Prassopita (Greek Potato and Leek Pie)

3 Tbsp olive oil
4 c cleaned, chopped leek whites and greens (about 4 leeks)
3/4 lb Idaho potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and grated
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 2 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp pepper
8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed and refrigerated until ready to use
1 c crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9"x13" baking pan with cooking spray.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add leeks. Cook until they have softened but are still bright green and have not caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, egg and milk into a large bowl and mix to combine, then stir in dill and pepper.

Place remaining 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil in a small cup or bowl. Remove phyllo dough from fridge, take sheets out of box and unroll so they're flat. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and then a clean, damp dishtowel.

Place a sheet of phyllo on bottom of baking pan. Using fingers, lightly dot with olive oil. Place another piece of phyllo on top, gently press down, and continue until you have 4 layers. Do not oil the last sheet.

Place half the potato mixture on top and sprinkle with half the feta and half the olives. Top with 1 sheet phyllo and, using fingers, lightly dot with olive oil. Continue until you have 4 layers. Oil the last sheet, too, using up any remaining oil.

Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. May be made in advance and frozen, then reheated at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

NOTES
From Hannaford.
Untried.

Braised Chuck Roast with Stew Vegetables

2 1/2 - 3 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp flour, plus additional for dusting
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 lbs assorted stew vegetables (carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, etc), chopped
10 oz mushrooms
1 c red wine
1 (28 oz) can cut tomatoes with Italian seasoning
1 3/4 c beef stock
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Season roast generously with salt and pepper. Dust with flour; pat off excess.

Heat oil in large oven-safe pan on medium high until oil faintly smokes. Add roast; brown, turning to brown all sides, 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Discard all but 1 Tbsp drippings from pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Add stew vegetables and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; cook 4-5 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir in wine. Simmer until reduced to syrupy consistency, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add stock; heat to simmering. Return roast to pan and cover. Braise on center rack of oven 2-2 1/2 hours, until fork tender.

Remove pan from oven and carefully remove lid. Skim fat from surface of sauce and discard. Transfer roast to platter and season to taste with salt and pepper; let rest 10 minutes.

Stir thyme, rosemary and remaining 3 Tbsp flour into pan liquid. Heat to simmering, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Slice roast and serve with vegetables and sauce.

NOTES
From Wegmans.
Untried.

Braised Chicken with Baby Potatoes

3 Tbsp flour, plus additional for dusting
3 lbs chicken (breasts, drumsticks and/or thighs)
2 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp chopped shallots
8 oz mushrooms
1/2 c dry white wine
2 c chicken stock
3/4 pound baby potatoes (white, dutch or red, left whole)
1/2 lb escarole, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 roasted peppers, diced
1 Tbsp capers
juice of one lemon (2-3 Tbsp)
salt and pepper to taste

Dust chicken with flour; pat off excess. Heat oil in large oven-safe pan on medium; add chicken. Brown lightly on all sides, 8-10 minutes total. Transfer to clean platter; set aside. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp oil.

Add shallots; cook and stir 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 3-4 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Simmer 3-5 minutes to reduce liquids by two-thirds. Stir in remaining 3 Tbsp flour; add chicken stock. Return chicken to pan and add potatoes. Bring to a simmer.

Cover and place on center rack of oven. Braise for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Remove pan from oven. Remove chicken from sauce and set aside. Add escarole to pan; simmer 5 minutes on medium on stove top. Stir in tarragon, peppers and capers. Return chicken to pan and add lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

NOTES
From Wegmans.
Untried.

Jackie's Crockpot Chicken

Layer in crock pot:

3 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup (1 family size, 1 regular size)
1 packet onion soup mix
1 chicken bouillon cube
salt potatoes, skin on, quartered
sliced carrots
frozen mixed vegetables

Cook 6 hours on low. Before serving, shred chicken using 2 forks and mix well. Serve over biscuits.

NOTES
From my friend Jackie.
No measurements for the vegetables -- just use whatever looks like a good sized layer.
Haven't made this since I gave up canned soup, so I'd probably look for an alternative if I made it again.
Would perhaps look for a homemade alternative to the onion soup mix as well.

Cowboy Mashed Potatoes

1 lb red potatoes
1 lb yellow potatoes
1/2 can (2 oz) chopped green chiles
12 oz chopped carrots
4 cloves garlic
10 oz frozen corn
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes, carrots and garlic in boiling water 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Stir in corn, chiles and butter; mash well with potato masher. Stir in cheese; season with salt and pepper to taste.

NOTES
Adapted from allrecipes.com.
A nice twist on ordinary mashed potatoes.
I've been guilty of serving this to my family as an entree, I love it so much.

Potato Salad

12 red or Yukon gold potatoes
6 hard-boiled eggs
3 large dill pickles
1/2 onion, chopped
1 - 1 1/2 c mayonnaise
1-2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1-2 Tbsp vinegar

Boil potatoes until tender. Cool; cut into cubes. Chop eggs and pickles. Combine potatoes, eggs, pickles and onion with mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

NOTES
My all-purpose potato salad recipe, approximated, created from various recipes.
I like to replace some of the mayo with plain yogurt -- healthier option and nice tangy taste.
Sometimes I'll sprinkle in some dill and/or onion powder if I want some extra herb flavor.

Hamburger Casserole

2 medium sliced potatoes
2 medium sliced carrots
1/3 c uncooked rice
2 small sliced onions
1 lb ground beef
1 quart canned tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp brown sugar

In a 2-quart greased casserole dish, layer potatoes, carrots, rice, onion, beef and tomatoes, sprinkling salt and pepper to taste over each layer. Sprinkle brown sugar over all. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 - 3 hours.

NOTES
I think this comes from an Amish or Mennonite cookbook.
Untried.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

5 large potatoes
1 c sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c water
1 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1/4 c melted butter
salt and pepper

Wash and peel potatoes. Boil until tender. Let cool and then grate.

Mix together sour cream, soup, water, 1 c cheese, onion, butter, and salt and pepper to taste.

Layer potatoes and cheese mixture in a baking dish; top with 1/2 c cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

NOTES
From my friend Jessica.
Really delicious, but these days I'd probably play around to find a substitute for the cream soup.

Smoky Cheddar Chowder

3 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped medium (about 1 1/2 c)
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped medium (about 2 c)
3 large ribs celery, chopped medium (about 2 c)
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 large bay leaves
2 tsp minced fresh thyme (3/4 tsp dried)
2 lb leeks (about 4 medium), white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, cleaned thoroughly, cut into 1" pieces (about 7 c)
2 lb medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes (about 6 c)
3 c chicken stock
2 c half and half
8 oz smoked Cheddar cheese, grated (about 3 c)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 tsp snipped chives, for garnish

In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add bay leaves, thyme and leeks, stir to distribute, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are just tender, about 10 minutes; do not brown. If you have time, turn off heat and let rest for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.

Add potatoes and chicken stock. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until potatoes are just tender, 12-15 minutes. With a wooden spoon, mash some of the potatoes and continue cooking until they release their starch into the chowder, about 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, add half and half, and heat chowder until it's hot and almost, but not quite, simmering. Whisking gently and constantly, add Cheddar cheese about 1/2 c at a time, making sure it's fully melted and incorporated before adding more. Season chowder with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and discard.

Ladle chowder into bowls, sprinkle each serving with chives, and serve with crackers or sliced baguette. Makes about 3 quarts, or 8 servings.

NOTES
From Hannaford.
Untried.

Root Vegetable Pot Pie

Crust:

1/2 c butter, room temperature
3 oz cold cream cheese, cut into 3 pieces
1 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 c vegetable broth

Filling:

1 Tbsp butter
1 lb onions, coarsely chopped (about 2 c)
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
3 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced (about 3 c)
2 large parsnips, peeled, thinly sliced (about 2 c)
1 lb potatoes, peeled, cubed (about 2 c)
1/2 c celery root or celeriac, peeled, coarsely chopped
2 leeks, white parts only, cleaned and sliced
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (1 tsp dried)
3/4 tsp salt, plus additional for sprinkling
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for sprinkling
water as needed

To make crust: In a large bowl, using electric mixer on low speed, beat butter and cream cheese until smoothly blended, about 45 seconds. Sift flour and salt on top of cream cheese mixture and sprinkle in black pepper. Mix until dough holds together and forms large clumps that come away from sides of bowl, about 30 seconds. For dough into a smooth ball, flatten into a 6" disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour, until dough is firm enough to roll out without sticking.

While dough chills, prepare sauce and filling. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make sauce: Melt butter over low heat in a large saucepan. As soon as butter melts, add flour and increase heat to medium. Using a wooden spoon and stirring constantly, cook butter and flour until mixture is bubbling and just beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in broth. Keep whisking until sauce is smooth. Bring to a gentle boil, adjusting heat as necessary, and cook for 5 minutes. Sauce will begin to thicken slightly, to the consistency of a thick syrup. Set aside.

To make filling: In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat until it begins to bubble gently. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add onion mixture to sauce and stir in carrots, parsnips, potatoes, celery root and leeks. Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, adjusting heat to keep liquid at a gentle boil, until vegetables are slightly softened. Stir in parsley and thyme. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper. Transfer filling to a 9"x2" round baking dish or glass pie plate and let cool 15 minutes.

Lightly flour rolling surface and rolling pin. Roll dough to a shape that's 1" larger around than top of baking dish. Roll up pie crust onto rolling pin and unroll over top of baking dish. Fold 1/2" of edge under crust itself to form a smooth edge. Use thumb and forefinger to pinch edge of crust into fluted pattern around edge of dish, while pressing it firmly onto the rim. Using a pastry brush, brush crust lightly with water, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut 4 2"-long slits in top of crust to release steam while baking.

Bake about 35 minutes until crust is lightly browned. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTES
From Hannaford.
Untried.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Orange-Chipotle Glaze

4 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs)
1 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1 (6oz) can thawed orange juice concentrate, undiluted

Heat up your grill.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Cook potato halves in boiling water 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Rinse with cold water. While potatoes are cooking, remove 3 Tbsp adobo sauce from canned chiles. Save remaining sauce and chiles for another use. Combine 3 Tbsp adobo sauce, butter, cilantro, salt and juice in a small bowl. Grill potatoes 4 minutes on each side or until done, basting frequently with glaze.

NOTES
From Cooking Light.
Untried.

Greek Chicken Casserole

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 c chopped onion (about 1 large)
2 Tbsp dried thyme
1-2 tsp black pepper
10 garlic cloves, minced
6 c cubed red potatoes (about 2 lb)
2 c cut green beans (about 1/2 lb)
1/4 c water
2 Tbsp finely chopped olives
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
8 skinned, boned chicken thighs (about 1 lb)
1/2 c (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes. Add thyme, pepper, garlic; saute 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add potatoes; saute 8 minutes or until potatoes begin to brown. Stir in beans, water, olives and tomatoes. Remove from heat. Nestle chicken thighs into potato mixture and top with feta. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

NOTES
From Cooking Light.
Untried.

Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Rosemary

2 whole heads garlic
2 lbs peeled cubed potatoes (Yukon gold recommended)
1 c chopped onion
2 Tbsp plan yogurt
1 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Remove white papery skin from garlic heads -- do not peel or separate cloves. Wrap each head separately in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.

Place potatoes and onion in a saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 c cooking water.

Combine garlic, potatoes, reserved cooking liquid, and remaining ingredients; mash.

NOTES
From Cooking Light.
Untried.
I think I'd probably saute the onions instead of boiling with the potatoes.

Navarin of Spring Vegetables

6 c vegetable stock
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large bay leaf
12-18 new potatoes, cubed
18 baby carrots
3 small turnips, peeled and wedged
12-18 small boiling onions, peeled
1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut
5 artichoke hearts, quartered
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 c green peas
1 Tbsp light miso
salt and pepper to taste

Bring stock to a boil and add garlic, bay leaf, potatoes, carrots, turnips and onions. Lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes until veggies are nearly tender. Add asparagus, artichokes, thyme, tarragon and peas; cook 5 minutes more. Remove bay leaf. Stir in miso; add salt and pepper to taste.

NOTES
From a Moosewood Cookbook.
Untried.

Cheddar-Asparagus Pot-pie

4 c (about 1 lb) sliced asparagus
2 c diced red potato
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 c milk
1 c shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 c diced ham
1/2 c sliced green onions
4 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp tender. Remove from pan; set aside. Add potatoes to pan and cook in boiling water 5 minutes or until tender. Drain; add to asparagus.

In a large saucepan, combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add milk; whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. Add cheese; stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat; stir in asparagus, potato, ham and onion. Spoon into a greased 11"x7" baking dish.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a large cutting board or work surface (cover remaining dough to keep from drying out) and gently brush 1 side of phyllo with about 1 tsp melted butter. Fold phyllo in half crosswise and place over filling. Repeat with remaining phyllo and butter. Trim excess phyllo from edges of dish. Lightly coat phyllo with cooking spray.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and bubbly around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

NOTES
From Cooking Light.
Have successfully made without ham.
Have successfully made with standard pie crust in place of phyllo (in round pie dish instead of rectangular baking dish).

Potatoes Primavera

2 lb small red potatoes, quartered
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c dry white wine
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt, divided
3 c (8 oz) sugar snap peas, trimmed
3 c (1 lb) diagonally-sliced asparagus
2 c (8 oz) baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/3 c small fresh mint leaves
1/3 c fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 c fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon. Bring liquid back to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/2 c (about 8 minutes). Combine liquid with potatoes and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl; set aside.

Steam peas, covered, 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse peas with cold water; drain. Steam asparagus, covered, 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse with cold water; drain. Steam carrots, 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Combine 1/4 tsp salt, peas, asparagus, carrots, oil, lemon rind and pepper in a large bowl.

Combine potato mixture, vegetable mixture and herbs, tossing well to coat.

NOTES
From Cooking Light.
Untried.

Oven Fries

4 medium baking potatoes or sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt

Scrub and dry potatoes (peeling optional). Cut into think sticks or wedges and place in a large container with a tight lid. Pour oil on potatoes, cover and shake to coat fries. Sprinkle salt on fries and mix, along with variation seasonings if desires. Spread fries in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 425-degree oven until golden brown and fork tender, 30-45 minutes, stirring and flipping fries every 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

VARIATIONS
Greek-style Fries:
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- i tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced

Rosemary Garlic Fries:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried rosemary

Super Spicy Fries:
- 1/3 c grated Parmesan
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 Tbsp ground red pepper

NOTES
From Kim.
Plain and rosemary garlic tried (and liked!); other variations untried.

Spanish Potato Tortilla

4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
8 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
oil

Fry potatoes until tender in enough hot oil (preferably olive) to cover.

Meanwhile, in separate frying pan, saute onion slowly until golden and tender.

In large bowl, beat eggs, then add fried potatoes, sauteed onions and salt and pepper.

In medium nonstick frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Pour in half of egg-potato mixture and cook slowly until sides and bottom are light golden color and filling is not too liquid. To turn, place similar sized plate over top and quickly turn tortilla over onto it. Add a few drops of oil to frying pan and slide tortilla back onto it, letting liquid fall first. When both sides are browned and egg is set, turn onto another plate as before. Repeat with second half of mixture.

Serves 4-5

VARIATION
Cook tortilla in an oven-proof pan and instead of flipping, once sides and bottom are set, transfer pan to oven and bake at around 350 (or 400?) for 7-8 minutes until egg is set.

NOTES
From Kim.

Split Pea Soup

1 lb dry split peas
about 7 c chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 to 1 tsp dry mustard
2 c minced onion
4-5 medium cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium carrots, sliced or diced
1 small potato, sliced or diced
3 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
hot sauce and/or cayenne pepper (a few shakes) to taste

Place split peas, stock, bay leaf, and mustard in a large soup kettle. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, partially covered. Add onion, garlic, carrots, potato and celery, along with hot sauce or cayenne. Partially cover and simmer for an additional 1 hour 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.

NOTES
From Kim.
Good with added ham or bacon.

Potato Soup

4 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 c milk
3 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp dried parsley
ground black pepper to taste
1 c shredded Swiss cheese (optional)

In large saucepan, bring potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, broth and salt to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes. Do not rinse; mash mixture slightly. Stir in milk.

In a small bowl, blend butter, flour, parsley and pepper; stir into potato mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Add cheese, if using, stir until melted, then let stand 5 minutes before serving.

NOTES
From Kim.
Good with cheddar instead of Swiss.
Good with ham added.