Potato Bake

       I think that the best think about fall is that the oven gets turned on more ( like every day). I love baking, from bread to cookies to savory foods, everything goes in the oven.

One of my favorite dishes is potato bake. A very versatile dish. I don't think I made it twice the same way ( same ingredients). I always use what I have on hand, or what I'm in a mood for. So, this is "this times recipe", but of course feel free to change it.

• Ingredients:
• 
  
• 12 slices                           turkey bacon diced
• 1 onion                             diced ( about 1 cup) recommended viddalia
• 2 cloves                            garlic finely minced
• 2 cups                               whole milk
• 1 cup                                 sour cream ( not low-fat)
• 3 lb.                                   Yukon gold potatoes , peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup                                sliced scallions  ( green onion)
• 2 cups                               grated three cheeses mix ( or your favorite mix of cheeses)
• 1 tbsp of smoked paprika to sprinkle ( optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Cook bacon until crisp and remove to drain.

Sauté de onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes

Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the milk and bring up to a simmer. Remove from heat and season lightly with salt and pepper.

In an oven proof dish spoon a little of the milk mixture and arrange a layer of the sliced potatoes.

Spoon a layer of milk mixture over potatoes and sprinkle with bacon, green onion and cheese. Dollop small amounts of sour cream on top and if desired sprinkle with smoked paprika.

Repeat the layer until all the potatoes are used. Finish with cheese and sour cream.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the cover an d bake for 20 minutes more.

Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Pizza Casserole.

I love casseroles. They are fast, easy, and delicious. I should probably call it cheesy pasta casserole but my boys love anything that has the word pizza in it. So I call it cheesy pizza casserole. That "pizza" word gets me that great smiles and "Cool mom" expression.

I love being the cool mom.

Ingredients :

Penne Rigate (or your favorite pasta) 3 cups uncooked

Cooked chicken breast 1/2 lb ( or any other left over meat)

Tomato pasta sauce (any variety ) 1 jar. I used Tomato -Alfredo by Classico .

Shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup.

Heat oven to 350˚F. Cook and drain pasta as directed on the package.

Pour pasta in a oven proof casserole (ungreased ).

Add the chicken cut in bite size pieces. Or you can add cubed ham, cooked ground meat etc...
Pour the jar of sauce over it. Then cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes uncover and sprinkle the cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble.

Serve warm.

Little Chef's Macaroni And Chesse.

My son Alexander (a.k.a. Little Chef), loves macaroni and cheese, actually he loves anything that's cheese. If possible he would have grilled cheese sandwich with macaroni and cheese.

So, today he asked for macaroni and cheese for lunch and I obliged. Here is Little chef's creamy macaroni and cheese.

Ingredients:

Elbow macaroni 2 cups (500 ml)

Light cream (10%) 1 1/2 cups (350 ml)

Flour (all purpose) 1 1/2 tbsp

Grated medium (or sharp ) cheddar cheese 2 1/4 cups (560 ml)

Dry mustard 1 tsp (5 ml)
Salt 1/2 tsp (or to suit your taste) (2 ml)

Pepper 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml)
Paprika for sprinkle

Cook macaroni in salted boiling water for 7 to 8 minutes until macaroni are tender but firm. Drain well and place in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan gradually whisk cream into flour.

Stir until smooth. Heat over medium heat stirring constantly, until thickened.

Remove from the heat.

Stir in cheese, dry mustard, salt and pepper.
Mix well until cheese is melted. Pour over macaroni and combine well.
Pour into ungreased casserole, sprinkle with paprika, cover and bake into preheated oven of 350˚F for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. If you like a "crust" over your macaroni bake it for 10 more minutes uncovered.
Serve with your favorite sandwich, or with ham, or any other combination you like..... even grilled cheese sandwich.