Skillet Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

Admittedly when I first tried this recipe, I didn't have many of the ingredients, so I just used what herbs I had (many dried). But the final results was still delicious and this cooking method is very easy.

Below is the recipe I ended up using, but the original recipe calls for diced shallots, as well as chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, and parsley.

Honestly, I like using the rosemary sprig instead of chopped fresh rosemary. It still imparts a lot of flavor without the bits of rosemary in your potatoes.

Skillet Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes cut in half lengthwise, or large Yukon golds cut into 1 inch chunks
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup diced shallots, ½" dice or 1/2 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1/2 tbsp dried parsley

Directions

Season the Potatoes – In a medium-sized bowl, combine potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir well to rough up the potatoes.

Saute the Aromatics – Heat a large 12" cast-iron pan or skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, add shallots (or onions) and saute until translucent, 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, 1 minute.

Cook the Potatoes – Add the potatoes and rosemary sprig to the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Remove the cover and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until lightly brown on the surface, occasionally stirring, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the Herbs – Melt the butter in the pan and then turn off the heat. Add the parsley (and any other desired herbs), and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Original link: https://www.jessicagavin.com/skillet-potatoes-garlic-herb/ 

Refried Beans

I never bothered making refried beans myself because it's so easy to just open a can.  But holy moly, these are so delicious and easy to make (if a bit time consuming).

After boiling the beans, garlic, and onion, I still had large pieces of onion in my bean broth. I strained many of these out, but it's ok (and flavorful) if you leave much of the onion in the beans for frying.

Refried Beans

Ingredients

1 lb pinto beans dried
5 cloves garlic smashed
1/2 onion quartered
6 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2-5 tablespoons lard or oil (I used bacon grease)

Directions

Sort through the beans to ensure that they are good and no rocks are mixed in.

Rinse with water in a strainer to clean. Or if soaking the beans, place in a medium size mixing bowl and cover completely with salted water. Let sit overnight. Strain the beans the next day after soaking.

Add the beans, smashed garlic, and onion to a large pot or pan. Pour the water in and add salt. Beans should be fully submerged in water.

Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and continue to simmer covered. Allow to cook for about 30 minutes, remove lid, stir, and continue to simmer covered an additional 30-60 minutes until the beans are softened and easily mashed.

Once the beans are soft, heat 2 tbsp lard or oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, carefully ladle the beans, garlic, and some of the bean broth into the skillet. Allow the beans to "fry" in the oil while mashing. Add more oil and bean broth as needed to get desired consistency to the beans.

Original link:

https://houseofyumm.com/homemade-refried-beans/

Stuffing Waffles

 You have to do something with all that leftover stuffing… The final product, especially if served with real maple syrup, has a chicken and waffles flavor.

Stuffing Waffles

Ingredients

4 cups leftover stuffing
2 eggs
2 tsp better than bouillion chicken
2 tbsp milk (as needed)

Directions

Pre-heat waffle iron.

Beat eggs with bouillion. Add milk as needed and mix.

Add stuffing and mix well.

Butter or grease waffle iron. Add stuffing mix to waffle iron and press closed. You may need to cook for longer than regular waffles.

Serving idea: Top with a fried egg, butter, and real maple syrup.