♥ Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

Going through my photos this morning and realized I forgot to share a few of my holiday dinner recipes with you. So even though the holidays are over you can file them for the next holiday! Starting with my Sweet Potato Casserole with Pec...an topping I made on Christmas Day....yum! So easy to make and so good, you wonder why you don't make these more often!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

3 cups cooked sweet potatoes ( I used a drained 29 ounce can)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup half and half or whole milk
1/2 cup melted butter
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients and with a hand mixer beat until smooth and creamy.

Pecan and Brown Sugar Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

NOTE: You can cut up your own potatoes and boil them until tender or use them straight from a can as I did for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour mashed sweet potatoes into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, and pecan pieces in a small bowl, using your fingers to create moist crumbs. Sprinkle generously over the casserole. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and the top is golden brown. Let stand for the mixture to cool and solidify a little bit before serving. 
 

 










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Fried Potatoes and Onions

We had a lot of  fried potatoes when I was growing up.  I like to think it was a Southern thing and no one made them like my Mom.  Oh sure, we loved  her creamy mashed potatoes .... but fried potatoes and onions?  Now that was a whole different story.  Sometimes she would add some fresh green beans from her garden that she had cooked all day with ham hocks.  Now that was a supper!  And she always made fried potatoes with with soup beans and corn bread. When you think about it, you never see skillet fried potatoes on the menu of a restaurant. You might see home fries or hash browns but its hard to find good old country fried potatoes and onions. Looks like you'll have to make them yourself!  Go ahead.  This is what memories are made of.  

Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions 

6 medium white potatoes 
1  sweet onion 
2 tablespoons bacon grease (the secret is the bacon fat!) 
2 tablespoons butter 
salt and pepper to taste 

Slice the potatoes and onions.  Melt the butter and the bacon fat over medium high heat in a large skillet (I use a 12 inch cast iron skillet). Fry onions until just tender and then add potatoes, spreading them in a single layer on the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle on salt and pepper. 

Allow potatoes and onions to cook until golden brown on the first side and then flip and fry on the other side.  Onions will start to caramelize so you want to scrap up the bits as you turn them. 

Turn down heat to medium and cover.  Continue to fry, flipping  a few more times until all the potatoes and onions are golden brown. Serve as a side dish with anything. 

 

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Mom's Green Beans and Potatoes

She called them a “big ol’ mess a’ beans.”  My Mom would get up in the morning and go out to her garden and ‘pick a big ol’ mess a beans’ for supper that night.  We would come back from the garden and sit on the back porch with our aprons on and a big bowl in our lap. And we would and talk and laugh and snap those beans.  She would put on some ham hocks or shanks and cook those beans all day and then call us all for the best country supper of green beans, potatoes and onions with ham.  Those were the days in my life was simple and all was good in our little world.   Here is my Mom’s short recipe for her Green beans and potatoes.  These are exactly as I remember.

Mom’s Green Beans and Potatoes 

2-3 pounds fresh green beans

8 slices bacon, sliced into 1 inch pieces and fried

1 large sweet onion, diced

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes (or any potato except Russet) 

4 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Wash and trim beans and break them into 2-inch pieces; set aside.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon pieces until crisp. Transfer bacon to plate when done but do not drain the fat from skillet.

Add onion and green beans to the bacon fat and saute just until onion is tender and translucent. Remove skillet from heat and set aside. Once again, do not drain the fat.

In a large Dutch oven or pot, add chicken broth, butter, salt, pepper and stir. Cut potatoes into large cubes or chunks and add to the liquid. I use Yukon Gold but you can use any potato you like other than baking potatoes.  Russets get too mushy when you boil them.  

Add the green beans and onions, including the bacon drippings to the pot and bring to a full boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until potatoes are fork tender…..about 30 minutes.  Don’t overcook or potatoes will get mushy. Serve in bowls and top with crumbled fried bacon pieces.  OH YUM!

NOTE:  You can also make this recipe in a slow cooker.  Just follow the same exact recipe but cook on high for about 4 hours or until potatoes are fork tender.

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Green Beans and Potatoes

 

Really, is there any other way to eat green beans?   It’s my favorite way to eat fresh green beans, hands-down.  I have eaten this dish many times as my main course and I even serve it at Thanksgiving.  Although I have to be careful because nothing else gets eaten when there’s a big bowl of fresh green beans and potatoes on the table!

Green Beans and Potatoes 

2-3 pounds fresh green beans

8 slices bacon, sliced into 1 inch pieces and fried

1 large sweet onion, diced

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes (or any potato except Russet) 

4 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Wash and trim beans and break them into 2-inch pieces; set aside.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon pieces until crisp. Transfer bacon to plate when done but do not drain the fat from skillet.

Add onion and green beans to the bacon fat and saute just until onion is tender and translucent. Remove skillet from heat and set aside. Once again, do not drain the fat.

 

 In a large Dutch oven or pot, add chicken broth, butter, salt, pepper and stir. Cut potatoes into large cubes or chunks and add to the liquid. I use Yukon Gold but you can use any potato you like other than baking potatoes.  Russets get too mushy when you boil them.  

  
Add the green beans and onions, including the bacon drippings to the pot and bring to a full boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until potatoes are fork tender…..about 30 minutes.  Don’t overcook or potatoes will get mushy. Serve in bowls and top with crumbled fried bacon pieces.  OH YUM!

NOTE:  You can also make this recipe in a slow cooker.  Just follow the same exact recipe but cook on high for about 4 hours or until potatoes are fork tender.

 

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Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

Love this simple little recipe from my Friend Marie over at the English Kitchen, who also has another blog called Recipes From My Blue Binder.... these flavors are just wonderful!

Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

1 package of smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
sweet paprika
dried thyme
1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking tray (with sides) with several sheets of foil, and drizzle with a bit of oil. Spread the oil out over the pan. Set aside.

Put the sausage rounds, onions and potatoes into a large bowl. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika and dried thyme. Toss together with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Pour this out onto the baking tray, and spread it out as much as you can.

Place into the heated oven and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender. Turn off the oven. Scatter the cheese over top of the cooked meat and potatoes, Pop back into the oven a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.

http://recipesfromthebigbluebinder.blogspot.com/2012/08/oven-roasted-smoked-sausage-and-potatoes.html

♥ Perfect Home Fries

Perfect Home Fries

2 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 tablespoons butter

5 medium/large red potatoes, diced

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt

 black pepper to taste

Melt bacon grease in heavy skillet (I use my cast iron skillet) until it begins to sizzle. Add the butter. Carefully add the potatoes and onion to the skillet.

Sprinkle the salt and plenty of black pepper over the potatoes and stir gently until all of the mixture is coated in the grease.

 Cover with a lid and cook for 25-30 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Turn up heat to medium high and brown potatoes until brown and crisp. Continue to stir potatoes every few minutes or so to prevent burning/sticking.

If you don't have bacon grease on hand, fry 5-6 bacon strips until crisp and drain on paper towel. Use the grease to fry potatoes and if you'd like add crumbled bacon to recipe.

 

You can also add green or red peppers, sausage, cheese or anything else you desire to this dish.

 

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♥ Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1½ cups oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sweet potatoes, grated

Icing
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, eggs and oil. Add remaining ingredients one at a time, adding potatoes last. Coat a sheet cake pan with a nonstick spray. Spread batter into pan.

Bake in round pans for 25 minutes or in a sheet cake pan for 35 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center to determine doneness. Cool in pans before turning out for frosting. To make the icing, cream together butter and cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Spread on cooled cake, spreading between layers and on sides and top for round layers or over the top and sides of a sheet cake.

http://farmflavor.com/sweet-potato-cake-with-cream-cheese-icing/

Chicken Mashed Potato Bowls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my go-to comfort food when I’m in a hurry but still want something that tastes like Mom used to make. So, I grab my favorite store-bought ingredients and whip up the most comforting meal.  Who could resist creamy mashed potatoes topped with breaded chicken, cheese, corn, and gravy. This is one delicious meal!

Chicken Mashed Potato Bowls

2 cups mashed potatoes: Bob Evans refrigerated microwaveable

6 ounces cooked chicken nuggets, I like Tyson’s or Bare

1/2 cup of your favorite jar or packet of chicken or turkey gravy

1/2 cup sweet corn, frozen or canned

1/4 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese

¼ cup Mozzarella for the top

Salt and pepper to taste

 

First make your chicken nuggets. Or use breaded strips and cut them into chunks. I like to use my air fryer but oven baked is just as good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the chicken cooking, make the gravy in a small saucepan over low heat. I like the Lipton gravy packet best but you can use a jar of Heinz gravy.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In another saucepan heat up the corn. Or you can put it in a bowl in the microwave. You can use frozen or canned sweet corn.

Next gather all your ingredients and begin the process of putting it together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First spoon a cup of mashed potatoes in a bowl and spread around the sides, making a well in the bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Next, add some corn in and around the well. Then add a handful of cheese on top of the cheese.  Use as much as you want.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now add the Nuggets and sprinkle the mozzarella on top.  Follow with a spoonful of gravy over the top and season with salt and pepper if more is needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place in the microwave for 30-40 seconds to melt cheese.  Serve!

 TIPS

Any mashed potatoes will do! I like to use garlic mashed potatoes to change it up a little. If you have left over mashed potatoes from the previous night’s dinner this is a great way to use them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook the chicken nuggets according to their package directions. I like to air-fry them so they're crispy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can also use brown gravy for this recipe.  So good!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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