to feeeeeed people!)

MANGIA MANGIA!*

*(funny story, I'm such an Italian woman who wants to feed people that I overfed my brother's friend's fish last time I was home. He asked me to feed it and when he got back he was like "Kayle! You fed him too much!" and I was like "...he seemed hungry." )

Roasted Potato and Cheese Tater Tots

Believe it or not-this is not the first time I've shared homemade tater tots on this blog. But they're super different! The last recipe I shared were much closer to traditional 'tots (but baked!), and this recipe's pictures are like a million times better.

But I digress.

What both recipes have in common is that they're healthier than traditional tater tots! And this recipe is so simple to make. The ingredients list is beautifully short. We're highlighting the delicious potato flavors and just enhancing it with some cheese and scallions (I love scallions so much, btw.)

And that's it: no breading, no frying, very little fat. And they're pretty.

Something that would be sort of fun to do if you were serving these tots to a group would be to have a bunch of different dipping sauces: maybe ketchup, ranch, sour cream, garlic aioli, etc. etc. you can get totally creative!

...now I'm regretting that I didn't make some kind of roasted garlic dipping sauce for these...

well...guess it's time for another batch!

Cheesy Chicken and Potato Chowder

I know...I go nearly 3 years with nary a soup recipe and now here I am with 2 recipes 2 weeks in a ROW!

But..guys...it's been SO COLD (I don't even wanna talk about the fact that another winter storm is happening today. I am OVER this winter). I need comforting, warm, food!

Michael loved this soup so much that he declared, "I'm kind of sad-everything you make from now on is just downhill, because this soup is THE PINNACLE."

I've already made it twice, and it was only a few weeks ago that I made it for the first time.

This soup really has it all: it's like the popular kid who's also really nice and smart and well rounded and genuinely gets along with everyone, and who gets all the best superlatives in the yearbook and goes on to have an amazing life.

This soup is that person.

This soup is pretty darn easy to make-the only things that take time are chopping the veggies (gah I hate chopping) and cooking the chicken (but if you already have chicken or buy a rotisserie, hey, look, that's done!). It's chock full of veggies so I get all proud of myself for eating it. AND it is so lusciously creamy and cheesy and flavorful...it is just the perfect balance of all things. It could not be better. Not possible!

We ate the whole batch in about 2 days. So...brace yourselves. Maybe do a double batch. I dunno but, whoever you feed this soup to will become your new best friend. Use this power wisely.

Mashed Potato Soup

It's been cooooolddddddd. My Ohio peeps had a -10 degree day yesterday. In NYC we don't usually get quite that cold, but back during the first polar vortex whatever, we did have a 10 degree day. Which is still pretty darned cold. That is the day I made this soup. And...finished this soup. I ate 3/4 of it by myself before Michael came home. I recommend doubling this recipe or you'll end up with a fiance heckling you for being a "hungry hungry hippo".

 This is my first time posting a soup recipe on the blog, and there are a couple reasons for this:

1. I don't eat a lot of soup. I like it, but not like A TON (with the exception of my grandma's chicken-endive AKA wedding soup. But I don't have the skills to make that yet. And also, this soup is a major exception. I think I'll be making it a lot.)
2. Before this recipe, my homemade soup attempts did NOT work out. I made a couple atrociously bland soups that poor Michael had to choke down and they sort of scarred me and made me scared of making soup.

Like...let's just wrap our minds around this concept: Mashed Potato SOUP. I loooove mashed potatoes, AND I like pierogies, and with the addition of onions and cheese to this soup, it's also kind of pierogi-like.

It is a luscious, creamy, hearty soup (Michael said he could imagine Ivan Denisovich eating this. He really liked that book from Senior English...anyway...). It tastes like you're eating soup-y mashed potatoes BUT kicked up a notch by the nearly caramelized onions, and cheese--cheese makes all things better.

Mashed Potato, Cheddar, and Scallion Waffles

Remember when I made those crock pot mashed potatoes and told you how it makes enough to feed an army? Well, I found myself with a new experience of having too many leftover mashed potatoes, when the fates aligned that Joy the Baker posted a recipe for mashed potato waffles. And, pretty much as soon as I saw it, I made them. And boy oh boy, am I glad I didn't wait!

Let me break this down for you: You take some mashed potatoes, some cheese, and some scallions (or chives) and you create a waffle batter. An extremely customize-able batter, I must say. Feel free to season and change out cheeses etc. to your preference. You wanna make some spicy potato waffles? Go right ahead! You want a more straightforward, buttery potato waffle? That's cool too! I used roasted garlic mashed potatoes in these, so I-for instance- omitted the original garlic powder from the recipe because...well...you get the idea.

I'm a simple gal, so I just at these cheesy, crispy, chewy, potato-y goodness bits of deliciousness by their onesies. But you can totally have some sour cream, salsa, etc. etc. to dip these in. Have a lil potato waffle party! Invite your friends. It's the cool new thing.

Crock Pot Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ugh....it's November. Which means I'm chilly. Like all the time. The only good thing about this time of year (aside from it being my birthday month and that we're getting closer to Christmas) is COMFORT FOOD. Food that warms ya up, inside out! Food that makes you feel full and happy. Food like mashed potatoes.

Plus, you gotta love a slow cooker in the fall. You just throw a bunch of stuff in and leave it alone for awhile. That's a full on win-win-win situation if you ask me! 

Funny story: I just got a filling a couple months ago (my first filling that I've needed in quite a few years) and it totally brought back memories of having my mom make me mashed potatoes to eat while my face was numb. I used to exclusively eat very thick instant mashed potatoes. Nowadays I'll eat some real potatoes. And if there's garlic involved, all the better. With or without my face being numb. :P

This recipe is like...really good, guys. Like...super duper tasty. You get a BIG batch (like...really big...like...it was difficult to finish off because there was so much. So it's perfect for big families or entertaining, etc.) of really creamy, really flavorful potatoes. I did have a problem getting all the chunks whipped up (but this seems to be a problem I always have...maybe it's my mixer?...or maybe I don't chop them up small enough...)--I definitely recommend cutting the potatoes into smaller pieces to make it easier on yourself later.

End of the day though...let's turn on some Netflix, curl up in our pj's with a big warm blanket, and dig into a big bowl of these potatoes. The perfect cure for my fall blues.

Roasted Skillet Potatoes

I love cast iron skillets. They're so awesome and versatile and also like super rustic.

They make me think of old timey people in wagons, sitting around a fire...which makes me think of the best game ever (AKA Oregon Trail)...

OMG how much fun was Oregon Trail?? I remember I always made myself a doctor (because then you were both rich and useful) and made my "family" coming out with my my preschool boyfriend and our imaginary children...so you can imagine the childhood trauma that resulted when, of course, someone would succumb to dysentery. Every darn time.

But...I'm off topic.

We're here to talk about my love for potatoes. Beautiful, browned, perfectly seasoned and roasted in a skillet potatoes. Which I'm pretty sure are delicious whether it's the 19th century or the 21st.

Potato Round Up

It's National Potato Month! Plus um...I just got home...and am only home for a week before I go baaaack to Ohio again. So give me a break, I need an excuse for a round up.

And I realized I uhhh....have like...a bunch of potato recipes. And I am not sorry at all. Nope.

Potatoes are yummy. Get on board.

Breakfast Potatoes

Skillet Breakfast Potatoes

Waffle Iron Hash Browns

Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Kale

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Perfectly Imperfect Mashed Potatoes

Baked Cheddar and Scallion Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Stoemp (Mashed Potatoes with Leeks)

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes

Spinach and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Potato Appetizers/Sides

BBQ Potatoes

Scalloped Potato Leek Gratin

Crispy Parmesan Potato Puffs

Potato "Cake"

Pan Roasted Potatoes

Homemade, Baked Tater Tots

Gravy Cheese Fries Poutine

Parmesan Panko Potatoes

Potato Entrees

Creamy Cheesy Potatoes

Pierogi Casserole

Skillet Breakfast Potatoes

I'm going to share a tale of food blogging/photography woe.

I know my food photos could be better. I look at other photos and read tutorials and tips and tricks, because I want to improve. And I'm getting better, but I know I'm not doing a lot of things I need to and the photos are still not as good as I'd like for them to be. But, I have a few things working against me.

1. I don't have like...a real camera. I've got a point and shoot. Now...it's a good point and shoot, and I like it, and it's easy to use (which is part of what scares me about DSLR's) But I've seen the photos those good, like...actual photography cameras can take. And they're just...so good.
2. Space....I have none. I literally can only photograph in the tiny corner by my kitchen window and my oven. A lot of food styling tips are difficult for me because I can't use a table or a counter, I use a stool. Yepp...a stool. I set a stool up in that corner and put stuff on it. Gettin' creative in this tiny apartment.
3. I think my brain is just broken when it comes to food styling. I think it's the same reason I suck at scrapbooking. I dunno.

Anyway, the point of this story is...in spite of all this...I really really really like these photos.

Also send me a DSLR :P

Now that I've complained, let's chat about potatoes, hm?

I love em. LOVE EM. These especially.

It was morning when I made these, and I was busy washing dishes and such, but I wanted to get on these so I asked Michael to play sous chef and chop up the potatoes for me. Poor dear...it took forever. He did such a good job, though! What a champ! After all that hard work, I think these potatoes had extra pressure to be so delicious, so that they were worth it.

Uh yeah...consensus says worth it.

These potatoes are perfectly seasoned (ok...you'll realize when you scroll down I didn't write down amounts for seasonings that's because...I just used my instincts. That's part of what makes them so great, right?!) and wonderfully crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Seriously...don't just eat them for breakfast. They're too good to be relegated to only one meal. Eat em for lunch. With dinner. 

Really all that matters is that you eat them.

BBQ Potatoes

It's always a happy day when Michael turns to me, after trying a new recipe, and says,

"I like these. You can make these again."

Oh I can?

Thanks babe.

I really can never have enough potato recipes. 

Potatoes are my friends (but not in a Finding Nemo "fish are friends not food" kind of way. Potatoes are most certainly food.) What makes these so cool is:

1. You can make them on a grill if you are so inclined and oh hey summer is nearly upon us!

2. They are cooked in broth, which makes them incredibly tender and taste ohh so rich and good.

3. You literally put slabs of butter on top of them prior to cooking. Uhh yeah.

So you should eat em. Maybe grill some steak too. Be a meat and potatoes guy/gal like me. All the cool kids are doing it.

I'm gonna have to cut this lil post-y short now because I have to go strap on my fake baby belly to play a woman who's 8 months pregnant in a feature I'm filming.

HOW FUN IS THAT!? :P

Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I'm having a very strange phase lately, you guys...

to put it simply...

I've been eating spinach.

I KNOW! It's like...I don't even know who I am anymore! 15 year old Kayle (let's face it...birth through age 19 year old Kayle's) is staring at me, wide mouthed with horror. Here is how that conversation might go:

15 y/o Kayle: OMG WHAT ARE YOU LIKE DOING? EATING SPINACH!? EWWW SO GROSS! 

Me: Calm down...seriously...just...calm down. Not just right now. Overall. You need to chill out. Trust me. But also...it's really not gross. You haven't even tried spinach.

15 y/o K: IT'S GROSS AND BITTER AND MUSHY AND COMES IN A CAN AND POPEYE EATS IT! THAT'S ALL I NEED TO KNOW!

Me: Oh my heavens was I seriously this loud and excitable?  *grabs 15 year old self and shakes* YOU CANNOT TAKE LIFE LESSONS FROM CARTOONS! Also, spinach can be eaten other ways.

15 K: I had a leaf of it raw once...it tasted like a leaf. WHO WANTS TO EAT LEAVES!?

Me: FOR PETE'S SAKE CALM DOWN! Ok, you're not 100% wrong there. Just...trust me kid...something about combining spinach with other stuff-say, garlic-makes it not gross. I promise.

15 K: Why can't you just eat like an entire thing of oreo's instead?

Me: *sigh* These lessons are just gonna take time. Go back to high school...you've got a lot of stuff coming your way. Oh but have fun in the musical! Try not to flirt too much with the boys, you look ridiculous.

15 K: *fully ignores me and goes off and does all the stupid things she'll do that'll eventually lead to me now*

As you can see...we've come a long way. Anyway, like I was saying-I've been eating spinach. You already know about the pies/pastries I've been making, and I've also been putting a few leaves in my salads lately (but not too many because 15 year old Kayle is right...they do just taste like leaves and I am not a giraffe).

So, all of this spinach eating made me think about a mashed potato recipe I made a while back. It used kale and...it was fine but...well...kale is super bitter. I could hardly handle it even when camouflaged with mashed potatoes. But spinach, to me at least, has a much more mild flavor so I thought "Hey! Let's see what we can make with that!"

Success! These potatoes are full of delicious flavor (yay roasted garlic, scallions, and parmesan cheese!) but without the guilt! These potatoes have fiber, nutrients, and a touch of good fats. A perfect side dish to make your taste buds and your belly be in complete agreement (even if you and your 15 year old self are not).

Baked Cheddar and Scallion Mashed Potatoes

Ok people....these are (possibly) like...the best mashed potatoes I've ever made.

I attribute part of this to the large quantity of cheese.

And my beloved scallions.

And for some reason, I find, when things are baked (baked mac n cheese, for example)-I tend to like them more. Plus, it makes this recipe perfect for entertaining! You can just whip everything up, put it in the casserole dish, then wait to bake it when/where your event is! Everybody wins! In fact, I'm planning on making this again for Easter.

Just imagine digging into this: you break past an irresistible cheese crust and find your way to these incredibly luscious, creamy, cheesey, mashed potatoes. And then you eat. And eat. And eat.

Because what sane person could stop??

Super flavorful, without being over the top, these really are sure to be a hit with just about anyone.

Michael said that I could have even added more cheese.

But then again, I think he'd always feel that way. :P

Gravy Cheese Fries Poutine

I have yet to make baked in the oven french fries that taste as good as the real thing:

Now, this doesn't mean it doesn't exist, I just haven't succeeded yet.

But, you know what totally makes up for any sort of problems with baked french fries flavor?

Smothering them in homemade gravy and lots of cheese.

Oh yeah.

I've never been particularly in love with gravy, but I've started coming around to it in the past year. I'll never be anywhere near my brother's level of obsession (he used to order gravy anytime he'd get chicken fingers when we were out, or sometimes he'd just like...drink gravy, lol!), but I'll eat it on occasion-such as on these fries! And the cheese really adds a great sharpness and extra bit of gooeyness.

I warn you, this is a totally dangerous and addictive recipe. I couldn't stop eating these. Poor Michael ended up with only...like...a third of the recipe instead of half-I couldn't control myself from going after his bowl!

Rich, flavorful, warm, comforting-all good things in these fabulous fabulous fries. I'd never had "poutine" fries before this recipe but now I am totally in love with the concept-so all you Canadians/Frenchies should come make me some authentic ones sometime, k? In the mean time I'll just content myself with these.

Mmm!

Potato "Cake"

So...um...I like potatoes.

As I'm sure you've noticed, I'm consistently finding new ways/variations on potatoes. Michael has said my blog is pretty much just endless sorts of cookies, chicken, and potatoes.

I don't think that's entirely true.

But, I'll admit there's a lot of em. I'm a consistent gal. This potato recipe is cool, because it's sort of like a potato cake. It's crispy, and the onions give it a really tasty flavor, and you could totally eat this for breakfast, as a side, or as an appetizer! Versatility! I like how the cake-like structure makes this seem sort of fancier, so if you're hosting an elegant brunch or some such thing, this is a prettier alternative to, say, hash browns.

So, bring these out for your fancy shmancy parties, or maybe just for you on a lazy night in. 

Like I said-versatility. 

Stoemp (Mashed Potatoes with Leeks):Spotlight on The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Yay! Another Sponsor Spotlight!

Today I want to introduce you guys to the incomparable Susan, The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen. Susan lives in Brooklyn with her husband and adorable pug and she cooks up delicious (and often-times award winning) food in her little, red, kitchen! She and I also have a special bond. For one thing, red is our favorite color. BUT ALSO she is the first fellow food blogger I ever met in real life! You guys remember when I blogged about our fun foodie date at Chelsea Market? Yeah? Great! Then you know how funny, fun, and fabulous (the 3 "F's") Susan is!

She has blogged sooo many delicious recipes! On the sweets side, I can't wait to try her (award winning) Belgian Supreme Ice Cream, the (also award winning) S'more Nutella Rice Pudding, Homemade Nutella, and her Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie! This girl also knows how to do savory right-like um her post on how to cook steak at home!? And she is queen of risotto (I want this recipe to become the first risotto I ever try). AND yes Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken and Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese with Kale and Onions-mmmm!

And, so we can all get to know her better, she filled out a fun questionnaire for us!
(I filled out one for her too, AND she made one of my recipes so go check it out on her site!)

Pan Roasted Potatoes

Ahhh ohemgee you guys!

Don't let the ugly photos fool you-this is one of my favorite potato recipes.

So simple. So quick. So easy. SO DELICIOUS!

These potatoes are super soft and buttery tasting on the inside, and delightfully crisp on the outside.

I make these all the time.

It doesn't get much better than this.

Get your side dish on!

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!

And I have mashed potatoes!

You know...in case you wanna try a new recipe.

This is definitely one of my new favorites.

They're flavorful.

They're thick and lusciously potato-y.

I love em.

This recipe is courtesy of one of my many wonderful food blogger friends, Mallory (Total Noms). Mallory is NYC based, also, so I've had the pleasure of getting to hang out with her. Which brings me to my next point:

What I'm thankful for.

I'm thankful for my mom and my brother and all my family.

I'm thankful for my Michael.

I'm thankful I'm able to live my life, doing what I love to do.

I'm thankful any of you read this blog.

I'm thankful to be happy and healthy.

I'm thankful for my friends.

I'm thankful for all my new, blogg-y friends. There are so many of you now, and I hope you know who you are. The people whose comments always make me giggle, and blog posts I can't wait to read. Some of you have named my hand mixer. Some of you I've gotten to meet. Some of you I hope to meet soon. Some of you have bonded with me over shared loves and interests (Batman. Dessert. etc.) Some of you sent me gifts for my birthday (seriously...still speechless over the sweetness that was). Some of you may notice that it's you I just namelessly called out, and some of you may not-but I sincerely hope all of you know how much you mean to me and how much I truly think of you as friends, whether we've met in person or not. I love you all and am so thankful that you've come into my life.

What are you thankful for?

Oh and in case you were wondering, here is my Thanksgiving menu:

Texas Roadhouse Dinner Rolls

Michael's Applesauce

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Cranberry sauce (the icky stuff from the can...for Michael lol)

Corn

Butterball turkey breasts

Pumpkin Pie-My favorite pie crust + the canned pumpkin recipe

Mini Apple Pies

Scalloped Potato Leek Gratin

I need a mandoline.

Forreals.

Because...slicing potatoes all thin without one=not easy. No sirreee.

Also, writing a post the morning you're supposed to publish it because you forgot up until now and you just woke up=not so easy either. Good morning everyone. 

Anyway! This recipe is the first thing I made from the Savory Sweet Life cookbook! It totally holds up. Potatoes au gratin are delicious in general because, um, yeah, potatoes and cheese. But add some leeks in there and it totally elevates the whole thing. This is the perfect marriage of comfort food and a sophisticated dish to impress. With the holidays coming up I definitely think this would be a winner. 

I wish I could think of more to say, but just trust me on this one: make it. Eat it. Rejoice.

Waffle Iron Hash Browns

I like hash browns.

Do you?

Sure ya do!

One thing I don't like, though: greasy, fried hash browns (especially the ones at like...McDonalds...blech).

Wanna know a super easy way to make your own, non fried, hash browns at home?

Do you have a waffle iron?

Yes? Yes?

Good! Let's make us some hash browns!

Crispy Parmesan Potato Puffs

This is another recipe that I've been dying to share with you guys!

Because it's effing deliiiicious!

These little puffs would make super fancy, lovely appetizers that you could serve at any high class function.

Or, if you're me, they make a great thing to stuff your face with as you watch reruns of The Big Bang Theory with your boyfriend.

But you know...either or.

I love Potatoes. I love Parmesan. I love scallions. I love little crispy bites of heaven that I can just pop into my mouth and go, "Mmmm."
Yepp.