Nauvoo Potato Casserole

Ingredients

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• 32 oz bag of frozen shredded hash browns
• 2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 2 cups finely crushed corn flakes
• 2 Tbs butter or margarine, melted

How to make it

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• Grease 9x13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In large bowl combine soups, sour cream, cheese, onions, and the 1/2 cup of melted butter.
• Gently fold hash browns into mixture.
• Pour mixture into pan.
• Combine crushed corn flakes and the 2 Tbs. of melted butter and sprinkle on top of potato mixture.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
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Mema's Mashed Potatoes

This is Mema's famous potato recipe. These are absolutely delicious--people who taste them always ask for the recipe!

1 c. sour cream
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 - 3/4 TB. salt
6 TB. butter, melted
Sprinkle minced onions

Boil 10 peeled potatoes. Mash. Add salt and minced onions. Add sour cream, cream cheese, and 3 TB. of the melted butter. Mix until light and fluffy. Place in greased, covered 9 x 13" pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 min. Uncover and pour remaining melted butter on top.

Bulgarian Mu-ssa-KA

Remember that scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Toula is remembering her childhood and the pretty girls ask her what she's having for lunch and she says, "Mussaka." and they say, "Moose Ca-ca? AHAHAHAHAA!!" Well, here it is, Mussaka, not moose ca-ca. It's very good, very Balkan and perhaps one of the best dishes you'll ever eat.

Here is the recipe:

1 lb ground beef or turkey (I like turkey)
2-3 lbs potatoes (If you use russets peel them, reds and golds can have the skins)
1, 14 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 sm can tomato sauce
1 med diced onion
1 diced red or yellow bell pepper (or if you have a few roasted red peppers from a jar use those)
2-3 cloves or 3T minced garlic
4 eggs
2 C plain yogurt
2-3 T flour
1/2 t salt
1 t ground summer savory (this is what makes it tase Bulgarian)
1/2 t red pepper flakes (optional if you like a little heat, or 'loot' as it's called in BG)
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a stock pot or soup pan, brown onion, garlic, bell pepper and meat till the meat is done. Cut potatoes in to 1" (approx) cubes and add into meat, also add the savory and red pepper at this time. Add the tomatoes with the juice, the tomato sauce and about a cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook till the potaoes are done all the way thru. During this time, salt the mixture to your taste. When the potatoes are done, remove from the stovetop and pour into a 9x13 baking dish and place in the oven. Bake for 30-40 mins, till a crust has formed on the top of the casserole. If your mixture did not have a lot of liquid to begin with add 1 C of water before baking, if the mixure did have liquid in it, then omit this.

For the Top: Mix together the eggs, yogurt, flour and 1/2 t salt till well blended and smooth. Pour over the top of the casserole after it has baked for 30 mins. Pop back into the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 mins, or till the top is browing and looks cooked. You can also insert a knife in the top, if it comes out clean it's done.

Serve this with salad, bread and plain yogurt. The Bulgarians love yogurt, or kiselo milako (litterally sour milk). They use it on everything. I can't imagine eating mussaka with out yogurt on top.

Chestito Yadane!

Mr Potato Head Soup

Again, another copy and paste from my blog, I wrote this last fall, if you couldn't tell...haha!

Not only does fall mean I can use my oven again, it also means I cook again. What do we eat in the summer you ask? Things that do not require cooking that's what. But anyway, I made a big pot of Grandma Randall's potato soup the other night. The thing about potato soup is that it makes REALLY good left overs. It also reminds me of the Ranch, Grandma and Grandpa Randall and all the crazy times with the cousins....

3-4 lbs potatoes. If you use russetts, peel them, if you use reds or golds, leave the skins on.
1/2 lb ham or bacon
1 chopped onion
1, 15 oz can evaporated milk
1 can of corn
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 bunch Italian flat leaf parsely rough chopped (optional)

Method:
Fill a soup pot about 2/3 of the way full, about 5 or so cups. Add some salt to the water and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and cook till done. When the potatoes are done, add the milk and corn. In a seperate pan, sautee the onion and ham/bacon till the onions are translucent and starting to brown and the ham/bacon is slightly brown but not crispy. If you are using bacon, you might also want to drain off some of the fat at this point. Add the onions and meat to the potatoes and stir. Boil for about 15 more mins and season to taste. Right before serving add the parsely if you want it. Serve with crusty bread or rolls. It's also nice with some cheese on top!