Ma What's For Dinner?

You know that I’m a huge fan of mashed potatoes, well who isn’t, but I was shocked to hear from so many of your about how your kids wouldn’t try them.

WHAT????

What kid in their right mind would not want mashed potatoes and all that yummy creamy goodness?

Then I stopped to think for a second and I realized that for quite some time my boys wouldn’t try mashed potatoes?

WHAT????

How dare you scoff at a potato! A mashed potato!

You are Fitzpatricks for the love of all that is holy.

Your people have survived against all odds with the help of the magical pratties!

WHAT????

So I tried to remember how I got them to eat them for the first time, and I realized it’s the magical practice that I have leaned on time and time again…

I called the boys into the kitchen when those little beauties came out of the water and asked them to make them with me and decide what goes in them.

Now they are “their” mashed potatoes.

Now they take ownership and pride in their potatoes.

Now they will actually try them and realize that mashed potatoes are nothing but GOOD.

Here is Keegan’s recipe. Keep in mind that these measurements are an estimate. He got a little crazy with the parmesan cheese.

1 lb baby red potatoes, mashed (You could use any kind of potato, I just don’t like to peel them.)
2 T chicken stock
2 T cream
2 T sour cream
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (though something tells me Keegan threw in closer to a 1/2 cup, he kept saying, I think it needs more cheese, mommy.)
S&P

Toss all ingredients into a large bowl. Let the kids have fun mashing those potatoes! Mix well, let the kids get creative about what they’d like to add. Dish it out and let them enjoy trying their delicious masterpiece!

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We love love love our potatoes in this house.  We like ‘em baked, roasted, grilled and especially mashed!  I threw a bunch of stuff from the fridge together for these babies and all anyone could say was MMMMMMM.  So here they are, MMMMMMahsed Potatoes!

Serves 6  Prep Time: 5 minutes  Cook time: 20 minutes

1 1/2 lbs baby red potatoes

3 cloves garlic, peeled

S&P

splash of cream

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

2 T butter

Cut your potatoes into quarters and toss them in a medium sized pot with the garlic cloves.  Fill with cold water.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil.  Once the water is boiling season the water with salt.  Cook until fork tender about 8-10 minutes.  Drain well and transfer to a bowl.  Toss in remaining ingredients and mix with hand mixer or smash with a potato smasher.  Serve with a bit of sauce from chicken marsala.

Oh oh oh, guess what? I’m guest posting today over at my girl Katie’s at Sassy Silly Spunky Momma She is just awesome and you should go on over and check her out.

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So you all know that I went berry picking with the kiddos.  They had a blast and can’t wait for the berry seasons, apple seasons, corn seasons, etc that are upcoming.  But to go with my farm fresh strawberries we went on down to the old town farmer’s market.  I was so excited.  Our town’s first farmer’s market of the season…

Well to say that I was disappointed is an understatement.  I know it’s not a huge town but it apparantly boasts quite a number of farms here and to see three tiny little stalls was, well, heartbreaking.  So I picked up some rhubarb to couple with my berries and some dandelion leaves that you’ll be seeing in a yummy recipe or two upcoming and went home dejected.

Welcome to the small town I guess.  Not like back in LA.  Apparantly there are a boat load of bigger ones around.  We’ll have to check those out…soon!  I did make a yummy pie though.  Check it out.

For the pie crust:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled + 2 T cut into small pieces

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

1 t salt

3 T sugar

8 to 12 tablespoons ice water

2 T cream

1 T sugar in the raw

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Put 2 sticks of butter, flour, salt and sugar in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer dough onto counter and split into two equal portions. Wrap each of them separately in plastic wrap and allow to chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.  You can do this the day before if you want.

Remove 1 portion from the fridge to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the pie ingredients.  

For the filling:

3 1/2 cups rhubarb sliced

1 16 oz container strawberries hulled &  halved

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t nutmeg

1/4 t salt

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to coat well.  Set aside.

Pull the first crust in the pie plate out of the fridge and fill with berry mixture.  Top with remaining cut up butter.  Top with rolled out second pie crust and crimp edges decoratively.  Cut a few slits into the top of your pie to allow the steam to escape.  Brush top dough with cream and sprinkle with sugar in the raw.  Place pie on a baking sheet and slide into your 400 degree oven.  Cook for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 350.  Cook for an additional 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm with whip cream or ice cream.  So so good!!

Hey there Tuesday pals.  If you’re here from FMBT and TTA please leave me a note and let me know where I can find you and return the love!

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We’re on our way to go berry picking today.  After moving to such a rural area we’re embracing our farmer neighbors and going out to get our berry on.  Ok, for the record, it’s hardly rural…but when you’ve lived in nothing but big cities, LA, NYC, and Boston, then move to a place where there’s only 4 or 5 streets in town you’re allowed to drive over 25 mph it’s a huge adjustment.  And my house is on an entire acre!  An ACRE!!!  You have any idea what this would cost in LA County????  I don’t even want to think about it.  Anyway, we’re off to pick strawberries today.  I think a strawberry rhubarb pie might be in order shortly but in the meantime you’ll have to check out my blueberry/peach cobbler.  It’s insane.  Yeah, I said it, INSANE!!!  I dare you to make it and not eat the whole thing in one sitting…

4 c                                    blueberries

4                                     peaches, peeled and sliced

2 sticks                        unsalted butter, divided

1 c                                    sugar, divided

2 T                                    corn starch

1 T                                    lemon juice

1 t                                    ground cinnamon

¾ t                                    salt, divided

1 ½ c                                    all purpose flour

2 T                                    baking powder

¾ c                                    heavy cream

1 whole                        egg

1 T                                    water

2 T                                    sugar in the raw

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a large pot melt 4 T butter.  Cut remaining butter into cubes and place in freezer.  Add blueberries, peaches, and ½ cup sugar to the melted butter.  Stir in corn starch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and ¼ t salt.  Mix well, and turn off heat.

In your food processor sift in flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and remaining salt.  Pulse quickly to combine.  Add in butter from the freezer and pulse until the flour mixture looks like sand.  Pour in cream and pulse again quickly just until the dough comes together and is slightly sticky.

Beat your egg in a small bowl and add water.  Set aside.

Pour your fruit mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.  Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the fruit mixture, spread it out as it will all cook together in the oven.  Brush the top of the batter with egg wash then sprinkle on sugar.

Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch “bubble over” and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with ice cream or whip cream.  You kids are sure to love this fruit!

Meaty Morsel:  Switch up your fillings with this cobbler.  Try raspberry/nectarine or peach/apple, or mixed berry!  It’s always delicious and a big crowd pleaser.

I’m linking up today to meet some new Thursday friends.  If you’re new here, welcome.  Pull up a chair.  Can I get you a cup of coffee with your cobbler?

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When you’re craving some good ol’ fashioned stick to your ribs creamy gooey goodness then throw this bad boy together.  You and the family will not be disappointed.

Serves 6 Prep Time:  20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

1/2 cup butter

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 garlic clove, diced

1 small onion, diced

S&P

1 can condensed cream of mushroom and garlic soup

1 8 oz package cream cheese, cubed

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup chicken stock

1 T italian seasoning

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 cooked boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1 lb fettucine pasta

Topping:

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

3 T butter melted

2 T parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Heat a large pot of water over high heat and cook fettucine to al dente, about 12 minutes.  Drain.

While the pasta cooks, heat butter over medium high heat.  Add in mushrooms and onions and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Season well with S&P.  Stir in cream cheese, soup, cream, and italian seasoning.  Allow cream cheese to melt and add in chicken stock. Stir in remaining cheeses and turn the heat down to medium low.  Season to taste with S&P.  Fold in chicken and allow to heat through.  Pour in pasta and mix well.  Pour into a greased 13×9 baking dish.

Combine the ingredients for the topping and sprinkle over dish.  Cover and cook at 375 for 25 minutes.  Uncover and bake and additional 5 minutes until topping is golden brown.

This was inspired by a dish I saw in Taste of Home magazine by Rochelle Brownlee .  I thought her use of cream cheese was a stroke of genius!  Thanks Rochelle.

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