Tag Archives: potatoes

It seems like the entire country has been battling freezing temperatures and horrible winter weather lately and MN has been no exception.  On a cold day (freezing, subzero, arctic, or however you want to describe the weather we’ve had recently) something warm and cozy is all I want.  Call it “winter warmer” food if you will.  A hearty and flavorful Guinness Beef Stew is what I ultimately ended up making.  Let me warn you, this recipe is not hard to make at all, but it does take a long time to make (aka it simmers for 2 hours) so you will need to plan ahead when making this stew. It’s great for a “meat and potatoes” type of person because that’s exactly what it is.  Plenty of beef chuck, potatoes, and carrots that are simmered in a Guinness infused broth.  The meat and broth are perfectly seasoned, the meat is tender and falls apart in your … Continue reading

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Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup is my new favorite soup.  It’s rich, creamy, and loaded with the perfect toppings.  It’s a made from scratch soup but it’s SO SIMPLE, so please keep reading.  It’s hearty, can be a main entrée or served as a side dish/starter, reheats well so it can be enjoyed for lunch throughout the week, and makes a lot.  When I first thought about making a baked potato soup, I thought this is just going to be like eating mashed potatoes.  But it’s not!  It has all the flavors of mashed potatoes but with a different consistency.  It’s yummy and perfect for this time of you. The recipe can be found here. Start by washing and peeling the potatoes.  I prefer to peel my potatoes but if you like to leave the skin on, that’s just fine.  Then, slice into 1-2-inch pieces.  Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Add the potatoes, garlic, onion, chicken broth, salt, and … Continue reading

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If you are looking for a simple yet filling and nutritious dinner, you’ve come to the right place.  Sheet Pan Sausage & Vegetables is all that and more!  It’s customizable, cooks on a sheet pan so you have easy cleanup and can easily feed a family of 4.  I like to use chicken sausage, but you can use any sausage of your choice.  I recommend using pre-cooked sausage because all you really need to do is reheat it with this recipe, not cook if fully.  My preference of veggies is potato, onion, and bell pepper but mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, or cauliflower would also work well.  All you need to do is chop, season, and bake.  Easy as that! The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.  If you want to double the recipe, you will want to … Continue reading

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Sheet pan meals are becoming more frequent at our house.  They are easy to assemble and quick to cleanup because all the cooking happens on…you guessed it…a sheet pan.  We have a 2-person household as well, so the sheet pan meals are often enough to have for 2 meals.  Depending on how busy we are during the week, this is either 2 dinners or 1 dinner and 1 lunch for us.  The combinations are endless as well!  We primarily make chicken with a vegetable on the side, but you could try turkey breasts, pork chops, etc. with any vegetable (or vegetables) of your choosing. My favorite recipe is for Sheet Pan Pretzel Encrusted Honey Mustard Chicken with Potatoes.  I think coating to the chicken adds a fun element to the dish because you had added texture and flavor instead of just plain chicken.  So, you get tender chicken in each bite with a little crunch.  The combination of … Continue reading

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One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions from my childhood was getting up early to help my mom prepare all the food.  We’d spend hours in the kitchen chopping vegetables, assembling casseroles, prepping the turkey (one in the oven and one on the grill), and baking pies.  We would clean up and get ready for the day while everything was baking in the oven, then we’d wait for company to arrive.  It was the best! This year, I’m thinking of changing the plan.  Why not do something a little simpler and less time consuming so we can enjoy each other’s company and spend the day with family?  The holidays are busy enough without spending hours in the kitchen, so I want to create a menu that is delicious but also fairly quick to put together.  At least that’s what I want my thought process to be going into the holiday season!  … Continue reading

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Who knew National French Fry day was a thing?  I was overjoyed when I found out this information because I love a good french fry.  Imagine the perfectly crisp outside with the light and tender inside, so hot from the fryer you need to dunk in ketchup to cool them down.  Does this make your mouth water? I typically only enjoy french fries when I’m out to eat but thought, why not make them at home?  I have 3 different recipes to share with you today and because french fries come in many different shapes, each is a different variety. Oven Baked French Fries Seasoned Potato Wedges Cajun Potato Rounds   Oven Baked French Fries are crispy, crunchy, salty, and complement any meal nicely.  I also like that they are baked and not deep fried, so they are slightly healthier to enjoy. Start by washing, peeling, and slicing the potatoes.  … Continue reading

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Friends and family will be coming together with Christmas right around the corner.  Are you ready for all the festivities?  Are you hosting a party?  It can be stressful preparing for a get-together with a house full of guests, but it doesn’t need to be.  Some people have multiple places to stop in one night while others have one stop to make.  Whether your guest are coming and going or staying for the evening, you can serve a simple menu of appetizers. I think this is a great idea because 1) your guests can eat as much or as little as they like, 2) you can have a large variety of options to choose from, and 3) you spend more time socializing with your guests than you do in the kitchen. Here’s what I plan on serving: Burrata with Cranberries and Ciabatta Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes Chicken Parmesan … Continue reading

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I look forward to Thanksgiving every year.  Not just for the delicious feast, but because it’s a time to get together with family and friends.  For some it’s also about football and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which I too enjoy.  I’ve put together a handful of my favorite recipes and ideas you can use to host the perfect Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving.   What’s a party without some appetizers?  Two of my favorite appetizers for Thanksgiving are Cranberry Crescent Bites and Brie and Apple Crostinis.  I think they are sweet and savory but also a little salty.  Both fit the holiday theme, are easy to make, and can feed a crowd.  The recipes can be found below. Cranberry Crescent Bites               Brie and Apple Crostini   I’m a huge fan of sangria so I like to make a big batch of Cranberry Sangria to … Continue reading

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