Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes

My son, Martin served these and I couldn't believe how delicious they were.  When I asked him what the secret ingredient was, he told me "Duck Fat" which your u can get in a jar off of Amazon.  It's well worth it, because they taste fabulous!


3 1/2pounds Yukon Gold potatoes - peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 Tbsp.cduck fat
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Adjust oven rack to top position.  Place rimmed baking sheet on rack and heat to 475 degrees.

Bring 10 cups water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat.  Add potatoes, 1/3 cup salt,  and baking soda.  Return to boil and cook for 1 minute.  Drain potatoes, return potatoes to pot and place over low heat.  Cook, shaking pot occasionally, until surface moisture has evaporated - about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add 5 Tbsp. duck fat and 1 tsp. salt; mix with rubber spatula until potatoes are coated with thick paste, about 30 seconds.

Remove baking sheet from oven, transfer potatoes to sheet, and spread into even layer.  Roast for 12 minutes.

Remove sheet from oven, using thin, sharp, metal spatula, and turn potatoes.  Roast until golden brown, about 10 more minutes.

Remove sheet from oven.  Sprinkle Rosemary over potatoes and turn again.  Return to oven and cook for 2 minutes more.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Braised Baby Potatoes

These are just amazingly delicious!


12 inch nonstick skillet with lid

1 1/2 pounds unpeeled baby red or Yukon gold potatoes (as round as possible)

2 cups water

3 TBSP. Butter

1 tsp. Dried Thyme

3/4 tsp. Salt

3 cloves fresh, peeled garlic


Cut potatoes in half and place cut side down in one layer in the nonstick skillet.  Pour in water, then chunks of butter, salt, garlic, and thyme.  Cover and let simmer over a medium heat for 15 minutes.  Remove lid and take out garlic.  Let potatoes continue to cook over medium high heat until the water has evaporated.  As water is evaporating, swirl pan a bit to encourage the evaporation.  Chop garlic and set aside. Once water has evaporated, allow the potatoes to fry in the butter for about 5 minutes, until the cut side is spotted brown and the butter is browned.  Add garlic and some fresh ground pepper, toss.

Butternut Squash Risotto

This is a perfect cold weather dish...real comfort food.  I love it with roasted pork, but it is a meal in itself.

2 cups butternut squash

2 TBSP butter

1 TBSP olive oil

1 large shallot, minced

1 cup arborio rice (DO NOT RINSE)

4 to 5 cups hot chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine 

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 or 2 pinches fresh grated nutmeg.

Peel and cut butternut squash into 3/4 inch cubes.  Roast on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray  in a 400 degree oven for about 15 or 20 minutes, until the squash is VERY tender.  Place in bowl and mash until only a few tiny lumps remain. Or do yourself a favor and just buy frozen squash!

In large saucepan, melt butter with oil and saute shallot until translucent. 

Add rice and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add wine and stir until wine is nearly absorbed.

Begin adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, continuing to stir constantly, until liquid is nearly absorbed before adding more liquid.

When you have used at least 4 cups of the broth, check for tenderness of the rice, if it is still a bit crunchy, continue adding broth until it becomes the correct consistency.

Add the warm, mashed squash and parmesan.  Mix well.

sprinkle with nutmeg to taste.

Artichoke Risotto

John and I had this dish at a delicious and unique restaurant name "The Haute Enchilada" in Moss Landing, California.  They wouldn't give me the recipe, so I played with the ingredients until I got it right.

1 1/2 cups arborio rice (special rice for risotto)
3 cups chicken broth (you may need an extra 1/2 cup)
1 cup white wine
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 package frozen artichokes - thawed

DO NOT RINSE RICE

Heat butter and oil in large pan (do not use non-stick)
Add rice and saute for about 4 minutes.
Begin by adding 1 cup of the broth/wine mixture and continue stirring constantly.
As liquid becomes absorbed, continue adding 1/2 cup of liquid at a time while continually stirring until it is absorbed. Once all liquid is used, the rice should be creamy and perfectly done. If it is not quite there, use another 1/2 cup broth.
Once rice is done, add the artichoke hearts and parmesan cheese. Stir well.

Potato Pancakes (latkes)

The nutmeg makes them special.

4 cups potato -- grated
1/4 cup onion -- grated
2 eggs -- beaten
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch pepper

Peel and grate potatoes into bowl of ice water. Let sit 15 minutes. Mix together onion with eggs, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Drain potatoes and pat dry with a towel. Add to egg mixture. Fry 1/4 cup sized pancakes in 1/8 inch hot oil.

Stuffing for Turkey

I have made this with homemade cornbread and dried french bread along with all the herbs and spices, but when it's finished you can't tell the difference between that and using the stuffing mixes - I promise...

1/2 – 12 oz box cornbread stuffing
1/2 – 16 oz box herb seasoned stuffing

2 cups celery – sliced
2 cups onion – diced
½ cup butter
2 TBSP cooking oil
2 chubs Jimmy Dean Low fat sausage
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup or more pecans
3 cups chicken broth

Cook sausage with the oil into a loose, brown crumble. Set aside and in same pan melt butter and saute celery and onion in melted butter until soft. Add mushrooms and continue sauté until the onion starts to brown a bit.
Mix the sausage and cooked veggies with the dry stuffing mix. Add chicken broth to moisten. (You may use a bit less or more broth depending on the moistness of the veggies.) Stir it all together and add pecans last. Cook at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

Sometimes I also add 2 cups chopped apple, which I sauté with the veggies.

Vonciel's Black Eyed Peas

I had never eaten black-eyed peas until I had this recipe at a great Cajun cook's house.  Vonciel Trahan could make anything taste fabulous!

4 cans blackeyed peas -- rinsed and drained
8 slices bacon
2 medium onions -- chopped
1 large green pepper -- chopped
4 cloves garlic -- whole
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain off grease. Fry onions and green pepper in pan until starting to brown, adding the garlic cloves the last few minutes. Rinse and drain black-eyed peas and add to vegetables. Crumble bacon and add. Add enough water to make soupy. Add the seasonings and let simmer for about 1 hour until flavors mix.

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Succotash

SUPER good side dish.  Don't be a sissy because of the lima beans, I promise you will like them!

4 slices bacon
6 medium potato -- peeled and diced
1 medium onion -- diced
1 medium green pepper -- diced
2 medium tomatoes -- chopped
5 ounces frozen lima beans
5 ounces frozen corn
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In large skillet fry bacon till crisp. Remove bacon and stir in the potatoes, green pepper and onions, frying till browned. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients over high heat. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add reserved bacon and serve.

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Funeral Potatoes

This is another one of those recipes that went around in the 70's.  My kids loved it when they were little, and they still ask for it when we are together.  Now their kids love it.


1 package hashed brown potatoes -- frozen, thawed
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups colby cheese, grated
1 pint sour cream
1 bunch green onion -- chopped

Spray large dish with pam. Put in potatoes. Mix together other ingredients and pour over. Bake 45 minutes at 400 degrees.

You can add 1 large can of chopped green chilis for a Mexican flavor.  Hot pepper cheese is also yummy.

Pa Short's Pinto Beans

This recipe is from my father-in-law, Kenny Short. He was an old rancher who grew up eating beans every day.  I always loved the ones he cooked,  so a long time ago he gave in and let me watch him make them.


2 pounds dried pinto beans
4 cloves garlic -- minced
1 cup barbecue sauce
4 large dried red chile peppers -- crumbled
salt and pepper -- to taste
2 medium ham hocks

Rinse beans and cover with cold water. Let sit overnight. Next morning, drain beans and recover with cold water. Add ham hock and bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered. After about 2 hours, add garlic, chiles, and barbeque sauce. Add salt and pepper a short while before serving. (Don't add salt until beans are soft as it will keep them from softening.)

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Easy Southern Stuffing

16 ounces herb-seasoned stuffing cubes
16 ounces cornbread stuffing mix
2 cups onions -- chopped
2 cups celery -- chopped
2 cups mushrooms -- sliced
1 cup butter
2 cups pecans
1 pound pork sausage
5 cups chicken broth

Fry sausage until cooked thoroughly, then crumble. Put into large mixing bowl with 5 cups boiliing water.
Saute onion, celery, & mushrooms in butter until just crisp tender.
Add to sausage. Stir in stuffing mix, then add pecans.
Will stuff a large bird with some left over.

Creamy Squash Casserole

When you are asked to bring a vegetable to a potluck, this one will get rave reviews.  (Easy, too.)

1 1/2 pounds summer squash -- sliced
2 onions -- chopped fine
1 can cream of celery soup
8 ounces sour cream
4 ounces pimientos -- chopped,canned
8 ounces waterchestnuts, canned -- drained
6 tablespoons margarine
2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing cubes

Place squash in large pan and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 4 minutes. Drain. Mix soup, sour cream, onions, pimentos, and water chestnuts together. Add squash and mix. In skillet melt butter &add croutons. Set aside one cup stuffing and place rest on bottom of 2 quart cassarole dish. Put squash mixture over & sprinkle reserved stuffed around edges. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chili Egg Puff

10 eggs -- beaten
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint cottage cheese, 2% fat
1 pound monterey jack cheese -- shredded
8 ounces green chiles -- canned

Grease 9x13" pan. Mix all ingredients and pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Carrot Pudding (casserole)

Okay, I know the name is weird, but this recipe is from the 1918 and it has been on every Thanksgiving table in our family since then.  I LOVE IT and think of my Grandma every time I take a taste...

1 pound carrots
12 saltine crackers -- crumbled
1 small onion -- minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 ounces Velveeta cheese

Peel carrots and cut into thick slices. Boil until soft, then mash. Mix mashed carrots with the saltines, onion, melted butter, salt and pepper. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray and layer in 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the cheese cut into slices, remaining carrots and cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
You can saute the onion in the butter, but it isn't necessary.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

I know the ingredients are yicky, but when my kids were tiny, it's the only way I could get them to eat broccoli.  I gradually omitted the rice and upped the broccoli content...all trickery is accepted when getting a bratty kid to eat!

1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion -- minced
10 ounces frozen chopped broccoli -- thawed
1/2 cup Cheez Whiz
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cooked rice

Saute onion in butter. Add other ingredients and cook in greased dish 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Bacon Rice

One of those Cajun recipes.  they can do more with a bit of rice than anyone...

1/2 pound bacon
1 large onion -- chopped
2 teaspoons garlic -- chopped
2 cups rice
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce
dash Cajun seasoning

Cook rice with water, boullion, tabasco and cajun seasoning.
Fry bacon til crisp, drain and chop fine.
Take out some of the drippings and fry onion and garlic in the leftover drippings. Add cooked rice and choppped bacon. Stir well.