Garlicky Roasted Potato Salad

Every time I make something with potatoes I immediately want to know WHY I don’t cook with them more. Especially when they’re cooked with roasted garlic, fresh dill, and parmesan.

It’s good to throw in something green once and a while too. Like green beans! I need to eat more of those too. I should probably just eat every single food each and every day. Whoa…or not. I’m too lazy.

So if you’re feeling like getting down and dirty with a fabulous side dish – dig in!! I’ve got you covered. Roasting vegetables is always a good idea.

To make this, chop sweet potatoes and yukon golds into uniform cubes and throw them in a bowl. Cut the fresh green beans in half and add them to the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss potatoes and green beans until all is coated.

Spread them on a non-stick baking sheet. Take the garlic heads and chop off the top to reveal the top of each clove. Rub the head chopped side down in the oiled bowl to coat with olive oil. Place garlic heads face-up on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, flip and bake for 15-20 more.

While the potatoes are roasting, in a separate bowl combine 1/4 cup olive oil, parmesan cheese, dill and parsley and whisk.

Once the potatoes are done, remove from the oven to cool and set garlic heads aside for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to touch, squeeze roasted garlic into the olive oil mixture. Using a whisk, smash and stir the garlic into the olive oil.

Dump potatoes and green beans into a large serving bowl and cover with the garlic and olive oil mix. Toss to coat throughly and serve. I added a bunch of parmesan for the topping. Unreal!

Garlicky Roasted Potato Salad
serves 4-6
Recipe taken from How Sweet Eats

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and chopped
10 small yukon gold potatoes, washed, quartered, not peeled
1 pound of fresh green beans
2 heads of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Chop the sweet potatoes and yukon golds into cubes and throw them in a bowl. Cut the fresh green beans in half to shorten each piece and add them to the bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss potatoes and green beans until all is coated. Spread them on a non-stick baking sheet.

Take the garlic heads and chop off the top to reveal the top of each clove. Rub the head chopped side down in the oiled bowl to coat with olive oil (there should be some left in the bowl). Place garlic heads face-up on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, flip pan and bake for 15-20 more.

While the potatoes are roasting, in a separate bowl combine 1/4 cup olive oil, parmesan cheese, dill and parsley and whisk. Once the potatoes are done, remove from the oven to cool and set garlic heads aside for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to touch, squeeze roasted garlic into the olive oil mixture. Using a whisk, smash and stir the garlic into the olive oil.

Dump potatoes and green beans into a large serving bowl and cover with the garlic and olive oil mix. Toss to coat throughly and serve. I added a bunch of parmesan for the topping. Unreal!

Two Potato Chili and Cumin Gratin

Did someone say October? Good, because this month is my favorite.

When I think of October I think of fall colours, cute boots, and the first hints of rosy cheeks. I start getting excited for pumpkin sweets, tea, and comfort food. But most importantly a lot of great “life” things happen this month.

October is the month of my boy’s birthday, our dating anniversary, and our soon to be wedding anniversary. It’s the time of year where we get to go hiking amongst the changing leaves and not sweat every ounce of water we drink. Overall, it’s good. It’s the month I look forward to every year, and by far my favorite season to cook in.

Here is a recipe for potato gratin made with sweet potatoes, white potatoes, cheese, and a creamy chili-cumin flavour to kick it up. I highly recommend this dish, and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Whisk together all of the ingredients except the potato slices. Make a layer of potato and sweet potato slices in a deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Pour over some of the cream mixture.

Repeat until all of the ingredients are used up.

I like to add some cheese on top at the end – it’s a good idea. Cover with aluminium foil and bake at 350°C for 35-45 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden brown. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving….then devour!

Two Potato, Chilli and Cumin Gratin
Recipe taken from K.O Rasoi
(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients
3 medium potatoes (500g), peeled and sliced thinly
3 medium sweet potatoes (500g), peeled and sliced thinly
1 1/4 cups half and half (or heavy cream)
60g cheddar cheese
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp chilli powder
1 clove garlic
1 tsp salt or to taste
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp garam masala

Directions:
1. Whisk together all of the ingredients except the potato slices.

2. Make a layer of potato and sweet potato slices in a deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish and pour over some of the cream mixture. Repeat until all of the ingredients are used up.

3. Cover with aluminium foil and bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes.

4. Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden brown. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

5. Grab a spoon and devour.

Kale and Navy Bean Soup {Vegetarian Collection}

School started up again Tuesday, and I was sooo not ready for it. I want to continue eating fresh peaches and running outside in a tank top. I don’t want to do homework! YUCK!

I do love fall though – my favorite season, so there is a bright side to this whole September thing.

I’d like to say that I crossed every single item off of my summer bucket list, but sadly, I can’t. I didn’t go to a drive-in movie theater and I didn’t make homemade pickles…but I DID…go camping on a lake with my boy.

I also made strawberry jam with handpicked strawberries..

AND something unexpected, and not on my list at all…I got engaged!! So who cares that I didn’t make pickles!? They can wait until next year.

I’m also continuing with my 30 things to do before 30 list, and have it coming along nicely. On that list is to cook my way through a cookbook from front to back, and I have made soooo many awesome recipes from Canadian Living’s The Vegetarian Collection (my book of choice). This is a recipe from that book, and I’m excited to share it with you since it was so tasty. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

To begin, heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven; add onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, 4 cups of water…

And then add your potato, sweet potato and beans. Bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Add kale and parsley, simmer, covered, until kale is tender, about 20 minutes.

That’s it! I highly recommend this soup. Enjoy!

Kale and Navy Bean Soup
Recipe from the The Vegetarian Collection
Makes 8 regular and 10 small servings
Per 1 of 10 servings: 202 calories | 10g protein | 4g total fat | 35g carbohydrates | 4g fibre | 5 WW points +

Ingredients:
2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable stock
4 cups water
2 cups (500 mL) diced peeled potato (about 2)
1 large sweet potato
2 cans (19 oz/540 mL) navy or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups (1.5 L) shredded deveined kale or spinach
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice

Directions:
In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; add onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, 4 cups of water, potato, sweet potato and beans. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Add kale and parsley, simmer, covered, until kale is tender, about 20 minutes.

Note: To make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Like this soup?
Try other Vegetarian Collection recipes like this Lentil Feta Salad!

Swiss Cheese Spinach and Mushroom Quiche with Crispy Potato Crust

With winter fading into the background, I have been eager to whip up as many comfort foods as I can. I still eat a few casseroles here and there in summer, but I tend to eat on the lighter side when it’s hot out. So, with the still chilly air, I feel like I need to stock up on warm, yummy, comforting food that I won’t be enjoying again for a few months.

Today I have decided to share one of my favorite comforting dishes. This quiche has a crispy potato crust and is filled with Swiss cheese, mushrooms, spinach, and eggs. I love having this with a big, full-bodied glass of wine and a light soup or salad to start. Hope you enjoy!

To begin, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie plate with 1 tablespoon (or less) of butter. Using the large holes on a box grater, shred the potatoes.

In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, onion, cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Transfer the potato mixture to the skillet and pat into a 10-inch disk. Cook about 10 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.

Loosen potatoes and place pie plate top side down onto crust. Flip over, browned side up, onto the pie plate. Using your palm, move crust so edges are even around rim of plate. Bake about 20 minutes.

While the crust is baking, heat the skillet over high heat. Add the spinach and ¼ cup water. Keep turning with a tongs until completely wilted. When cool enough to touch, squeeze out as much water as possible by hand, then wrap in paper towels and squeeze again. Chop in small pieces. Reserve.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until brown and liquid has evaporated, stirring several times, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach to the mushrooms and season with salt. Put half of the spinach mushroom mixture in the crust, sprinkle the Swiss cheese evenly over, then the parmesan. Put the remaining spinach mixture on top.

In a bowl, mix together the eggs, egg whites, milk, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoons pepper and nutmeg.

Pour over the filling in the pie plate. Elevate the top mushrooms that are submerged so they will show when finished – you want it to be pretty! Bake 20-25 minutes until set. Let cool about 20 minutes before cutting.

Swiss Cheese Spinach and Mushroom Quiche with Potato Crust
Serves 4
Recipe taken from Cook and Be Merry

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
4 Idaho Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 12 ounces), peeled
½ cup finely minced onion
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Two 5-ounce containers fresh baby spinach, stems removed
¼ cup water
8 ounces mushrooms, ¼-inch slices
3 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (I used mostly Gruyère)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2/3 cup milk
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch glass pie plate with 1 tablespoon (or less) butter.

2. Using the large holes on a box grater, shred the potatoes. In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, onion, cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Transfer the potato mixture to the skillet and pat into a 10-inch disk. Cook about 10 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.

4. Loosen potatoes and place pie plate top side down onto crust. Flip over, browned side up, onto the pie plate. Using your palm, move crust so edges are even around rim of plate. Bake about 20 minutes.

5. While the crust is baking, heat the skillet over high heat. Add the spinach and ¼ cup water. Keep turning with a tongs until completely wilted. When cool enough to touch, squeeze out as much water as possible by hand, then wrap in paper towels and squeeze again. Chop in small pieces. Reserve.

6. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until brown and liquid has evaporated, stirring several times, about 10 minutes.

7. Add the spinach to the mushrooms and season with salt. Put half of the spinach mushroom mixture in the crust, sprinkle the Swiss cheese evenly over, then the parmesan. Put the remaining spinach mixture on top.

8. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, egg whites, milk, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoons pepper and nutmeg. Pour over the filling in the pie plate. Elevate the top mushrooms that are submerged so they will show when finished. Think presentation.

9. Bake 20-25 minutes until set. Let cool about 20 minutes before cutting.

Curried Corn Chowder and A Cookbook GIVEAWAY

I know I’m not alone when I say Fall is my favorite season. I love the the way the trees look, I love putting on my pea coat and cute boots, but most importantly I love the feeling of coming home after being in the crisp air and eating something wholesome. There are so many great fall recipes out there on the internet, but I recently came across this cookbook and love the variety of recipes in it.

Inspired by a sisterhood of good family cooks, In My Mother’s Kitchen is a collection of great home cooking remembered, preserved and renewed, but from a contemporary, busy working-mom’s perspective. The first recipe I tried was this curried corn chowder and I love it! I even made extra the next day to freeze for later when I need a quick fix. Since I love this book so much I thought I would share it with you and have a GIVEAWAY! I’m excited for this.

Giveaway Details:
{Main Entry-Required}
Just tell me what cookbooks you’re liking these days? Any suggestions for the fall season?

Want extra entries?
Each item you do will get you ONE chance to win (for a total of 5 chances), if you ALREADY do any of these things, they DO count! So make sure to comment for each item! You MUST leave each entry as a separate comment or only one comment will count!

1. Like Warm Vanilla Sugar on Facebook
2. Follow @katrinadingle on Twitter and tweet the following statement, then come back to this post and tell me you tweeted.

I just entered to win the In My Mother’s Kitchen cookbook with @Katrinadingle. Enter here: http://bit.ly/pDlIqG

3. Like @warmvanillasugar on Instagram
4. Follow Warm Vanilla Sugar on Pinterest
5. Subscribe to Warm Vanilla Sugar’s email updates. Once you subscribe to the email updates, you will get an emailing confirming your subscription.

Important Details:
-This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian residents only and will run until Wednesday, October 12th at 11:59 pm EST.
-Winners will be generated via a random number generator software program.
-Winners will be notified via the contact email provided on the comment contact form.
-Winners will have until October 19th 2011 to claim their prize.

Disclosure:
This giveaway is provided to you by Warm Vanilla Sugar. The views and opinions expressed on Warm Vanilla Sugar are purely my own and based upon my personal taste buds. I was not monetarily compensated for a positive review or giveaway.

In the meantime, try this recipe out!

Elena’s Curried Corn Chowder
SERVES 6

Ingredients:
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) curry powder
8 baby new potatoes, quartered (or 2 medium Yukon Golds, peeled and cut into chunks)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups (1 L) fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 jalapeño or red chili pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup (125 mL) white wine
1 can (10 oz/284 mL) creamed corn
3 1/2 cups (875 mL) chicken stock
6 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) 35% cream
Chives, for garnish

Directions:
In a large heavy soup pot, melt butter with oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add curry powder and sauté another minute. Stir in potatoes, salt and pepper; sauté another minute. Stir in corn kernels and cook until corn is lightly brown, about 5 minutes.

Stir in red pepper and jalapeño; sauté for another 2 minutes. Stir in wine and let evaporate. Add creamed corn and chicken stock, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Remove two-thirds of the mixture and set aside. Using a hand blender, purée remaining soup in the pot. Return reserved soup to the pot.

Return to medium-high heat and add tomatoes and cream. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with chives.

Potato and Cheese Pierogies

Potato meets cheese meets butter meets gooey dough. Pierogies. Be still, my beating heart.

I officially drove home my very own car today! My boyfriend P- and I are in the process of buying it from his parents. As much as I like to take, and will continue to take, public transport, it will be nice to have a car to pick up groceries or get somewhere in the winter when it’s -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees F).

I live in Ottawa and although it’s beautiful, it can be really cold in the winter. Waiting for my connecting bus can be a big pain, and I’m glad that I now have the option to choose whether or not I will always drive in winter wait in the freezing cold.

The cool thing about living in Ottawa is that there is a lot of culture. Downtown the streets are full of different cuisine’s and I always have difficulty deciding first what kind of food I feel like, and then have to decide which restaurant to go to! One place near my apartment is particularly special. It’s Polish and the only foods on the menu are homemade pierogies and sausages. Since I was in Switzerland this summer and couldn’t just have pierogies whenever I wanted, I made them! I found a good recipe on allrecipes, adapted it, and made it! Trust me, this recipe is well worth the work.

To make the dough: Combine flour and salt. Add beaten eggs and water. Mix the dough until it becomes elastic and can be shaped into a ball. Add more flour if it is too sticky. Wrap ball of dough in plastic and set in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

To make the filling: Cut potatoes into cubes.

Boil until soft. Mash with grated cheese, chives. Salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature.

To fill pierogies: Generously flour a cutting board and form the dough into a long roll. Add flour to the board and your hands as needed.

Form 24 balls of dough from roll.

Flatten a dough ball with your hand and make it large enough to place a heaping teaspoon (or more) or potato filling in center.

Fold dumpling in half, and seal edges by crimping the sides together with a fork.

Set on a floured surface and repeat until finished.

To cook pierogies: Melt 1 Tbsp. of butter on a large skillet. Sauté onions until browned, set aside. Boil a large pot of salted water. On another burner, add 1 tsp. of butter on a skillet and heat on medium high heat. Add pierogies to the boiled water, 4-5 at a time but don’t overcrowd the pot. Boil for a few minutes until they float up, use a slotted spoon to lift them out onto a plate. Place drained pierogies onto the skillet and cook both sides until golden. Set on a plate and repeat process until finished. Top pierogies with sautéed onions and serve with sour cream.

For those meat eaters out there, you can add some ham or bacon to the frying action too. Whatever suits your fancy.

Cheese and Potato Pierogies
makes 24
Adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients:
Dough Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup water

Potato and Cheese Filling
1 lb. russet potatoes
3 oz. grated cheddar cheese
salt/pepper
1 Tbsp. dried chives

Other Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced thinly
butter (for sautéing)
flour (kneading and rolling dough)
bacon or ham (optional)

Directions:
1) To make the dough: Combine flour and salt. Add beaten eggs and water. Mix the dough until it becomes elastic and can be molded into a ball. Add more flour if it is too sticky. Wrap ball of dough in plastic and set in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

2) To make the filling: Cut potatoes into cubes. Boil until soft. Mash with grated cheese, chives. Salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature.

3) To fill pierogies: Generously flour a cutting board and form the dough into a long roll. Add flour to the board and your hands as needed. Form 24 balls of dough from roll. Flatten a dough ball with your hand and make it large enough to place a heaping teaspoon (or more) or potato filling in center. Fold dumpling in half, and seal edges by crimping the sides together with a fork. Set on a floured surface and repeat until finished.

4) Melt 1 Tbsp. of butter on a large skillet. Sauté onions until browned, set aside.

5) To cook pierogies: Boil a large pot of salted water. On another burner, add 1 tsp. of butter on a skillet and heat on medium high heat. Add pierogies to the boiled water, 4-5 at a time but don’t overcrowd the pot. Boil for a few minutes until they float up, use a slotted spoon to lift them out onto a plate. Place drained pierogies onto the skillet and cook both sides until golden. Set on a plate and repeat process until finished. Top pierogies with sautéed onions and serve with sour cream.

Raclette

Are you lactose intolerant? If so, take your pills and dig into an amazing, and simple meal – Raclette.

I’m in Switzerland right now. The mountains are spectacular, the chocolate is smooth, and the cheese is pure and unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. I’ve had tons of different Swiss cheeses so far; Emmentaler, Gruyère, Appenzeller, Formaggini, tons of others…and alas, Raclette.

The Swiss eat Raclette in a particular way, and I’d like to share it with you. First they make an outdoor fire, and keep it going long enough to get some good coals going. After the fire has produced a big batch of coals, you get started on the goodness. First, you need to build a holder for the hot coals. You put bricks together with a wire in front of them. Then you add the hot coals from the fire inside of the homeade “coal hut”.

The Raclette cheese round is heated in front of the hot coals on a wet board.

Then the heated cheese is scraped onto plates on top of warm potatoes.

Traditionally you eat the Raclette with gherkins and pickled onions. Check it out:

If you don’t have the time to build an elaborate fire pit, go to your local cheese shop, and simply melt Raclette cheese on top of warm, salted, potatoes. It’s heavenly.