MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - SUMMER SAUSAGE AND PASTA SALAD

Another old one made first in July 2011. Once again, I haven't put together any new recipes this week but as I wouldn't mind making this again, I thought I could add it here for you to take a look. 

The weather returned to the low 90s again. It's not letting go of us just yet. I am looking forward to Fall now, always am at this time of the year. I hope by now the weather has been kinder in your part of the world. I have been hearing horrendous stories and am keeping fingers crossed for all of you out there. 

I had been browsing through food blogs online. Unfortunately, the links are no longer available, so there is nothing for you to look up today. At the time I wrote that "this was one of the most flavorful and delicious pasta dishes I have ever had, and you've just about got everything you need in one pot." 

Now to what I wrote in 2011.

You will need a very large pot or mixing bowl to mix all the ingredients. I ended up using the largest stockpot I had and when Gregg came home and saw how much I had made, he asked me which army was coming for dinner! I probably should have made half the recipe, there being only the two of us, but I don't do anything by halves apparently. It was nice to be able to take various friends an evening meal the next day, and they seemed to enjoy it too.  We still had enough for several meals and in the end, I decided to freeze some as an experiment. It thawed out quite nicely and we enjoyed it again a couple of weeks later. You can make it the day before so that the flavors have time to work their magic.

1 16 oz. jar of Zesty Italian Dressing

1 lb. box of Rotelle pasta, cooked, drained and rinsed (I used elbow macaroni because I had a box already in the pantry)

1 medium yellow onion

8 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced

16 oz. package CoJack cheese, cubed (see note below)

16 oz. tube summer sausage, cubed

3 13.75 ozs. quartered artichokes, drained

2 6.5 ozs. cans pitted black olives, drained

2 8.5 ozs. jars julienned sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I forgot to buy fresh Parmesan cheese and used the kind that you keep in your fridge in the green container)

Mix all ingredients well and allow to marinate overnight. You can play around with the ingredients to suit your own taste. Fortunately, we liked everything used.

I would definitely make this again. It would be a great dish to take along to a potluck. Gregg actually had three helpings. He has seconds sometimes but rarely thirds. 

Because I take note of such things, I calculated all the calorie item by item. One cup was approximately 300 calories.

I am not sure if this particular cheese is made overseas, but it looks like this. 

Co-jack is short for Colby-Jack, an American semi-hard marble cheese made by blending orange Colby curd and white Monterey Jack curd together. I know there are other wonderful and delicious cheeses around the world that you can substitute this for. 

That's about all but if there is anything I didn't make clear, let me know in the comment section and I will do my best to answer.

Thanks for looking, have a great week 

and...

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - COTTAGE CHEESE MUSHROOM AND SPINACH EGG BAKE

I found this on Pinterest so there is no link. It would be easy to find if you type in the name of the quiche in the search engine once you get to the website. I looked for its author without success, though I will keep trying. We were very pleased with this dish, another 10 out of 10 if your tastes tend to go in this direction. It is advertised as an egg bake, but it looked like a crustless quiche. 

Cottage Cheese Mushroom and Spinach Egg Bake

Servings: up to 5 people

Approximately 240 to 320 calories depending on how many servings sizes you get.

6 eggs

1-1/2 cups cottage cheese

1 cup sliced mushrooms 

2 cups fresh spinach

1 cup grated mozzarella 

1/2 cup grated Parmesan 

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt or sour cream

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

Optinal: fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Heat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).

Wash/prepare/measure out all ingredients. Drain what you need to and get everything dry so that there is no excess liquid when you start putting everything into the baking dish/pie dish.

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch or 9-inch baking pie dish (we used a pie dish). 

Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Add your sliced and diced onion and mushrooms. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and lightly browned.

Add your two cloves of minced garlic and the two cups of fresh spinach. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.

In a large bowl, whisk the 6 eggs, 1-1/2 cups cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt (or sour cream), the 1/2 cup of Parmesan, 1 cup grated mozzarella, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon each of the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. 

Stir in the cooked mushrooms and spinach mixture.

Pour everything into the baking dish/pie dish and spread evenly.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden.

Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

This is an easy, high protein meal you can enjoy for any meal of the day. It was delicious! The only thing I find is that our oven runs cooler and it took us an extra 15 minutes to cook, so you might have to adjust your timing according to your own oven temperature.

We served it with a mixed vegetable salad and I added raspberries, blackberries and blueberries with mine. I used a regular dinner plate, and the salad alone would have been a meal on its own, but the egg bake/quiche was a very yummy addition. Truth be told, it looked a bit lost among salad. We each had a bigger piece the next day for lunch, on its own. It was even tastier after those flavors had a chance to develop. This is the kind of dish that if you had company coming, you could make it the day before. 

You can basically see all that was put into the salad, but because I'm corner to corner, I like to make a list so that it's easier for me to put together next time. You might enjoy seeing all the additions.

Mixed spring greens

Green leafy lettuce 

Sliced radishes

Quartered Campari tomatoes

Broccoli florets

Sliced green onion

A few each of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

I didn't use a dressing but sprinkled a little lemon juice over the top. 

I also added a sprinkling of turmeric over mine, plus a sprinkling of black pepper. Black pepper is supposed to activate the goodness even more in the turmeric. I am always curious about such things but by all means, you should definitely ask your medical professional first if you are thinking of going the same way. There is an article here if you want to know more. Also, this link takes you to a page at the John Hopkins website where you can get even more information. 

That's about it for today. As mentioned above, 10 out of 10 for the quiche, and the salad was well received also. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to answer.

Thanks for visiting and wishing you all a great day.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - GREEK MEATBALL BOWL WITH TZATZIKI, RICE AND FRESH VEGGIES - 4 SERVINGS

This came from a food blog called Umami Recipes. I found the original here. I have been very interested in similar meals. My dear other half, when I showed him the ingredients, said he would give it a try. 

Greek Meatball Bowl with Tzatziki, Rice & Fresh Veggies

4 servings

For the Greek Meatballs:

500g (about l pound 2 ounces) ground beef or lamb, or a mix of both (we used ground turkey)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (or almond flour for gluten free)

1 egg

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Tzatziki Sauce:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup cucumber (grated and it is important to squeeze out all the excess water)

1 garlic clove (minced)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Bowl Base:

2 cups cooked fresh Jasmine, basmati or cauliflower rice

For the Fresh Veggies:

1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

1 cup cucumbers (sliced)

1/2 cup red onion (thinly sliced)

For Garnish (Optional)

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil drizzle

Lemon wedges for serving

Make the meatballs: 

In a large bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, red onion, parsley, dill, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined. Roll into small meatballs (about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.

Cook the meatballs:

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the meatballs for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and fully cooked through. 

Alternatively, bake them at 400°F (200°C), flipping halfway through.

Prepare the Tzatziki Sauce:

In a small bowl mix Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, minced garlic, olive oil, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir well and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Assemble the Bowl:

Divide the cooked rice among 4 bowls. Top each with meatballs, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices and red onion.

Drizzle and Garnish:

Drizzle with tzatziki sauce, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges for an extra burst of flavor.

Notes: for a lighter option, swap rice with quinoa, farro or mixed greens. 

Add Kalamata olives or roasted bell peppers for more Mediterranean flavors.

Make it dairy-free by using a plant-based yogurt for the tzatziki.

What did we think? Gregg said he thought it was excellent, that he would definitely enjoy this again. A keeper! It was very good and was a refreshing meal for a hot, muggy day. I thought I would enjoy it but didn’t realize how much. 

There was enough for another meal and it tasted even better than the day before. The flavors probably had a chance to become even more flavorful. It also helped that we were able to enjoy the meal with very little effort the second time.

It was hubby's idea to add the pieces of fresh pineapple to the bowl. Being pineapple lovers, I thought it was a great addition. 

Tzatziki is a favorite of ours.

We forgot the feta cheese, olive oil and lemon wedges for the garnish, but we didn’t miss them. 

Below is the full address of the recipe's website, if you prefer to copy and paste rather than use the link at the beginning.

https://www.umami.recipes/recipe/6boZC0ApXBK1rrerpjyd

If you have any questions, please let me know in the comment section and I will do my best to answer.

Thanks for looking, have a great week and

Bon Appétit!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - BREAKFAST BOWL - VERY HEALTHY

I wanted to start off the week with a healthy meal and not being a fan of a lot of the ingredients, Gregg went a different way. This for some would be a very bland meal if you are used to lots of flavors, but there are times I enjoy a healthy and even a bland meal. I intend to do it again sometime and that's why I am putting it on here. It might not be your cup of tea either so you may want to skip. 

There is a lot of preparation so I started cutting up vegetables the night before and getting everything measured out. 

Gregg came down the next morning to the smell of cooked eggshells and beets and broccoli cuttings in the trash, which I had forgotten to throw out before I went to bed late. These being his least favorite things to greet the nostrils at any time of the day, let alone a whiff first thing in the morning, or mine either for that matter. I won’t forget next time, no matter what it is.

The recipe comes from Eating Well and the link to the original recipe can be found here.

Roasted Vegetable Breakfast Grain Bowl

Serves 6

1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)

2 small red beets, peeled and cubed (3/4 inch - about 2 cups)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, divided

3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided

3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

1 medium head broccoli, cut into florets (1-1/2 inch - about 4 cups)

6 large eggs

6 tablespoons tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons, depending on size) 

2 tablespoons water

2 cloves garlic, grated

3 cups cooked quinoa

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. with racks in top and bottom third positions (see my note below).Toss chopped squash, cubed beets, 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt, cumin, smoked paprika and pepper together on a large, rimmed baking sheet until evenly coated; spread in an even layer. Roast on the bottom rack, stirring once, until lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss broccoli florets with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each cumin, smoked paprika and pepper on another large, rimmed baking sheet until evenly coated; spread in an even layer. Roast on the top rack until browned and tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat and set a medium bowl of ice water next to the stove. Gently use a spoon to lower 6 eggs into the boiling water; reduce heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer. Simmer gently stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath; let cool for 2 minutes. Drain the eggs and set aside.

Whisk 6 tablespoons tahini, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, grated garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a small bowl until creamy and smooth.

Stir 3 cups cooked quinoa and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl; divide among 6 bowls. Top with black beans, roasted squash mixture and roasted broccoli. Peel the eggs under running water, discarding shells; cut each egg in half lengthwise and place on top of the breakfast bowls. 

Drizzle each bowl with the tahini mixture.

To make ahead:

Make the eggs and refrigerate in their shells in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Gently reheat in warm-hot (not boiling) water. 

Make the tahini sauce and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

I enjoyed it and will make again. Gregg looked at it and said, "Nuh-uh!" Lol! 

It all depends on your individual tastes. 

I found it a lot of prep work and started the night before. Made it a lot easier and I am glad for the leftovers to last me a couple of days.

I also am trying a few anti-inflammatory meals, and this is one of them.

I made a few short cuts. I couldn't find any fresh acorn squash in our supermarket, nor frozen. I substituted a packet of frozen, cubed butternut squash. 

Not wanting to turn the oven on because it's way too hot for that, I steamed the veggies on the stove top. When the weather turns in the autumn, I will make this again using the exact directions.

Hopefully I have explained everything properly but if anything looks a bit off (it's almost midnight and I wanted to get this published in time for tomorrow so have rushed a bit), let me know in the comment section.

Added note: Gregg discovered later that he liked the Tahini Dressing as a dip for his Triscuit crackers. It was quite good. 

I have written the whole address out below for you to copy and paste if you prefer.

https://www.eatingwell.com/roasted-vegetable-breakfast-grain-bowl-8742347

Thanks for looking and 

wishing you all a great week.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - THAI CHICKEN SALAD WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

One of those weeks of no fixing new recipes so I am relying on my archives. I found this one which I remember liking very much. Not the prettiest presentation but if you care to look at the food blog where I got it from, the link is below and it will give you a better idea of what it should look like. Everything else on here is from June 2014.

I felt it was time for a main dish salad and found this delicious recipe at My Kitchen Escapades, recipe index at this link.  You can click here to go to see the original recipe.  If you enjoy food sites there are other wonderful dishes for you browse through.

Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Serves 8

Chicken Marinade:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/4 cup sugar or 2 tablespoons Truvia or sweetener you prefer in equivalent measure

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

Dash of salt and pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2-1/2 pounds total

Salad:

2 hearts of romaine, chopped

1/2 large head of Napa cabbage, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 carrots, shredded

1 red bell pepper, chopped

5 green onions, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 cup salted peanuts

Dressing:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup Thai sweet red chili sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar or Truvia

Pinch of salt and pepper

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Thai sweet red chili sauce

2 tablespoon water

In a Ziploc bag combine all the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Squeeze the bag a few times to blend together really well. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.  

Cook the chicken either on a hot grill, 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Allow it to cool a bit, then chop up all the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl, except for the peanuts, then add the chicken.  

Combine all the dressing ingredients then pour over the salad. Toss until the salad is evenly coated with the dressing. Put into individual salad bowls to serve.

Stir together the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a small bowl. If the sauce is too thick to drizzle, add a little more water.  Generously drizzle peanut sauce over each serving of salad, then top with the peanuts.  

What did we think of this dish?  Very much enjoyed. The flavors in this recipe are subtle and delicious.

I always use a hot-house cucumber, the kind you don't have to seed.  I prefer it to regular cucumbers.  

There was quite a bit of preparation but I started early. It helps to get all the ingredients chopped up and everything measured out before you start putting the recipe together. I learned this late in life!  

Lots of leftovers.  We will be eating this again tomorrow, and probably the next day.  

I thought of halving all the ingredients next time as there is just the two of us, unless we are having people over.  But my dear other half feels confident that he can eat this for the next three days.  I guess we have a winner.

I wish you all a great week and

thanks for stopping by.

Bon Appetit!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - COBB SALAD

Last week I didn’t make any new recipes but I found an old one to share. A bit jumbled up in the photo, but it was very tasty. It has been years since I published the original recipe. The link is no longer working and the website where I found it has disappeared. 

Cobb Salad

Serves 6

1 boneless and skinless chicken breast half
2 large eggs
3 slices turkey bacon
1 head romaine lettuce, stalk and tough out leaves removed and sliced crosswise into 3/4-inch wide
strips (about 6 cups)
1 cup chopped fresh watercress
3 tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 small ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.  Add chicken; cook at a bare simmer until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; set aside.

Place eggs (still in their shells) in a small saucepan; fill with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; turn off heat.  Cover; let stand 11 to 12 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl and cover with cold water; let cool and peel.  Slice eggs in half lengthwise.  Discard one yolk and pass the other through a fine sieve into a small bowl; set aside.  Slice each egg white into six wedges; set aside.

Cook bacon in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat until browned and fat is rendered, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to drain on paper towels.  Let cool; roughly chop.

Spread lettuce on a service platter.  Arrange chicken, eggs, bacon, watercress, tomatoes, avocado, parsley and chives in separate rows.

Make the vinaigrette: in a small bowl whisk together cheese, vinegar and mustard.  Slowly whisk in the oil.  Season with pepper.  Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and serve immediately.

(Chicken breast and turkey bacon was used for a leaner version of this salad.  If you prefer you can use roasted turkey breast instead of poached chicken.)

Added note: this is a great main dish salad and I thought it was excellent.  The dressing I have used on other salads.  Easy enough to do as it's one of the simplest I have made.  Instead of mixing the blue cheese in the dressing, I put it on the salad.

I couldn't find watercress in our local supermarket. They had some really good baby butter lettuce which was a good substitute.

I didn't use the hard boiled eggs as one of us can't abide the smell of them cooking, texture or the taste.  It was easy enough to leave them off as there were plenty of other ingredients to enjoy. This is a great recipe for you to add your favorite veggies and replace the not so favorite ones.

Not strictly a Cobb Salad by the traditional sense but excellent and one that went into the make-again folder. 

Thanks for looking and 

wishing you all a great week ahead.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - ONE POT TERIYAKI NOODLES

Today’s recipe is one I found at 50K Recipes. I couldn’t find the name of the author. It was a very tasty, fast-to-prepare dish. You can find the original here.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)

1/2 green cabbage, shredded

2 carrots, shredded

1 tablespoon olive oil

2/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard 

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

16 ounces spaghetti

3-1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Optional garnishes: green onions, sesame seeds

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat  

Add olive oil and the bite-sized chicken pieces  Cook until the chicken is browned on all sides.

Add shredded cabbage and carrots to the skillet and sauté for about 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, mustard, ginger and garlic powder. Mix well.

Add the uncooked spaghetti (breaking in half if preferred) and pour in 3-1/2 cups water.

Cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the noodles soften, stir more frequently to prevent sticking.

Once the noodles are tender, remove from heat and toss in sesame seeds, or you can leave those out if you prefer.

Serve immediately garnished with green onions and extra sesame seeds if using.

Variations and substitutions were given:

You can replace the cabbage with Napa cabbage, broccoli or snap peas for different textures and flavors.

You can use a different noodle and swap for rice noodles or udon noodles to make it more authentically Asian. (See my note below).

Swap chicken with shrimp, tofu or beef strips. 

Storage: allow leftovers to cool completely before storing  place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to maintain the sauces consistency.

Freezing: allow the dish to cool fully, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat with a little water to restore moisture. 

Changes we made:

We had most of the ingredients for this recipe but Gregg bought ramen noodles at Costco the last time he was there. I got the photo from their company  I noticed they had a lot of recipes at this link. The packet he bought had 12 individual packets inside. We used enough packets to make up the amount required for our recipe.

Instead of the sesame seeds, didn’t have those, I used Everything Bagel, which typically uses sesame

seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion and coarse salt. I enjoyed this substitution very much.

Instead of chicken breast we had a roll of minced ground turkey and cooked it following the recipe, but crumbling up in the pan and cooking it until it was browned. 

Instead of chopped cabbage there was a coleslaw mixed cabbage ready and waiting. I added halved cherry tomatoes. I like the idea of adding more veggies, like the carrots for instance which we left out because there was already grated carrots in the coleslaw mix. Maybe diced sweet red pepper. Neither of us are fans of the green ones. Sliced mushrooms would be nice.

I think that’s about it. As always if you have any questions or suggestions, let me know in the comments.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - BLUE CHEESE STUFFED POTATOES

Today's recipe was found at Our Best Bites hosted by Sara Wells. The original recipe can be found at this link. I had potatoes and blue cheese, plus a couple of ingredients in the fridge I wanted to use up. I typed the ingredients and a request for a recipe in the Google search engine, and this the first one that popped up. There were dozens of others, but I was more than satisfied with the sound of it. If you find Blue Cheese too strong, you can always use your favorite.  I have made this with Cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan. Mozzarella would be nice also.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Potatoes

4 servings - approximately 272 calories per finished potato.

4 medium baking potatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

1 ounce (1/4 cup) crumbled bleu cheese

1/4 cup buttermilk or milk

4 tablespoons real butter cut into chunks

3/4 teaspoon of salt

A few dashes of pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

8 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Wash and dry potatoes. Rub them lightly with a bit of shortening or vegetable oil (helps crisp the skin so you will be able to scoop them out later without breaking. There is note about this below the recipe). 

Place potatoes directly on oven rack, or a cookie sheet. Bake for one hour or until potatoes are done. (See my note below.)

When you take the potatoes out of the oven after roasting, leave them for a while so that they are cool enough to handle, or use an oven mitt if you want to get on with it. If they are large potatoes you can cut them in half for 8 servings. 

Scoop out the insides and place them in a bowl. Add butter, sour cream, bleu cheese, milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder. 

Beat with a hand mixer until fluffy (we used a potato masher as we like a little more texture in ours). Carefully spoon the mixture back into potato shells. 

Place in a baking dish and return to the hot oven. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes. 

Remove and sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese over each potato and bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Sarah's notes: 

You can make ahead, though these are best right out of the oven. Cook your bacon and shred your cheese. Bake potatoes and whip up your filling. Fill the potato skins and store them, tightly covered, in the refrigerator, until ready to bake. They may need a few extra minutes when baked straight from the fridge. Just wait until they are nice and hot to top with cheese and bacon as described above. 

Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator up until 3 to 4 days.

You may have some extra filling, especially if making a large batch. You can either store in the fridge to bake up later, or pop into a small, oven-safe dish, top with cheese and bacon, and heat in the oven with the rest of your potatoes.

Changes we made: we forgot to add the cheddar cheese at the end but this did not detract from the taste. They were very yummy!

I hadn't made twice-stuffed potatoes in a long time. Our potatoes were cooked but it would have been better to leave them in for 10 minutes longer. You might not need this but our oven runs on the cooler side. When we scooped them out the first shell we filled, it broke in half. No problem, we 'glued' it together with extra filling.  It would have been easier if the potatoes had been cooked longer, however.

When mixing the potato, add a little of the buttermilk/milk at a time, to gradually get it to the desired consistency. We did not use all of it and had a small amount of liquid left over.

The taste of bleu cheese was in the background and didn't overpower the dish.

We served it with a cob of sweet corn and sweet peas.

Here is the full address in case you would like to copy and paste instead of using the link at the beginning of the page.

https://ourbestbites.com/stuffed-bleu-cheese-potatoes/

It's definitely a keeper. We both forgot how much we enjoyed eating potatoes prepared this way. It made a very nice change.

I have actually frozen twice-baked potatoes in the past, but I would have to look that up to refresh before putting any instructions for the freezer on here.

As always, if you have any questions or tips of your own, let me know in the comment section and I will be happy to answer if I can.

Thanks for looking, 

have a great week and Bon Appetit!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - 5-INGREDIENT SLOW-COOKER CABBAGE, POTATOES AND SMOKED SAUSAGE

Happy 1st Day of June! Can't believe we are already six months into the year, can you?

Today I am starting with a comforting hot bowl of nourishment, especially as my dear other half came down with the worst cough and cold that he has had in I can’t remember when. He usually never gets sick. As I write this on Friday the 29th, he was finally able to eat something. This bowl of soup he said, felt great for what ailed him. The cold came on very fast. If we had more warning, it would have been a chicken noodle soup, but this was very welcomed. I had put it together the day before. As I look outside, the sun is shining and it feels warmer. Perhaps this is the last bowl of hot soup for a while.

Today’s recipe comes from a food blog called Cooktop Cove, contributing author Morgan Reed. You can find the original recipe at this link. It has been a while since I used the slow-cooker. It is a good thing getting started on dinner early in the day. We used the linguiça that I mentioned a few days ago. It is Gregg’s favorite Portuguese sausage, one of his nostalgia foods from childhood. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I had it in my head that it was very spicy but didn’t find it so. It was delicious and flavorful. You can use your favorite smoked sausage of course.

Slow-Cooker 5-Ingredient Sausage, Cabbage and Potato 

Serves 4

1 pound smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (we used the linguiça)

1 small head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored and chopped into 1 to 2-inch pieces

1-1/2 pounds yellow or red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks (I used Yukon Baby Gold from Wegmans, so small I didn’t need to peel them or cut them into chunks, leaving them whole)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving

Layer the potatoes in the bottom of a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. This gives them direct contact with the heat so they cook through and soften into that tender, almost creamy texture  

Scatter the chopped cabbage on top of the potatoes. Don’t worry if it seems like a lot as the cabbage will reduce in volume as it cooks.

Arrange the sliced smoked sausage over the cabbage in an even layer. As the sausage heats, its fat and seasoning will drip down and flavor the vegetables underneath, much like an old-fashioned stovetop braise.

Dot the butter pieces evenly over the sausage and vegetables. Pour the chicken broth around (not directly on top of) the layers so you don’t wash off all that surface seasoning  Sprinkle with the salt and black pepper.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork, and the cabbage is soft and glossy. (I checked after 6 hours and everything was cooked perfectly.) The broth should be rich and lightly buttery, with a few flecks of black pepper visible throughout.

Gently stir from the bottom to the top to mix the sausage, cabbage and potatoes without breaking them up too much. Taste and adjust seasoning with a bit more salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle into warm bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of broth, sausage, cabbage and potatoes. Finish with an extra grind of black pepper at the table if you enjoy lots of pepper. 

I am repeating the host’s variations and tips:

For a slightly smoky, old-world flavor, add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds along with the salt and pepper. 

If you prefer a lighter dish, you can reduce the butter to 2 tablespoons and add an extra 1/2 cup of broth. The texture will be a little less rich but still satisfying. 

To make this more vegetable-forward, stir in a couple of handfuls of shredded carrots or sliced onions under the cabbage layer - this keeps the ingredient list simple while adding natural sweetness.

For a tangier, more German-inspired version, replace 1/2 cup of the chicken broth with apple cider or add 1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar at the end of cooking.

If you are cooking for a smaller household, this recipe reheats nicely on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen the broth and keep everything moist. 

Leftovers also make a hearty next-day lunch spooned over rice or mashed potatoes, stretching those humble ingredients even further, just like your grandmother would have intended. 

We served with a nice crusty roll.

I added a spoonful of sour cream on the last day of eating this soup.

There were leftovers for the next couple of days and lasted through the weekend.

Here is the full address of the recipe if you prefer to copy and paste.  

https://cooktopcove.com/2026/02/27/grandma-made-this-best-a-comforting-hearty-meal-that-turns-affordable-ingredients-into-gold

Here is a similar recipe at the same website but without the potatoes.

https://cooktopcove.com/2026/03/23/my-aunt-always-serves-this-classic-comfort-food-when-the-spring-weather-is-still-biting-toss-4-simple-ingredients-into-the-pot-for-an-insta

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