Potatoes Au Gratin?

Potatoes Au Gratin (Easy!) 

Some people say that if you don't make thing by scratch then you are a dirty rotten cheater.

I'm ok with that

Because life is short and if it tastes good when it is done, well I say huzzah and let's eat!

On that note, here is my easy "cheater" recipe for potatoes au gratin.

1 package of frozen hash browns (1.5 – 2 pounds)

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

1 can condensed cream of potato soup

1 package of sour cream (8 oz)

1 and ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Garlic Salt, Salt, and Pepper to taste



Directions:

Preheat Oven to 300

Cover bottom of pan (9 by 13 casserole dish) with frozen hash browns

Mix soups and sour cream in bowl until blended

Add spices to taste

Layer goopy mixture over the frozen potatoes

Sprinkle a bit of the cheese on the top

Cover pan with foil

Back for 60 minutes

Add rest of cheese to the top

Bake for another 30 minutes (without foil)

Allow to cool.

Enjoy!

Battered and Fried Zucchini

I was given a rather large zucchini over the weekend. What does one do with a zucchini this big, I wondered. 

This is a big zucchini.

Then I remembered that I am the daughter of a chief and a red blooded American.

 So I fried it.

I did a bit of looking online for ideas and then came up with this recipe.

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

8 mighty shakes of Oregano
1/4 cup water

2/4 cup milk (2%)
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp. oil
1 big ass zucchini
Oil for frying

Mix flour, salt, garlic salt, pepper, and Oregano.

Add egg yolks, water, milk, and 2 tablespoons oil.

Mix just until combined. Batter will be a little lumpy.

Beat egg whites. Add to batter.

slightly lumpy batter

Slice zucchini into thin slices.

That big zucchini all sliced up! No blood at all!

Dip zucchini in batter and fry until golden brown, 1-2 mins on each side.

 

I had a bit of batter left over, but had I not been so worried about running out, I don't think that would have been an issue.

Note 1: This amount of spice was okay, but next time I will use more pepper and maybe play with other spices.

Note 2: The batter had a bit of trouble staying on the zucchini in the pan, I found if I had the heat up high it cooked better and quicker while staying put.

Note 3: I had the over on Warm and added the cooked zucchini to a plate inside to keep warm while cooking the rest.

Note 4: I served the fried battered zucchini with an Indian bean soup (for protein). Next time I will serve with turkey burgers.

Note 5: Next time I will also either have more than 2 eaters at the table or make vastly less. The two of use only got through about half of the plate.

Finished Product! Yumm!

Nutty Green Beans

I made these last night and they were a hit!

Need:
1 pound of green beans (fresh)
3-5 cloves of garlic (cloves being the little parts not the big things –I think- hmmm, well buy the big thing then take the outer layer off an then pull out the little bulbs and skin ‘em. Chop 3-5 of these in half… the more you use the more garlic-y the beans will be)
1 Big Handful of halved walnuts (chop these up as well… I think about ¼ cup of chopped nuts is a good guide, but change for your own discretion.
Oil (I used Peanut oil)

Rinse and snap the green beans.
Place green beans in pan (large… I used my wok) and cover just barely with water.
Cook on high until beans are BRIGHT GREEN! (about 6-7 minutes(
Drain
Rinse with cold water and plop the whole strainer into cold water. (I filled my sink up about 1/3 of the way and added ice cubes.) I have no idea why this I important, but I followed the directions.
Let them cool while you heat a healthy dose (cover the bottom of the pan) of oil in the pan.
When the oil is hot add the garlic, cook on high for 5 minutes
After five minutes add the green beans and the nuts… sprinkle a bit of minced onions, salt to taste.
Cook for another 5 minutes or until you can’t stand it (They are going to smell soooo good!)

(Depending on your group.. you might want to remove the big chunks of garlic before you serve.)

Serve and enjoy!

Time: Less than 20 minutes.

Pasta and Asparagus Dinner

Need:
1 Jar medium priced pasta sauce (I like the basil flavored one)
4-5 Spears of as fresh as you can get it Asparagus
1 Garlic Clove
1 Handful dry uncooked Angel hair pasta
1 loaf French Baguette
Butter and Olive Oil
Whatever spices are handy.


Time before eating: The first 8 songs off of The Best of Sheryl Crow album. By the time “If It Makes You Happy” is playing you should be sitting on your living room floor with a plate of food. Actually, it will probably take you less time if you don’t take photos along the way and send a text message announcing your success to half the people in your contact list.


Asparagus:
I chopped up the garlic… actually I pulled three cloves of the big garlic hunk and then chopped those using the chopping technique Christ taught me* and cooked the pieces in a thin layer of oil on the stove. (Frying pan)
Once it was hot and starting to smell all garlicky, I added the uncut (but rinsed) asparagus spears.
Heat on High gradually turning down to medium low for about 10 minutes,


Pasta:
I don’t measure my pasta or my water... I just cook it until it is tender but still firm (8-10 minutes) and then drain off the excess liquid. I also add butter to the pot when I add the noodles.

Sauce
Pour as much as needed into small saucepan to heat.
Add spices as desired.
A good combo is bay leaves (crushed), minced garlic, minced onions, a few shakes of parsley and a few shakes of pepper. Obviously, the more sauce in the pan, a bit more spice… And I taste it as I go.

Serve with French baguette slices and butter.

Noodles can be tossed in the fridge, leftover sauce can be as well or frozen.