With Easter just around the corner, you’ll want to be dinner ready for family and friends. Hopefully, with some luck, the Covid-19 gathering restrictions will ease in my area and a modest gathering can take place. I do miss my family and friends, and I miss cooking for them. It’s the best part of any gathering, in my opinion. You’re gonna love this easy and delicious Potato and Mushroom Gratin. It feeds 8 people, it’s easy to assemble and bakes up golden and creamy every time. There’s no messing around with cooking a white sauce, there’s no boilovers and no pre-cooking potatoes. It’s a no-fuss casserole, loaded with earthy mushrooms and Gruyere cheese, and has become my favourite to serve with ham. It’s also fantastic served with roast chicken, pork or grilled steak.
What makes this potato casserole a winner in my books is the simplicity of the sauce. The mixture of cream and sour cream makes it extra creamy and the sour cream gives a little tang. The sauce is whisked together cold and poured over the potato slices. I find there’s no need to be fussy with the potato arrangement either. Simply toss the slices into the casserole dish and spread them around evenly instead of trying to layer them ever so carefully. If you don’t have a mandolin for thinly slicing the potatoes, that’s no problem, simply slice as thin as you can by hand and cook for the longest time suggested in the recipe. Remember, dinner doesn’t need to be fussy. This simple casserole is not only delicious, but it also feeds a small crowd and is worthy of your family gathering. Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter a large 3-quart casserole dish.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until starting to foam. Add mushroom and cook until lightly browned and the moisture has evaporated. Add minced garlic and continue to cook, stirring often for 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
While mushrooms are cooking, whisk together cream, sour cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. In a separate bowl whisk together milk and flour until smooth. Add to the sour cream and cream and whisk until incorporated. Grate the cheese and set it aside.
Peel and thinly slice potatoes. Spread half of the potato slices evenly in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Scatter half of the sauteed mushroom and half of the cheese evenly over the potatoes. Repeat with remaining potatoes, mushrooms and cheese.
Pour cream mixture evenly over potatoes. Give the pan a gentle shake to help flatten everything out. Cover and bake for 45-60 minutes (this will depend on how thin you've sliced the potatoes) Start checking at 45 minutes. The potatoes should be almost tender in the center. Remove cover and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the top is golden.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
-Russet potatoes work well for this recipe, however, I've also used red potatoes with equally good results.-The covered cooking time will vary slightly depending on how thin you've sliced the potatoes. I find cutting them by hand instead of using a mandolin requires closer to 60 minutes covered.-I like using cremini mushrooms for this recipe as they have a little more earthiness than regular white mushrooms, however, either work well as does a mix of mushrooms.
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Many of us are thinking of eating healthier, and I’m a firm believer that eating well and eating foods you enjoy should go hand in hand. Rustic Potato and Sausage Soup is guilt-free comfort food that’s loaded with kale and vegetables.It’s a homey soup that’s warming and hearty with a rich tomato laced chicken broth, tender baby potatoes, Italian sausage and vegetables. Paprika, garlic, and fresh herbs give added depth of flavour to this rustic, chunky soup.
Healthy potatoes, rich in potassium and vitamin C add fibre with their skins and a rustic earthiness.Tender kale, also rich in nutrients, gently clings to all it surrounds for a wonderful spoonful.It’s the best of both worlds, being hearty and comforting while still being healthy, satisfying, and full of flavour.So even if eating better is not on your resolution list this year, you’ll still want a big bowl of this satisfying soup.Enjoy!
Over medium heat add 1 tbsp of olive to a large pot or dutch oven. Add sausage links and cook until golden and no longer pink, turning often about 15 minutes.
Pour in chicken broth and tomatoes crushed with your hands. Add potatoes, bay leaf, oregano, parsley, and both paprikas. Cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes until potatoes are almost tender. While soup is cooking, chop kale and cooked sausage into bite-size pieces.
Add kale and sausage to the pot and continue to cook partially covered for about 5 minutes until kale is cooked but still has some colour and bite. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with crusty bread if desired.
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One of my quick and easy weeknight meals consists of broiled fish with a creamy caper paste.It takes mere minutes to cook and is tender, moist and full of flavour.I decided to use this same paste on smashed baby potatoes for an easy side dish that’s super delicious and pairs well with roasted meats and fish.
Capers are the unripened flowers buds of Capparis spinosa or Capparis inermis and are generally dried and pickled.Here’s a handy link from The Spruce Eats that tells you a little more about the amazing caper.
You won’t be disappointed!
Roasted mini potatoes get a gentle smash and topped with a creamy caper paste made with capers, lemon, dill, mayonnaise, and parmesan cheese.Crispy little potato disks with fluffy centres are the perfect base for the briny capers, fresh dill and creamy mayo.
If you’re not familiar with capers, they’re a handy pantry item to have kicking around.They’re pungent and briny and not all that good on their own, but combine them with cream, butter or lemon and you have a flavour explosion. They add a salty depth of flavour that enhances sauces, dressing, salads, and more. Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350℉. In a medium bowl toss together potatoes, olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Spread out evenly on a baking tray and bake for 30-35 minutes, turning once, until just tender.
While potatoes are baking, combine together mayonnaise, parmesan, capers, dill, lemon juice and pepper.
Remove potatoes from oven and gently flatten each with a flat surfaced utensil (I use a metal potato masher) to a third of its original height.
Set oven rack to 7" from broiler and turn oven to broil. Spread 1 tbsp of paste onto each potato. Broil for 2-3 minutes until golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and serve immediately, garnishing with fresh dill if desired.
Spinach and Cheddar Potato Cakes recipe is an oldie but a goodie.  A simple way to use the cold, hard mashed potatoes that have been hiding in your fridge for three days. I can say with confidence that I always make too many mashed potatoes.  With the same confidence, I can also say that I’ve had that forgotten Tupperware container of mashed potatoes buried in my refrigerator.  I think we’ve all been there. So the next time you’re sifting through your fridge, desperately trying to find something for lunch and can’t believe you have nothing.  Dig deep and move a few jars to find the lost and lonely tub of mashed potatoes, begging to be consumed.  Mix with a few pantry items and a give a quick pan fry, you’ll find lunch is served.
In a medium bowl, mix together egg, spinach, dill,green onion and seasonings. Add mashed potatoes and bread crumbs, mix until well combined. Fold in cheese.
Heat oil in a non stick frying pan over medium-high heat. While pan is heating, form 1/3 cup potato mixture into approximate 3" patties about 1/2" thick and place into pan as you form them. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until heated through and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and additional fresh dill and sliced green onions.
Want glorious potatoes, creamy on the inside, golden on the outside, without turning on your oven? You will when you get a look at these amazing Cedar Plank Potatoes. Mashed potatoes get amped up with a good helping of roasted garlic (also cooked on the grill if you want), fresh herbs and cream cheese. They’re grilled golden on a cedar plank and can be fully prepped ahead, making them fantastic for entertaining.  But nobody needs to wait for that, right?
What spurred me to these luscious little domes? My new Napoleon grill of course. My husband and I recently upgraded our backyard with a deck and outdoor gas fireplace. As luck would have it, some of the more expensive items came in under budget. This left a little cash for the frills, like furniture and new grill. We decided upon a Napoleon LEX grill, which has been amazing so far. I love it because it gets crazy hot, has a smoker accessory and searing burner.  Napoleon Grills also have a great user friendly website with numerous recipes, and that’s where I found this great recipe. I couldn’t wait to try them, and you won’t want to wait either.
I have to say, I didn’t really know how bad my old grill was until I fired up my new one. We had the old one for at least 10 years, maybe longer. A couple of parts had been replaced along the way and I figured it still had some life left. I’m sure it did, but not a very good one comparatively to the new grill. I guess we all adapt to what we know and sometimes don’t know any different, as was the case for me. Today I give thanks to my wonderful husband for persuading me to purchase a new one.
Peel potatoes and cut into 2" chunks. Simmer potatoes in lightly salted water until very tender 15-20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return pot to low heat. Mash potatoes over low heat, allowing the potatoes to give off any excess moisture. Once potatoes are smooth, remove from heat and add butter, cream cheese, roasted garlic, salt and pepper. Continue to mash until combined and creamy. Stir in fresh herbs.
Preheat grill to medium high or 450℉. Scoop potatoes onto pre-soaked cedar planks using a 1/4 cup scoop, leaving at least an inch between scoops (can fit 6-8 per plank). Place planks on grill and cook for 15-18 minutes until hot and golden. Remove planks from grill and use to serve potatoes or gently place potatoes onto serving dish and garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired.
Recipe Notes
Potatoes can be cooked, mashed, scooped and chilled up to two days in advance. Simply remove from refrigerator and place on pre-soaked planks when ready to grill. Makes 12 1/4 cup scoops.
To roast garlic, preheat oven to 350℉.  Cut the top off the head of garlic and place on a double layer sheet of foil.  Drizzle with oil and fold foil over bulb, crimping all edges to seal packet.  Place on a baking tray and bake for about 45 minutes until golden and soft. Alternatively, you can make roasted garlic on the grill, here's how Grill Roasted Garlic
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