how to: slow cook potatoes

Baked potatoes are amazing, right? They're yummy, filling, super inexpensive, and a blank slate for whatever flavors you want to add. The only problem is that they take forever to cook and I never want to heat up my whole oven for just a few potatoes.

Enter the slow cooker.

I've seen the slow cooker technique around the internet for a while, but hadn't gotten around to trying it out... Until this weekend when I got an email from Monica raving about how awesome it is to have potatoes ready and waiting for her when she gets home from work (thanks Monica!). I knew it was time to try it out and share the knowledge.

So, I did a little research to get the tips and tricks from those who had tried it before, and I set to work. I cooked four potatoes, about 1/2 pound each in my 6 quart (I think) slow cooker. I probably could have fit six potatoes, but from what I've read you don't want to over fill the cooker or the potatoes on top won't cook as fast. I was a little short on time, so I opted for cooking for four hours on high instead of 8 hours on low. My potatoes were fantastic and probably would have been just fine with an extra hour of cooking.

The cooking time needed will depend on the size of your potatoes and the strength of your particular slow cooker, but the general guidelines are as follows: 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. Have them cooking while you're out and about taking care of other things and then dinner is just a hop, skip, and a jump away when you get home! Love it!


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chipotle sweet potato burgers

STOP. THE. PRESSES.

I'm sure I was getting some pretty weird looks in the lunchroom today because I was audibly moaning between every bite of my Chipotle Sweet Potato Burger and staring at it in awe. Seriously the best thing I've eaten in quite a while (and those Black Bean & Avocado Enchiladas were pretty spectacular... not to mention the Philly Cheesesteaks).

So here's the cool thing about these burgers - the patty itself is vegan and gluten free. I happened to put them on wheat buns and slather some mayo on the bun, but you could easily use veganaise or wrap this puppy up in a gluten free tortilla. Either way, the burger itself is gonna blow your little taste bud brains.

Non-meat burgers come in a lot of textures... This burger is rather soft and moist compared to most because I didn't use any flour or eggs as a binder. Because of that, you want to be careful while handling them so they don't fall apart on you. It's worth it, I promise.

I tested two cooking methods (I knew you'd want to know). I fried two of them up in a skillet with a little oil and I baked the other two after coating them with non-stick spray. Each method had pros and cons. The skillet was tasty, obvi, because it was cooked in oil. But, because it cooked quickly, it was more moist and therefore softer and more likely to fall apart. The baked patties only browned on the under side, were a bit drier, and therefore more solid. Both tasted great. I'll stick to the skillet method because it's faster and, well, oil=yum.

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bbq beef stuffed potatoes

I'm crazy about BBQ sauce, so the first thing I wanted to make with my Multi-Purpose Shredded Beef was something drenched in that sweet, tangy sauce. Sure, I could have just piled the BBQ shredded meat on a bun and called it a day, but these stuffed potatoes are WAY better.

Once you've got the shredded beef made and waiting for you in the freezer, these potatoes are super easy to whip up. I took the long route and baked my potatoes in the oven so that I could have that nice, crispy skin. But, if you want a faster route, you could always microwave the potatoes or even have them cooking in your slow cooker while you're at work. That way, dinner is practically five minutes away once you get home!

These potatoes are absolutely huge, and honestly I'd probably only eat half of one and pair it with some steamed or roasted broccoli to round out the meal. Oh, and if you're not a beef person, this would be equally as amazing and delicious with shredded chicken or pork.

(I only made two potatoes because I knew that's all I'd be able to eat over the next few days, but this recipe easily doubles or triples if needed.)

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loaded sweet potatoes

I had a really hard time deciding what to load these potatoes up with because there were just so many options. So, look forward to more versions of stuffed sweet potatoes in the future!

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite produce items because they're yummy, nutritious, don't go bad quickly, relatively inexpensive, and can be cooked about a trazillion different ways. This time I paired them with some sauteed spinach, sweet-tart cranberries, and crunchy walnuts. It's so simple, yet oh so good!

This recipe is vegetarian, but can easily be made vegan by substituting the butter with coconut oil. Sweet potatoes and coconut oil (and coconut milk) go really, really well together.

I made three because I knew that's about how much I'd eat over the next couple of days, but this recipe could easily be scaled up or down to make any number. You don't really need to measure the ingredients, just wing it.

Oh yeah, one more thing... these are pretty big, so I'd consider this the main dish. Maybe add a warm roll, a small salad, or a cup of soup and call it a day. It's practically a meal on its own!

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sweet potato & kale salad

I was in dire need of some vegetables this week, so I made a BIG delicious salad. This salad is super hearty, thanks to the kale and roasted sweet potato. You can eat it as a side salad, or have a bigger portion for a light meal (maybe add a roll or slice of good bread).

I love the flavors of this salad. A tangy champagne dressing contrasts perfectly with creamy sweet potato. Raw sunflower seeds add just a touch of nuttiness and dried cranberries add a pop of sweet-tart flavor. It's just great! If you don't like kale, this would also be great over baby greens or spinach, although both tend to be more expensive than kale (at least in my area).

I used champagne dressing because its flavor is light an unobtrusive, yet it's super tangy. I predressed the kale because as the dressing soaks in it will help soften the tough kale. I found that predressing the kale with just a 1/4 cup of dressing was plenty for the entire salad even after adding the other ingredients. Depending on the size of your bunch of kale, you might not even need that much. If you are using other greens, I wouldn't suggest adding the dressing until just before serving as most greens can't stand up to dressing the way kale can.

Enjoy!

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nature's candy

I'm calling this one "Nature's Candy" because my first thought upon tasting it was, "OMG, WHO NEEDS CANDY WHEN THIS EXISTS?!" ... Yep, I thought it in all caps and everything.

This recipe comes to you courtesy of Rachelle, who wrote to tell me that this has become her go-to side dish and even her 3 year old loves it! I was immediately intrigued by the cinnamon/basil combo and I just happened to have some extra apples that I bought on sale. All of the stars were aligned...

All I can say is that it completely blew me away. I fully expected to have to sprinkle a little salt or sugar on after baking, but it needed absolutely nothing. When is the last time you made a recipe that didn't require even a little pinch of salt? The apples are incredibly sweet after roasting and the subtle creaminess of the sweet potato perfectly compliments them.

It's sweet enough to eat as a snack, but subtle enough to eat as a side dish to a regular meal. I think it would be awesome with any number of roasted meats, Herb Roasted Pork Loin in particular. So, I hope you'll try this one! I don't think you'll be sorry! :D

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chunky beef stew

As I was sitting at work last night all hungry and tired, I read an email from Ashlee, a reader who had recently had some out of this world beef stew. She was writing to ask if I had a recipe, which I didn't, but her description of the beef stew that she had tasted made my mouth water, so I knew I had to make some ASAP.

This beef stew knocked my socks off. Okay, so maybe I was really hungry and really in the mood for red meat, but it is still undeniably good. Not to mention, it was seriously easy to make.

I'm a firm believer that any time beef and tomatoes come together, red wine should join the party, but I made this stew sans red wine just to make sure that it would still be delicious for those who didn't want to use wine. I have to say, it was surprisingly good even without the wine, but if you want to use wine, just sub one cup of the beef broth with whatever red wine you have on hand.

My pot made about 8 cups, which could be anywhere from 6-8 servings. In the south we put anything with any sort of gravy over rice, so I suggest stretching this beef stew even further by serving it over some inexpensive rice. You'll get 8 big servings that way.

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oven baked potato skins

Well, it's party season (Christmas, New Years, FOOTBALL), so I thought I'd throw some party food at ya.

I love potato skins because the topping variations are endless.

I made the classic bacon-cheddar-sour cream-green onion version here, but I can't stop thinking about how a little drizzle of BBQ sauce would be on this or if you replaced the bacon with some BBQ pulled pork or chicken. YES.

Anyway, they're pretty easy. This is a small batch, so if you're having a party make sure to double it. Although I might be able to eat a whole plate, I set the serving size at about 3 because that's when I started to feel stuffed. They're deceptively filling!

So, happy party season and make yourself some tater skins!

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roasted root vegetables

You may have heard me talk about how much I love roasting vegetables in the oven... if you haven't, I'm sure you will in the future. Often. Because it's the BEST.

Roasting vegetables transforms bitter and boring veggies into sweet, rich morsels of goodness. They're super delicious and super healthy, and we all want that, right? Oh, did I mention how easy it is? Just chop 'em up, toss with oil and some herbs and spices, and let them do their own thing in the oven while you prep the rest of your meal.

There are a million and two (or maybe three) ways to make roasted vegetables and I made this special Wintery version with all root vegetables to go along side my pork tenderloin. The roasted root vegetables were a perfect flavor match and made for a beautifully colorful companion to the pork. This was my type of meal! YUM!

Of course, prices and volume will vary depending on what vegetables you buy. I bought a big 'ol Super Mario Bros. style turnip, which was surprisingly expensive, but added a nice flavor contrast. You could also try parsnips, rutabagas, or any other root vegetable that might be available to you.

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vegan red lentil stew

It's soooo cold here! (read: below 75 degrees) So, I've been really into soups lately, if you can't tell.

Earlier this week I got an email from Lindsay with a red lentil soup recipe that she had found on Bodyrock.tv (link may be NSFW) and it looked scrumptious! Seeing that I had a big bag of red lentils in my cupboard, I had to make it.

I made a few changes to amp up the flavor a bit and I have to say it turned out really, really well. Serve it with some hearty bread (or pita like in the pictures) to make sure that you have complete proteins. Legumes + grains = all of the amino acids that you need.

Make sure you get red lentils and not brown or green for this recipe. Red lentils break down very quickly when cooked which is what makes this stew thick and hearty! Even though I probably over paid for these red lentils, can you believe how inexpensive this is? I mean, WOW.

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sweet potato grits

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite ingredients. They're inexpensive, packed full of nutrients, and, most importantly, DELICIOUS. So, when my coworker told me about seeing someone make sweet potato grits on a chef reality TV show, I was all like, "Yes ma'am, I will be making those IMMEDIATELY."

I tasted these grits throughout the cooking process and I have to say, there are about a million different ways they could be prepared. I ended up adding a little cinnamon and nutmeg, but leaving the sweetener out because they were so rich and delicious already. You can serve it with brown sugar or maple syrup if you'd like, but they're also good without. Even before adding the spices, these grits were so delicious that I could have eaten a whole bowl. You could even take them the savory route and add a little cheese and savory spice, which would also be awesome. The sky's the limit.

And the cherry on top? I got a 2 lb. bag of grits for $1.53. That's a lot of breakfast for a little money!

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curry beef with peas

This recipe was born out of a craving for my mom's meat pies, which I haven't had in YEARS (like, 15 at least?). I don't have the recipe, I just remember that it was some sort of ground beef mixture seasoned with curry and stuffed inside of fluffy bread. They were so good that I couldn't pass them up, even on the day that I had my wisdom teeth surgically removed... "I'll just chew with my front teeth," I told myself. That didn't work so well.

So, I planned to create something similar except stuff the yummy beef filling inside of pie crust as sort of an empanada type thing, but then I realized that was way more work than I was willing to commit to today. Instead, I realized that this beef mixture would be great just served over rice or stuffed into a piece of naan, almost like an Indian taco. Yum. Anyway, I didn't include the rice in the price break down because you don't necessarily have to eat it that way. That's just one option.

To keep costs low, I "beefed up" the beef by adding potatoes and green peas. I always try to bulk up beef, which means not only cutting the cost but adding fiber and other nutrients. WIN.

Because I'm a spicy kinda person, I like this with a little chili garlic paste or sambal on top. But that's just me.


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sweet potato corn cakes with garlic dipping sauce

I've been dying to post this all week because they're SOOO good and I just know that you'll love them as much as I do... and if you don't, I might be forced to ask myself what is wrong with you.

These are "every bite is better than the last one" good. They're so good that they make you wonder why other food even exists when flavors this bright and vibrant are possible.

...and thats what I was thinking when eating the reheated leftovers a minute ago. So, can you imagine how good they were fresh? Probably not. It's unimaginable. You have to experience it.

Anyway, enough gushing. Onto the important stuff.

First - This recipe makes a HUGE batch, so feel free to half it. I wouldn't suggest trying to half a raw egg, instead just add more than half breadcrumbs (probably 3/4 cup) to make up for the extra moisture.

Second - These are fried. You'll just have to accept that. I tried to bake some and they were horrid. Dry, poor texture, just not good. If you're brave enough to try baking them yourself and actually have success, please share your technique... because I just couldn't make it work.

Third - I demand that you to try these.

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loaded baked potato fries

WARNING: This recipe is completely indulgent. Procede at your own risk. ;D

So, I saw this recipe for Baked Chili Cheese Fries over at BakedBree.com, and I knew I had to make some. They were every bit as incredible as I had hoped! These fries are restaurant quality, ooey-gooey goodness! They're already not as guilt-inducing as a restaurant appetizer because they're not fried, and, if you wanted, you could use 2% cheese and lite sour cream. Actually, the seasoning used on the fries is SO GOOD, that they're quite addictive even without all of the gooey toppings!

I changed the recipe up a bit to match what I had on hand, but I made sure to keep a few key ingredients. The little bit of worcestershire sauce adds an amazing hint of "steak fry" flavor and I would have never thought to use it. Amazing. The chili powder and garlic powder are key players, but I decided to use smoked paprika instead of plain for an extra kick. And lastly, the cornstarch adds a bit of extra crispness that I've not been able to achieve with oven fries before. Genius.


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boursin mashed potatoes

I knew I needed mashed potatoes to go with my herb roasted pork loin last week, but I didn't want plain old potatoes. I decided to spruce them up in the fastest, easiest way possible... with some Boursin cheese!

Boursin is a tangy, creamy cheese that comes in a few different flavors (I used "garlic & fine herbs"). It's great as an ingredient in dishes or just by its self on top of some crackers. I'm not getting paid by Boursin to use their product, I just like it. It's a little pricey, but every now and then I can swing it.

Boursin is far from the least expensive cheese out there and I know that many of you may not be able to find it at your grocery store. BUT, you can also make this "from scratch" instead of with the Boursin short cut! To your potatoes add about 6 oz. of regular goat cheese (or chevre), along with some minced garlic (about a tablespoon) and some chopped herbs (dry or fresh - try basil, oregano, and parsley). Either way, the low cost of the potatoes helps stretch out the higher cost of the relatively expensive cheese.

I garnished with some fresh parsley that I had on hand. Read more »

slow cooker potato soup

I've hesitated to make potato soup for quite some time because all I could think about is how creamy and carby it must be. Surely it's not good for me to eat that every day, right? Well, that's right... unless you make it like this.

I made this super delicious, veggie packed, low fat potato soup and guess what? It's also super inexpensive! That's what I'm talkin' about. To make this soup healthier, I left the skins of the potatoes on, added celery and carrots, and used 1% milk thickened with flour rather than cream.

This soup is so delicious that not only did I gobble down two bowls as soon as I was finished making it (tsk, tsk), but I didn't even bother to add the "toppings" that I had bought for it (cheddar, green onion, parsley). For that reason, I decided not to include any toppings in the price break down. It's good enough to stand alone. Besides, there are way too many topping options and everyone will probably use something different... you can do sour cream, cheese, green onion, parsley, bacon, smoked paprika, or nothing at all because IT'S ALREADY DELICIOUS.

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chunky mashed potatoes

What do you serve with BBQ ribs? Mashed potatoes, of course. There's just no question.

Mashed potatoes are one of those great comfort/soul foods that are high in flavor and satisfaction yet low on cost. Sure, making mashed potatoes seems elementary enough but I'm sure there's at least a handful of you who have never done it before. Mashed potatoes are one of those things that you think you'll just innately know how to make... until you go to do it and then you're like, "uh, what goes in here?" Because if you've ever been there, you know that just mashing up potatoes by themselves isn't all that good.

So, when it comes to mashed potatoes, the more fat you put in there, the better they taste... that's just the rule of the universe. But you also need liquid to facilitate mashing and a good dose of seasoning. I tried to be good and added a scant 2 Tbsp of butter as my fat, some light sour cream for my "liquid" and some garlic, green onion, salt and pepper for seasoning. I kept it simple this go-around because I wanted my ribs to be the star of this week's meal.

You can also try adding: stock or broth, cream, buttermilk, crumbled bacon, fresh herbs, smoked paprika or a variety of cheeses. The sky is the limit.

Oh yeah, and if it's not obvious by now, I'm a chunky mashed potato kind of girl. I left the beautiful red skins on my potatoes and only half-mashed them for optimum texture. If you're looking for a homogenous, textureless, white goop that may or may not have been potatoes at one time, you won't find them here.


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chorizo & sweet potato enchiladas

I know it's still only February but I am SO ready for Cinco de Mayo. So, in the spirit of yummy margaritas and Mexican food, I whipped up some enchiladas.

I could have done this all from scratch and made my own tortillas and enchilada sauce but I was in a bit of a hurry so I used store bought for both. If you want to make your own tortillas, here is a recipe (and here is a low fat recipe). If you want to make your own enchilada sauce, here is a recipe for that as well.

I was expecting a serving to be two enchiladas but they were actually quite filling so I thought one per serving to be most appropriate, especially if you're serving any side dishes. I'm going to be eating some spicy black beans & tomatoes that I had in the freezer (here is a quick seasoned black bean recipe if you're in a hurry) and probably some brown rice. If I had remembered, I would have gotten the ingredients to make this spanish rice.

These enchiladas freeze well so if you're cooking for yourself, go ahead and freeze half of them for later. You'll be glad you did!


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mixed potato home fries

Slow Saturday mornings deserve eggs and home fries.

Extra special Saturday mornings deserve extra special home fries. Enter the sweet potato.

Mixing sweet potatoes and red skinned new potatoes brings home fries to a new level in flavor and texture. The dish is flavorful enough to stand on it's own or you can make it a side dish (say, to some black bean burgers) or as a bed for a fried egg.

I took the easy route with my potatoes and cut them super small so that the heat from the skillet would be enough to cook them through. If you prefer larger chunks, you will need to par-boil or microwave the potatoes before adding them to the skillet. Par-boiling does make a fluffier interior to the potato but, it was the weekend, I was in my pajamas and I really didn't want any extra dishes to wash!

Although the home fries are very simple to make, they do take a while to cook. So kick back, sip a cup of coffee and check your email while your potatoes brown to a perfect, caramelized crisp.


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chipotle mashed sweet potatoes

Here's another quickie (but a goodie) for ya. I know chipotle is a super food trend right now but can you blame it? I mean, it's smokey and spicy and just GOOD! I came across this recipe for Chipotle Sweet Potatoes on Liv Life a while back and book-marked it, just knowing that it would be delicious.

These sweet potatoes are creamy, sweet and spicy (aka: trifecta of deliciousness). Plus, they're a breeze to make and super inexpensive. I'm pretty sure that wins them an instant place in the Budget Bytes hall of fame.

p.s. Chipotle peppers in adobe sauce are kind of like tomato paste. Despite their super small can size, I have yet to come across a recipe that uses even half of the can. Just freeze the rest so you don't have to buy a new can every time.


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