Potato, Squash, and Cheese Gratin

This recipe was originally from www.thekitchn.com/recipe-potato-squash-and-goat-90647 entitled: Potato, Squash, and Goat Cheese Gratin.  It looked good but I was missing some things and frankly, I don't like goat cheese (yes I try it over and over and still come to the same conclusion).  So I changed it and it came out great!  But if you like goat cheese (bleck) maybe you should try the original and see how it goes.  As mentioned in her post,  you're going to want a mandolin.  There is one on Amazon for only $20 that gets great reviews.  After giving myself carpal tunnel making this the first time, I decided to buy one myself.  As for my version, here is:

Potato, Squash, and Cheese Gratin
9x12 serves 6-8

4-6 small/medium yellow squash (large squash are bitter)
6-8 red potatoes
1 small/medium red or Vidallia onion (optional)
1/3 cup olive oil
8oz sharp cheddar, graded (again, Cabbot Seriously Sharp is my favorite)
4oz (or more if you like) cream cheese
1/2 cup milk (don't use skim - if that is all you have, half/half or cream can be used)

Preheat oven to 400.

Use a mandolin or chef's knife to cut the squash, potatoes, and onion very thin - 1/8inch or less - and as evenly as possible.  Place in a large bowl.  Pour olive oil over the sliced veggies and stir or toss to coat.

Layer in 9x12 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick oil - sliced veggies, dots of cream cheese over the whole pan (2oz) (take two spoons, get some on one spoon and push off dots with the other spoon), layer of 1/3 of the cheese.  Sliced veggies, dots of cream cheese (2oz), layer of cheese (1/3 of the cheese).  Layer of veggies, last of the cheese. 

Pour milk over the whole dish.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and brown.  Serve warm.  Left overs don't fair that well just so you know.  So eat up!

Red Beans and Rice, and Corn Pudding

I often get recipes from http://www.ourbestbitse.com/. It is one of my favorite site! This recipe is from that site. My friend Kate is a Logan, UT girl living with her husband and kids in Louisiana right now. She posted about red beans and rice and I thought, hey I'll try it. My first attempt ended with a mush of flavorless, well, mush. I made two mistakes: 1) cooking it all day. Only cooking it for 5 hours on high worked MUCH better then all day on low. 2) I used Zateran's Creole flavoring instead of Tony's. Second time, used Tony's and it actually had flavor! So check out her recipe here:

Red Beans and Rice
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/02/red-beans-and-rice.html

To go with the Red Beans and Rice, I threw together a Corn Pudding. Now, this is different from corn bread. It is tender and soft, yummy and sweet. I got the recipe from Paula Dean, but made some changes - mostly cut the amount of butter in half! I also lessened the sour cream.

Corn Pudding

1 can corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted

Set oven to 350. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Grease a 9X13 casserole dish. Pour mixture into dish and bake for 45-60 minutes, until golden on top.

Grandma Harmon's Frozen Fruit Salad

I had every intention of posting this before the new year, but then it came and went. I wanted to tell the story about this frozen fruit salad. It was something my Grandmother Harmon made and something I remember my Aunt Sheila making growing up. When I got the recipe for my mom this holiday season, it may as well have been encrypted. In case you are wondering, terminology for recipes has changed in the last 70 years. For example, how many of you know what a #2 can is? Nothing is standardized like that any more. And instead of "grab the cool whip" it is 1 pint whipped cream... You know because there WASN'T any cool whip or redi-whip or any of that stuff. But do you just whip the cream or actually make whipped cream? ah! And what is the world is Oleo (that is actually from my husband's grandma's cookbook)? It is butter or shortening for all of you who didn't know either. And a #2 can is 20 oz or about 2 1/2 cups. And yes you do actually make whipped cream (with sugar and vanilla) not just whip the cream. After all that, I have made this recipe a little easier to understand. I really enjoy this tasty treat - even more than ice cream :^) Noel (my daughter) loves it too. What is best is that because it has fruit in it, you can justify eating it any time of day!  And I think it is perfect for Christmas brunch.  Or Easter.  Or your birthday.  Whenever!


Grandma Harmon's Frozen Fruit Salad
makes 2 8x8 pans

about 20 oz canned peaches, drained and cut up (2 1/2 cups un-diced)
20 oz crushed pineapple
1 large banana, cut up
1 cup mini-mallows
1 small jar of maraschino cherries, drained
1 cup pineapple juice (crushed pineapple still comes in 20 oz cans - thank goodness - and it happens that the liquid you drain from it should give you 1 cup)
2 TBS flour
1/4 cup butter
2 TBS sugar
1 beaten egg (a room temp egg is optimal)
2 TBS lemon juice
1/2 cup coconut flakes (optional)
pinch of salt
1 pint whipping cream (for how to make whipped cream, see below the recipe)

On the stove top in a sauce pan, cook on medium heat pineapple juice, flour, butter, sugar, and salt for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Then take a small spoonful of the mixture and add it to the beaten egg. This is called tempering and it brings the temp of the egg up to the temp of the liquid so you don't get scrambled egg. Yuck. If you do notice that you got scrambled egg, throw it out and beat another egg. Repeat. Once your egg is tempered, pour it into the mixture and stir it in. Add lemon juice. Add fruit, marshmallows, and coconut (if using). Stir until well combined. Fold in whipped cream. This just means you make motions that are up and down (think of a Ferris Wheel), getting ingredients from the bottom of the bowl and bringing them to incorporate with the whipped cream on top - NOT left and right motions like regular stirring. Place in two 8x8 pans and freeze. Thaw for a few minutes before cutting to eat.

Whipped Cream

1 pint whipping cream
2-4 TBS sugar (I use 2 because it doesn't over power this recipe with sweetness)
1 tsp vanilla

Beat with an electric mixer until peaks form - quite a few minutes. This is a good tricep workout ;^) You will notice when the consistency starts to change - all of a sudden and you are pretty much done.

Cheesy Funeral Potatoes

This recipe is good, but I know a better one... It is just getting my source to give it up (Natalie Larsen)! But in the mean time, this one is tasty and I have had a few requests for it. Why is it called funeral potatoes you ask? In Utah, when there is a big event like a funeral, the Relief Society women are asked to provide the luncheon for the family. When looking up the recipe, you will often find it called "Mormon Funeral Potatoes." Not because Mormons have a corner on the market, but because it became a tradition, along with ham and green beans. There are as many recipes for it as you could imagine! It makes a nice big side - and can be easily doubled or tripled... It is just right for feeding a crowd without going over the budget. It is high in calories so watch your portions! And feel free to bring it to your next church function - you might start a new trend!


Funeral Potatoes
Presented by Becky Low
on February 04, 2002

Ingredients:
· 6 cups diced potatoes*(If you use fresh potatoes, you have to cook the dish for at least an hour)
· 1 can (10 ¾ oz.) cond. cream chicken soup
· 1/2 soup can milk
· 1 cup sour cream
· 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
· 1/4 cup grated onion (optional) **
· salt and pepper to taste
· 3 tablespoons butter, melted
· 3/4 cup corn flake crumbs (I personally like more flakes, but you don't need more butter)

Thaw frozen potatoes if using (see *note below). Place potatoes in a 2-3 quart casserole dish or a 9x13 pan.

Combine soup, milk, sour cream, cheese, and onion (see **note below) and salt and pepper to taste. If a saucier dish is desired or using raw potatoes, add 2-3 tablespoons additional milk. Mix well. Spread sauce over potatoes.

Melt butter and combine with corn flake crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 30-45 minutes if you are using frozen or cooked fresh potatoes or until hot and bubbly throughout. Cook at least 1 hour if using uncooked, fresh potatoes; cover tightly with foil and remove for the last 20-30 minutes to crisp the top.

Notes:
* Use approximately 6-8 peeled, and diced fresh potatoes; or approximately 2 pounds frozen, southern style, diced hash browns (not shredded). ** Use 1 tablespoon dried onion or saute 1/4 cup fresh chopped onion in 1 tablespoon butter until transparent.
Recipe serves approximately 8.