Potato Cakes

When did you last have potato cakes? They work well as a side to a meat entry.

If you happen to have mashed potatoes leftovers, you can make them quite easily. Just add an egg, some flour, diced onion, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together. The dough will be a bit sticky, then the cakes will turn out best.

Put them with a spoon into a pan with hot oil, flatten the sticky dough and fry the potato cakes on both sides until they turn golden brown. 

 

When the cakes are ready, put them for a little while on a plate with a paper towel (to drain the oil).

Serve with ketchup.

Baked Potatoes and Summer Meals

This recipe is a good option for a simple, meatless dinner. It also reminds me the summer meals we used to quite often have on summer days when I was little. What we had then was/were: Boiled potatoes sprinkled with fresh dill - scrambled eggs and cold buttermilk to drink. It was nothing sophisticated but very enjoyable and I really liked it.

The Southern version of the summer meatless dinner option is a bit different.

What you need to make it:

• some potatoes,
• chives/green onion - cut into pieces,
• some salt, black pepper, vegetable oil, and butter,
• shredded cheese,
• + corn on the cob (and some lemon pepper to season it) to accompany the baked potatoes.

The recipe for the baked potatoes (by The Southern Lady who cooks) is here. It is easy and the dish tastes wonderful (according to us). You can serve the meal with a cold drink of your choice e.g. iced tea or chilled buttermilk.

Enjoy!

Baked Potatoes with Cheese & Chives by Chef Pol-Tex

This recipe was 'invented/developed' by myself. The potato dish can be served as an appetizer or a side. It is quite tasty and we really like it.

What you need (for two persons):

• 3 or 4 medium size potatoes,
• shredded cheese,
• chives (cut into small pieces),
• salt and black pepper,
• some canola oil,
• baking dish.

What to do with it all:

• Heat oven to 400F/ 200C.
• Peel potatoes and cut them into halves and then in halves again - you will have little 'potato boats'.
• Grease baking dish slightly with some canola oil.
• Place potato boats in your baking dish.
• Season the potatoes with salt and black pepper.
• Sprinkle the potato boats with some oil.

Potato 'boats' - ready to be put into the oven

• Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes.
• After that, take the baking dish out of the oven and turn the potatoes.
• Bake for 30 minutes again.
• Take the dish out of the oven - sprinkle the potatoes with shredded cheese and pieces of chives.
• Bake them for 5 to 10 minutes.

Have a nice meal! 

 

Baked potatoes with cheese and chives

Potato Gratin

This is one of our favorite 'potatoes for dinner' options.

What you need (for two servings):

• 1/3 cup half and half,
• 1/3 cup 2% milk,
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (or one garlic clove sliced/crushed),
• salt and pepper,
• 3 - 4 medium size potatoes,
• grated cheese of your choice

and also: baking dish, some butter to grease the baking dish, aluminum foil.

Procedure:
1. Heat oven to 375F/ 190C
2. Heat the milk and half and half + garlic in a pot on the stove  (set it to #4).
2. Peel and slice the potatoes (each slice = 1/5 inch thick).
3. Grease your baking dish slightly.
4. Place 1 layer of sliced potatoes in the baking dish (see the picture).

5. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

6. Pour a bit of the milk and half and half mixture over the potatoes.
7. Place another layer of sliced potatoes into the dish, repeat step #5 & #6 etc.
8. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes.
9. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes more.
10. Take the dish out of the oven, cover the potatoes with grated cheese.
11. Bake it all for 10 minutes till the cheese is melted and a bit brownish on sides.

12. Enjoy!

Our Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Shepherd's Pie is one of the dishes which I learned to make  when in TX. Actually, it is not popular in Poland at all, and I did not hear about it before coming to the US.
This is the way I make it and how we like it best.

What you need (for two servings):

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• some canola oil (for frying)
• 1/2 medium size onion - chopped
• 1 cup water + 1/2 beef bullion cube (or 1 cup beef stock)
• 1 TBS Worcester sauce
• about 1/3 cup frozen peas & carrots (or more if you like)
• 1 TBS dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

 For mashed potatoes:

• 4 medium sized potatoes
• 1 TSP unsalted butter
• about 1 tsp salt
• a pinch black pepper
• 1/4 2% milk
• grated Mexican cheese (or other kind) to cover mashed potatoes

What to do:
1. Heat oven to 350F/175C
2. Boil the potatoes.
3. Mash the potatoes, add butter, milk, salt and pepper.
4. Fry the meat  until it is no longer red (it takes a few minutes).
5. Add the chopped onion and fry it with the meat for about 3 minutes.
6. Add water & bullion cube, Worcester sauce, frozen peas & carrots, and cook it all for about 7 minutes. Add parsley and stir everything.
7. Place the meat mixture into a baking dish, cover it with mashed potatoes, spread them evenly.
8. Sprinkle shredded cheese on the potato layer.
9. Bake it for 30 minutes.
I do not cover the dish with aluminum foil before placing it in the oven. I did that a few times but the potatoes + cheese turn out/taste  better when they are baked without any cover .

Ready for some Chicken Stew?