Chevy’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This recipe sounded simple so I gave it a try. I thought about halving the recipe, since it serves 6-8, but I thought that 2 potatoes wouldn’t really make too much. Maybe they would? Anyway, I followed the recipe and used 4. The only thing I did different was that after I mashed them, they just looked too lumpy still, so I used a hand mixer. This made this nice and creamy. I served these mashed potatoes with a Gruyere Quorn fillet, a Dr. Praegger’s broccoli patty, and the leftover lettuce wedges from last night.

rating: 8

Chevy’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes
(from the cookbook “Top Secret Recipes- Super Secret Restaurant Collection” by Todd Wilbur)

6-7 cups water
4 medium/large russet potatoes
6 cloves garlic
6 tbsp butter (3/4 stick)
1/2 cup cup heavy cream
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Peel potatoes, but leave some skin on. Slice the potatoes into quarters.
2. Boil the potatoes and garlic for 30 minutes in the water in a large saucepan or pot. Make sure the water completely covers the potatoes. When the potatoes are tender, drain them. Don’t lose the garlic- keep it with the potatoes.
3. Pour potatoes and garlic back into the pan. Commence with the thorough mashing. Mashing is fun. Stir in butter, cream, salt and pepper and reheat over medium/low heat until hot

serves 6-8

Creamy-Dijon Steak Strips and Lone Star Steakhouse Lettuce Wedge Salad

That’s right, I did TWO new recipes last night! My mom bought me the cookbook “Top Secret Recipes- Super Secret Restaurant Collection”, and I immediately wanted to try making this salad dressing. Whenever Toby and I go out to eat, if the place has a wedge salad on the menu, we get it. This dressing was super easy to make, and it’s soooo good. Toby couldn’t believe I made it. For the other recipe, I decided that my freezer was getting too full and I needed to start clearing it out. I found a package of the Morningstar Farms Steak Strips, and looked up a recipe on what to do with them. I used to buy these alot, along with the “chicken” version. I would usually make pot pies with them. I think we got burned out on them. Anyway, so I made this recipe. Yeah, I’m still burned out on them. We won’t be buying these for a long time. The sauce was actually good. Very creamy, with a little bite from the mustard. So- salad was really good. The pasta dish, not so much.

rating:

salad: 9

pasta: 4

Creamy-Dijon Steak Strips and Lone Star Steakhouse Lettuce Wedge Salad

Creamy-Dijon Steak Strips
(from the website www.seeveggiesdifferently.com)
http://www.seeveggiesdifferently.com/recipe_detail.aspx?id=5249

Lone Star Steakhouse Lettuce Wedge Salad
(from the cookbook “Top Secret Recipes- Super Secret Restaurant Collection” by Todd Wilbur

Bleu Cheese Dressing

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1 cup diced tomato (1 large tomato)

1. Use an electric mixer to combine all ingredients for bleu cheese dressing in a medium bowl.
2. Slice a head of iceberg lettuce into quarters through the stem end. Cut the stem off the wedges and arrange each on on a plate.
3. Spoon about 1/4 cup of bleu cheese dressing over each lettuce wedge.
4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of crumbled bleu cheese over the dressing.
5. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of diced tomato over the top and serve.