Spicy Corn Chowder

We were in Colorado this past weekend, where it actually felt like fall...and then winter.  A huge winter storm rolled in on Sunday and we made it out of town just in time.  Vail Pass was closed overnight because of the poor driving conditions and the next morning our neighbors reported that we had gotten over a foot of snow!  Hopefully this is a good omen for ski season.  And then we returned to the land of eternal summer, but I can still pretend it is fall and make all sorts of soups for the 90 degree weather.  This recipe is adapted from The Neelys on Food Network.

Spicy Corn Chowder

4 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small jalapeno, chopped seeds and ribs removed
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 large red potatoes, well scrubbed and small diced
1 cup half and half
16 ounces frozen corn
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Add the onions and red pepper, sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the jalapeno and garlic, saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour until thoroughly combined. Cook the flour until it reaches a slight blonde color, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock and the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes; potatoes will become soft. Add the half and half, corn, cayenne and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon.

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Cheesy Chicken Corn Chowder

When I saw this recipe on Tide and Thyme, I knew I wanted to make it. Even though I have a ton of chicken chowder recipes, this one looked very special.  Unfortunately, the weather in Houston hasn't been very chowder friendly.  We had basically a three day winter and that has been it.  This is a great weeknight meal, it comes together quickly.  Don't make my mistake though, I served it without stirring in the cream.  It was sitting on the counter, pre-measured and all, and it just slipped my mind.  After a taste, I instantly realized my mistake, luckily, it was easily correctable.  I try to get everything organized for busy weeknights, but even when I try my hardest, there can often be mistakes.

Cheesy Chicken Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
½ onion, peeled and diced
1/3 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 white potatoes, peeled and diced
1 (12 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup cream
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onions, sauté for 2 minutes to soften. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly, until a light roux is formed. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the corn and chicken. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks, return the chicken to the pot. Stir in the cream and cheese, simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve.

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Twice Baked Potatoes

Miss F hates potatoes. HATES. I don't get her aversion at all, she doesn't even like French fries, how crazy is that? So one night while she was spending the night at my parents, I decided to make twice baked potatoes for C and I. I had never made them before and I was quite nervous about keeping the skins in tact, but it turns out, it was quite easy. So easy in fact, that I am going to make them for an upcoming dinner party. I can do all the prep work in advance, then just warm them for the dinner party. I like to be as hands off as possible for dinner parties, I like to spend time with my guests (and my wine!), not spend time in the kitchen.  These potatoes are very decadent, so half a potato per person is plenty.

Twice Baked Potatoes

2 large russet potatoes
¼ cup butter
¼ cup sour cream
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, prick a few holes into the top of each potato. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 1 hour, until cooked through. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthways. Scoop out the insides of each potato making sure to keep the skins in tact. Place the skins on a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, smash the scooped out potatoes with the butter, sour cream, ¼ cup of the cheddar cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Spoon the potato mixture into the prepared potato skins. Top each with 1 tablespoon of cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

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Crockpot Pot Roast

It seems like there is never enough time for dinner on nights when Miss F has dance class. By the time we get home from dance, it is nearly 6 pm and dinner still needs to be made. Enter the crockpot. I am a huge fan of the crockpot for soups, any sort of shredded meat and one dish meals like pot roast. The best part of this meal is that it lasts for a couple days worth of meals.  C had a last minute happy hour, so Miss F and I enjoyed the first serving of it and C had leftovers the next night when I went out.  This dish was inspired by Yummy Healthy Easy.

Crockpot Pot Roast

6 to 8 new potatoes, quartered
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, cut into chunks
3 pound chuck roast
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf

Spray the liner of the crockpot with cooking spray. Add the potatoes, carrots and onions to the bottom of the crockpot. Coat the roast with the flour, salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear the roast on both sides, about 5 minutes a side. Place the roast over top of the vegetables. Deglaze the skillet with the red wine and cook for 2 minutes, until reduced by half. Stir in the broth, Worcestershire and basil; bring to a boil. Pour over the roast, cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Serve.

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Hearty Beef Stew

I find Tide and Thyme to be my cooking kindred spirit. She lives in Maryland, which is where I am from originally, and even better, lives on the wonderful Eastern Shore.  I have several beef stew recipes, two years of Colorado living will do that, but as soon as she posted this recipe, I knew I needed to try it.  Even though "winter" now means a cold snap in the 60s (brrrr...) is rolling through town.  Miss F picked out all the potatoes, naturally, but C and I really enjoyed this aptly titled hearty beef stew.

Hearty Beef Stew

1 ½ pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
Salt and ground pepper
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
¼ teaspoon salt
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup dry red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried thyme
3 red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
½ pound carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 cup frozen peas

Season beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the meat so that pieces are not touching and cook not moving until brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs and rotate pieces until all sides are browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer beef to medium bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and the remaining oil to now empty pan and swirl to coat bottom. Add onions and ¼ tsp salt and cook, scraping bottom of pan for brown bits until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds more. Stir in the flour and cook until lightly colored, about 1 minute more. Add wine, scraping the bottom and stirring until thick and flour is dissolved. Slowly add the beef broth, stirring constantly, scraping up the remaining browned bits on bottom of pan. Add bay leaves and thyme and return to simmer. Add beef, return to simmer, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 1 hour. Add potatoes and carrots, leave uncovered, increase heat to medium and cook for additional hour. Add the peas, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 min. Discard bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

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Crockpot Chicken and Corn Chowder

This recipe originated from Damn Delicious, but I kept very little except the ingredients the same.  I didn't see any need to prep the bacon hours in advance, especially since whenever I cook bacon I smell bacon for hours and I want to eat everything in my sight.  I was also wary of adding cut up chicken to the crockpot, it's much easier just to shred it after it is done simmering away all day.  Chop up some carrots, onions and potatoes is all the morning prep work necessary and you come home to a warm crock of soup.  It couldn't be any easier!

Crockpot Chicken and Corn Chowder

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 ounces red potato, diced
½ onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
4 cups chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup half and half
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 slices bacon, chopped
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Add the chicken, potato, onion, carrots and corn to the crockpot. Stir in the broth, garlic, thyme, oregano, cayenne, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

30 minutes before done, remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks and return to the crockpot. In a small bowl, whisk together the half and half and corn starch, stir into the crockpot. Raise the heat to high if you have been cooking on low. Sauté the bacon in a small skillet over medium heat, drain. Serve, topped with bacon and cheese.

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Cider Brined Pork Loin

I always make a crockpot of apple cider for Thanksgiving. C always makes fun of me because it is usually only his mom and I drinking it. I always have a ton leftover, but this year was even more than normal since my mother-in-law didn't join us for dinner. So, I perused the internet to find ways to use it beyond my normal apple cider pancakes (which I made a couple times.)  This recipe was inspired by Bon Appetit, but I made a ton of changes.  This is a fantastic one pot meal, perfect for winter.

Cider Brined Pork Loin

2 cups apple cider, divided
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 bay leaf, torn into small pieces
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 cup apple cider
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon water

1 (2 pound) center-cut boneless pork loin roast
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved
½ small onion, chopped

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup cider, salt, brown sugar, bay leaf and peppercorns to a boil. Removed from the heat and stir in 2 cups water and 1 cup cider. Cool to room temperature. Place the pork loin in a 1 gallon plastic bag, pour the brine over and seal the bag. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bring 1 cup cider to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until reduced to ¼ cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in the corn starch and water.

Remove the pork from the brining liquid. Rub the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper over the pork. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Sear the pork on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Brush the pork with the cider reduction. Toss the carrot, potatoes and onions with the remaining oil, salt and pepper to taste. Add the carrot, potatoes and onions to the pan with the pork. Place it in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Brush again with the cider reduction and roast 20 minutes more, until the pork reaches a temperature of 140 degrees. Remove the pork from the oven and tent with foil on a plate. Return the carrot, potatoes and onions to the oven, increase the temperature to 400 degrees and roast for 15 minutes more, while the pork is resting. Slice the pork and serve with the carrot, potatoes and onions.

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Austrian Potato Salad

I have never eaten one bite of traditional potato salad. My mayo aversion combined with cold potatoes just never made it an appetizing entrée.  I tried Austrian potato salad first in Berlin...and I was hooked.  Warm, vinegary potatoes, it's like a dream.  Growing up, we always had a cruet of apple cider vinegar on the table.  My favorite was to pour it over broccoli or on a baked potato...so good.  This potato salad recipe is from Wolfgang Puck, who I think is probably the most famous Austrian chef out there.  For some reason, my fingerling potato bag had a couple purple potatoes inside, which has never happened before.  The pink color couldn't get Miss F to try them, she is steadfast in her potato hatred.  And of course C wouldn't try them either because of the vinegar smell.  Thankfully, my parents were over for dinner to help me polish them off!

Austrian Potato Salad

1 ½ pounds small fingerling potatoes, washed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
½ small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup canola, safflower, or peanut oil
½ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, thyme sprigs, and 2 tablespoons of the salt. Add enough cold water to cover completely. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just tender enough to be pierced easily with a skewer or the tip of a sharp knife, about 10 minutes.

Drain the potatoes. While they are still hot, peel them with a small, sharp knife, protecting your hand from the heat with a folded kitchen towel. As each potato is peeled, cut it crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, letting the slices fall into a mixing bowl. Add to the hot potato slices the onion, remaining salt, sugar, pepper, vinegar, and oil. Stir gently but thoroughly with a large spoon to combine the ingredients.

Before serving, heat the broth in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the potato salad and stir it gently just until the potatoes are thoroughly heated, serve.

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Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes

Miss F is standing strong with her potato aversion. She will always opt for a different side dish, even if French fries are a choice, they get passed over. I do not understand her at all. I picked up a bag of fingerling potatoes at the grocer since they were on sale. I have eaten them out at restaurants many times, but I have actually never prepared them at home. They couldn't be easier and they were fantastic. I adapted the recipe from my mom's rosemary roasted potatoes recipe, which is quite a standby for me. Even though it turns out, my mom's recipe actually uses dill and parmesan cheese. I am not sure how I changed it so much, but I did and it stuck.  I will have to make her original version sometime soon while there is still fresh dill in the garden.

Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes

1 pound fingerling potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise. Place the potatoes in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Whisk together the oil, rosemary, garlic and salt; pour over the potatoes and toss well, making sure to coat all the potato halves fully. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

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Gnocchi with Bacon and Peas

I tried to trick Miss F and convince her that we were having "puffy pasta" instead of gnocchi for dinner. She didn't buy it for one minute, she instantly knew the gnocchi were potato based and firmly rejected the meal. I really don't understand her potato aversion and it is quite frustrating. C and I loved this dish, it is a great use for otherwise useless leftover mashed potatoes. I have yet to make gnocchi without them, it seems like a lot of effort. By using mashed potatoes, the gnocchi come together quite quickly. The gnocchi recipe is from Martha Stewart and the sauce is my own, just a simple bacon based alfredo with an addition of peas.  I wasn't particularly neat with my gnocchi rolling this go round, but no matter, they still tasted great.

Gnocchi with Peas and Bacon

2 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt

6 ounces bacon, cut into lardons
1 cup peas
1 cup half and half
2/3 cup parmesan
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Stir together the mashed potatoes and egg. Stir in the flour and salt until well incorporated, turn out onto a floured board and knead for 30 seconds. Divide the dough into four, roll each into a ½“ thick log. Cut into 1” pieces, set aside. Boil a large pot of salted water.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the grease. Add the peas and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stir in the parmesan, salt and pepper.

While the cream is simmering, add the gnocchi to the boiling water. When each gnocchi has floated to the top, transfer using a slotted spoon to the cream sauce. Serve, topped with the bacon.

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Corn and Chicken Chowder

Old Bay is one of my weaknesses. I am a Maryland girl at heart, you can put it in almost anything and it makes it so much better. It is ideally poured over blue crabs, but those aren't always available.  This recipe for Corn and Chicken Chowder looked great, but I made quite a few changes.  Fresh corn isn't in season, so I opted for frozen instead, but I will be trying this again this summer with fresh corn.  There is something so delicious about the liquid from the cob, it tastes like summer.  Too bad summer here means 100 degree days, not exactly chowder weather.  Miss F refused all potatoes, but C went back for seconds.  A huge success!

Corn and Chicken Chowder

6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 10 ounce package of frozen corn
8 scallions, chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups whole milk
3 cups chicken broth
2 small or 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
grated cheddar, for garnish

In a large stock pot, fry the bacon pieces until crisp over medium heat. Remove from the pan, reserving the drippings, set aside. Add the corn, the white portion of the scallions and the chicken, sauté until the scallions are softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour, constantly whisking for 1 minute. Pour in the milk and chicken broth, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add the potatoes, Old Bay, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve topped with the bacon, scallion greens and cheddar cheese.

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Meyer Lemon Roast Chicken

I am still going through the plethora of Meyer lemons that my mom gave me. I got a whole chicken on super sale and adapted this recipe from Our Recipe Box.  I added red potatoes to the pan and they were my most favorite part of the dish, they were so bright and full of lemon flavor.  C was not a fan of the lemon potatoes and once he decided he didn't like them, Miss F refused as well.  But who am I kidding, she refuses all potatoes no matter what the flavor.  This made an incredibly moist bird, which I credit to roasting it "upside down," that is with the breast side down in the pan.

Meyer Lemon Roast Chicken

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
zest from two Meyer lemons
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 whole chicken
3 Meyer lemons, cut into quarters
6 to 8 red potatoes, quartered

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together two tablespoons of olive oil, rosemary, zest, salt and pepper. Spread the oil mixture over the chicken. Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Squeeze one of the lemons over and inside the chicken, add the squeezed quarters to the cavity of the chicken. Toss the potatoes and four more lemon quarters with the remaining oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange the potatoes and lemons around the chicken. Roast "upside down," with the breast side down, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the thigh temperature reads 165 degrees. Remove from the oven, tent with foil and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve and serve with the remaining lemon quarters.

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Crockpot Balsamic Pot Roast

We have had a cold winter this year, it was 75 degrees yesterday, but overall, it has been cool for Houston. On Mondays, I don't get home until after 5pm because of Miss F's dance class. Crockpot meals are such an easy way to have a home cooked meal even when we get home late in the evening. I thought for sure C would call out the vinegar usage, but he didn't recognize it at all, thank goodness. He even took leftovers for lunch the next day.  This makes a large amount of food, so we both got to enjoy leftovers. I adapted this recipe from Julie's Eats and Treats.

Crockpot Balsamic Pot Roast

1 cup beef broth
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, pressed
3 pound beef roast
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 pound red potatoes, quartered
1 small onion, chopped

In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, brown sugar, balsamic, flour, soy sauce, red pepper and garlic. Set aside. Spray the bowl of the crockpot with cooking spray, place the roast in the bowl. Top with the carrots, potatoes and onion. Pour the broth mixture over top, cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

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Crockpot Garlic Rosemary Beef Stew

Stew is always a great winter dish, especially when I make it in the crockpot. Mondays are usually crazy because Miss F's dance class isn't over until nearly 5 pm, which means there isn't much time to get dinner on the table. This stew is fantastic, I made a few changes from the original, mainly the addition of peas. I love adding peas to stew.  The stew's sauce was so rich and had a great depth of flavor from the soy sauce and brown sugar.  Of course Miss F refused the potatoes, but she gobbled up the rest of the dish.  The original recipe can be found on Budget Bytes.

Crockpot Rosemary Garlic Beef Stew

6 carrots, peeled and sliced
½ onion, diced
1 pound new potatoes, chopped in 1" cubes
1 pound stew beef
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups frozen peas

Add the carrots, onions and potatoes into the bowl of the crockpot. Toss the stew beef with flour, season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the meat and flour mixture. Saute the meat about a minute a side until all sides are browned. Add the meat to the slow cooker, then deglaze the pan with the wine. Bring to a simmer and stir in the broth, mustard, Worcestershire, soy sauce, brown sugar, rosemary and thyme. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour the broth mixture into the crockpot and stir. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, stir in the peas for the last 20 minutes of cooking.

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Braised Short Ribs with Parmesan Gnocchi

This recipe was a compilation from Martha Stewart and The Hopeless Housewife.  I love gnocchi, so does C.  Miss F took some convincing and I still don't think she was sold on it.  She just isn't a fan of potatoes, she doesn't even love French fries!  No worries, she didn't go hungry at all.  She calls short ribs, "more meat!" because that is what she always proclaims whenever we have it.  I don't think I will ever eat leftover mashed potatoes again, they will always be reserved for making gnocchi.  I have this nifty gnocchi roller that works perfectly for adding the grooves to the pasta.

Braised Short Ribs with Parmesan Gnocchi

1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless short ribs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 ½ cups red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf

2 cups mashed potatoes
1 large egg
1 cup flour
¼ cup grated Parmesan
¼ teaspoon salt

fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. In a dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat and sear all sides of the short ribs, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the short ribs and set aside. Pulse the carrots, onion and garlic in a food processor four or five times, until roughly minced. Add the carrots, onion and garlic to the dutch oven and saute until tender, about two minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and saute for a minute more. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the beef broth, thyme and bay leaf. Return the short ribs to the pot and cover. Place in the oven and cook for 3 hours, until tender. Remove the short ribs from the pot and shred the meat with two forks. Return the meat to the pot and stir to combine, salt and pepper to taste.

Boil 6 quarts of water in a large pot. Stir together the mashed potatoes and egg yolk, then stir in the flour, Parmesan and salt. If the dough it still quite sticky, add more flour a tablespoon at a time. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead a couple times. Divide the dough into four equal pieces, then roll each into ½" diameter logs. Cut into 1" long gnocchis, the use a fork to add grooves to each. Place the gnocchi into the large pot and cook until they rise to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and top with the short ribs and basil.

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Scalloped Potatoes

I hated scalloped potatoes as a child. In fact, I hated most potatoes, even mashed potatoes. I am not sure when I began enjoying them, but eventually I discovered how delicious they were.  I did like French fries, but Miss F isn't even interested in them.  Miss F has the same potato aversion, but I hope she comes around soon. I will keep offering and she will probably continue to declare that she doesn't enjoy them.  C loves all cheesy potato dishes, so I knew these would be a hit with him. These potatoes are always nice for a group, they take little hands on time before serving, though they do take up valuable oven space. I adapted the recipe from Williams-Sonoma.

Scalloped Potatoes

2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 ¾ pounds baking potatoes
2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
3 cups half and half
3 tablespoons flour

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Mix together the salt and pepper. Peel the potatoes and thinly slice into rounds. Spread one-third of the potatoes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish and season with about one-fourth of the salt mixture. Top with one-third of the cheese and a tablespoon of the flour and season with about one-third of the remaining salt mixture. Top with half of the remaining potato slices, half of the remaining cheese another tablespoon of flour, seasoning with half of the remaining salt mixture as you go. Finish with the remaining potatoes, cheese and flour; season with the remaining salt mixture.

In a small saucepan, heat the half and half over medium-high heat until it is simmering. Pour the hot half and half evenly over the potatoes. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue baking until the potatoes are tender, coated with a creamy sauce and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then serve hot.

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Crockpot Beef Stew with Dumplings

One of my most favorite things that my mom made as a kid was stew with dumplings. It wasn't the stew I loved, it was the dumplings. They were so good. I tolerated the stew in order to get more dumplings, I dipped the stew in ketchup in order to better suit my tastes. I bought a crockpot for the condo in Aspen because I figured it would be a useful tool in the winter. We can ski all day and come home to a nice, hot dinner. Miss F does not share my same love for dumplings, she much prefers the beef (no surprise there!) Which is fine by me, more dumplings for me! This stew is rich and hearty, I cannot wait to make it again once it is ski season. We had been playing in the snow all day, so this was the perfect meal to end the day. It turns out playing in the snow wears Miss F out as much as swimming, and makes her just as hungry. This recipe is adapted from The Magical Slow Cooker.

Crockpot Beef Stew with Dumplings

2 pounds stew beef
½ cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup red wine
14 ounce can beef broth
6 ounce can tomato paste
1 ½ pounds red potatoes,
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
½ pound button mushrooms, quartered
1 white onion, peeled and chopped
2 cups frozen peas

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme in a Ziplock bag. Seal, shake to combine, then add the stew meat. Shake to coat the pieces evenly. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Brown the meat on all sides and add it to the crockpot.

Return the pan to the stove; de-glaze the pan with the red wine, scrape up any browned bits of meat and flour into the sauce. Whisk in the beef broth and tomato paste. Simmer for two minutes. Add the sauce to the crockpot. Add the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and onions to the crockpot. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Stir in the peas for the last 20 minutes of cooking.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, egg, milk and oil. Drop the dumplings by ¼ cup onto the top of the stew after you have stirred in the peas. Cover, turn heat to high and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until a tooth pick inserted into the dumpling comes out cleanly.

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Chipotle and Lime Roasted Potatoes

I cannot get enough roasted potatoes. My mom's roasted potatoes are still my favorite (extra crunchy please...I even enjoy them cold) but I am always on the lookout for new ways to roast potatoes.  This recipe from In Sock Monkey Slippers instantly piqued my interest.  I love lemony potatoes, so spicy lime potatoes sounded just perfect.  Please excuse the messy looking potatoes, I am still getting a bit used to how things cook at 8000 feet, especially in the oven.  Though they weren't beautiful, they tasted amazing, so still a winner in my book.

Chipotle and Lime Roasted Potatoes

2 pounds small new potatoes
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 chipotle pepper from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the potatoes into eighths and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and salt. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the chipotle, adobo sauce, garlic, lime zest, lime juice and 2 teaspoons oil. When the potatoes are done roasting, add them to the chipotle lime sauce and toss to coat. Serve.

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Cha Cha Corn Chowder

My mom is an over server. Whenever we eat at my parents, I am always wondering who else is coming over to finish off the massive spread. On the 4th of July we had enough corn on the cob to serve a small army, which meant I was heading home with some corn. Around the same time I saw an episode of Sandwich King that featured Cha Cha Corn Chowder. I love a good corn chowder and I am even more excited with the addition of poblano to spice it up a bit. This soup is wonderful for the summer, when corn is fresh and sweet. Even though it is 100 degrees outside, I still enjoy soup. I know, it is a bit strange. Apparently Panera agrees with me, since the only time they ever serve corn chowder is in the summertime.  I added a few Firecracker Shrimp on top to spice it up a bit more!

Cha Cha Corn Chowder

4 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ears corn, kernels removed (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon butter
1 poblano peppers, stems, seeds and ribs removed, diced
½ yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
6 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, diced into ¼" cubes
½ cup half-and-half

In a large pot, combine the broth, thyme, bay leaf, and some salt and pepper. With the back of a bench scraper, scrape the "milk" from the cobs into the pot. Then add the cobs to the pot as well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the cobs, bay leaf and thyme.

In another large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the poblano and onion, sauté for 5 to 8 minutes. Add the corn stock, then the corn kernels and the potatoes, and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Use an immersion blender to roughly puree about half of the soup, leaving some texture. Stir in the half and half.  Serve.

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Potato Gratin

I first made Potato Gratin with Gruyere years ago. I remember feeling so decadent splurging so much on the cheese. I now am much more comfortable paying for quality ingredients and it is so very worth it. C would be equally happy with sliced American cheese. In fact, he didn't even realize sliced cheese was called American cheese. He and Miss F both love the sliced American cheese (I can only stomach it on a grilled cheese.) I will not eat cheese unless it is one of two things: melted or some sort of soft cheese (like a triple creme brie.) I just don't like cheese that much. But you melt it over some potatoes soaked in a pot full of cream: sold. Note that this picture is of a 11x13 pan that I doubled the recipe for Easter dinner. This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart.

Potato Gratin

2 ½ pounds potatoes
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 garlic clove, halved
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (1 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel potatoes, and place in a bowl of water to prevent discoloring. Rub inside of a 9-by-12-inch oval baking dish with cut sides of garlic. Heat cream, milk, garlic and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around edge. Season with pepper. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick. Layer the potatoes in the baking dish, pouring a ladle full of the cream mixture over each layer and sprinkling cheese over alternating layers. Pour the remaining warm cream mixture over top of the final layer. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Gruyere. Bake (with a baking sheet placed on the rack below to catch drips) until potatoes are fork tender and top is bubbling and brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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