Smashed Potatoes

When I was a teenager, sometimes my parents and I would go to a restaurant called Cheddar's for dinner.  My mom always got inspiration for new recipes from food at restaurants, and Cheddar's was the origin of our Smashed Potatoes recipe.  Basically, at Cheddar's they called their potatoes "smashed" instead of "mashed," and they left the skin on the potatoes.  The Smashed Potatoes were creamy and delicious.  From that side dish, my mom came up with her own version which included mashing butter and sour cream into the potatoes.

After I got married, I introduced my husband to this recipe, and we came up with a way to make it healthier.  What is it?  Don't add butter.  I know you'd think that butter would add so much flavor, but really, the sour cream adds more flavor.  I promise you won't even miss the butter; you and your family and friends will just rave about the creamy flavor.

This recipe, which serves 4 people, only has about 160 calories per serving or 640 calories for the entire batch.  That's not bad for creamy, flavorful, delicious potatoes.  They're perfect to serve at your Thanksgiving dinner, at a dinner party, or just a typical weeknight.  They're ready in less than a half hour, start to finish.  Enjoy!

Smashed Potatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
20 oz potatoes
1/2 c sour cream
1 tbsp no sodium chicken bouillon
water
TexJoy or salt & pepper to taste

Method:
Leave the skin on the potatoes and chop them into 1-inch to 1/2-inch cubes.  The smaller you chop them, the faster they'll cook.

Put the potatoes in a bowl and cover them with water.  Mix the potatoes around with your hand, and then strain off the water.  Repeat 2 more times.  This will prevent the potatoes from being "like glue."






Put the potatoes in a medium size pot and add enough water so that they're covered with water.  Add the bouillon and stir so that it dissolves.  Heat the pot to medium high and let it reach a steady boil.  Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes or until you can easily pierce them with a fork.

When the potatoes are fully cooked, strain off the water and then return the potatoes to the pot but don't put them back over heat.

Add the sour cream to the potatoes and mash them to combine until creamy.  Slightly lumpy is okay.  Add the TexJoy or salt & pepper and mash to combine.

These potatoes go well with any meat entree.  Tonight, my husband and I had them with some fresh tuna that a friend who fishes was nice enough to give us.  They would also be a great accompaniment to BBQ chicken, steak, or your Thanksgiving turkey!

If you have leftovers, you can always turn them into Smashed Potato Soup.  Just reheat in a pot and add milk until you reach your desired soup consistency.  You can top with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and/or bacon for a real treat!

Happy eating!

Open-Faced Fried Egg Sandwiches

Open-Faced Fried Egg Sandwiches

One thing that made me fall in love with my husband was his ability to cook.  I had never had a man cook for me before.  I grew up in a family where my dad could only make toast.  Then I meet this cute, charming guy who made steak, and chicken, and duck!  They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but I think that's the way to a woman's heart too.

My husband instinctively knows what flavors go well together.  He can make some fancy things, but sometimes it's the simplest things that mean the most.

When we were engaged, just a couple months before our wedding, I met most of his family for the first time at a family reunion in Tennessee.  His aunt had rented a big house in the country by a river.  His family was really welcoming, and I had a great time getting to know them, but spending time with my then fiance at a beautiful house in the fall while the trees were changing color was quite nice as well.

By the river in Tennessee

My Cute, Charming Chef in Tennessee

One highlight of that trip was when my husband (then fiance) made fried egg sandwiches for breakfast.  He made them just for him and me.  I think he used french bread, real butter, full fat cheese, bacon and of course, eggs.  There wasn't anything low cal in the rental house kitchen.  I had never had a fried egg sandwich before.  I'm not sure if I had ever even had a fried egg before.  I specialized in scrambled eggs and omelets.

Fried Egg Sandwiches in Tennessee

We ate outside on the deck overlooking the river.  It was just perfect.  The sandwich was so good, and every time I eat a fried egg sandwich, I'll always picture that wonderful morning in Tennessee when my then fiance made me breakfast for the first time.

My husband has made dozens of fried egg sandwiches for me since then, and I've even made a few myself.  We usually use healthier items like Whole Wheat Bread, and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray.  Most recently, my husband made me an Open-Faced Fried Egg Sandwich a couple days ago.  Here's the recipe so you can treat your own loved ones to a special breakfast treat.  This recipe is for 1 sandwich.  Multiply it for multiple sandwiches.



Open-Faced Fried Egg Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 slice Whole Wheat Bread
1 egg
1/2 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
salt & pepper
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray
Pam Butter Flavor Spray

Method:
Spray a small frying pan or pot with Pam and heat to medium.  Crack the egg in the pan.  Sprinkle salt & pepper on the egg.  When the egg just starts to cook on the bottom, pierce the yolk and let it run, but don't scramble.  Let the egg cook until it's no longer runny.

Carefully flip the egg over.  Sometimes it helps to put a spatula under the egg, get the egg to slide, and tip the pan on its side.  Once the egg is flipped over, sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Cook 1 minute more.

Toast the bread.  Spray with butter spray.  Sprinkle half of the cheese on the toast.  Top with the egg and remaining cheese.

Cut the sandwich in half if desired, and breakfast is served!  As we did in Tennessee, you can add a side of fruit for a well-rounded meal.

Happy eating!

Redd's Apple Ale and Redd's Strawberry Ale

My husband and I aren't big beer drinkers.  In fact, we usually only use beer for cooking, like when we're making Beer Battered Chips, but we still like to look in the beer section of our local Total Wine store.

A couple weeks ago, we picked up Redd's Apple Ale and Redd's Strawberry Ale.  They sounded so good and refreshing, but I was still worked that it would taste like "liquid bread," since that's what I usually think beer tastes like.

This doesn't taste like liquid bread at all.  Redd's Apple Ale smells like apples and has a crisp and refreshing flavor.  It tastes light and fruity, very enjoyable.

Although I like Redd's Apple Ale, I prefer Redd's Strawberry Ale.  It really tastes like strawberries!  It's sweeter than the Apple Ale, but not too sweet.  Really, it's just delicious, and I definitely need to go back to Total Wine and get some more!

If you're looking for something different to bring to a party or potluck this Holiday Season, why not bring Redd's Apple Ale or Redd's Strawberry Ale? 

Happy drinking!

A Trio of Low-Cal Cranberry Orange Cocktails

I'm becoming a little obsessed with the delicious combination of cranberries and oranges.  I just knew they'd be a great duo in cocktails.  I looked up a couple cocktail recipes today for inspiration, and I also created one based on one of my own recipes.  I think recipe #3 is my personal favorite, but I suggest trying all three and deciding for yourself.

All three recipes have less than 160 calories each!  I love making cocktails low-cal.  :)  For all of these recipes, I used Ocean Spray Diet Cran-Pomegranate™ Cranberry Pomegranate Juice Drink and Trop50 No Pulp orange juice.    Nutrition info is based on using these low-cal mixers.  You can use regular cranberry and orange juice if you prefer, but it'll add calories, and I promise that the low-cal versions are super tasty!



First up...

1. Skinny Madras

 

This recipe is inspired by a recipe I found at about.com, but my version only has 112 calories!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka
3 oz Ocean Spray Diet Cran-Pomegranate™
1 oz Trop50 No Pulp orange beverage

Method:
Pour all ingredients in a cocktail glass and stir well.









Next up...

2. Skinny Cranberry Sunrise

This recipe is inspired by drinksmixer.com, but my version only has 107 calories!

Ingredients:
1 oz Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka
3 oz Ocean Spray Diet Cran-Pomegranate™
3 oz Trop50 No Pulp orange beverage
1 tsp grenadine syrup

Method:
Pour all ingredients in a cocktail glass and stir well.

And, finally, a recipe all my own.  Inspired by my own Ono Mai Tai recipe, I bring you...

3. Mai O Mai  

 

The "O" stands for Ocean Spray cranberry juice which I've used in place of the pineapple juice in my Ono Mai Tai recipe.  One drink only has 158 calories!

Ingredients:
1/2 oz amaretto liqueur
1/2 oz triple sec

1 oz Ocean Spray Diet Cran-Pomegranate™

1 oz Trop50 No Pulp orange beverage

1 oz Largo Bay spiced rum
ice

Method:
Put 4 large ice-cubes (or equal amount crushed ice) in a cocktail glass.  Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix well.



So, what are you waiting for?  Mix up these skinny cocktails, and serve them up this holiday season on Thanksgiving, at your Christmas Party, or at your New Year's Eve bash!  You could even mix up a huge batch and serve it in a punch bowl.   

Happy drinking!

Thanksgiving Menu Solved!

It's the countdown to Thanksgiving, and in honor of this foodiest holiday of them all, I'll be posting Thanksgiving menu related recipes through Turkey Day.

Check out my recipe suggestions for your Thanksgiving menu by clicking here.

Happy eating!