Home remedies, recipes, and VooDoo.

Ingredients:

• 6 small to medium sized russet potatoes, rinsed clean
• 8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8 slices of smoked, thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
• 6 tbsp sour cream, optional
• 2 tbsp of chopped chives, optional
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Poke the top of each potato with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 1 hour. Once cooked, remove from the baking sheet, and place on a plate to let cool for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, if you are a fan of sour cream, which I am, add the sour cream to a small bowl, toss in half of the chives, mix, and let this sit in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cook your bacon, low and slow on the stove, for about 15-20 minutes. The low and slow process, in my opinion, is the only way to cook bacon as it really yields perfect bacon every time. Remove the bacon and let any additional fat drain on some paper towel, before you crumble it down.

Once your potatoes are cooled, use a sharp bread knife and you will cut lengthwise, into three segments of one potato, long slices. So each potato will yield two skins, right? Discard the middle slice and reuse for breakfast the following morning, or heck for that matter, add some butter, salt, and cream, and make some rustic mashed potatoes.

Continue this cutting process with the rest of the potatoes. You should then have 12 skins. With a small spoon, being careful, scoop out about 70 percent of the potato, as you still want some potato in your boat.

Next, melt your butter in the microwave. Get your broiler heated to high. Brush the butter on the inside and outside of each potato skin and place them back onto the baking sheet. Season the inside of each skin with salt and pepper.

Place them under the broiler for 8-10 minutes until the insides get a bit crispy from the melted butter. Remove, and place generous amounts of cheddar cheese into each skin, topping with bacon pieces. Place these back under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes until the cheese is nice and bubbly. Carefully remove from the oven.

Preheat oven to 230 C (450 F). Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the potatoes in 1/8-inch thick round slices. 

In a pot of boiling water cook the potato slices for 3-5 minute. Drain well and combine with oil, salt, pepper and spices (garlic, oregano, basil, etc) in a large bowl.

Place potato slices on prepared baking sheet in one layer. Bake for about 15 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Gently remove the chips and place on parchment paper; let dry for few minutes and they are ready to serve.

Ingredients:

- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 3 cups thinly sliced potatoes
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 3/4 cup of milk (or fill mushroom soup can 3/4 full)
- 1/2 cup sliced celery
- 1/2 pkg onion soup mix
- pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or marble cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Fry ground beef until browned, drain any fat.
3. Combine mushroom soup, milk, celery, onion soup mix and pepper.
4. Alternately layer the potatoes, ground beef and soup mixture in a baking dish.
5. Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.

Top with cheese and put back in oven, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes.

You can adjust this recipe to add your favorite veggies – sometimes I add fresh mushrooms if I have them on hand, corn, peppers, etc. Enjoy!

Servings: 5 • Size: 1 cup
Calories: 207.6 • Fat: 7.8 g • Carb: 22.5 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 11.9 g

• 2 russet potatoes, washed and dried
• 1 small head of cauliflower, stem removed cut into florets
• 1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 10 tbsp reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 tbsp chopped chives, divided
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you prefer)

Pierce potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for 5 minutes turn over and microwave another 3 - 5 minutes, until tender. Or if you prefer to use your oven, bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes.

Meanwhile, steam cauliflower with water in a large covered pot until tender. Drain and return to pot. On medium heat, add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 tbsp cheese, remaining chives, and bacon.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of shredded potatoes, rinsed and squeezed dry.
• 1/2 cup of grated onions
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tbs fresh chives
• 3 tbs flour
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 tbs fresh chives, chopped
• 1 small bunch of scallions, chopped into rings
• kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

• Using a food processor or box grater shred potatoes.
• Soak potatoes in cold water for several minutes the using paper towels squeeze dry.
• Grate onion on box grater.
• In a large bowl combine potatoes, onions, flour, chives and beaten eggs.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Gently mix well.
• In a large non stick saute pan, using medium heat add the canola oil.
• Form the potato mixture into round cakes, slightly larger than a golf ball.(if desired you may make cakes larger or smaller)
• Once oil is hot place the round cakes in the oil and press down with a spatula to form a flat cake.
• Do not over crowd pan.
• Fry cakes for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden.
• Drain on paper towels, and place the cakes on a platter and garnish with scallions.

Garlic Fries
Adapted from: Lottie + Doof

8 garlic cloves, minced
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 russet potatoes (about 8oz each), each cut into 12 wedges
3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 225°C/440° F.
2. Combine the garlic and oil in a large bowl, warming it until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Transfer 5 tablespoons of the oil (leaving the garlic in the bowl) to the baking dish, coating it well.
4. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the garlic mixture and toss to coat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the potatoes are translucent around the edges, 3 to 6 minutes, shaking the bowl to redistribute the potatoes halfway through cooking.
5. Combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot potatoes and toss well to coat.
6. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.
7. Serve with ketchup, mayo or sour cream.