Roasted Garlic Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

1½  pounds small yellow, red, or white potatoes (I prefer yellow)

¼ Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1½  tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. McCormick Roasted Garlic Seasoning

DIRECTIONS

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

-Cut the potatoes in quarters or a little larger than bite size and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning; toss until the potatoes are well coated.

-Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer.

-Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp.

-Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.

-Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss again and season to taste, and serve hot.

*This can also be done in the broiler if you need a quicker method– just reduce the cooking time.

-Jackie S. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

INGREDIENTS

2 pints brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

-Preheat oven to 425F.

-Wash the sprouts thoroughly and trim the bottoms down and remove any yucky outer leaves. Cut in half lengthwise from top to bottom.

-Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper (less is more right now because you can always add more at the end of cooking).

–Roast on a sheet pan, tossing occasionally, until sprouts are tender and caramelized - 25 to 30 minutes

This can also be done in the broiler if you need a quicker method – just reduce the cooking time. Makes 4 Servings.

-Jackie S.

Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients:

• 6 medium potatoes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 3 tbsp dill pickles chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 tsp celery salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• dash pepper
• 6 hard-cooked eggs, diced

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1 cup mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS

Cook potatoes and cut into bite size pieces.

Mix with all other dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients: sugar, vinegar, mustard, and mayonnaise before adding to the salad.

-Rachel Sommerfeldt

German-Style Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

(From Better, Homes, and Gardens cookbook)

1 ¼ lbs red or white potatoes (about 4 medium)

¼ tsp salt

4 slices bacon

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp celery seeds

½ tsp dry mustard

1/8 to ¼ tsp black pepper

2/3 cup water

¼ cup vinegar

DIRECTIONS

-In a medium saucepan place potatoes, the ¼ tsp salt, and enough water to cover.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until just tender.  Drain well; cool slightly.  Halve, peel, and cut potatoes into ¼ inch slices.  Set aside.

-For dressing, in a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon, reserving 2 Tbsp drippings in skillet.  Drain bacon on paper towels.  Crumble the bacon and set aside.

-Add onion to the reserved drippings.  Cook over medium heat until tender.  Stir in flour, sugar, the ½ tsp salt, the celery seeds, dry mustard, and pepper.  Stir in the 2/3 cup water and the vinegar.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Gently stir in the potato and bacon.  Cook, stirring gently, for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  If desired sprinkle with parsley.

-This dish is traditionally served warm but is good cold too.

-Jade Jones

Garden Stuffed Baked Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

4 russet potatoes

2 Tbsp butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

½ cup ranch salad dressing

¾ cup mozzarella cheese

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp dried parsley

Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Microwave pierced potatoes on HIGH for 12 minutes; bake for 15 minutes.  Slice off potato tops.  Scoop out pulp, keeping skins intact.  Mash pulp in a medium bowl.

-Heat a small skillet over medium heat; add butter. 

-Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. 

-Add onion, broccoli, salad dressing and cheese to potato pulp; mix well.

-Brush outside of potato skin shells with oil.  (This helps them absorb more heat and allows the potatoes to cook more quickly reducing the cooking time by a few minutes.    It also makes the skins crisp and nicely brown).

-Spoon potato mixture into shells, dividing evenly.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake potatoes until heated through, about 15 minutes. 

-Sprinkle with parsley; salt and pepper to taste.

-Jade Jones

El Torito Sweet Corn

INGREDIENTS

1/4  Cup  Butter

2 Tbsp. Shortening

1/2  Cup Masa Harina*

3 Tbsp. Cold Water

10 oz Frozen Corn

3 Tbsp. Cornmeal

1/4  Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp. Whipping Cream

¼ tsp.  Baking Powder

¼ tsp. Salt

DIRECTIONS

-Whip butter and shortening in mixing bowl until creamy. Add masa harina gradually and mix thoroughly. Add water gradually.

-Chop or blend corn kernels until coarsely chopped. Stir into masa mixture.

-Mix cornmeal, sugar, whipping cream, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.

-Add butter mixture and mix until well combined.

-Pour mixture in to a 8x8 pam sprayed baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes, or until cake is firm.

-Allow to stand at room temp for 15 min before serving. We serve it with an ice cream scoop but you could just spoon it out. It should be too loose to cut into slices.

*Masa harina comes in a bag like flour and can be found with the flour in most supermarkets.  It's the flour to use for corn tortillas.

- Jackie S. 

Banana Berry Crème Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 Large fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 Large package instant banana cream pudding
12 oz. light cool whip
3-4 Bananas
Package of frozen berries
 

DIRECTIONS
Mix the yogurt and pudding powder together really well.

Fold in the cool whip, berries (thawed) and banana slices.

Chill until ready to serve.

*When using fat-free yogurt and light cool whip this is a reasonably healthy sweet fix!*

- Ashley Crosby

Baked Beans

INGREDIENTS

1 28oz can Bushes Baked Beans (any flavor)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup or BBQ Sauce
1/8 cup mustard

DIRECTIONS
Mix and put in a square baking dish. Bake at 375 until crusted (about 30 minutes)

-Brittany Gilson