Sauteed potatoes

Ingredients: 2 pounds baking potatoes

4-6 tbsp of oil; (bacon drippings or butter can be used)

3 tbs of chopped parsley

3 cloves of minced garlic

salt, freshly ground black pepper 

I used organic golden potatoes. 

Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4 inch pieces.

Heat 4 tbsp of oil in the pan over medium heat.

Heat oil until very hot, but not smoking hot.

Dry potatoes on the towel. Place potatoes in the pan. Keep your kids away when placing the potatoes in the pan. Be careful, as hot oil tends to shoot right at you if moisture remains on the potatoes.

Cook potatoes for about 2 minutes on one side, it should brown lightly.

(I have overcooked one side, was playing my kiddo) 

Shake the pan and toss the potatoes so they brown evenly on all sides. 

Add salt and pepper to your liking.

Add a little more oil. Cook potatoes on low heat for 20 more minutes.  They should be tender. Add garlic and parsley, cook for 5 more minutes. 

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CousCous Vegetable Salad

This is a good vegan recipe that I have enjoyed.
I was inspired by Budget Bytes.

Ingredients: 1 avocado, 1 green bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, 1 onion, 1 yellow squash, 1 zucchini, 4 tomatoes (Roma tomatoes are best), 4 cloves of garlic, 1 cup dry couscous, salt, pepper, juice of half lemon or large lime, parsley, 2 table spoon of olive oil.

Preheat oven to 425. Cut up all of the vegetable (but avocado and one tomato) into large pieces.  Do not peel garlic. Place zucchini, squash, tomato, onion, bell pepper on the tray. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. You could alternatively toss the vegetables with oil, salt and pepper and then transfer them to a tray.

Bake for 30-45 minutes (it depends on how large the chunks are and how crunchy you prefer your grilled veggies).

Meanwhile cook couscous as directed on the package. I cooked one cup of dry couscous. Chop grilled veggies into smaller pieces. Chop couple of table spoons of parsley. Peel garlic and crush  into tiny pieces, it may be paste-like.  Cut one fresh tomato and one avocado into small chunks. Add all ingredients together and mix. Add another spoon of olive oil if you like your salad to be more flavorful. Squeeze the lemon into the salad. Toss.

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Garlic mashed potatoes. Softening Flavors.

In my household we like spicy and sharp foods. With fast-oh-so-changing lifestyle, new friends entering our lives, I have thought it is time to start working on softening sharp flavors.

GARLIC AND PARSLEY MASHED POTATOES.

Ingridients:

3 large baking potatoes

6 garlic cloves

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup of milk

salt

2 table spoons of parsley, finely chopped

Peel the potatoes.
Place potatoes in a saucepan with cold water, add salt and bring to a boil over high heat until soft and tender. While potatoes are boiling:

 Bring the water to a boil. Pour over unpeeled garlic. Let it stand for 2 minuted.  Peel the garlic.
(It's so much easier to peel the garlic this way).
I would drain the water first, of course, but I was cooking with my child, so we played a little too.

If you get distracted for an hour the garlic will turn blue :). Not a big deal, but I will be careful next time.

Melt butter (half of the portion) in a frying pan. Cook garlic for 10 minutes for very low heat until very tender and golden. Stir occasionally. Let it cool for few minutes.

 Blend garlic and parsley.

Beat remaining butter into cooked potatoes. Add milk, (I prefer using hot milk). Crash the potatoes.
Add garlic and parsley mixture.

Puree the potatoes (I use hand mixer).

 Voila!
It turned out nicely. Flavorful, yet not sharp.
Next time I will try baking garlic in the oven.

Here is my kid tasting ratatouille and mashed potatoes to critique the cooking.

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Ratatouille

 Ratatouille.

Ingredients:
1 large fresh shiny eggplant
3 zucchinis
2 bell peppers
1/3 cup of olive oil
bottled herb blend, best dried herbs de Provence, or Italian blend
3 large garlic cloves, pureed or finely chopped
3 - 4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1-2 cups of canned peeled chopped tomatoes or crushed
1/2 cup of chopped parsley

Ratatouille is a vegetable stew. 

I have watched in being made chez Morel in Beaujolais region of France, read Julia Child's recipe and French Cooking cook by Carole Clements.

This is my version that is influenced mostly by Morel family cooking.

Cut eggplants into 3/4 inch slices. Salt. Italian herbs mix or dried herbs de Provence if you have it.

Lightly oil the aluminum foil and the eggplant.

Sprinkle with salt and hears.

Set aside for 20 minutes.

Cut zucchini lengthwise. Into 4 strips. Then cut 3/4 inch pieces. You can slice them if you prefer. Salt, set aside.

Cut bell peppers, onions.

Chop garlic, parsley. 

To peel tomatoes I like to put them in hot boiling water.  The skin of the tomatoes will crack as on the photo below. Take them out on the plate. Let cool. Then peel the tomatoes, the skin usually comes off in 3-4 large peels. 

Chop the tomatoes.

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover the eggplants with foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes. They should be tender, do not overcook. 

- In the casserole : heat the oil, cook the onion for 5 minutes to lightly golden, add zucchini and bell pepper, cook for 10 more minutes.

- Cube the eggplants (let them cool a little after baking). Fold in eggplants into the veggie mix in the casserole.

- Add parsley and garlic

- Add chopped tomatoes and canned peeled seeded tomatoes.

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Simmer gently for 20 minutes, covered. Over low heat. Stir occasionally.

- Uncover, cook for 20 more minutes, boil off most of the remaining liquid.

Serve at hot or room temperature. 

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