Focaccia Pugliese

Before my husband was my husband he wooed me with food, specifically with his baking. One of the first things he made was focaccia. I was madly in love, and not just with my boyfriend. The bread was so fluffy and moist, the crust was the perfect amount of crispy and chewy, and the toppings burst with flavor. I had focaccia before that day, I'm sure of it, but I was shocked that he made it by himself and from scratch; that was the day I knew I truly loved focaccia.

Since our young days as a couple we've made this dozens of times, and I'm still amazed that it's made with potatoes—who knew?! The recipe below makes one thick and poofy focaccia that's lighter than it looks thanks to the velvety olive oil and creamy potatoes. (Keep this in mind when you have Thanksgiving leftovers!) 

Our staple toppings are usually a smattering of pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, rosemary, and Parmesan cheese. But sometimes we get creative and add mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, or other veggies we have on hand. I also suggest using a good extra-virgin olive oil—a little bit goes long way, so bust out your good stuff!

Oh, one other note: this is addicting. Consider yourself warned! 

Focaccia

by The Tale of Two Kitchens

Ingredients:
1 cup room-temperature mashed potatoes (we use instant potatoes if we don't have "real" potatoes on hand)
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup water, warm
1 cup water, room temperature 
3-4 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
sprigs of rosemary 

Optional Toppings:
2-3 Tbs pesto
12-15 olives (green and/or black) cut in half
1/2 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped  
2-3 mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1/2 onion, sliced or chopped
1 bell pepper, sliced or chopped 

Directions:
In medium-sized bowl whisk yeast into warm water and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining water (room temperature) and 1 tablespoon of oil. Combine mashed potatoes (room temperature—if it's hot it'll kill the yeast), flour, and salt into yeast mixture and stir for about 3 minutes. Continue stirring until it gets too difficult, then mix with your hands. Knead until dough is velvety, elastic and slightly sticky. Place dough on a clean, lightly floured workplace and continue kneading until dough is no longer sticky (add a more flour a little bit at a time if necessary). Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of oil in empty bowl, then place dough back in bowl. Flip dough to get it covered in oil; cover bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until doubled (about 2 hours). 

Preheat oven to 400F.

Spread dough onto a well-oiled cookie sheet (9x13"). Cover with towel and let double (about 1 hour). Once doubled, press your fingertips into dough to create "dimples." Spread pesto evenly across the top, scatter on your toppings (except sun-dried tomatoes*), and sprinkle cheese and rosemary. Drizzle remaining olive oil, making sure to cover edges and corners. 

Bake for ~20 minutes, adding sun-dried tomatoes just as focaccia is golden brown.

Gnocchi Mac & Cheese

I love Gnocchi. And I also love Mac and Cheese. I came across this recipe and thought I would faint! It was super easy, and it's really customizable! I love recipes that you can tweak and change and make them your own (partially because I hate following recipes). Gnocchi is an Italian potato dumpling, I consider it in the pasta family. I hope you enjoy this as much as my husband and I did. Perfect for the cold Fall evenings coming up!

Gnocchi Mac and CheeseRecipe adapted from thecuttingedgeofordinary

Ingredients:

1 lb store bought or homemade gnocchi
2 Tbsp butter or butter subst. (I used Brummel and Brown)
1 Tbsp garlic- minced
1 Tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 C shredded cheese- I used Tillamook mac and cheese blend (FABULOUS)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/3 C shredded Parmesan
4-5 slices bacon-cooked and crumbled
Parsley- Optional, as a garnish.

Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Cook gnocchi according to package, once they float to the top of the water take them out! You don't want to overcook it! Drain them and put them in a prepared baking dish. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook until you can smell it quite a bit. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles. then add milk. Continue to whisk it until slightly thickened about 4 minutes. Add cheese a handful at a time, stirring until melted each time. Once it's melted and combined season with salt and pepper. Pour the cheese sauce over the gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmesan and crumbled bacon. Bake until they puff up and cheese is browned, about 30 minutes. Near the end of the 30 minutes sprinkle on some more cheese and let it get bubbly! Sprinkle with parsley. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving so the sauce can settle.

Shepherd's Pie

Last week my husband and I ate a lot of pie in celebration of Pi Day, or Pi(e) Week in our case. Most of the recipes we made were followed to the "T," but I changed this one so much that I decided I need to share it with you. 

I know what you're probably thinking, "Really, Jess? You just showed us a delicious pie and today you're giving us meat and potatoes? Not just that, but a British version of meat and potatoes? Not to rain on your parade or anything, but that's not exactly what I had in mind when you said, 'Pie Week.'" 

Well, well, well. I see how you doubt me. What if I told you this is the best meat and potatoes meal you'll ever eat, and the fact that it has "pie" in its name is just a sweet coincidence. Oh, and it also has veggies in it! Seriously, this is amazing and so incredibly flavorful that my husband and I both licked the plate clean. 

I first tried this in Britain when some friends made it for me; I loved it then and made it a couple times when I came home. I don't know why we don't eat this more often, because it's also really simple to make (don't let the lengthy directions fool you; it's easy, I promise). I hope I'm talking this up enough, because the picture you're about to see doesn't do it a single smidgen of justice. I snapped it as quickly as I could, because all I wanted to do was eat the darn thing! 

Pie week rocks, my friends. It rocks my socks off. 

Shepherd's Pie 

(really, Cottage Pie since it's made with ground beef and not lamb)

adapted from Alton Brown
9 Weight Watchers points+; serves 6

Ingredients: 

for the potatoes:

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half-and-half or sour cream (fat free is fine)
• 2 ounces unsalted butter (I used Brummel and Brown. LOVE)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• season salt (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (reserve) 

for the meat filling:

• 1 tablespoons oil 
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4-1/2 cup diced green chile (optional but so, so, so fantastic in it)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste or ketchup
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (buy the bag that has all three!)
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Directions:
Peel potatoes and dice into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease heat to maintain a simmer; cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Place half-and-half (or sour cream) and butter in a microwave-safe container; heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Mash potatoes; add half and half, butter, salt(s) and pepper; continue mashing until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

While potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place oil in a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add onion and mushrooms; saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic; stir to combine. Add beef, salt and pepper; cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle meat with flour; toss to coat, cooking for another minute. Add tomato paste (or ketchup), chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, and green chile (optional); stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add corn, carrots, and peas to the beef mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle cheese over mashed potatoes. Place dish on a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven; bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown and cheese starts bubbling. Remove from oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

I'm eating this soup as I type, because I can't get enough of it. In fact, while I was taking the photos, the soup's aroma persuaded me to actually sneak a couple bites between shots; I had to refill the bowl and start over!

It's a little ridiculous how easy this is to make, and what's even crazier is how much flavor it has. To be honest, up until the last hour of cooking you'll probably think this recipe isn't turning out right, because it just looks like a watery, clumpy mess. But then you add the cream cheese and it all comes together in a magically delicious way.

When it comes making soup, I usually check the 10-day forecast and plan to make soup on a rainy day. There's nothing quite like filling up the crock-pot in the morning and letting the ingredients mingle together all day long.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

serves six

about 8 Weight Watcher Points+ per serving

Ingredients:
2 pounds potatoes, diced and peeled
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
28 oz chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
10 oz cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
2 teaspoons ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package (8oz) cream cheese (or Neufchatel)
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (garnish)
shredded cheese (garnish)
green onion (garnish)

Directions: 
In a slow cooker, combine the above ingredients except cream cheese and garnishes. Cook on low for 8-10 hour or until potatoes are very soft. One hour before serving, add cream cheese. Stir until blended and continue cooking on "warm." Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and top with garnishes.

*This even tastes great as leftovers. If the soup is more like mashed potatoes, add a little milk to it before reheating to loosen it up a bit!

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by West Bend.

Potato Casserole

I'm always looking for a new way to whip up a potato. While I do love the traditional baked potato, it gets a little boring sometimes. My husband has an adoration for anything in casserole form. When he see's me pull out his favorite red casserole dish he practically dances with excitement. Not to down talk my husband, it is all because of him I come up with some fabulous meals! I was making steak the other night and didn't want a normal baked potato or even mashed potatoes. I had an abundance of bell peppers and little red potatoes. Anytime I have ingredients but am not sure what I'm going to do with them out comes the red casserole dish. Cue dancing. Now I realize the picture isn't "pretty" in the normal sense of the word but in casserole world, it's crispy, it's cheesy, it's gooey... it's beautiful.

Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb red potatoes (small)
1 of each red, green, yellow and orange bell pepper- julienned
1 small yellow onion- diced
2 cloves of garlic
Olive oil- to coat pan
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp rosemary
Salt and Pepper- to taste
Johnny's Garlic Spread-(optional) if you don't own this, order it NOW! Thanks to my fabulous Mother in Law for introducing me to this. It now goes on everything I make, YUM.

Directions:
Wash and boil the potatoes till cooked. In the meantime saute onion and bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat. Once the peppers are soft add the garlic, continue to cook until caramelized but not burnt and lifeless. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain potatoes and slightly mash them, leaving them smashed but still chunky. Place the potatoes in a greased dish and top with the peppers, onion, and the pan juices. Drop spoonfuls of sour cream on potatoes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar. Season with Johnny's Garlic Spread, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and cover with foil. Bake at 325 degrees until bubbly and gooey, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for about 5 minutes more to give it a crispy top.