Lemon-Mint Potato Salad

1 3/4 to 2 pounds red potatoes (2-3 inches in diameter) (I used russets)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 1/2 to 2 lemons)
Zest from the lemons (optional)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. Scrub the potatoes and leave them wet.  Poke each one with a fork twice, on opposite sides.  Place in the crock of a slow cooker, cover, and cook on high 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or just until tender when poked with a skewer.
2. Slice into 1/4-inch-wide rounds while still hot (hold the hot potatoes with a fork while slicing, and don't worry about being exact; the potatoes will fall apart slightly when mixed).  Toss with the salt first, then add the olive oil and toss.  Pour in the lemon juice, and toss again.  Then add the zest, red onion, parsley, mint, and pepper and toss until mixed.  (Can be made earlier in the day.  Cover, chill, and bring to room temperature before serving.)
3. Taste to correct the seasonings; if too sharp or dry, splash a bit of white balsamic vinegar or a little olive oil; or add a flavor-finish with something completely different, like basil oil or walnut oil. Leftover salad will keep refrigerated 3 days.

Source: Cooking Green, Kate Heyhoe

Try #1 - May 9, 2013
This was interesting.  It was the first time I tried cooking potatoes in the crock pot... and it worked!  It gave the potatoes a nice firm but soft texture which might have been lost had I tried boiling or microwaving them.  The kids were not down with the lemony flavor, and ended up adding ketchup... but I thought it was pretty good (full disclosure - I tried some with ketchup and it WAS good :) ).  Mostly I tried this recipe because we had lemons and mint in the fridge to use up.  Not sure I'd make this particular salad again, but I would try cooking the potatoes in the crock pot again for a different potato salad or even just to slice into rounds and salt as a side dish (with ketchup, perhaps... :) ).

Mashed Potato and Meat Pie

8 medium potatoes
1 cup warm milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup mild cheese, grated
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
thin slices of ham
thin slices of mild cheese such as mozzarella
1 tsp oil
2 Tbsp onions, finely chopped
1/2 lb ground beef or turkey (optional)
1 cup tomato sauce
pinch of salt
dash of pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)

1. Peel and cook potatoes until soft. Drain and mash.
2. Add milk, butter, eggs, cheese, cornstarch, flour, salt and baking powder. Mix until smooth. Spread half of potato mixture in a greased 9x13-inch pan.
3. Cover with ham and slices of cheese.
4. Spread remaining potatoes over top and bake 30 minutes at 300.
5. While potatoes are in the oven, make the sauce. In a saucepan, brown onions and ground meat in 1 tsp oil. Drain any excess fat. Add and simmer tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
6. Remove potatoes from oven, pour sauce over top, and continue baking 5-10 minutes.

Source: Extending the Table

Sausage, Potato, and Cabbage Soup

8 oz mild Italian sausage meat
2 small onions, cut into 1-inch thick slices (1 1/2 cups)
6 scallions, trimmed (leaving some green) and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 1/4 cups)
6 cups water
1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
8 oz savoy cabbage, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
1 1/4 tsp salt
Crusty French bread

1. Break the sausage meat into 1-inch pieces and place it in a saucepan over high heat. Saute, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to keep the meat from sticking, for 10 minutes, or until the sausage is well browned.
2. Add the onions and scallions and cook for 1 minutes. Stir in the water, potatoes, cabbage, and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes.
3. Serve the soup in bowls with chunks of crusty French bread.

Source: Essential Pepin

Try #1 - January 3, 2012
Nathan really liked this, and the kids ate it too... but I wasn't such a big fan. I think it's because it tasted a little too much like corned beef and cabbage for my liking - a bad experience with that a couple of years ago has a sour taste in my mouth. But, if you're a corned beef and cabbage fan, this soup may be for you!

Root Vegetable Mash

From Prevention magazine, Nov. 2010. A recipe from Mario Batali!

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium turnips, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 medium parsnips, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Grated zest of 2 oranges
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch chives, finely chopped

1. Bring the carrot, potato, turnip, onion, parsnip, sweet potato, and water to cover a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Then lower to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.
2. Drain the vegetables and pass through a food mill into a large bowl or mash thoroughly by hand. Stir in the cinnamon, oil, and orange zest and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chives and serve.

Try #1 - November 5, 2010
I made this without the parsnips or turnips (not something we usually have lying around the house...), and it turned out well. I also left out the orange zest and chives... so, I only used about half of the actual ingredients. :) Still good, and a good alternative to traditional mashed potatoes!

Ethiopian Vegetable Stew (Alecha)

From "Extending the Table." Pronounced ah-LEE-chah.

2 Tbsp butter or oil
1 clove garlic (1/2 tsp minced)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
3 medium potatoes, chopped in large pieces
2-3 carrots, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric (I omitted this because I don't have any)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb cabbage, chopped (about 1/2 or 1/3 of a cabbage)
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1 green chili pepper, seeded and quartered

1. In large saucepan, combine oil, garlic, and onion. Saute until onions are soft, but do not brown.
2. Add 1/2 cup water, potatoes, carrots, 1/2 tsp salt, and spices. Cook about 10 minutes until potatoes and carrots begin to soften.
3. Add cabbage, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp salt, and green chili. Cook until vegetables are tender. Stir gently to combine, taking care not to mash vegetables.
4. Serve with Ethiopian flat bread or rice.

Try #1 - August 7, 2010
Turned out great! I used red potatoes (instead of our normal russet) and red cabbage, because a friend had given us some. The flavor of the stew was delicious, and just a hint of spice with the green chili. It went great with the Injera flat bread. I'll definitely make this again!

The whole stew (not counting chopping the vegetables) takes about 45 minutes to an hour to cook. This was just the right amount of time to simultaneously cook the flat bread.

All told, the stew and flat bread took about 3 hours, start to finish. Not difficult, just time consuming.

Broccoli and Potato Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 (10 ounce) packages chopped frozen broccoli, thawed
1 potato, peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

1.Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, and saute onion and garlic until tender. Mix in broccoli, potato, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
2.With a hand mixer or in a blender, puree the mixture until smooth. Return to the saucepan, and reheat. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Source: allrecipes.com

Try #1 - July 5, 2010
Easy, healthy soup. I actually used 4 potatoes and a 32oz bag of broccoli, and didn't bother to blend it. The soup was creamy but also chunky, which is what we like. We topped it with shredded cheddar cheese (no nutmeg).

Try #2 - September 8, 2010
I put all ingredients in the crockpot this time...

Foil-wrapped Grilled Vegetables

1.Coarsely chop your veggies into bit size pieces.
2.Drizzle over olive oil generously and lightly toss the vegetables to coat.
3.Sprinkle with herbs, freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste. Lightly toss to distribute.
4.Lay out one or two layers of aluminum foil on your work surface. Pile up the vegetables in the middle. If you are making more than a couple cups worth of vegetables, separate them into separate foil packets.
5.Either fold the foil around the vegetables and secure on top or lay another layer of foil on top and bunch up the edges to secure it. You want your foil packet of vegetables to be closed on all sides. Also be sure that where you close the foil is facing upward. If the seam is on the bottom of the packet or facing down, your oil and other liquids will simply drip out into your grill.
6.Up to this point, you can prepare your vegetable packets slightly ahead of time while you prepare other food or prepare the grill or fire pit. Do not leave the vegetables sitting in the oil for more than a couple hours however.
7.Put your grilled vegetable foil packets directly on your hot grill. After some time they will start to steam and sizzle.
8.Cooking time varies depending on the hardness of the vegetables (more time if hard veggies like potato and carrot are included), the size of the pieces, the size of your packets and the heat of your grill. In very general terms, you will need at least 10 minutes of cooking time and up to 30 to 40 minutes if you have large pieces of potato or carrot which need time to soften. You can also cook more or less to your taste if you like your veggies more well done and soft or more on the crisp and fresh side.
9.If all else fails, remove your foil packet from the grill to a plate or platter (I find a large spatula the best way to do this without the foil packet breaking or falling open). Carefully open the packet (the steam will be hot!) and check your veggies for doneness. If they are not done to your liking, simply wrap them back up tightly and put back on the grill for a while longer.
10.When done, remove the veggies to a serving bowl or platter and discard the foil. Taste for salt and pepper and add some if needed.
11.Your grilled vegetable dish is now ready to serve alongside the rest of your delicious grilled recipes!

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

From www.wholefoodsmarket.com

8 medium sized red potatoes (I used russet)
2 tablespoons canola oil (I used olive oil)
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, or 2 teaspoons dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method #1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Quarter potatoes and steam for 5 to 8 minutes, until slightly tender. Put potatoes in a mixing bowl and coat with oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Place evenly on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Method #2: Preheat oven to 375°F. Quarter potatoes, put in a mixing bowl and coat with oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Place evenly on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Try #1 - April 16, 2010
I used method #2, and the potatoes took about an hour, just like the directions said. They were delicious! Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside. Perfect! Served with roast chicken and roasted carrots.

Hearty Ham Casserole

2 cups potatoes, cubed (I used 5 smallish russet potatoes)
2 cups cooked ham, cubed (I used 1 cup cooked ham)
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (I used 1 cup frozen corn and 1/2 cup frozen peas)
1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley (I used 4 tsp dried parsley)
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (I put some in the sauce, then some on top during the last 5 minutes)

White sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon chopped onions (I used a whole onion)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
(I also added some garlic powder)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool. (I skipped this step)
3. Combine potatoes, ham, corn and parsley; set aside. In a saucepan saute onion in butter for 2 minutes (I sauted for much longer, maybe 10 minutes or so), stir in flour until blended well. Gradually add milk and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and pour over the ham mixture. Stir to mix well.
4. Pour into greased 11x7 baking dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes (I baked for a little over an hour, since I put the potatoes in raw. Oh yeah, and I didn't cover it either...). Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer until cheese melts.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Try #1 - April 12, 2010
I followed this recipe very loosely. I added peas in addition to corn, and some garlic powder to the sauce. I also decided to bake the potatoes with everything rather than boiling them first. I think this gave the potatoes a very nice texture. However, it of course took longer to bake - about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. But if I had the time, I would definitely do it this way again. Great way to use up leftover ham and dig into that 10 lb bag of potatoes that we often have in our pantry! :)

This was creamy and delicious - although almost a bit too rich for my taste (Nathan really liked it). Next time I might use less butter.

Try #2 - January 6, 2012
I think part of the reason it was so rich last time is actually the sweet corn I used, so I decided to omit that this time. I also decided to serve the peas on the side instead of putting them in the casserole. I also used 3 Tbsp of butter instead of 1/4 cup. I cooked the potatoes ahead of time in the microwave so the baking time would be less.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

I saw this recipe in Prevention magazine (Apr. 2010) and decided to try it because it looked simpler (and maybe healthier?) than the recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. However, the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens was really good, so if this doesn't match up, I'll be returning to that one. :)

2 lbs all-purpose potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese (5 oz)
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Set oven rack to top position.
2. Layer potatoes and cheese in a well-oiled 8in. x 8in. baking dish, ending with cheese on top. Season each potato layer with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
3. Pour in milk. Drizzle oil over potatoes and cheese.
4. Bake on top rack of oven until bubbly and golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Try #1 - March 31, 2010
This was good - definitely not as creamy as the BH&G recipe, but still good. I did, however, probably use almost double the amount of cheese it called for, so it was kind of greasy (but also delicious)... so not sure if it's actually any healthier than the creamy version. :) But it was definitely easier to make, so that's a plus. The fresh ground pepper also made it really good.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes (I used a beef roast)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth (I didn't have any beef broth, so I just used water)
1/2 cup red wine (I used 1/3 cup white cooking wine)
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped (didn't have any celery)

Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, wine, potatoes, carrots, and celery.

Cover, and cook on low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on high setting for 4 to 6 hours.

Source: Let's Eat!

Try #1 - March 15, 2010 (actually try #2 - I made this a couple of months ago)
1. I really like this recipe because the gravy makes itself in the crockpot!
2. When doing a big chunk of meat, the flour/salt/pepper (and maybe garlic and paprika) should be rubbed into the meat. All other ingredients can be poured around the base of the meat.
3. Peasant bread is a perfect addition to this meal - soaks up the juices nicely!

Vegetarian Moroccan Stew

Tried the Moroccan dish again tonight, with some significant changes:

3 russet potatoes, diced
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 carrots, cut in whatever shape you'd like
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup dried fruit (apricots and raisins)
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 cup orange juice
Salt to taste
Whole wheat couscous

1. Place potatoes and carrots in a large stockpot (I used our kazan). Add peppers and dried fruit. Add garbanzo beans. Drizzle soy sauce and sprinkle curry powder over beans; toss with beans until coated. Add coconut milk and orange juice around the edge of the pot, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Add salt to taste.
(Alternate: Place all ingredients in crockpot and cook 4-6 hours.)
2. Serve over cooked couscous.

Curried Potatoes

From Vegetarian Times, June 2008

1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, diced (3 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
4 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (1 cup)
2 Tbsp Madras curry powder
1 15-oz can black beans
3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
Salt and pepper

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in potatoes, carrots, and curry powder, and cook 4 minutes.
2. Add beans and their liquid, tomatoes, broth, jalapeno chiles, vinegar, and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until potatoes are flaky and carrots are cooked through, stirring occasionally.

My note: Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Try #1 - March 18, 2010
I followed this recipe very loosely, based on what I had...

1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion
1/2 green pepper
1 heaping Tbsp minced garlic
2 Russet potatoes, unpeeled
2 carrots
1 1/2 Tbsp red curry powder
1 15-oz can black beans
1 15-oz garbanzo beans
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 jalapeno chile
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
Salt

Served over brown rice with plain yogurt.

Note: At first I thought this dish was rather bland - spicy, but not much flavor. But then I took a little break from dinner to feed William, and when I came back about 20 minutes later for another helping, I found I liked it much better. Plus, I think the sauce had thickened a bit. So, next time I would let the dish stand for 10 minutes or so before serving.

Moroccan-Style Pork Shoulder Roast

From allrecipes.com

4 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
8 ounces assorted baby sweet peppers OR coarsely chopped and seeded sweet peppers
1/2 cup dried fruit mix, with apricots, plums and raisins
1 (15 ounce) can lite coconut milk
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooked couscous (optional)

1. Trim visible fat from roast. Drizzle roast with soy sauce and rub all sides with curry. Brown roast in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add remaining ingredients around the roast, cover with lid and place in a 350 degree F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until roast and potatoes are tender.
2. Transfer roast and vegetables to a serving platter. Return pan with sauce to stove top and bring to a boil, cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Coarsely shred meat and serve with sweet potatoes and peppers and sauce. Serve over cooked couscous, if desired.

Try #1 - For small group, Feb. 24
I drizzled the roast with soy sauce and rubbed it with curry, then placed it in the crockpot on top of the vegetables (I used 5 smallish sweet potatoes and two red peppers). I put the dried fruit in (minus plums), then poured the coconut milk and orange juice (I used 3/4 cup) around the meat. Set for low heat (8 hrs).

After 5 hours, I added two russet potatoes, a green pepper, and a can of garbanzo beans, because I was afraid it wasn't going to make enough... hopefully the potatoes will cook in time. Update: potatoes cooked no problem!

Final results:
Delicious, but would do a few things differently next time.
#1 The pork was REALLY fatty (and I didn't trim the visible fat beforehand). We ended up having to skim off half a can of fat. Next time I would use a less fatty meat, or cook the meat beforehand (chicken, beef, or lamb would work well) and put it in with the vegetables. (You can see the gross fat pre-skimming... I'll post a better picture the next time we make it!)


#2 The raisins, apricots, and almost all the sweet potatoes pretty much disinegrated into the sauce. It made the sauce delicious and thicker, so maybe that's ok - but it was a little mushy. The russet potatoes stayed together. Maybe next time I would put half of the sweet potatoes in a little later so some of them retain their shape. I didn't mind the dried fruit disinegrating, because I don't really like the texture of them when they're puffed up with liquid (as they were halfway through cooking).
#3 I might try it in our kazan next time, because I think the slow cooking is what made things disinegrate.
#4 The garbanzo beans, potatoes, and green pepper were all excellent additions! You could also add carrots and onions. This could be a vegetarian meal if you doubled or tripled the amount of beans. Click here for my vegetarian version.
#5 Great over couscous! Bread also soaked up the extra juice nicely.

British Sticky Chicken

6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
2 cups tomatoes (cherry are best, but any kind, including canned, will work)
1 pound of potatoes
6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Bunch of fresh oregano leaves
Salt and pepper

1. Cook potatoes (we usually just do it in the microwave).
2. Brown chicken (do not need to cook all the way through) in 2 Tbsp olive oil.
3. Place potatoes and chicken into a baking dish, one layer thick (don’t pile it up). Add tomatoes (squish into available space). Mix 4 Tbsp olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano in a bowl.  Drizzle over mixture in pan, mix to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bake in 400 oven for 40 minutes.

Source: adapted from this Jamie Oliver recipe