Roasted Vegetable Menagerie

Vegetables all ways are just fine by me (except maybe out of a can and then boiled), but hands down I prefer to roast vegetables if I at all can. It doesn't matter what they are, either; usually whatever I have on hand that can stand a hot oven and blend well with potatoes, goes onto the pan. I eat roasted vegetables as an entire meal, too; usually with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. My husband likes to add some rice, which I think is superfluous because really, veggies can fill you up just fine. Veggies can make you healthy, too. And veggies always give me the big wide happy face!

Last night for my roasted vegetable concoction I included asparagus, brussels sprouts, parsnips, carrots, red potatoes, russet potatoes, garlic, shallots and red onions. I know, crazy, isn't it? And the thing about these veggies is that they cannot all be fired at the same time; you have to stagger it. And so for this particular menagerie, I put the potatoes, carrots, minced garlic and parsnips in first (if I were using whole cloves of garlic I'd probably add them at the 30 minute mark), then 20 minutes later added brussels sprouts, then ten minutes after that I added onions and shallots and then eight minutes after that, the asparagus. I cooked the whole thing for an hour.

To break it down, that's:

• 1 hr for potatoes, parsnips, minced garlic and carrots
• 40 minutes for brussels sprouts
• 30 minutes for onions and shallots, and;
• 18 minutes for the asparagus

I cooked the whole thing at 375 and tossed all veggies liberally with olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary (be conservative, it's a strong spice) and thyme.

Oh behave! The results? My grade: A+

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1 hr 15 minutes (15 minutes prep)
Serves: 4 - 6 (depending on how piggish you are -- I am quite piggish)

Toasted Onion Mashed Potatoes

Another side dish I kind of just want to slather all over my body. I'm sorry, but mashed potatoes are the bomb. And bland mashed potatoes are ridiculous! Yet how many times have we all eaten them? Or else they come straight out of a box which is particularly gagtastic. Make your own mashed, people, and don't forget the butter and salt.

Look, if you're going to have mashed potatoes in the first place, you've already basically psychically agreed to put on some weight, am I right? So why not just go whole hog? Add that whole stick of butter (I know, I said it), add that salt, add that heavy whipping cream. Because trust me, you'll love these potatoes. LOVE THEM. My grade: A+ plus nine +s


Toasted Onion Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 - 5 extra large Russet potatoes, peeled, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons
2 teaspoon + Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper (add to taste)
1 - 2 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream


Peel and chop potatoes and place them in pot. Cover with water plus one inch and cook until done, which is when fork or knife slides through potato effortlessly. Turn off heat and reserve, undrained.

In pan, add two tablespoons unsalted butter and melt. When melted add 1 - 2 cups chopped onions and cook until truly toasted -- which means fully caramelized and golden -- about ten minutes.

Drain potatoes and place them into bowl. Add caramelized onions, and all other ingredients except heavy whipping cream. Mash potato mixture and then slowly begin adding heavy whipping cream until desired consistency is reached.

Difficulty: Easy
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 - 6

Perfectly Heavenly Potato Soup

I love potato soup, any time, anywhere, as long as it's warm and good. And if I'm making the soup myself, it not only has to be full of comfort and lots of flavor, but it has to be easy. Recently I threw together a wonderful soup that took about thirty minutes, tops, which, if you're like me and want your food and want it now, is a recipe made in heaven. And let me tell you, it was dee-lish. Next time I make it I'll probably add smoked ham chunks and corn. Oh my! My grade: A+


Perfectly Heavenly Potato Soup

Ingredients:

7 medium potatoes
Half a cup of butter
4 cups milk
2 cups half and half
1 pound bacon, fried crisp and chopped into bits
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup parsley, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
8 oz cheddar cheese

Directions:

Peel potatoes, then slice or cube into small chunks. Place in pot and cover with water, plus one inch. Boil and cook until ready, when knife or fork slides through potato easily.

In separate pan, fry bacon until crisp (bacon can also be baked in the oven on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes, or until crisp). Once bacon is done, remove from pan and chop into bits. Remove bacon grease from pan except for 1 tablespoon. To this add minced garlic, onion and green onion. Fry until onions are translucent and tender, about ten minutes. When cooked, add three fourths of the bacon bits and reserve entire mixture. The other fourth of the bacon bits can be put into a bowl or Ziploc bag for garnishing later.

In another pan, melt butter. Once melted, add flour to make a roux, mixing until lumps are gone, about one minute. Add two cups milk and one cup half and half to mixture, stirring continuously to make sure no lumps form. Set the burner on medium/high, adding rest of milk and half and half to mixture, plus chopped green onions, bacon, garlic and onion mixture. Heat until bubbling, making sure not to burn. After bubbling, turn heat off and add all remaining ingredients. Serve immediately, garnishing with more cheese, chopped green onions and bacon bits.

Difficulty: Easy
Prep/Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 5 - 6