I'm alive, in case you were worried! Just way too much going on right now to have time to write! Starting school and moving in the same week was a bad idea! When I'm more settled in, I'll be back! Until then, Happy New Year!
<3
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Santa, can you hear me?
Haven't been in a writing mood lately, but I thought I would leave a list of Christmas songs to get you in the holiday spirit! Less than 2 weeks until Christmas! More updates on school/apartment hunting/other stuff soon!
For the middle schooler in all of us:
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays-Nsync :)
O Holy Night-Nsync (GET ON YOUR KNEES!!!!!...epic)
Santa Can You Hear Me-Britney (LOVE LOVE LOVE)
Santa Claus Lane-Hilary Duff (Sadly, I have 2 different versions of this on my computer. The regular version and the NORTH POLE REMIX. Hilarious.)
Classics, mostly from the Home Alone soundtracks:
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Jingle Bell Rock
Let It Snow
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Do You Hear What I Hear (high school Christmas concert anyone?)
Catchy Relient K songs from their Christmas album:
Angels We Have Heard on High (glo-o-o-o-o-o)
Twelve Days of Christmas (fast enough that it doesn't get too repetitive)
Deck the Halls
Instrumentals:
Sleigh Ride-Manheim Steamroller (this song makes me SO SO SO happy! Especially the trumpet horse neigh at the end! Prob my fave Christmas song ever!)
Deck the Halls-Manheim Steamroller
Carol of the Bells-Trans Siberian Orchestra
Wizards in Winter-Trans Siberian Orchestra
Deck the Halls-Trans Siberian Orchestra
Other:
Santa Baby-Everclear (it's weird to have a guy singing, but whatever. When girls sing it they tend to sound like chipmunks!)
Santa Claus is Coming to Town-Lonestar (I still do my cowgirl dance when I hear this!)
For those of you that aren't a fan of the holiday cheer:
Hating You For Christmas: Everclear
Yule Shoot Your Eye Out- Fall Out Boy
Forget December- Something Corporate
For the Sammys:
The Hanukkah Song- Adam Sandler (<3)
Duh:
All I Want For Christmas is You-Mariah Carey (pray you're not in the car with me when I hit that high note. or at least TRY to hit it...)
I've had the same playlist for the past 3 years now. It works well, but suggestions for things to add would be appreciated! Do you have any Christmas favorites I haven't listed? Or, do you know any recent, preferably catchy, covers or new songs I should check out?
<3 youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu babyyyyyyy
For the middle schooler in all of us:
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays-Nsync :)
O Holy Night-Nsync (GET ON YOUR KNEES!!!!!...epic)
Santa Can You Hear Me-Britney (LOVE LOVE LOVE)
Santa Claus Lane-Hilary Duff (Sadly, I have 2 different versions of this on my computer. The regular version and the NORTH POLE REMIX. Hilarious.)
Classics, mostly from the Home Alone soundtracks:
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Jingle Bell Rock
Let It Snow
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Do You Hear What I Hear (high school Christmas concert anyone?)
Catchy Relient K songs from their Christmas album:
Angels We Have Heard on High (glo-o-o-o-o-o)
Twelve Days of Christmas (fast enough that it doesn't get too repetitive)
Deck the Halls
Instrumentals:
Sleigh Ride-Manheim Steamroller (this song makes me SO SO SO happy! Especially the trumpet horse neigh at the end! Prob my fave Christmas song ever!)
Deck the Halls-Manheim Steamroller
Carol of the Bells-Trans Siberian Orchestra
Wizards in Winter-Trans Siberian Orchestra
Deck the Halls-Trans Siberian Orchestra
Other:
Santa Baby-Everclear (it's weird to have a guy singing, but whatever. When girls sing it they tend to sound like chipmunks!)
Santa Claus is Coming to Town-Lonestar (I still do my cowgirl dance when I hear this!)
For those of you that aren't a fan of the holiday cheer:
Hating You For Christmas: Everclear
Yule Shoot Your Eye Out- Fall Out Boy
Forget December- Something Corporate
For the Sammys:
The Hanukkah Song- Adam Sandler (<3)
Duh:
All I Want For Christmas is You-Mariah Carey (pray you're not in the car with me when I hit that high note. or at least TRY to hit it...)
I've had the same playlist for the past 3 years now. It works well, but suggestions for things to add would be appreciated! Do you have any Christmas favorites I haven't listed? Or, do you know any recent, preferably catchy, covers or new songs I should check out?
<3 youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu babyyyyyyy
Monday, December 6, 2010
For once, this will be SHORT! (sort of...)
Heyyyyyyy.
I felt it was time for a new, non cooking related post, and I could make it either long or short. I think I know which one you'll prefer.
So, here's life in a super nutshell:
The New:
*The job sitch didn't pan out so much. I felt temporarily like a major failboat, then decided that maybe I shouldn't bother with retail anymore, because it just makes me miserable. So, moving on to a new direction in life and going back to school! A lot of my past week has been spent organizing the details of this new "life plan"
*Also, I'm apartment hunting this week. It's time for a new start, and I'm paying way too much right now. Sooo excited for that.
The Crummy:
*The weather was bad for Thanksgiving, so I didn't get to see my cousins. Booo.
*The service engine light is on in my car. My car has already needed major repairs THREE TIMES this year. Mclame.
*I killed my knee at the gym. Just cooling down after a run, and all of a sudden PAIN. Seems to be ok now, but had to do the elliptical for my entire workout yesterday. Not a fan.
*I have started to realize some people's true colors, and I'm doing my best to cut them out of my life. I hate letting go, and this is a difficult process, but I know it's for the best.
The Super!:
*Black Friday shopping! It was a productive adventure!
*Fb bonding with S, sparkling Perkins with L, and chicken+potatoes with R. Again, keeping the good, out with the bad.
*Knitting! Haven't felt like cooking, but needed to do something domestic!
The Surreal:
*That chemical in the turkey that makes you sleepy turned me into a moody mess on Thanksgiving. So weird, and so eeeeeeeemo.
*You didn't think you would get a post without some music now, did you? Heard the full 10 minute version of This Time Imperfect by AFI today. After 6 years, I've given up on trying to figure out what this song is about, but it's beautiful, and surreal, and haunting. Just listen. Like a Spill Canvas song, hearing this brought back a rush of emotions and memories, especially driving around the backroads of Duluth with my arms out the sunroof and a million stars above, happy to be alive and in love. One of the most perfect nights of my life. :) If a picture is worth a thousand words, I think some songs can be worth a million.
There was my attempt at trying to be less verbose. Oops. Better luck next time! Although maybe not, because I definitely have more that I want to write about!!! Hope that you're all surviving the cold and snow and getting into the holiday spirit!
<3!!!
I felt it was time for a new, non cooking related post, and I could make it either long or short. I think I know which one you'll prefer.
So, here's life in a super nutshell:
The New:
*The job sitch didn't pan out so much. I felt temporarily like a major failboat, then decided that maybe I shouldn't bother with retail anymore, because it just makes me miserable. So, moving on to a new direction in life and going back to school! A lot of my past week has been spent organizing the details of this new "life plan"
*Also, I'm apartment hunting this week. It's time for a new start, and I'm paying way too much right now. Sooo excited for that.
The Crummy:
*The weather was bad for Thanksgiving, so I didn't get to see my cousins. Booo.
*The service engine light is on in my car. My car has already needed major repairs THREE TIMES this year. Mclame.
*I killed my knee at the gym. Just cooling down after a run, and all of a sudden PAIN. Seems to be ok now, but had to do the elliptical for my entire workout yesterday. Not a fan.
*I have started to realize some people's true colors, and I'm doing my best to cut them out of my life. I hate letting go, and this is a difficult process, but I know it's for the best.
The Super!:
*Black Friday shopping! It was a productive adventure!
*Fb bonding with S, sparkling Perkins with L, and chicken+potatoes with R. Again, keeping the good, out with the bad.
*Knitting! Haven't felt like cooking, but needed to do something domestic!
The Surreal:
*That chemical in the turkey that makes you sleepy turned me into a moody mess on Thanksgiving. So weird, and so eeeeeeeemo.
*You didn't think you would get a post without some music now, did you? Heard the full 10 minute version of This Time Imperfect by AFI today. After 6 years, I've given up on trying to figure out what this song is about, but it's beautiful, and surreal, and haunting. Just listen. Like a Spill Canvas song, hearing this brought back a rush of emotions and memories, especially driving around the backroads of Duluth with my arms out the sunroof and a million stars above, happy to be alive and in love. One of the most perfect nights of my life. :) If a picture is worth a thousand words, I think some songs can be worth a million.
There was my attempt at trying to be less verbose. Oops. Better luck next time! Although maybe not, because I definitely have more that I want to write about!!! Hope that you're all surviving the cold and snow and getting into the holiday spirit!
<3!!!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
The Awesome Caramel Puffcorn
If you've ever hung out with me around Christmas or New Year's, you probably remember my Mom sends me a giant bag of this, and it's AMAZING. I'm not a cookie person so I don't look forward to loads of Christmas cookies, but this I always look forward to! It's exactly how it sounds: that kernel-less popcorn you buy on the chip aisle covered with a homemade caramel sauce. So easy and addicting, you just have to try it. Maybe you'll make it your tradition too! :)
Ok, now this recipe makes a ridiculous amount of puffcorn. We bag it up in small amounts to share with people at Christmas, and we serve it at several parties. I would highly recommend just using one bag of puffcorn and half-ing the other ingredients, unless you're hosting a giant party or really, really like to eat. If you use one bag of corn and half the amount of sauce, there will be a little bit more sauce than on a full batch, but there won't be too much, promise.
Caramel Puffcorn
2 and 1/2 to 3 bags puffcorn (full size, should be between 9 and 12 ounces)
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup Karo corn syrup (we use light, but dark is fine too)
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1) Pour puffcorn into the largest oven safe pans you can find. For 3 bags, we filled a giant turkey roaster and another large pot. I don't have any large pots or pans like that of my own, so I would use one bag of puffcorn and pour it into my 9x13 pan and some casserole dishes
2) In a medium saucepan, bring butter, Karo syrup, and brown sugar to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3) Remove pan from stove, add vanilla and baking soda, and stir well
4) Drizzle caramel mixture over the puffcorn and stir well to coat entire pot
5) Bake puffcorn uncovered at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring occasionally to further coat the puffcorn and keep the caramel from sticking to the bottom. (We stirred every 15 minutes. It's a pain, but well worth it!)
6) Let puffcorn cool and store in airtight bags or containers
Enjoy! And remember, this stuff is addicting!
After looking for pictures on google, I realized that similar puffcorn recipes are floating around all over the place. So much for a "special family recipe"!!! Oh well, use mine anyway, my Mom has been using it since the 70s! :)
<3
Ok, now this recipe makes a ridiculous amount of puffcorn. We bag it up in small amounts to share with people at Christmas, and we serve it at several parties. I would highly recommend just using one bag of puffcorn and half-ing the other ingredients, unless you're hosting a giant party or really, really like to eat. If you use one bag of corn and half the amount of sauce, there will be a little bit more sauce than on a full batch, but there won't be too much, promise.
Caramel Puffcorn
2 and 1/2 to 3 bags puffcorn (full size, should be between 9 and 12 ounces)
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup Karo corn syrup (we use light, but dark is fine too)
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1) Pour puffcorn into the largest oven safe pans you can find. For 3 bags, we filled a giant turkey roaster and another large pot. I don't have any large pots or pans like that of my own, so I would use one bag of puffcorn and pour it into my 9x13 pan and some casserole dishes
2) In a medium saucepan, bring butter, Karo syrup, and brown sugar to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3) Remove pan from stove, add vanilla and baking soda, and stir well
4) Drizzle caramel mixture over the puffcorn and stir well to coat entire pot
5) Bake puffcorn uncovered at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring occasionally to further coat the puffcorn and keep the caramel from sticking to the bottom. (We stirred every 15 minutes. It's a pain, but well worth it!)
6) Let puffcorn cool and store in airtight bags or containers
Enjoy! And remember, this stuff is addicting!
After looking for pictures on google, I realized that similar puffcorn recipes are floating around all over the place. So much for a "special family recipe"!!! Oh well, use mine anyway, my Mom has been using it since the 70s! :)
<3
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
"When you look at me with your cinematic eyes"
"I want to play the part but I forget the lines" ~The Spill Canvas, "Our Song"
Although Spill has definitely changed their music over the years, I've changed too. I still love them with their new style, but I find it harder to connect to some of their new songs. However, Our Song is the catchiest, cutest little song about relationships. The story of this guy and girl might not be "straight out of a movie" filled with villains, heroes, mystery, kissing in the rain, and him chasing after her, but it's simple, happy, and not full of crazy drama. Just how it should be. Thanks, Nick. Even if this song doesn't strike the same emotions as your old stuff, you still write good songs. And this one puts a smile on my face. :)
Also on a musical note...pun intended...when we were out the other night, the Toxic video was playing. This was probably the very first video I ever downloaded on my computer when I came to college. I always sort of wished I could wear a scandalous flight attendant outfit, an all leather outfit with bright red hair, and a sparkly sheer body tight in the course of 3 minutes. "You're toxic, I'm slipping under". Oh Britney, I don't know where you've been for the past year, but we will never forget your glory days.
Hmmmm. I had quite the unproductive weekend, but I guess there are still some stories to tell. Woke up at 3:20 am on Saturday morning to some girl in my apartment building running down the hallway, knocking on all the doors, and screaming for help. It scared the crap out of me. Three squad cars showed up about 10 minutes later, but I don't really know what the deal was. I felt a little like one of those people that witnessed the stabbing of Kitty Genovese and didn't call the police, but at least somehow this girl ended up getting help. Wish I could have done something more, but I wasn't going to sacrifice my safety at that time of night. Eeek. SO freaky to wake up to.
Eventually went back to sleep, woke up about 3 hours later to get ready for another interview (!!!). Also had another one yesterday. Still waiting patiently to hear back from SOMEONE! Argh the wait is frustrating!
Saturday night we went out downtown, and freezing rain started early in the night. By the time we went home, it was so icy that they had stopped the cabs and we had to walk over a half mile, in heels. We all made it home safely, but the ice was so slick we took baby steps and held on to anything we could find to stabilize us. I wiped out several times anyway. People that were out driving took HOURS to get home and saw accidents all over. Definitely some of the worst ice that I had ever seen, and I've seen a lot of extreme winter weather! Not the best night, but an experience that will be remembered!
Story of my Sunday: BAJA SOL MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER!!! If you live in Minnesota and you haven't been there, just do yourself a favor and go! My first experience at Baja was probably when I visited the one in Coffman at the U, and I thought it was terrible. But a couple years ago I went to the Roseville Baja on a whim, and now I have gotten tons of people hooked on it. The restaurant menu is sort of similar to Chipotle, you can get tacos or burritos or whatever, but there's one important difference: FREE CHIPS AND SALSA BAR. That's right, unlimited chips and tons of kinds of salsa: Pico de Gallo, Mango Peach, Corn, Salsa Verde, various milds and mediums, awesome Habanero, a seasonal salsa that changes frequently, and then limes and cilantro and such to mix in. So, go when you have some time to sit and stuff your face with chips, and for $7-8, you'll get much more food than at Chipotle. Also, they have amazing fish tacos. Mmmmm. Thank you to M for being cool enough to come with me when I had a craving!
4.2 miles yeterday at the gym, yay! Interview, cleaning, potatoes, the usual. Watched Eternal Sunshine for the first time in awhile last night, such an incredible movie. The idea that you could erase all the memories of someone you once loved is so powerful to think about. Love can be so painful, but if you erase all the experiences you've had, good and bad, how would we ever grow? If anyone reading this would like to have a philosophical discussion about this movie sometime, PLEASE let me know! I would love to hear your thoughts. As usual, I have plenty to say.
While we're on that topic, after the movie I Wikipedia-ed and learned that the Breaking Benjamin song "Forget It" is based on the movie. So, at 3am, deliriously tired, head spinning with thoughts, I had a surreal BB experience. Not the first, I might add. C, you should be so proud.
All righty. Leaving emo territory. Learned that T is coming up to Duluth this weekend for a wedding, weather permitting, and I'm excited to show him around a little bit! Can't wait to see my Mom, my Blitz, and my cousins and family at Thanksgiving. Hoping to get some shopping done, see a movie, make Christmas cookies and the like with Mom, have some wine in the jacuzzi, and relax! Although I'm not thankful that I'm jobless right now, I am most definitely thankful that for once I don't have to work Black Friday! Leaving for home tonight, everyone travel safe and have a wonderful holiday!
Lots of <3 <3 <3
Although Spill has definitely changed their music over the years, I've changed too. I still love them with their new style, but I find it harder to connect to some of their new songs. However, Our Song is the catchiest, cutest little song about relationships. The story of this guy and girl might not be "straight out of a movie" filled with villains, heroes, mystery, kissing in the rain, and him chasing after her, but it's simple, happy, and not full of crazy drama. Just how it should be. Thanks, Nick. Even if this song doesn't strike the same emotions as your old stuff, you still write good songs. And this one puts a smile on my face. :)
Also on a musical note...pun intended...when we were out the other night, the Toxic video was playing. This was probably the very first video I ever downloaded on my computer when I came to college. I always sort of wished I could wear a scandalous flight attendant outfit, an all leather outfit with bright red hair, and a sparkly sheer body tight in the course of 3 minutes. "You're toxic, I'm slipping under". Oh Britney, I don't know where you've been for the past year, but we will never forget your glory days.
Hmmmm. I had quite the unproductive weekend, but I guess there are still some stories to tell. Woke up at 3:20 am on Saturday morning to some girl in my apartment building running down the hallway, knocking on all the doors, and screaming for help. It scared the crap out of me. Three squad cars showed up about 10 minutes later, but I don't really know what the deal was. I felt a little like one of those people that witnessed the stabbing of Kitty Genovese and didn't call the police, but at least somehow this girl ended up getting help. Wish I could have done something more, but I wasn't going to sacrifice my safety at that time of night. Eeek. SO freaky to wake up to.
Eventually went back to sleep, woke up about 3 hours later to get ready for another interview (!!!). Also had another one yesterday. Still waiting patiently to hear back from SOMEONE! Argh the wait is frustrating!
Saturday night we went out downtown, and freezing rain started early in the night. By the time we went home, it was so icy that they had stopped the cabs and we had to walk over a half mile, in heels. We all made it home safely, but the ice was so slick we took baby steps and held on to anything we could find to stabilize us. I wiped out several times anyway. People that were out driving took HOURS to get home and saw accidents all over. Definitely some of the worst ice that I had ever seen, and I've seen a lot of extreme winter weather! Not the best night, but an experience that will be remembered!
Story of my Sunday: BAJA SOL MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER!!! If you live in Minnesota and you haven't been there, just do yourself a favor and go! My first experience at Baja was probably when I visited the one in Coffman at the U, and I thought it was terrible. But a couple years ago I went to the Roseville Baja on a whim, and now I have gotten tons of people hooked on it. The restaurant menu is sort of similar to Chipotle, you can get tacos or burritos or whatever, but there's one important difference: FREE CHIPS AND SALSA BAR. That's right, unlimited chips and tons of kinds of salsa: Pico de Gallo, Mango Peach, Corn, Salsa Verde, various milds and mediums, awesome Habanero, a seasonal salsa that changes frequently, and then limes and cilantro and such to mix in. So, go when you have some time to sit and stuff your face with chips, and for $7-8, you'll get much more food than at Chipotle. Also, they have amazing fish tacos. Mmmmm. Thank you to M for being cool enough to come with me when I had a craving!
4.2 miles yeterday at the gym, yay! Interview, cleaning, potatoes, the usual. Watched Eternal Sunshine for the first time in awhile last night, such an incredible movie. The idea that you could erase all the memories of someone you once loved is so powerful to think about. Love can be so painful, but if you erase all the experiences you've had, good and bad, how would we ever grow? If anyone reading this would like to have a philosophical discussion about this movie sometime, PLEASE let me know! I would love to hear your thoughts. As usual, I have plenty to say.
While we're on that topic, after the movie I Wikipedia-ed and learned that the Breaking Benjamin song "Forget It" is based on the movie. So, at 3am, deliriously tired, head spinning with thoughts, I had a surreal BB experience. Not the first, I might add. C, you should be so proud.
All righty. Leaving emo territory. Learned that T is coming up to Duluth this weekend for a wedding, weather permitting, and I'm excited to show him around a little bit! Can't wait to see my Mom, my Blitz, and my cousins and family at Thanksgiving. Hoping to get some shopping done, see a movie, make Christmas cookies and the like with Mom, have some wine in the jacuzzi, and relax! Although I'm not thankful that I'm jobless right now, I am most definitely thankful that for once I don't have to work Black Friday! Leaving for home tonight, everyone travel safe and have a wonderful holiday!
Lots of <3 <3 <3
Friday, November 19, 2010
Mashed Potatoes!!!
I'm starting to think that I can't add individual posts to the Recipes page, and if I keep adding the recipes to the main box, the page will be miles long and a big 'ol mess. So, from now on I think my recipes will be added individually, and you'll just have to search for ones you want. :)
Anyway, I'm obsessed with potatoes. Baked, mashed, tato skins, and everything in between (Pizza Luce baked potato pizza anyone? Everyone that I've made try this ends up LOVING it...YOU should try it too!!!). As stated previously, I think I might need to join a support group because I've had potatoes again at least 3 times this week. But they're just so AMAZING!
Now, I used to think that making real mashed potatoes was a really difficult, time consuming task, but I found out IT'S NOT THAT HARD! Seriously, give it a try. They will be 10 times better than any potatoes from a box! Also, since Thanksgiving is coming up, this is a great primer, you can help the fam out in the kitchen next week instead of sitting on your butt watching football. Give your cook something extra to be THANKFUL for!!! Ok, time to stop babbling and get to the good stuff.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes (adapted from foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Paula Deen! <3)
Makes 3 generous servings
Ingredients:
3 medium or 6 small baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use 2 cloves, which I think is a little bit more than a teaspoon, but I like garlic!)
1 tablespoon milk, at room temperature (For creamier potatoes, you might need more than 1 tablespoon. I'll be honest, I just use a random sized splash straight out of the container)
Salt and pepper (if you really like garlic, you can also add some garlic salt as well)
Miscellaneous utensils:
Potato masher (my uncle had 3 of these, so I stole one. I'm sure you can get one for a couple bucks. Otherwise, you can supposedly use the back of a fork or maybe some other metal utensil, but I can't guarantee you'll have as much luck)
Directions:
1) First, get out your milk, butter, and sour cream so they have time to warm up a bit!
2) Peel potatoes. Chop each into 5 or 6 chunks, or if you're patient, you can cut into more chunks. Smaller chunks cook faster, obviously
3) Put the potatoes and the teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan and fill with enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil (I've tried to add the chunks to the water while it's already boiling, and that just splatters boiling water everywhere-ouch!), and cook for about 15 minutes. Just like you're cooking pasta, use your best judgment, when you pull a chunk out of the water it should seem tender, like it would mash easily. Because that what you'll be doing next!!!
4) While you're waiting for potatoes to cook, mince your garlic
5) Drain potatoes and return them to saucepan
6) Add your butter, sour cream, and garlic to the potatoes. Take your masher and you got it, MASH! Use a mix of up and down motions and stirring motions until everything is well blended and your potatoes look...like mashed potatoes.
7) Add milk, and stir. If your potatoes aren't quite how you want them, add more milk to make them less stiff. Taste these bad boys, and add salt/pepper/garlic salt/whatever else you want until they taste absolutely perfect. Yummmmmmmm!!!
Other:
*If you're not in a garlic mood, I've used the same recipe without the garlic. Still awesome!
*If you're trying to eat healthier, these aren't healthy, but you can still get wonderful potatoes using less butter, light sour cream, and less salt. Play around!
*If I ever make you feel stupid while you're reading a recipe, don't take it personally. Some people are extremely challenged in the cooking department (even me sometimes!!!) and I like to be as specific as possible so that everyone can be successful! I also like to add fun tips and snarky commentary that you probably won't get from reading a normal recipe! And sometimes stating the obvious does help! As I said in the pot pie recipe, I almost forgot a PIE PAN, and that would have been an epic fail. I try to make sure you don't have any similar surprises or mishaps! :)
<3 and potatoes
Anyway, I'm obsessed with potatoes. Baked, mashed, tato skins, and everything in between (Pizza Luce baked potato pizza anyone? Everyone that I've made try this ends up LOVING it...YOU should try it too!!!). As stated previously, I think I might need to join a support group because I've had potatoes again at least 3 times this week. But they're just so AMAZING!
Now, I used to think that making real mashed potatoes was a really difficult, time consuming task, but I found out IT'S NOT THAT HARD! Seriously, give it a try. They will be 10 times better than any potatoes from a box! Also, since Thanksgiving is coming up, this is a great primer, you can help the fam out in the kitchen next week instead of sitting on your butt watching football. Give your cook something extra to be THANKFUL for!!! Ok, time to stop babbling and get to the good stuff.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes (adapted from foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Paula Deen! <3)
Makes 3 generous servings
Ingredients:
3 medium or 6 small baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use 2 cloves, which I think is a little bit more than a teaspoon, but I like garlic!)
1 tablespoon milk, at room temperature (For creamier potatoes, you might need more than 1 tablespoon. I'll be honest, I just use a random sized splash straight out of the container)
Salt and pepper (if you really like garlic, you can also add some garlic salt as well)
Miscellaneous utensils:
Potato masher (my uncle had 3 of these, so I stole one. I'm sure you can get one for a couple bucks. Otherwise, you can supposedly use the back of a fork or maybe some other metal utensil, but I can't guarantee you'll have as much luck)
Directions:
1) First, get out your milk, butter, and sour cream so they have time to warm up a bit!
2) Peel potatoes. Chop each into 5 or 6 chunks, or if you're patient, you can cut into more chunks. Smaller chunks cook faster, obviously
3) Put the potatoes and the teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan and fill with enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil (I've tried to add the chunks to the water while it's already boiling, and that just splatters boiling water everywhere-ouch!), and cook for about 15 minutes. Just like you're cooking pasta, use your best judgment, when you pull a chunk out of the water it should seem tender, like it would mash easily. Because that what you'll be doing next!!!
4) While you're waiting for potatoes to cook, mince your garlic
5) Drain potatoes and return them to saucepan
6) Add your butter, sour cream, and garlic to the potatoes. Take your masher and you got it, MASH! Use a mix of up and down motions and stirring motions until everything is well blended and your potatoes look...like mashed potatoes.
7) Add milk, and stir. If your potatoes aren't quite how you want them, add more milk to make them less stiff. Taste these bad boys, and add salt/pepper/garlic salt/whatever else you want until they taste absolutely perfect. Yummmmmmmm!!!
Other:
*If you're not in a garlic mood, I've used the same recipe without the garlic. Still awesome!
*If you're trying to eat healthier, these aren't healthy, but you can still get wonderful potatoes using less butter, light sour cream, and less salt. Play around!
*If I ever make you feel stupid while you're reading a recipe, don't take it personally. Some people are extremely challenged in the cooking department (even me sometimes!!!) and I like to be as specific as possible so that everyone can be successful! I also like to add fun tips and snarky commentary that you probably won't get from reading a normal recipe! And sometimes stating the obvious does help! As I said in the pot pie recipe, I almost forgot a PIE PAN, and that would have been an epic fail. I try to make sure you don't have any similar surprises or mishaps! :)
<3 and potatoes
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