Alfredo Scalloped Potatoes

Maybe I shouldn't use the word Scalloped? Hummm....oh well. What ever you want to call them, they are rich and delicious! My boys aren't big fans of cream-based potatoes but when inviting friends over for a glazed ham dinner, I knew I had to include a creamy rich side dish so I made mashed for my boys and Alfredo Scalloped Potatoes were born for my friends and I. (Turns out Darryl liked them!)

Here's how I did it:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease a 9 X 9 glass casserole dish and set aside.

Peel and slice about 2 lbs of potatoes. About 1/8 inch thick. Enough potatoes to fill your dish so if you want, you can use the dish for reference as you're slicing. 

Place potatoes in a small pot and rinse with cold water then cover with cold water, a dash of salt and place on stove top to simmer for about 10 minutes. You want the potatoes to just be cooked. Not mushy so watch them!

Drain and toss with a dash of EVOO and S & P. Set aside.

(This sauce can be made on the stove top and used for pasta.)

1 can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can (the soup can) Milk ( I use Skim)

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp dried Basil

1 tsp dried Oregano

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan (you WANT the powdered shaker bottle stuff for this one!)

Whisk all ingredients together in a microwaveable bowl and heat for a few minutes. Stir every minute. You want this to be bubbly and combined.

When sauce is ready, layer your potato slices in the prepared dish. Pour over sauce and shake dish to get sauce all through potatoes. Cover with parchment and foil and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Shred about 1 cup of Swiss or Mozza cheese.

After the potatoes have been baking for 40 - 45 minutes, remove the parchment and foil and top with cheese. Place your oven on broil and put the potatoes back in the oven until golden brown!

Cover and let rest for 15 minutes or so before serving. 

Sorry folks, I forgot to take a photo!

Happy Cooking! 

Chicken Donair Meat

I have been really been trying to eat better. Cutting back on the "whites" and trying to go fresh. I really wanted to make some donair meat but was wondering how ground chicken or turkey might work instead of the ground beef. Only one way to find out! Do it! 

Chicken Donair Meat

1 lb ground chicken (or turkey)

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp ground oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp flour

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne

Preheat oven to 350 F.

If you have a mixer with a paddle attachment, use it. If not, prepare to pound and knead and pound and knead. It is a good work out though!

Place all ingredients in the mixing bowl with the paddle attachment and mix until it no longer looks like ground beef and everything is completely combined. 

Plop out meat mixture on to some parchment paper and form into a log. Wrap tightly and twist both ends. (Should have taken a picture of this...sorry!)

Place on a rack on a baking sheet or a broiler pan. Bake for an hour and 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Unwrap and slice as thin as possible. Quickly pan fry to reheat before eating.

It is best if this is baked off the day before you want it and sliced the next day, but I'm too impatient for that! :)

Chicken Donair Sandwich with Sweet Potato

This is what I did with my Chicken Donair meat....

3 oz Chicken Donair meat

1 Artisan Rosemary and Olive Oil Fold It Flat Breads

2 Tbsp Renee's Yogurt Cucumber and Dill Dressing

1 Romaine Leaf

2 slices of tomato

4 slices of cucumber

1 oz feta

Warm your meat in the a dry frying pan. Warm flat bread in frying pan. Spread the dressing over flat bread. Place the romaine leaf, tomato and cucumber on the "bun". Top with donair meat and feta. Close up and enjoy!

The side dish you see in that photo is very simple and tasty. Preheat oven to 375F. Chop up 1 peeled sweet potato, 1 red pepper and 1 small onion. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and bake on a sheet pan for 40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes.

Eating fresh is not only good for you, but truly makes you feel good. "Fresh" might not be a word you would think of when you think of Donairs, but when making them at home and knowing what is in it, really does make a difference. We can still eat the foods we crave, but making them yourself is so much better for us. Go on, give it a try! 

Happy Cooking!