Baked Herb Steak Fries

French fries go with everything. It’s a quick and easy side dish option that the whole family loves. But, the thought of cleaning up the mess from deep frying can easily dissuade you from making your own. So, out comes the bag of frozen fries that you can easily pop in the oven. While that’s a convenient solution, there’s another option that’s just as simple and even tastier. Slice russet potatoes into wedges (a.k.a. Steak Fries), toss with olive oil, herbs and seasonings and bake for 35 minutes. You will be amazed at the final result. These wedges come out so crispy and flavorful, you may never buy frozen again. And the thick cut of the steak fries makes it a perfect accompaniment for any meal that needs a hearty touch.

  

Missing from photo: onion powder

Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Mince garlic.

Scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Then cut each half, lengthwise, into 4 equally sized wedges. 

My potatoes were on the large side, so I increased the amount of oil and seasonings used. If your potatoes are smaller, go with the lower quantity indicated in recipe below.

In large re-sealable plastic bag, combine oil and seasonings. Add cut potatoes to bag and seal. Shake and roll the bag to thoroughly coat the potato wedges.
 

Place potatoes in single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, flipping occasionally so they don’t stick to pan.

Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired. Serve immediately.

BAKED HERB STEAK FRIES
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 medium russet potatoes
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Then cut each half, lengthwise,
    into 4 equally sized wedges.
3. In large re-sealable plastic bag, combine oil and seasonings. Add cut potatoes to bag and seal. Shake
    and roll the bag to thoroughly coat the potato wedges.
4. Place potatoes in single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and
    tender on the inside, flipping occasionally so they don’t stick to pan.
5. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired. Serve immediately.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Baby Red Potatoes

 

Baby red potatoes make easy work out of side dish preparation. Because of their small size, they cook faster, and their delicate red skin does not require peeling. I just love these little spuds. They’re so versatile and convenient, especially when you are short on time. Their cute size is more appealing to “picky little eaters,” so you don’t have to “sneak” in the healthy veggies. They hold their shape, absorb flavors well, and add a vibrant pop of color to your dinner table. In this recipe, I parboiled the potatoes slightly, then combined with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and a little lemon juice (to add a zesty little tang). Then I topped them off with a little parsley, a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese, and roasted until cheesy, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Great with just about any entrée, simple to prepare, and on the table in no time.

Missing from photo: parsley

Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. (I like to use a broiler pan when roasting.)

Mince garlic; juice 1/2 lemon. Chop parsley (or substitute dried parsley). 

Scrub potatoes. Halve, quarter, or cut into 2-inch pieces.

Place potatoes in large pot of salted water. Bring to boil. Continue boiling for 3 to 5 minutes, until just barely tender. (Boiling time will depend on size of your pieces.) 

Drain and run under cold water. 

Lay out on paper towels to dry. Blot dry.

In large resealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and lemon juice. Add potatoes. Shake and roll bag to thoroughly coat potatoes.

Spread coated potatoes in a single layer on prepared pan. Sprinkle with parsley.

Evenly coat with Parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes, or until potatoes are crispy brown on the outside and tender on the inside. Baking time may need to be adjusted depending on cut size of potatoes. 

Serve warm.

GARLIC PARMESAN ROASTED BABY RED POTATOES
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, halved, quartered or cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Parsley, fresh or dried
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Scrub potatoes. Halve, quarter, or cut into 2-inch pieces.
3. Place potatoes in large pot of salted water. Bring to boil. Continue boiling for 3 to 5 minutes, until just
    barely tender. (Boiling time will depend on size of your pieces.)
4. Drain and run under cold water. Lay out on paper towels to dry. Blot dry.
5. In large resealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and lemon juice. Add
    potatoes. Shake and roll bag to thoroughly coat potatoes.
6. Spread coated potatoes in a single layer on prepared pan. Sprinkle with parsley. Evenly coat with
    Parmesan cheese.
7. Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes, or until potatoes are crispy brown on the outside and tender on the
    inside. Baking time may need to be adjusted depending on cut size of potatoes.

Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

If I had a choice between mashed potatoes and twice baked, I’d always go with twice baked. It’s the best of both worlds. Crispy potato skins filled with buttery, creamy bliss. These stuffed spuds go to the extreme, because they are loaded. The baked potatoes are mashed with butter, cream cheese, milk, sour cream and cheddar cheese then baked again and topped with more cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions, then drizzled with a homemade ranch dressing. Not only are these decadently yummy, but they’re so visually appealing, they make any day feel like a special occasion. I served these alongside my Crockpot Root Beer Baby Backs. Since the ribs were doing their own thing in the crockpot, it freed up a lot of time for me to work on a side dish, and I just knew “hubby” would go nuts for these potatoes (and he did). Bursting with calories flavor, you won’t be able to resist the indulgence.

Missing from photo: 1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Wash and scrub potatoes. Poke each one several times with a fork. 

Rub each potato with some olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, or until soft when squished.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp. Crumble bacon.

Chop green onions.

Prepare ranch dressing: Combine ranch seasoning mix, sour cream, mayonnaise and milk in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

When potatoes are done, remove from oven. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. (If potatoes are still too hot to handle, you can always rest the potato half on a potholder in the palm of your hand, while you scoop out the filling.) 

Scoop out flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato around the skin, so potato skins maintain its shape.

Place potato shells on a baking sheet.

Add butter, egg, cream cheese, milk, sour cream, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper to bowl of potatoes. (Yes, I did say egg. The egg helps the mashed potatoes hold their shape while baking. You won't need to add as much milk either by adding an egg. It's especially important when you are not loading up the potatoes and want to mound them on top instead of flattening the surface. I always add an egg to my twice baked potatoes, no matter how I prepare them.) 

Beat potato mixture with an electric mixer until potatoes are creamy and smooth.

Fill potato skins with mashed potatoes. Smooth out tops with a spoon. You don’t want to mound the potatoes, as you will be loading the tops later. 

Bake potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Top with remainder of cheese. Return to oven until cheese is fully melted.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle potatoes with crumbled bacon and chopped green onions. 
Drizzle each potato with ranch dressing (if dressing is too thick to drizzle, thin it down with a  little more milk.) Serve immediately.

 
LOADED TWICE BAKED POTATOES
Source: Adapted from Cooking Classy
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 large Russet Baking Potatoes
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt

Ranch Dressing:

• 1 heaping Tablespoon dry ranch seasoning mix
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup milk (or more if needed to thin dressing for drizzling)

Filling:

• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Seasoned salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Topping:

• 8 to 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 6 green onions, chopped
• Prepared ranch dressing (recipe above)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Wash and scrub potatoes. Poke each one several times with a fork. Rub each with some olive oil.
    Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, or until soft
    when squished.
3. Prepare ranch dressing: Combine ranch seasoning mix, sour cream, mayonnaise and milk in a mixing
    bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. When potatoes are done, remove from oven. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Slice potatoes in
    half lengthwise. (If potatoes are still too hot to handle, you can always rest the potato halves in a
    potholder, while you scoop out the filling.) Scoop out flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 of an
    inch of potato around the skin, so potato maintains its shape. Place potato shells on a baking sheet
    (or in a baking dish).
5. Add butter, egg, cream cheese, milk, sour cream, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, garlic powder, seasoned salt
    and pepper to bowl of potatoes. Beat potato mixture with an electric mixer until potatoes are creamy
    and smooth.
6. Fill potato skins with mashed potatoes. Smooth out tops with a spoon. You don’t want to mound the
    potatoes, as you will be loading the tops later. Bake potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from
    oven.
7. Top with remainder of cheese. Return to oven until cheese is fully melted.
8. Remove from oven. Sprinkle potatoes with crumbled bacon and chopped green onions. Drizzle each
    potato with ranch dressing. Serve immediately.

Vegetable Medley with Rosemary and Lemon Zest

 

The other night when we had the Baked Bacon Cheddar Wings as an entrée, I was racking my brain trying to think of a light and simple side dish as an accompaniment. In an effort to help me with my thought process, Mike told me about a vegetable dish he had a restaurant while traveling recently. He described it as having potatoes, green beans and pearl onions and said it was really tasty. Of course, not being a cook, Mike wasn’t able to discern any herbs or spices included. Nevertheless, I thought the idea was a good one, so I decided to create my own “vegetable medley.” I combined baby red potatoes, fresh green beans, diced onions (I opted not to go with the pearl, as that would have been more time consuming), fresh mushrooms, garlic, red chili flakes, rosemary and lemon peel. Then I topped it off with salt and pepper, and a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice before serving. I was elated when Mike told me that my version was better than what he had at the restaurant. I know, he wasn’t just saying that to be polite, because the next day, he scoffed down the leftovers. Mike never eats leftover veggies (he’ll eat anything else reheated, but not veggies). This would be a great option for a “meatless” meal; or you can make it a complete one-pot meal by adding pre-cooked chicken, shrimp, or kielbasa. And, this is another one of those “versatile” meals; whatever ingredients you don’t like, just leave it out. On the other hand, the addition of some pre-cooked crumbled bacon would be a perfect touch (which I left out because I had enough bacon going on with the wings). 

Missing from photo: onion and olive oil

Chop onion. Slice mushrooms (if not already pre-sliced). Grate lemon zest. Finely chop rosemary.

In large saucepan, over medium-high heat, add potatoes with water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; drain and let cool. 

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, quarter potatoes lengthwise. Set aside.

In same large saucepan, add salted water (enough to cover beans) and bring to boil. Blanch green beans until bright green and tender crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and shock in bowl of ice water (to stop cooking process). NOTE: This is where I made my mistake. I only blanched them for 2 minutes and they were too crunchy still. I ended up having to sauté the other veggies longer than I wanted, in order to cook the green beans more. So, I would suggest testing the doneness of the green beans before shocking them in ice water. 

In large skillet (or Dutch oven), heat olive oil. Add garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and chili flakes; let sizzle until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cooked potatoes, onions, mushrooms and blanched green beans. Sauté until onions and mushrooms are cooked and other vegetables are hot and coated with seasonings. (Add additional olive oil, if needed, to keep potatoes from sticking.)

Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

For a complete one-pot meal, add 3/4 pound of diced, pre-cooked chicken, or peeled, cooked shrimp, or sliced, pre-cooked kielbasa to skillet along with vegetables. You could also add cooked, crumbled bacon, if desired.

VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH ROSEMARY AND LEMON ZEST
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, washed, not peeled
• 1 pound green beans, washed and trimmed
• 1/4 cup olive oil (more, if needed, to keep vegetables from sticking)
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used Baby Bella, but any kind will do)
• 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In large saucepan, over medium-high heat, add potatoes with water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to
    medium. Cover and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; drain and let cool. When
    potatoes are cool enough to handle, quarter potatoes lengthwise. Set aside.
2. In same large saucepan, add salted water (enough to cover beans) and bring to boil. Blanch green
    beans until bright green and tender crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and shock in bowl of ice water.
3. In large skillet (or Dutch oven), heat olive oil. Add garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and chili flakes; let
    sizzle until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cooked potatoes, onions, mushrooms and blanched green
    beans. Sauté until onions and mushrooms are cooked and other vegetables are hot and coated with
    seasonings. Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Note: For a complete one-pot meal, add 3/4 pound of diced, pre-cooked chicken, or peeled, cooked shrimp, or sliced, pre-cooked kielbasa to skillet along with vegetables. You could also add cooked, crumbled bacon, if desired.

Cheesy Salsa Potato Casserole

There’s nothing better than home-baked potato casseroles, whether it be oven roasted, au gratin, or scalloped. But, let’s face it, in today’s hectic world, more often than not, we have to reach for that bag of frozen spuds. We just don’t have that extra time required for peeling and slicing. But frozen potatoes can be so dull and unexciting. For that reason, I’ve collected an assortment of recipes specifically geared towards the convenience of frozen, but with unique taste combinations to give it the flavor and texture of something entirely home-made. Not that we’re intentionally trying to pull a fast one on our families, but if we can still impress, without it being labor intensive, isn’t that a win-win situation? Although this recipe requires 45 to 60 minutes of baking; it can be prepped in less than 10 minutes. The addition of salsa and cheese gives this dish a fiesta of flavors. Add cooked chicken or beef for a one-dish meal. It’s also an ideal choice for potlucks. Want to bump up the heat? Substitute hot salsa, Mexican cheese blend and nacho cheese soup. 

Missing from photo: bag of shredded Cheddar cheese (or other cheese blend)

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease a 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Chop onion. Melt butter.

In large bowl, mix potatoes, salsa, onion, sour cream, soup and pepper. Add cheese. Mix well. 

Spread in prepared baking dish.

In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Bake 45 to 60 minutes, or until cheese is melted and potatoes are tender.

Serve hot.

 
CHEESY SALSA POTATO CASSEROLE
Source: Betty Crocker (contest-winning recipe by Shannon Fountain of Winooski, VT)
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups (8-ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup thick and chunky salsa (any variety)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 can (10- 3/4 ounces) condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bag (32-ounces) frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1/2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• Paprika, to taste
• Parsley, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish or pan, or spray with non-stick cooking
    spray.
2. In large bowl, mix cheese, salsa, onion, sour cream, soup and pepper. Add potatoes; mix well. Spread
    in baking dish.
3. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and
    parsley.
4. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until cheese is melted and potatoes are tender.

Makes: 8 servings (1 cup each)