This time of year, we think more about staying inside our warm houses
and enjoying a home-cooked meal. But sometimes it's hard to think
of things to prepare for dinner night after night, especially when
you're trying to use up things you have on hand.
Potatoes are a staple food in my family's winter diet. They're inexpensive,
easy to prepare, and there are so many different things that you
can do with them. Even though my husband sometimes complains, "potatoes
again?!" when we've had them in some shape or form for dinner
every night for a week, I still manage to come up with new and different
ways to serve them. I personally never get tired of eating them.
Potatoes are very versatile in that you can serve them as a main
course, side dish, or appetizer. They also freeze very well, so
you can prepare meals ahead of time and freeze them for later use.
One easy meal to prepare is a simple potato soup base consisting
of potatoes, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and milk or water. You
can add flour to thicken it up if you wish, or I add cream of mushroom
soup to give it a richer flavor. From there you can add whatever
you wish to create a meal your family is sure to enjoy. I often
add clams for an easy-to-make clam chowder, ham, or corn and bacon
for corn chowder. There is no end to the possibilities you could
come up with. Served with fresh homemade bread, you can't beat the
feeling of comfort a bowl of potato soup brings on a cold winter's
day.
Potato Soup Base
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cans (21 oz) cream of chicken or mushroom soup
2 soup cans milk
Salt and pepper
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions and garlic, cooking
until soft. Add potatoes and enough water to barely cover the potatoes.
Cook, covered, until potatoes are tender (15 to 20 minutes). In
a medium-sized bowl, mix together soup and milk. Pour soup mixture
into potato mixture and stir. Heat but do not boil. Season to taste.
Parmesan Potato Casserole
2 cups mashed potatoes
8 ounces cream cheese
2 eggs
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese
and bread crumbs; set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, combine mashed
potatoes, cream cheese, eggs, onion, and flour. Beat with a mixer
on low speed until blended. Beat at high speed until mixture is
light and fluffy. Add salt and pepper. Pour potato mixture into
a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumb/Parmesan cheese
mixture. Bake for 35 minutes.
