Tasty’s Ultimate Mashed Potatoes
Recipe Overview
I made Jody Tixier’s & Alexis Deboschnek’s Ultimate Mashed Potatoes from Tasty, and oh my! At first I wasn’t that impressed with them, but they aged well on me. Which is a weird thing to say about mashed potatoes! They are work; they aren’t for a Tuesday after work, school, and sports. But if you’re looking for a restaurant style mashed potato – this is it! Pro Tip – they were exceptionally delicious the next morning with a fried egg.
Ingredients List
Ingredients:
- 2lb yukon gold potatoes
- 1/2 cup whole cream
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed, cold
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- chives, finely chopped, for serving
Step 1: Prep the Potatoes
On a cutting board, peel the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large bowl of cold water after peeling to avoid discoloration. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes.
Step 2: Prep the Cream
In a small saucepan, bring the milk, heavy cream, and garlic to a simmer over low heat. Remove the pot from the heat and strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve.
Step 3: Mash the Potatoes
Drain the potatoes in a colander and transfer back to the pot.
Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, potato rice, or by pushing through a fine mesh sieve with a spatula.
NOTE: I used a shredding attachment for my mixer and it worked great. I made these a second time and used a potato masher and they were not as good – the masher left chunks and the potatoes just weren’t as creamy. Stick with the ricer or shred the potatoes.
Step 4: Mix the Potatoes and Cream
Add the cubed cold butter and salt to the potatoes. Stir to combine. Gradually add the cream mixture to the potatoes, little by little, until fully incorporated.
Top with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with chives. Enjoy!
Conclusion
If you watch the video, you can see that I wasn’t impressed with these mashed potatoes on first blush. But after the cameras stopped rolling, and the potatoes aged a little bit, I whole heartedly changed my mind. And truthfully, the next morning they were even better. Note: this made an insane amount of mashed potatoes so we ate them for breakfast & lunch for two days. It is not 4 servings, unless you’re serving giants.
Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays’ Latkes
Recipe Overview
Why mess with tradition? These traditional latkes by Malka Drucker in her Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays book are all you need for the most delicious, crispy and “make it feel like home” latkes.
Ingredients List
Ingredients:
- 3 large Russet potatoes
- 1 small onion
- 2 beaten eggs
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp salt
- Pinch of pepper
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Step 1: Prep the Potatoes and Onions
Wash the potatoes (there is no need to peel them). If you have a food processor, use the shredding disc to grate the potatoes and onions. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a hand grater but be prepared for a workout.
Step 2: Mix the Latkes
Add the beaten eggs, flour, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Pour off the excess liquid.
Step 3: Fry the Latkes
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan for one minute. Adjust the amount of oil in the pan so that there is enough to cover the bottom of the pan, but not enough to submerge the latkes.
Gently drop about 2 tbsp of potato mixture into pan. You can flatten it softly with your tongs or spatula. When the latkes are brown around the edges (it’s going to be a few minutes), flip them gently and fry the other sides until crispy. Drain them on paper towels. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.
Conclusion
I had never eaten a latke until I met my husband, but now on 20 years (wow, we’re old) they are one of my favorite recipes. There is no need to go to extraordinary lengths with your latkes – simple ingredients allow the flavors to shine.
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Bon Appetit’s Best Green Bean Casserole
Recipe Overview
This is not a quick side dish. It’s a process. It’s from scratch. And it tastes like it. So, if you want some really good green bean casserole, make BA’s Best Green Bean Casserole.
Ingredients List
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds green beans
- Salt & Pepper
- ¾ cup fried onions
Mushrooms
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced & divided
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 4 large sprigs thyme
Béchamel
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- ½ cup parmesan
Step 1: Cook the Green Beans
Preheat oven to 375°. Working in batches, cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and half way to tenderness, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain and let cool; trim stem ends.
NOTE: I made this a second time and trimmed the ends before we cooked the green beans. I found it substantially easier to trim the uncooked beans and it didn’t make any difference in the dish.
Step 2: Cook the Mushrooms
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half of mushrooms, without stirring, until golden brown underneath, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes more. Add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 thyme sprigs to pan. Cook, tossing occasionally, until butter browns and mushrooms are dark brown and very tender, about 4 minutes longer. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Repeat with 2 tbsp butter, salt, and remaining oil, mushrooms, and thyme.
Step 3: Make the Béchamel
Melt remaining 2 Tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking occasionally, until roux golden brown and smells mildly nutty, about 4 minutes. Whisk in milk and cream. Increase heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often, and cook until bechamel sauce is thick and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in garlic and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper
Step 4: Assemble and Cook
Arrange green beans and mushrooms in a 2 quart baking dish. Pour sauce over (it may not look like enough, but it will get softer as it bakes). Cover tightly with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until casserole is lightly browned on top and around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Top with fried onions and continue to bake just until onions are slightly darker and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes to set before serving.
NOTE: I just layered the green beans, then mushrooms, then poured the sauce on top because I didn’t know what “arrange” meant. It worked fine!
Conclusion
This recipe ended with me shoveling green bean casserole out of the baking dish and into my mouth. My whole family quickly joined me. I guess that’s all you really need to know about this one. Lol. So long as you have the time and are willing to do a fair amount of dishes, this one is a keeper!
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Salted Caramel
Recipe Overview
Salted Caramel…..yes, please! This batch of Salted Caramel was made to go on our Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars from Sally’s Baking Addiction, but I’d put this on almost anything. In fact, if I’m honest (and I always am) this caramel went on ice cream too, and maybe a spoonful snuck from the fridge on more than one late night. Sally knows her stuff, and I’m glad she’s addicted to baking.
Ingredients List
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces
- ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
Step 1
Heat granulated sugar in a medium heavy-duty saucepan (avoid using non-stick) over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn it.
Step 2
Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. (If you’re nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it takes 3-4 minutes. It will eventually– just keep whisking. Return to heat when it’s combined again.)
Step 3
After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelized sugar, cook for 1 minute without stirring.
Very slowly stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Since the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
Step 4
Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.
Cover tightly and store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.
NOTE: If you want to make regular caramel, reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Do not leave it out completely.
Conclusion
While making your own caramel can be daunting, I promise you can do it with this recipe. Trust the steps and you’ll wonder why you didn’t make this earlier. This is a real life winner!
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Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
Recipe Overview
Anyone who says that food is the way to a man’s heart clearly hasn’t gotten between a woman and her Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars from Sally’s Baking Addiction. That shortbread is a-ma-zing and contrasts with the softer texture of the apples and streusel. And that salted caramel (make this one)……I’ll take a tub full, please. Yes and yes, that’s all you need to know about how this recipe worked in real life.
Ingredients List
SHORTBREAD CRUST
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
APPLE FILLING
- 2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick)*
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
STREUSEL
- 1/2 cup (40g) old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup (70g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
- Homemade (see recipe here), or store-bought
Step 1: Prep the Pan
Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Crust
Stir the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven. (As the crust bakes, you can prepare the filling and streusel.)
Step 3: Make the Apple Filling
Combine the sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until all of the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
Step 4: Make the Streusel
Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or two forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Step 5: Turn the Oven Up to 350°F (177°C)
Evenly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. It will look like there are too many apple slices, so layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Sprinkle the apple layer with streusel and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Lift the foil or parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. Once cut, drizzle some salted caramel sauce on top of each. These apple pie bars can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or even cold.
NOTES:
Larger Batch: Recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9×13 pan. Pre-bake the crust for 18 minutes, then extend the bake time in step 5 to about 45-55 minutes.
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The bars will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can freeze the bars for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving and drizzling with caramel.
Conclusion
Do yourself a favor and whip up this “Autumn in a bite” dessert. It’s all things Fall and delicious. If you’re making a double batch like I did, don’t mess it up like I did, and write your baking time changes directly on the recipe. Or you’ll end up making OMG faces like I did when I realized I hadn’t baked my shortbread correctly. Thankfully, this recipe is forgiving.
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