Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

For years I have made scalloped potatoes by layering sliced potato and onion in a casserole dish and dumping a can of cream of mushroom soup on the top. The result can be gummy and grey depending on the type of potatoes used. I wanted to get away from a milky sauce over the potatoes and experimented with this method. It was very well received by our family!

Slice 3-4 lbs of potatoes in a food processor. (I used new red potatoes and did not peel them.)

Parboil the slices in boiling salted water for 8 minutes (this step could be omitted if you bake the potatoes a little longer)

Butter a 9x13 pan

Put 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom and sprinkle with 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese, 2 oz of cubed cream cheese, 1 tbsp of flour, salt, pepper to taste.

Add 1/3 of the potatoes and sprinkle with 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese, 2 oz of cubed cream cheese, 1 tbsp of flour, salt, pepper as above. I added 4 oz of lightly cooked sliced mushrooms on the layer too.

Top with remaining potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Add 8-12 oz milk.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Cover lightly with foil for the first 1/2 hour and then let the top brown for the last 15 minutes.

Spicy Lentil Tacos

I saw this recipe on Phoo-d and we had it for supper tonight. We have made tacos with veggie ground round in the past but it is expensive and too salty for my liking. This lentil version tastes better. You can follow the link to the recipe I used but it is copied here as links are prone to going dead.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Diced Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Poblano Peppers, diced (or peppers of choice)
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Ancho Chili Powder (I used regular chili powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 4 cups Cooked Lentils (2 tins, drained and rinsed)
• 1/3 cup or more* Vegetable Stock (Low Sodium)
• 1 small tin Tomato Paste (4-6 oz)
• 1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce (optional)
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil or cook onions in vegetable broth

Cooking Directions

Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, and peppers and saute until soft. 

When the vegetables are soft add the black pepper, salt, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and coriander in and stir for a minute. Add the lentils, vegetable stock, tomato paste, and hot sauce to the skillet. Stir until well combined, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the lentils are warmed through and most of the vegetable stock has evaporated, about 4 minutes. If the mixture begins to look dry add more vegetable stock*. 

 

Serve in a corn tortilla or tostada with traditional taco toppings. Serves 4.

Hearty Curry

I made this curry with ingredients on hand and the meat-lover in the family declared the vegetables tasted better than the meat. I didn’t really measure the ingredients and the recipe is very versatile.

Add to wok or large frying pan with lid:

1 tbsp oil
1 diced onion
2 tsp freshly ground cumin
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric

Fry until seeds start to pop and onion is starting to soften.

Add:

1-1/2 lbs diced potatoes (I quartered mini potatoes and left the peels on)
1/2 diced green pepper
1/2 diced red pepper
1 sliced carrot
1 tbsp curry paste
3/4 cup water

Stir vegetables so they are coated with seasonings. Cover pot and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Add:

1/2 pound spinach leaves
3/4 cup peas (canned or frozen)
1 cup coconut milk (or more to make enough sauce)
Cover and simmer until spinach is wilted

Add:

1 tsp garam masala
cayenne pepper to taste

Serve on rice or with naan bread. Serves 4 hungry people, more if it is used as a side dish.