One Hour Dinner Rolls

Did you know that I AM A LADY?

...Well....I'm not. So I figured out pretty early on in my life. My dad used to constantly scold me for...I don't know...stuff (sitting cross legged maybe?) and tell me I needed to be "a lady". (Which is hilarious if you know my dad. It's a drunk redneck telling someone to be a lady...sheesh.) In Girl Scouts we took an etiquette class and there was one singular moment that made 7 year old me say, "What? Eff this. No. WAY." (I didn't say eff this...at that age I was very unsure of what that word meant but I knew I wasn't supposed to say it.)

The moment? We were told to break off one tiny piece of dinner roll, butter it, eat it. Repeat. IT'LL TAKE YOU A THOUSAND YEARS TO EAT A ROLL AT THAT RATE (or so I felt). You cut a roll in half, butter each half, then shove each half into your face. The end. Everyone is happy.

Since obviously that is the way to do things, I made my peace with the fact that I would never be a proper lady. Because I will never butter my rolls one tiny piece at a time. Rolls are too good to ruin with etiquette.

And much like I don't want to wait many many minutes to butter and eat a roll....I don't want to wait hours and hours for homemade rolls to be made. Sometimes I just don't have the time or energy to make my absolute favorite roll recipe. Which is why I wasted no time in making these rolls when I learned they only take ONE HOUR-beginning to end. Total. Period. UNO HORA!

And look....yes...they don't hold a candle to my fave rolls.

BUT they are super fluffy and pretty and tasty and are perfect for those days where you're crunched for time or just lazy! Like...maybe you're making a bunch of other dishes for a certain holiday where we all eat so much we have to undo the top button of our pants (or just wear a dress if you're a prepared non-lady). 

Like that.

Melting Roasted Potatoes

Look....I'm gonna tell you right now....this week's recipes are not not supposed to be potential recipes for Thanksgiving....

...if you are aware of the way double negatives work...then you know....the recipes in fact are kinda supposed to be potential things for you to make for Thanksgiving. Full transparency on this blog, people.

I really really really adore potatoes. They're my side dish of choice. So OF COURSE I fully support various kinds of potato sides for the big fat day we call Thanksgiving! And....every day really. And when I find a new potato recipe it gets made pretty darn quick. Like...within the week, generally. Such is the case with these. Especially because of the name...like...potatoes...that melt? What?

I'm gonna end the suspense: they don't really melt.

They just sort of melt in your mouth because they are sooo tender!

You just roast some sliced potatoes until they're pretty much falling apart (but crisp on the outside)--and they cook for a little bit with a yummy broth/garlic-y sauce which you serve over them. Somehow they're both rustic and sophisticated....how...how you do that, potatoes?

Hoo...can I just like...talk to you for a sec? Yeah? Awesome. 

Currently I need to put some new glasses that I received away (they're from our registry-Michael's mom adorably couldn't wait to buy from it so that's my birthday gift :P)--which means I need to rearrange the cabinets a bit. I also need to address some of the Save the Dates and try not to stress about the fact that I'm still waiting on address lists from Michael's families. I also need to do some price comparison shopping for new tires for my car because I have practically no traction and snow is coming and I'm halfway (ok....more than halfway) convinced that driving in the snow will result in my untimely death. Plus I need to keep up with this blog and make food to eat and keep the house together and...ya know...life.

This is unrelated to potatoes except for the fact that they're delicious and comfort food and pretty easy to make. So...yeah. I should probably make myself some, yeah? You should too.

Individual Baked Mashed Potatoes

Sometimes you need to brainstorm a recipe that you can share on your blog.

Sometimes you have leftover Gruyere cheese and chives that'll die as soon as a frost decides to hit.

Sometimes you're a potato addict.

This recipe is a result of these times.

Life is a smidge crazy around my household currently. Michael has a huge workload to deal with in his new job as a caseworker plus school plus things I ask him to do around the house plus wedding stuff plus a need/obligation to see family and friends.

I suppose it'd be more accurate to say Michael's life is crazy. But...ya know...I'm kinda busy-ish too.

Anyway...

Maybe you're busy too. Maybe you just want some comfort food. Maybe you want flavorful and cheesy potatoes. Maybe you only want a single serving so you can control yourself. Or maybe you already have self-control without having to impose it upon yourself and maybe you're having a dinner party (or...hmmm....Thanksgiving isn't too far awayyyy). Maybe you're having a dinner party and you want a side dish you can make ahead of the time and just put it in the oven when you're ready. Maybe these individual mashed potatoes are as much of a lifesaver for you as they were for me?

Yeah. I thought so.

Baked Gnocchi & Cheese

Sorry about these pictures, guys. It was all gross and rainy and fall-like outside when I made this yum yum yummy side dish and it impeded my light. But I had to share this recipe with you soooo we shall have to muddle through these photos! Remember, it tastes much better than the pics look!

I absolutely love homemade ricotta gnocchi-it's insanely easy to make. However, I hadn't really had anything to make the gnocchi for UNTIL I SAW THIS RECIPE! You can totally use store-bought gnocchi, but really...it takes nothing to make the homemade. And I just adooore the pillowy texture and perfect flavor of it. Regardless, let's chat about the dish as a whole and not just the noodles!

This is essentially a recipe for a small mac'n'cheese-like dish (which is actually lovely because so many of my mac and cheese recipes make way too much for me to eat on my own!) You make a lovely sauce with delicious gruyere (sorta like fancy cheddar?) and fontina (sorta like Parmesan) cheeses. Then it's topped with some Parmesan cheese which-when baked-becomes wonderfully golden brown and a bit crisp-a much needed contrasting texture from the soft gnocchi and rich sauce. It's cheesy and flavorful and like an Italian'd up macaroni and cheese! I absolutely loved it and I think you will too :) A great recipe to serve when having people over for dinner!

Homemade Potato Casserole

I love potatoes. I love casseroles. I love making things from scratch. This recipe combines all those things!

I feel like this casserole is that dish that everyone's aunt brings to family functions and everyone loves and gobbles up immediately. It's just like that-but sans all those preservatives. No one will know the difference, except that it tastes like way better (no offense all you aunties out there!)

I don't know if I've really said it but I need to let you all know something: my decision to move to Ohio was like....one of the best decisions I've ever made. Being home has been unbelievably amazing. I love getting to spend time with family, I love the area, I just really really love my life right now. Michael's happy. I'm happy. Everything is wonderful. And that's pretty darn awesome.

My point is that I would totally bring this to something with my family.

Allow me to describe to you what sort of taste journey you would go on if you made this casserole: soft, delicious, potatoes are cooked with onions and garlic and chicken broth for flavor. They also have some sour cream added, for that tangy/baked potato kind of spin. And of course...there is cheese. Always cheese.

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Tater Tots

These may be the best tater tots I've ever had.

Yeah. I just said it.

And you know the best part about these AHMAZING (and oh so addictive) tater tots is? They're not fried. They're not breaded. They're not full of gunk. They're just potatoes, deliciously sweet and smoky roasted garlic, and my fave dairy product: Parmesan cheese. And a dash 'o' salt. Oh yeah.

Do you want to know the 2nd best part?

I got to use my cutie-patootie little baby ramekin. Loooook at it! Cuteness.

Seriously though...I couldn't stop eating these. I'm sort of in love. And of all the tater tots that I've made, these might be the EASIEST and quickest too! Even Michael liked them (he said next time he'd like to try them with only potatoes-but at least he didn't say he'd rather have the frozen kind!-SUCCESS!...sorta...I still wanted the garlic and Parmesan....but I guess I could go basic next time ;P).

You should make these for yourself, for your significant other, for your mother, for your kids, for your brother (I ate mine before my brother could get to them-that kid is a bit of a mooch lol), for EVERYOOONE. They are total winners! Imagine bringing them to a barbecue, or having them as an after school snack,  or snacking on these lovelies whilst watching Netflix on the couch....all are great options.

Cheesy Chive Mashed Potatoes

Can we real talk for a sec?

I feel like I'm drowning. Like I can't keep up with everything going on. I, very seriously, cannot remember ever being this busy in my life. And don't get me wrong-I am having SO much fun! But I feel like I'm constantly behind and failing at stuff around the house. I'm not cleaning so much. And I'm not cooking or baking nearly enough. And the blog is getting hard to keep up with. I feel like I'm running out of recipes to share so I keep trying to come up with other posts and just...it's hard. I really want to keep consistent and keep to our regular posting schedule, but it is getting really difficult to keep up with. I'm thinking/hoping that once summer is over things will let up and I'll have time again, but in the meantime I'm just stressed. Mostly because I feel like I'm failing. Like I'm not taking good enough care of Michael or the house and like I'm supposed to be the girl who is always in the kitchen and lately...not so much. And don't even get me started on the fact that I have yet to see the inside of our fitness room so my plans to lose weight are thus far...not happening. I'm overall super happy, but sometimes I just get overwhelmed by all of this. Ya know?

Thanks for listening :)

Now that I'm done using you all as my personal therapists, we can get back to the reason you all are here: quirky banter and FOOD!

I haven't shared a mashed potato recipe on the blog in a little while and I''m gonna be honest about why:

It's not that I haven't made mashed potatoes. I have-a bunch. I just sort of make them, though, recipe-less.

But, due to the aforementioned stress, I was desperate for recipes for the blog and I have an herb garden that is overflowing. An herb garden which includes chives. You see where I'm going with this.

Obviously I needed to spice up my regular mashed potatoes with some chives! And ya know....cheese. Cuz....cheese.

And, in case you didn't know, you can absolutely use scallions/green onions in place of the chives. I feel like they're generally pretty interchangeable (except I think chives flavor might be a smidge more subtle).

Anyway, this recipe is super simple and really one of my most favoritest things. You'll end up with creamy, super flavorful and delicious mashed potatoes! Serve them with pot roast, chicken, pork....or....ya know...just in a bowl. And call it dinner. 

...not that I do that or anything.

Goat Cheese and Chive Biscuits-Guest Post with Eat Your Heart Out

Yay! STEPHIE'S BACK! STEPHIE'S BAAACK!

You may remember Stephie, from Eat Your Heart Out, has guest posted on here before, and I have also posted on her site. So-of couuurse-my girl had my back to help out during this busy busy time! Stephie is the freaking bestest everyone, you should already know this, but I'm saying it again. She's brilliant and talented and fun and her mom is like the cutest food blog momma ever (hi Mrs. Swope!) and when I finally visit Chicago, I sort of just assume I'll stay with her. I should probably ask first, though, huh?

...Hey Stephie!....is it cool if I stay with you??

...and eat all your food?

Hellooooo, friends! So glad to be chatting with you again here on Kayle’s corner of the internet. It’s always a pleasure to help out a friend and share a delicious recipe.

Let’s talk about this recipe, shall we? These biscuits. Hooooo-boy. Let’s not talk about how I inhaled 3 of them straight from the oven, ok? That would just be embarrassing.

I have an obsession with goat cheese lately. It’s getting pretty serious. These days, any time Boyfriend comes home and wonders what new thing I’m up to in the kitchen, there is probably goat cheese involved. I am currently beyond thrilled any time I have a chance to combine it with strawberries – take a gander at this Strawberry and Goat Cheese Flatbread or my Strawberry and Goat Cheese Freekeh Salad, for example – but there is something about combining that tangy goat cheese with chives that also makes my soul sing.

It only seemed right to but the two into a biscuit. I mean…it didn’t seem kind to deprive the world of such a treat.

I did two things to make these biscuits even more spectacular. First, I used a whole wheat pastry flour to make them. This means that they are extra nutty and extra good for you. Go ahead and eat 4.

(Don’t take my nutrition advice. Ever. But the whole wheat flour is better for you than all-purpose, that is a true thing.)

Second, I made them into drop biscuits. No kneading, rolling, cutting, or making a generally large mess. Mix, drop, bake. They are super easy, stay nice and tender, and are generally pretty quick to pull together. Make these for a brunch or to go alongside your favorite soup – or just because you need a biscuit. You can’t go wrong.

No-Knead Skillet Bread

Happy Memorial Day!

Something about baking bread....it's almost elemental. 

It feels like getting back to your roots. 

And the smell...is like home.

Which is why it's so sad that most people feel like baking bread is too difficult. Cuz guys IT'S NOT! Especially this recipe: no kneading, only a little over 2 hours start to finish (which isn't that long! And 1 and 1/2 hours of it are inactive, just waiting for it to rise--during which you can do some laundry, clean, watch TV, read a book...whatevs!) and it just bakes up in a gorgeous, rustic, cast iron skillet. And there's some pretty pretty rosemary on top. ooooh

Once you've baked up the beautious bread, you can use the bread for whatever you want (I used it for some grilled cheese even) but may I suggest roasted garlic? Cuz...roasted garlic is the bomb dizzel.

Random sad fact: As I write this I have been out of garlic for almost 1 whole week and haven't had a chance to go to the grocery store. It's a tragedy.

End of the day you have fluffy, golden brown, herbed, roasted garlic spread-ed, bread. That's a total crowd pleaser. Or just a you in your sweatpants pleaser. Either way, everyone is happy!

Baked French Fries with Rosemary

I LOVE FRENCH FRIES!!! I love 'em! They're crunchy and salty and you just wanna eat em and eat em up! But um...they're fried. So I know they're not good for me. *sigh* It's a very sad truth.

But hey...psst....guess what? You can make homemade, baked (NOT FRIED!), fries that are crispy and flavorful and PERFECT!

Lately I've also really been loving the combo of rosemary with fries, it's just a really yummy addition (especially if you've got an aioli dipping sauce--or a bearnaise...ooooh that sounds gooood!): I just so happened to have some rosemary olive oil hanging out in my pantry, so I used that for these fries. You totally can use normal oil but OH MAN it was a wonderfully tasty decision to use it!

Actually, now that I think about it, this recipe is crazy versatile. Instead of olive oil you could drizzle these fries with truffle oil. You can season them any way you want! And, of course, you can dip them in a number of sauces (including, of course, ketchup!). You can even put these in a sandwich, I hear that's a thing.

Omgee that just reminded me: there's this restaurant back home where they serve french fries with butter. At first you're all like "whaaaa? CRAZY!" But then...you remember. They're potatoes. And then you take a bite. And it's like "mmmmmm." So...I forgot about that. Now I want to make these fries again and try them with butter. And garlic aioli. And Parmesan cheese. And paprika...

The french fry sky is the limit!

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." )

White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese with Truffle Sea Salt

It's finally happened. Michael didn't complain about a macaroni and cheese recipe. STOP THE PRESSES!

You see....that crazy boy of mine is always all whiney about my baked mac n cheese recipes, saying they're not real mac n cheese and asking me why I can't just buy him Velveeta. #firstworldfoodbloggerhubbyprobs

I suppose I shouldn't have been SO surprised, this is a stovetop mac n cheese recipe, which means it's creamier and more what he's used to. And...well....it IS delicious!

....and maybe there's some truffle flavor in it for me. But not so much that Michael got overwhelmed by it (or...even noticed it, for that matter).

You know what another benefit to the stovetop mac n cheese is (aside from silencing crankypants fiances')?

IT'S SO EASY. And quick. I used one pot to make the entire thing. (hooray minimal dishes)!

You make some of your favorite shaped pasta, then whip up a super creamy, super dreamy cheese sauce (that I healthified a bit by subbing in fat free half and half, instead of the original recipe's heavy cream. The downside was the sauce needed some thickening via a cornstarch mixture. I'd take that over the calories any dayyy though!) with a healthy dose of addictive truffle salt. It's lovely. Mmmmm. Get yourself a bowl a-tothe-sap!

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!

Baked Corn Fritters

Erm, Happy St. Patrick's Day? Ok....if you've followed my blog for at least a year, you're probably aware that I've dubbed myself the St. Patrick's day grinch. It's just like....a very "whatever" holiday to me to begin with. And then there's the whole people get mad at you if you don't wear green and I am not that into the color green. More than anything, though, it's the fact that it's essentially a big excuse to get wasted. And I'm really not into that. It kind of drives me crazy (I don't drink and I really don't like drunk people.) So, friends, forgive me. Dear Irish quarter of my family (hi Moore's!), forgive me. Let's just move along and discuss corn fritters, shall we? (I hope you all have oodles of fun today, regardless of my grinchdom, and stay safe!!)

These corn fritters are great because they're crazy easy to whip up, and they're baked, not fried, so-woot-healthyish! They're a gorgeous and impressive appetizer, snack, or side, and you can serve them in a bunch of different ways (salsa? guac? ranch? dipped in soup?) Use your imagination!

Now, unfortunately, they didn't end up being my favorite. They were great-crisp and full of corn flavor but...I don't know. For some reason they didn't do it for me. Michael, on the other hand, really enjoyed them (it's probably because he used sauces and I ate 'em plain due to my weird I-eat-stuff-plain palate). So, I definitely think they're worth a try. Especially if you're going to entertain! Set them out with a bunch of different sauces and you have a super fun and tasty little app. for the peoples. I'm pretty excited about the fact that I'll be able to bring food to family functions, now, and I know this is one that would be a crowd pleaser!

Cheez-It Macaroni and Cheese

Just when I'm getting over all my nervousness about Michael's job interview on Friday, TODAY is his grad school interview. Sooo much presssuuuure. *deep breaths* Anyway. So. We're gonna keep the comfort foods rollin'. Mac n cheese=ultimate comfort. Cheez-its: one of my favorite snacks. PUT TOGETHER!

Now, I cannot take ownership for this idea. I got it from my girl Ashley over at Wishes and Dishes. But...oh MAN! How brilliant! Crunchy, cheesy crackers on top of your beloved macaroni and cheese! Now...I might have changed the recipe just a smidge in that....I...sort of browned the butter...I KNOW! I couldn't resist! I have a problem guyyssss!

But anyway. So. Let's chat. This mac n cheese is super tasty BUT very thick. It is 100% best eaten the day it is made. This is not a dish where it makes good leftovers. So, I suggest you make this yumminess if you're entertaining or have a decent sized family unit. 2 people is not enough. Nopes. Especially because Michael will forever be loyal to Velveeta, it seems. *martyred sigh*

Anywayyy, give it a try! All those other people you feed will def. be grateful!