Potato Pancakes!

     While school was keeping me busy, I was trying to think of things to prepare that were quick, simple, and easy. There are a TON of ideas that came rushing to my head, this is one of them, because it uses leftovers – something that is already prepared! My mom had specially requested these, so I finally decided to make them for the website (these are yours, Mom.) They are simple, require little effort, and just need a little love!

     This uses leftover mashed potatoes; it is important to note that the potatoes MUST be chilled. Warm or room temperature potatoes seem to fall apart much easier than if they have been chilled overnight. If you plan to make mashed potatoes specifically for this recipe, keep in mind they need to chill at least 5 hours or overnight.

Potato Pancakes

Yields: 24 ½” pancakes

¼ c. all-purpose flour

1 egg

½ c. onion, minced

4 c. mashed potatoes, chilled

Vegetable oil

 

     In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients well.

 

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat some oil. Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, add the potato mixture to the pan, flattening as best as possible.

 Cook until brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the potato pancake over and then flatten with the back of a spatula. Cook an additional 3 minutes, or until browned to your liking.

 

 

It's that easy! Enjoy these with eggs and bacon for breakfast or in place of mashed potatoes with

dinner! SO simple and delicious!

 

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving    

• Calories: 132.2
• Total Fat: 4.3 g    
• Cholesterol: 33.0 mg
• Sodium: 11.3 mg
• Total Carbs: 21.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.2 g
• Protein: 3.4 g

Simple Potato Soup

Hey y'all! I hope you are all doing well! I'm doing alright, just relaxing at home while I have dinner cooking away in the slow cooker. If the recipe turns out as expected, I will definitely have a post on it with the recipe. Tonight's dinner is not what this post is about. No, what this post is about is how it's spring time here in North Carolina, but we have had freeze warnings and temperatures in the 20s recently. Are you serious, mother nature? Anyways, this weekend is supposed to be much warmer, with highs in the mid-60s, so I wanted to take advantage of a soup...just once more. 
     Don't get me wrong, I can eat soup during spring, summer, fall, or winter, but it's just so much more appealing in the colder months. Let's face it, when it's 95 degrees outside, do you really want to be stuffing your face with 98 degree soup?! I think not. Anyways, for lunch, I decided on some potato soup. I have been craving it recently and decided on making some. I did want to lighten it up a bit, as most classic potato soups have heavy cream. I will tell you this: I succeeded. Give this recipe a try, you won't regret it. You will never miss the cream in this tasty soup! 


Simple Potato Soup

Yields: 2 servings

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 large potato, cubed
¼ c. onion, chopped

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 ¼ c. chicken stock

¼ c. milk

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. water

     

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic clove and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Next, add the onions and allow to cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add the potatoes, Italian seasoning, and parsley and cook, stirring frequently about 3 minutes.

Carefully add in the chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Continue to cook on low heat for approximately 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Using a potato masher, break some of the potatoes up. This is optional, but I think it helps add a little more thickness.

 Create a slurry using the cornstarch and water, by mixing them together and adding to the soup. Bring to a boil, once again, and stir for 1 minute. Once you are satisfied with the texture and thickness of your soup, remove from heat and stir in milk!

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 2
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 214.7

• Total Fat: 6.6 g
• Cholesterol: 20.2 mg
• Sodium: 645.4 mg
• Total Carbs: 35.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4.9 g
• Protein: 5.3 g

Oh, honey! It's chicken!

     This recipe is so simple and so tasty, you'd be insane not to try it! The sauce that is poured over the chicken is so yummy. It's the perfect balance between sweet and salty and I can't believe I hadn't thought of it sooner. The next time I make this recipe, I'll definitely be bumping up the flavor of the ginger! Sometimes, ginger can be too pungent in dishes, especially when it's grated in something. I walked on the safer side of the road this time, but I suggest adding ½ tsp. of ginger. 

     A little about our lives now! We had a few issues with the current house we are under contract with and weren't quite sure we were going to be able to follow through with the purchase. Well, the kinks worked themselves out and we don't have an exact closing date, but we are "full steam ahead" and have put it our 30-day notice to vacate our apartment and have begun shopping for furniture for our new home. I'm so excited! 

Honey Soy Chicken

Yields: 2 servings

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips

6 tbsp. soy sauce

6 tbsp. honey

¼ tsp ginger, grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine soy sauce, honey, ginger, and garlic until well mixed and the honey is no longer thick and set aside. Make chicken breast about ½" thick. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, cook chicken for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, or until done. Place chicken strips in a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken breasts. Bake uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 2
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 346.6

• Total Fat: 1.3 g
• Cholesterol: 81.3 mg
• Sodium: 3,021.3 mg
• Total Carbs: 56.6 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.6 g
• Protein: 32.1 g

Simply Biscuits!

     I'm sitting here watching the Sunday game (go Panthers) with Michael and am FINALLY getting to write this post about a recipe I made the other day for some plain ole' biscuits. They were pretty good! As I was lying in bed at 4:30AM a few days ago, I could NOT get back to sleep. I'm not really sure why, but I remembered that Michael had hinted that he wouldn't mind having breakfast cooked for him before work. Since I couldn't sleep, I figured what better time to make breakfast than now? One problem- NO milk.
     I was thinking I could find a dairy-free recipe, but all the ones I found, seemed really complicated. I don't care who you are, complicated at 4:30AM is ridiculous! Nonetheless, I actually found one that used nonfat milk powder...which I had! These weren't as fluffy as I would have liked, but they definitely worked in a pinch. Hopefully those of you who try these, won't resort to bisquick again!


Simple Biscuits
Yields: 10 biscuits

2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. butter, softened
¼ cup nonfat powdered milk
¾ cup water
(If you do not have powdered milk, just use ¾ cup of milk.)
1 tbsp. sugar

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Spray with cooking spray. Mix the powdered milk and water together in a small bowl, set aside. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a fork or a pastry cutter. Once you've achieved a slightly crumbly texture that barely holds together when squeezed, add the powdered milk mixture and mix well. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for approximately 30 seconds. Roll out until approximately 1/2" thick. Cut out biscuits using biscuit cutter, mason jar, pretty much anything round that you'd like. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Once removed from the oven, brush on a little bit of melted butter if desired.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 10
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 139.3

• Total Fat: 4.9 g
• Cholesterol: 12.4 mg
• Sodium: 267.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 21.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g
• Protein: 2.8 g

Bustin' My Chops

     Tonight for dinner, I decided to do pork chops. I haven't cooked (or eaten, for that matter) pork chops in YEARS, due to some pretty gnarly experiences. Particularly, bone-dry meat and an aching jaw for a few days. It seems as though no matter how much you chew a ridiculously dry piece of meat, it will never go down quite right! I figured I would sear the pork chops in a pan and then bake them off in the oven. This ended up making fork-tender pork chops that were DELICIOUS...and a recipe which I will be using again! I served them alongside a green bean casserole and yeast rolls. 
     Note: I would not recommend serving with a green bean casserole, simply because the cream of mushroom soup in both parts of the meal (pork chops and casserole) makes it almost too rich to enjoy. Serving the pork chops with a side of just green beans would have been a better idea. Oh well, live and learn!

Baked Pork Chops

6 Pork Chops

1½ tsp. Garlic Powder

1½ tsp. Seasoning Salt

2 Eggs, beaten

½ c. All-Purpose Flour

1½ c. Italian-Seasoned Bread Crumbs

¼ c. Olive Oil

1 (10.75 oz) can of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

⅓ c. Milk

⅓ c. White Wine

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Rinse pork chops, dry thoroughly, and season on both sides with the garlic powder and

seasoning salt, to taste. (I went liberal and rubbed it in a little.)

 Dredge the pork chops first in the flour, then into the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sear the pork chops 

approximately 3-4 minutes per side, or until the breading appears brown. 

Place the pork chops in a 9"X13" baking dish, cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the can of cream of mushroom soup, milk, and white wine in a medium bowl. 

After the pork chops have baked for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and pour the soup mixture over them. Replace the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. 

Once finished, remove from the oven and leave foil on for about 5 minutes to let the meat rest, then remove and serve!

     Like everyone in the general public, I have to exercise self-control on a day-to-day basis. I try to find ways to make that a little easier. I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I tend to walk on the savory and salty side of life. I also REALLY love crunchy things. If you sit a bag of chips beside me (preferably kettle-cooked), I WILL eat the whole bag. 
     But, Ashley...I thought you had self-control?
                  Correct! I do, but sometimes I choose not to...and that's a bad thing!


Anyways, I thought this recipe would be a fun try. They are baked, so there isn't any frying like a potato chip. I figured they would be a good alternative to potato chips...and they're ranch-flavored! Of course, you can experiment with these and do any number of alternate seasonings (rosemary parmesan, salt and pepper, etc.).

Ranch Oyster Crackers

Disclaimer: All ingredients are to taste for this recipe.

1 tbsp. Ranch Seasoning

1 tbsp. Dill Weed

3 tbsp. Vegetable Oil

2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 c. Oyster Crackers

Preheat oven to 250°F. In a bowl, mix the Ranch Seasoning, Dill Weed, Vegetable Oil, Garlic Powder, and Salt. Once those ingredients are well mixed, add the oyster crackers and toss to coat. 

I started with only 1 cup of oyster crackers and found that I had extra liquid in my bowl, so this is where I added another 1/2 cup of crackers. 

Pour the coated crackers onto a baking sheet (I lined mine with foil). Bake for 15 minutes, giving them a quick stir every 5 minutes. If you want them a little darker, just leave them in an additional 3-5 minutes! Remove and let cool. Then, place in a covered container for a quick and easy snack! 

Happy Cooking!