Scallops with White Wine and Mushrooms: An Elegant Way to Prepare Scallops

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~12/4/2008)

ABSTRACT: This is a truly divine way of preparing a scallop dinner

CONTENT: This is a simply elegant and divine way of preparing a tasty scallop dinner and different from the ordinary. I came upon this recipe over twenty years ago but did some changes with it. The original recipe called for red wine, however, I switched it to a light white wine, like a Chablis, as I found that when the red wine was mixed with the tomato sauce it reacted and the combined color nearly looked purple so therefore not very appitizing. I also added to the recipe mushrooms which I love adding to a lot of my meals.

This is a time consuming meal to prepare but well worth it, as it's simply divine!

Scallops With White Wine and Mushrooms

1 lb. bay or sea scallops ( prefer the larger sea scallops )

¾ cups water

squeeze of lemon juice

3 tablespoons of butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup (¼ lb) mushrooms, washed, stem removed and sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons flour

¾ cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

¾ cup white wine (Chablis works best)

2 small or medium sized tomatoes, cut into 8 equal pieces

¼ cup breadcrumbs

¼ melted butter

Mashed potatoes (for piping)

1 tablespoon chopped parsley (fresh is best rather than dried)

4 large scallop dishes (yes the real thing) or can in a pinch use individual heatproof dishes. **

It's best to prepare the mashed potatoes first. Clean and pare two or three rather large sized potatoes and boil until done. Mash the potatoes the method you prefer and set aside. In my experience it's best to have a bit too much of the mashed potatoes then wind up with too little. If you do wind up having leftovers one can make small potato pancakes out of the remainder.

In a saucepan, combine the scallops with water and lemon juice and poach for 3-4 minutes. Once cooked remove from heat and set aside.

Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, add the onion, mushrooms and garlic and cook until onions are transparent (not browned) and mushrooms are tender. Add flour to this mixture, blending in, then slowly add the chicken stock and blend by gently whisking mixture. Next add the tomato paste and also blend in and simmer for about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the wine and tomatoes and continue to simmer on low heat, while stirring mixture. Drain the scallops and add them to the tomato/wine mixture and stir and blend in.

Taking each scallop shell (or heatproof dish) using a pasty bag, place mashed potatoes into the bag and pipe the potatoes around near the edge of the shell, making a thick "border" and be sure to "seal" the ends of the potatoes to create a spill proof border that will hold the scallop mixture. Spoon in equal amounts of the scallop mixture in the center of each shell. Place the shells on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle on equal portions of the breadcrumbs on top of the scallop mixture and drizzle on some of the melted butter and bake in a 350º F oven for about 15 minutes.

When ready to serve, place equal amounts of the chopped parsley as a garnish on top of each scallop dish as a garnish

**While it's not absolutely necessary to have real scallop shells to serve this dish, it does look better. For as they say presentation is everything.

You may wish to serve another side dish of vegetables of your choice, such as green beans, but this is a surprisingly hearty and filling meal.

Bon appétit

Making Your Own Hamburger or Tuna Helper Recipes

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~6/24/2008)

ABSTRACT: Rather than make a Hamburger or Tuna Helper from a box, you'll find these homemade recipes a delicious and better way to eat these favorites

CONTENT: As much as I love to cook from scratch and make everything homemade, I have to admit, every once in awhile I get just plain lazy and resort to making a meal from anyone of the Betty Crocker "Helper" meals. But as I said, I've only done that a few times. While the "Helper" meals are good in a pinch and a bit of a time saver, the few times I've prepared anyone of these prepackaged meals, I found them way to salty, also, if one reads the ingredients there are a lot of chemical and preservative additives that quite frankly, I like to avoid.

So one day, I wondered to myself if I could make my own types of "Helper" meals. They would be purer and without all the chemical additives to them. As you can imagine, I began to experiment, and came up with my own homemade style Helper type meals that were absolutely delicious.

Homemade Creamy Stroganoff Hamburger Helper:

Ingredients:

1½ pound of ground hamburger meat
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup milk
½ to 1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces or half pound box or package of uncooked macaroni, noodles or Rotini pasta

In a large saucepan, boil water to cook either the macaroni, noodles, or Rotini pasta. Cook until just done, drain and set aside. I have given these three options, as either of the three make for a great "Helper" meal.

In a large skillet brown the hamburger until done. To drain off excess oil from hamburger place a paper towel in a colander and add hamburger into colander.

Wash mushrooms under cold water, remove stems, and slice. In another large skillet or even a stock pot, with heat of flame on low, sauté chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter until done. Sprinkle the ¼ cup flour onto mushrooms and onions and gently blend in flour with whisk, slowly add the milk, continuing to blend, then the beef broth. Add the Worchestershire Sauce, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Once everything is blended well, add the hamburger meat, and again blend in well, finally add the cooked noodles and blend so everything has an even coating of the sauce mixture.
Makes 4 Servings

Homemade Cheesy Version Hamburger Helper:

Ingredients:

1½ pound of ground hamburger meat
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 to 2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces or half pound box or package of uncooked macaroni, or Rotini pasta.

Once more I suggest the idea of either using macaroni or Rotini pasta, however in this case not the noodles, as these two types of pasta work the best for this meal. In a large saucepan, cook either macaroni or Rotini pasta until done, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet add both onion and hamburger and cook until hamburger is browned and onion is translucent. To drain off excess oil from hamburger and onions place a paper towel in a colander and add the onion and hamburger into colander. Set aside.

In another large skillet or even a stock pot, on low flame, melt the butter, then add the flour and blend thoroughly with a whisk. Slowly add about a cup of the milk and blend with a whisk thoroughly to remove any lumpiness. Add the cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese and once more blend in for an even texture of the "sauce". Since the cheese will thicken the sauce, it's advisable to add more milk according to your preference in the thickness of the cheese sauce. Keep blending for a unified thickness of the sauce. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, then next add the onion and hamburger mixture and blend into the sauce, and finally the macaroni or Rotini pasta.
Makes 4 Servings

Other seasoning ideas:
To add a zesty spicy taste to this Cheese version, one can also add 1 or more tablespoons of a Taco type seasoning to taste...add this seasoning at the same time you blend in the parsley and salt and pepper stage.

Homemade Tuna Helper:

Ingredients:

2 small cans of tuna, drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 to 1½ cup milk
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning to taste

8 ounces or half of a package of uncooked macaroni, noodles or Rotini pasta

In a large saucepan, boil water to cook either the macaroni, noodles, or Rotini pasta. Cook until just done, drain and set aside. Once again all three work great, just as it does with the first hamburger helper type meal.

Wash mushrooms under cold water, remove stems, and slice. In another large skillet or even a stock pot, with heat of flame on low, sauté chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter until done. Sprinkle the ¼ cup flour onto mushrooms and onions and gently blend in flour with whisk, slowly add the milk, continuing to blend, adding enough milk to desired thickness of "sauce". Add the parsley, salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning to taste. Once everything is blended well, add the tuna, and again blend in well, finally add the cooked noodles and blend so everything has an even coating of the sauce mixture.
Makes 4 Servings

Other options:
One can make a "cheesy" version of this, by adding a cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese at the making of the sauce stage...add more milk if sauce becomes to thick. Blend sauce and cheese mixture thoroughly with a whisk to remove any lumpiness.

The Art of Making Croquettes: A Special Treat for Dinner Ideas

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~6/17/2008)

ABSTRACT: Croquettes are a delightful wonderful ways to jazz up any dinner meal especially if one has leftover chicken or turkey, but can also be made out of tuna or salmon

CONTENT: Every once in awhile, one wants to do something just a little more special when one has chicken, turkey, or even tuna or salmon. I have found that making croquettes are an answer to turning an otherwise boring meal into something wonderful, and croquettes are great to make and solving the problem if one has a lot of leftover chicken or turkey in particular.

In making croquettes, one of the main basic ingredients is to make the basic white sauce, and for croquettes, it is recommended that one uses the "thick" kind of white sauce to bind the mixture together. Many recipes for croquettes will actually call for using a can of cream of mushroom soup for the "sauce" part, however, I prefer the white sauce method instead.

The recipe for the Basic Thick White Sauce is:

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon pepper

Important note: For the croquettes, it's recommended to double the recipe to make 2-cups worth of white sauce

Chicken or Turkey Croquettes:

3½ cups cooked chicken or turkey, very finely chopped
2 cups Thick White Sauce,
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon onion, finely minced
1 tablespoon green pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon parsley
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
2 cups breadcrumbs

Combine chicken or turkey, white sauce, add the lemon juice, onion, green pepper, parsley and seasonings to taste and blend ingredients all together in a bowl. Place bowl in refrigerator to chill for at least an hour in order to make mixture more firm to handle. Once chilled, take mixture and shape into even sized cylinder, cone or any other shape desired, such as patties, and roll croquettes into breadcrumbs, placing the croquettes on a small cookie sheet. Beat the egg slightly in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water, and dip each shaped croquette into the egg mixture, then again into breadcrumbs, coating evenly and let stand for at least 15 to 20 minutes on cookie sheet again. You may wish to place the cookie sheet with the croquettes on them in the refrigerator again to chill. Deep fry croquettes in oil for about 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. With slotted spoon remove croquettes from oil and drain excess oil from croquettes by placing them on a paper-toweled plate.
Serve Croquettes with Medium White Sauce
Makes up to 6 croquettes

Medium White Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

In saucepan, slowly melt the butter so as to not burn, then add the flour and blend in with a wire whisk. Slowly add the milk, constantly blending with the whisk to eliminate any lumpiness.
If you wish to have a slightly cheddar cheese taste to the white sauce add the grated cheddar cheese and continue blending into the white sauce mixture. You may need to add just a little more milk to return the white sauce to it's medium sauce thickness as the added cheese thickens the sauce.
Pour even portions of the sauce over croquettes and serve.

Croquette filling Substitutions:

Croquettes can actually be made with other fillings as well, not just chicken or turkey, such as tuna or salmon.

Tuna or Salmon Croquettes:

Ingredients:

3 to 4 7-oz. cans of tuna, or 2 large cans of salmon, drained
2 cups Thick White Sauce,
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon onion, finely minced
1 tablespoon green pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon parsley
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
2 cups breadcrumbs

In a colander, drain tuna or salmon of liquid and rinse under cold water. In a bowl, place either tuna or salmon and break up the chunks of either for easier handling. Combine either the tuna or salmon, white sauce, add the lemon juice, onion, green pepper, parsley and seasonings to taste and blend ingredients all together in a bowl. Place bowl in refrigerator to chill for at least an hour in order to make mixture more firm to handle. Once chilled, take mixture and shape into even sized cylinder, cone or any other shape desired, such as patties, and roll croquettes into breadcrumbs, placing the croquettes on a small cookie sheet. Beat the egg slightly in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water, and dip each shaped croquette into the egg mixture, then again into breadcrumbs, coating evenly and let stand for at least 15 to 20 minutes on cookie sheet again. You may wish to place the cookie sheet with the croquettes on them in the refrigerator again to chill. Deep fry croquettes in oil for about 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. With slotted spoon remove croquettes from oil and drain excess oil from croquettes by placing them on a paper-toweled plate.
Serve Croquettes with Medium White Sauce
Makes up to 6 croquettes

ARTICLE: Couscous: a Wonderful Alternative to Rice, Noodles, Potatoes or Pasta: A Delicious Way to Make Any Meal Special

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~6/10/2008)

ABSTRACT: Couscous can make any meal extra special and a change from the usual side dishes of rice, noodles, potatoes or regular types of pasta

CONTENT: I think very few people haven't by now heard of couscous, the Moroccan pasta. Most are probably more familiar with the instant kind that only takes about five minutes to cook up. Nowadays, there are a number or brands of these instant types of couscous that can come in a variety of flavors. One of the leading companies for instant couscous is Near East and is the brand I became familiar with years ago. Near East not only has the original plain flavor, but now also have Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil, Herbed Chicken, Toasted Pine Nut, Mediterranean Curry, Parmesan, Tomato Lentil, Broccoli & Cheese, and Wild Mushroom & Herb. What a fantastic choice!

I don't exactly know just when I thought of eating couscous but I did so many, many years ago, when I first began cooking in earnest about thirty years ago. Since I was always interested in trying anything new, I remember having come across a wonderful recipe for lamb that is braised in a delicious tomato and beef stock, and then just before serving to add sour cream. The recipe recommended serving this lamb dish on a "bed" of couscous, which frankly at the time I never even had heard of before. So I began looking up just what couscous was, and how it was prepared.

People now have the convenience of those instant brands of couscous that cook no longer than five minutes, however the more traditional way, is a lot more time consuming. First of all, couscous isn't just a Moroccan dish, but is served in most North African countries, such as Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, as well as Egypt, however it's popularity has now spread nearly worldwide.

Just how far back couscous was eaten is anyone's guess, but it is first mentioned in a 13th century Hispano-Muslim cookbook, which name translates into English as "The Book of Cooking", one suspects though that the origins and consumption of this granular type pasta goes back even further.(1) Couscous itself is a granular pasta made of semolina wheat and has the look of course raw sugar.

The traditional way of cooking couscous is a lot more involved than the easy instant five minute kind. First what one has to do is moisten the couscous. Ideally one takes about a cup of couscous, places it in a bowl then add two or three cups of water to the bowl of couscous, then simply using your fingers, stir the couscous around for a few minutes, then in a fine mesh sieve, pour the couscous and water into the sieve to drain the excess water. One then has to place the couscous on something like a cookie sheet and spread the couscous evenly on the sheet and make sure of removing any lumpy qualities and quite literally separate each grain of couscous. In order for all the water to absorb and soak into the couscous, one has to allow at least ten minutes to make each grain of couscous swell up.

Unlike the instant kinds of couscous, the traditional way of cooking one never adds water to the cooking process itself for couscous, but is instead steamed. Prior to the newer couscous cookers which are now made out of stainless steel and are known as the couscoussiére, older cookers were made out of glazed earthenware then later copper. The entire couscous cooker comes in two parts...the top part is the section where one places the couscous to steam, while underneath, one would cook either a broth or stew, usually a lamb type stew, that would be served with the couscous. The idea of steaming the couscous this way allowed for the flavors of the broth or stew to saturate into the couscous itself, adding flavor to it, since couscous is rather plain tasting.

After the couscous has swollen up, one can then put the couscous into the top part of the couscous cooker and steam for about twenty minutes. Believe it or not, one has to remove the steamer part and place the couscous in a large shallow pan, and separate the grains once more to get rid of any lumpiness then add about a cup of water, again stirring the couscous grains to separate, then dump on that cookie sheet again and spread it evenly and allow to dry for another ten minutes. Finally replace the couscous into the steamer part of the couscous cooker and allow to steam again for another twenty to thirty minutes.

My goodness! Aren't you glad we don't have to go through all this to cook couscous anymore if we don't want to? I did however, give the instructions of how to cook couscous the traditional should you ever feel you would like to cook it in this manner. I do provide links to websites that do show step by step instructions on how to prepare couscous the traditional way for those of you who wish to do so.

As mentioned, when couscous was prepared the traditional way in the couscous cooker, it was often steamed with a stew in the bottom part of the cooker, and since most Middle Eastern or North African countries eat more lamb, the stew was usually some type of lamb dish. The beauty of couscous however, is that almost any meal can be prepared to go very well and be served with couscous.

For those who want the quicker way of preparing couscous, that is by using the five minute instant types, such as Near East, I recommend only using the Original Plain variety when making any kind of stews. Back when I first decided to have couscous for that braised lamb dish some thirty or so years ago, Near East's Original Flavor was the only one available, which was just as well. Any flavored kind of couscous one can get, would take away from the taste of a hearty and seasoned stew, whether lamb, or beef. Besides a regular type of beef stew I serve with couscous, I have found it works wonderfully well with the French dish that I often make, Boeuf Bourguignon which is a very hearty beef-type stew made with dry red wine instead of beef stock. The absolutely delicious flavor of Boeuf Bourguignon would be totally lost if one were to use any one of the flavored brands of couscous.

The flavored types of couscous will add a special touch however to any other meal, even a holiday meal. Instead of using rice, noodles, potatoes or any regular type of pastas, have couscous instead. Having a fried chicken dinner? Why not use the Near Eastern Herbed Chicken or Mediterranean Curry couscous. Serve Parmesan or Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil flavored couscous with Chicken Parmesan. For that Thanksgiving dinner, instead of having the usual stuffing as a side dish for that turkey meal, why not try the Broccoli & Cheese or Wild Mushroom & Herb flavored couscous. These flavored brands of Near East couscous can not only be a fresh new way to make any poultry dinner special, but can also be used as a delightful side dish, for any pork, beef or even fish dinners. For instance, I just love the taste of the Toasted Pine Nut couscous with my special Salmon Steak with Julienne Strips of Leek and Carrots with a White Wine sauce.

Since thankfully, no one has to prepare couscous the traditional way unless one wants to, most instant brands of couscous only takes five minutes to prepare, all one has to do is follow the instructions given on the box, but basically one boils one cup of water in a saucepan, add about a tablespoon of of butter, then add the couscous...turn the flame off and cover saucepan and let sit for five minute, then "fluff" up by stirring it up with a fork.

As you can see using couscous, whether the plain or flavored types can truly make any meal just a little more special and a great change from the usual rice, noodles, potatoes or even pasta. So if you've never had couscous before I highly recommend it for that next meal of yours.

History of Couscous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couscous(1)

How To Cook Couscous The Traditional Way

http://www.free-recipes.co.uk/couscous-the-middle-eastern-way.html

http://lulumanhattan.blogspot.com/2005/10/traditional-way-to-make-couscous.html

Couscous Cookers

http://www.creativecookware.com/couscousieres.htm?gclid=CN-dmYiL0pMCFQoDGgodZjfdhA

http://www.decofinder.com/df/gb/produits/2016/Couscous-Cooker.html

Near East Couscous Website

http://www.neareast.com/home.html

The Many Uses for White Sauce in Recipes: Cream Soups Without the Cream

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~6/3/2008)

ABSTRACT: The versatile white sauce is the way I make delicious cream soups. Traditional cream soups do call for cream as the name implies, but one can get the same creamy texture by instead using a white sauce and regular milk rather than cream.

CONTENT: The most basic of all sauces to make is the White Sauce, also known in French as Béchamel. One will be amazed at just how handy and versatile this simple sauce can be to make a variety of recipes, and that would include making cream soups. Most cream soups, as the name implies uses cream, but for those who are diet conscious, is not really necessary to use. One can still accomplish that creamy texture for creamed soups by using milk, whether whole, or even the 2%, 1% or fat free versions of milk. The trick to making creamed soups, is by the thickness of the white sauce itself. There are three different versions of the basic white sauce recipe, but I use the medium version when making cream soups.

Three of my favorite cream soups to make are cream of celery, cream of potato, and cream of mushroom. All three add a special touch as an appetizer for any meal, including holiday meals. When planning using any of these soups for a holiday meal, whether Thanksgiving or Christmas, any of these soups can be made the day ahead of the holiday itself, which can be a real time saver, then all one has to do is reheat to serve on the day of the holiday itself.

The first soup, Cream of Celery soup is my preferred soup to serve at Thanksgiving time.

Cream Of Celery Soup

Ingredients:

5 Stalks of Celery, cut in quarter sections each
2 Stalks of Celery, diced
1 Large onion, sliced
1 Tablespoon Parsley
White Sauce
Additional salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sized stockpot, boil a three cups of water and add the 5 stalks of celery and onion, and cook until done. In a smaller pot, boil about 1 to 1½ cups of water and add the 2 stalks of diced celery and cook until done. Using a fairly large sized stainless steel bowl, pour both liquid and celery quartered sections in a colander and reserve the liquid, let cool. Place celery quarters and onion into a separate bowl. Then pour the liquid and diced celery in colander and into the another stainless steel bowl, then place diced celery and onions into another separate bowl and let cool.
I actually just cook up the quartered sections and diced celery in the same stockpot and then drain the liquid into a bowl using a colander and simply separating the the quartered and diced celery by hand. Experiment to see which is easier. Take the quartered celery and onion and approximately 1 cup of the reserved liquid and place into a blender to purée. Set aside.

In the stockpot begin making the white sauce.

Basic Medium White Sauce:

1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
¼ Teaspoon salt
¹⁄8 Teaspoon pepper

Slowly melt butter in the stockpot so as to not burn, then add flour, and using a whisk, blend butter and flour to a pasty consistency. Gradually add milk, continually whisking and blending until the lumpiness is gone.
Now add the puréed celery slowly, using a whisk to blend in. The texture of the soup should be fairly thick like a paste. Then add as much of the rest of the reserved celery liquid that you want, according to how thick you want the soup. Then add the diced celery to the soup, parsley and salt and pepper to taste and blend in and cook soup until just bubbling.
Servings: Approximately 4

Cream of Potato Soup:

Ingredients:

3 or 4 Large Potatoes
1 Onion, sliced
3 or 4 cups milk
1 Tablespoon Parsley
White Sauce
Additional salt and pepper to Taste
Paprika as a garnish

In large stockpot, boil potatoes and onions in a quart of water until done. Drain potatoes and onions in a colander and let cool a bit. Then place about half of the potatoes and onions in blender adding about ½ cup of milk, and purée. Spoon out puréed potatoes in a stainless steel bowl and set aside. Purée the remaining potatoes with another ½ cup of milk and once done add to the first batch of puréed potatoes, set aside.
In stockpot, make the white sauce.

Basic Medium White Sauce:

1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
¼ Teaspoon salt
¹⁄8 Teaspoon pepper

Slowly melt butter in the stockpot so as to not burn, then add flour, and using a whisk, blend butter and flour to a pasty consistency. Gradually add milk, continually whisking and blending until the lumpiness is gone.

Now add the puréed potatoes slowly, using a whisk to blend in. Once again the texture of the soup should be fairly thick like a paste as it was in the cream of celery soup recipe. Then slowly add the remaining three cups of milk. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste and blend in and cook soup until just bubbling. Just before serving, add a sprinkling of the paprika as a garnish.

Vichysoise (or Cold Cream of Potato Soup)
As an alternative, instead of adding three cups of milk...add only 2½ cups milk, then add ½ cup of either sherry or a dry white wine like Chablis...this is the makings of the French classic Vichysoise and is served cold instead of hot.
Servings: Approximately 4

Cream Of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound of mushrooms
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 Large Onion, slice
3 to 4 cups chicken stock (either homemade or can use Campbell's or Swanson's chicken broth)
White Sauce
1 tablespoon additional flour
1 Tablespoon Parsley
Additional salt and pepper to taste

Wash off mushrooms and discard the stalks of mushrooms, then slice up mushrooms. In fairly large skillet, slowly sauté sliced mushroom and onion until done, turn off heat and set aside.. With a slotted spoon, remove about half of the mushroom and onion, and place in blender and add about ½ cup of chicken broth and purée. In stockpot make the White Sauce.

Basic Medium White Sauce:

1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
¼ Teaspoon salt
¹⁄8 Teaspoon pepper

Slowly melt butter in the stockpot so as to not burn, then add flour, and using a whisk, blend butter and flour to a pasty consistency. Add the remaining sautéd mushrooms, onion and butter from the skillet into mixture, and blend...
Important: Due to the "extra" butter from the sautéed mushrooms, add an additional Tablespoon of flour and blend in with a wire whisk. Gradually add the one cup of milk, continually whisking and blending until the lumpiness is gone. Slowly add the remaining chicken broth, according to how thick you wish the soup. Add the puréed mushroom mixture and again blend in and cook until just bubbling. Salt and pepper to taste.
Servings: Approximately 4

Hint: The thickness or thinness of each soup is according to one's preferences.
If any of these soups happen to turn out too thin for your liking and wish them thicker, simply add a bit of cornstarch to thicken them up again.

Bon Appétit!

ARTICLE: Two Special Potato Recipes to Enhance Any Meal: Part Two: the Versatile Potato

(Originally published at Yahoo.Voices formerly Associated Content~May 27, 2008)

As I indicated in Part One of The Versatile Potato article, the potato is one of those vegetables that can be prepared in so many delicious ways, and I had started by giving several recipes for an all-time favorite, the mashed potato. Every once in awhile however, one wants to perhaps "jazz" up this wonderful vegetable and do something a little special as an extra savory treat. I can think of nothing better than using potatoes for two other old-time classics, the baked Scalloped Potatoes, or Potatoes Au Gratin.

As you may be aware, there are several companies that manufacture "boxed" versions of either Scalloped or Au Gratin potatoes where one just usually adds milk. For the busy person who doesn't have the time to make these delightful potato side dishes they can be a great time saver. However, in my mind nothing compares to the taste of the homemade version, and you just might be doing yourself an injustice if you never tasted honest to goodness "real" Scalloped or Potatoes Au Gratin. Yes, it does take extra time, but you'll be amazed in the difference in taste and texture.

The first step for either Scalloped or Potatoes Au Gratin, is to prepare the basic white sauce. I was absolutely amazed when one time I was telling a friend of mine how to do a certain recipe that included making a white sauce. I continued to tell her of the recipe and when I finished, she asked me, "What is a white sauce?" I wanted to roll my eyes in disbelief, as I just assumed everyone who knew how to cook, knew how to do this most basic of all sauces that can be used in a variety of recipes, from Chicken a La King, or as the base of a cheese sauce, Sauce Mornay, and yes, of course, as part of Scalloped or Potatoes Au Gratin recipes.

The Basic White Sauce can be done in three ways, the thin, "medium" or thick versions, depending on the consistency for a particular recipe and the "thickness" of this sauce is determined merely by how much flour is used to thickened the sauce itself. For either Scalloped or Potatoes Au Gratin, I recommend using the "medium" version.

Basic Medium White Sauce:

1 cup milk


2 Tablespoons butter


2 Tablespoons flour


¼ Teaspoon salt 


¹⁄8 Teaspoon pepper

Slowly melt butter in a saucepan so as to not burn, then add flour, and using a whisk, blend butter and flour to a pasty consistency. Gradually add milk, continually whisking and blending until the lumpiness is gone, and then add the salt and pepper, whisking again to blend in.

Now you're ready to make either Scalloped or Potatoes Au Gratin. There are two versions of how to make Scalloped Potatoes. I generally prefer the 2nd version, but I give both here so you can decide which version you like better. The second version, by the way, bakes quicker.

Scalloped Potatoes: Version 1:

4 Large Raw Potatoes


1 cup Medium White Sauce

Peel and pare potatoes, then cut potatoes into ¹⁄8" thick slices. In a buttered baking dish, place sliced potatoes in layers, and pour in medium white sauce and blend in to evenly coat potatoes in dish. Cover dish with either foil, or if the baking dish has it's own cover use that. Bake in a 350º F oven, for 45 minutes. Uncover baking dish and continue baking for about 15 minutes more until potatoes are tender and slightly browned on top layer. 
Servings: 4

Scalloped Potatoes: Version 2:

4 Large Raw Potatoes 


1 cup Medium White Sauce

Peel and pare potatoes. In large saucepan, boil potatoes until just done, but not completely tender. Drain potatoes in a colander and cool under cold running water from the faucet. Slice potatoes into slices, from ¹⁄8" to 
¼" thick, depending on your preference. In a buttered baking dish, place sliced potatoes in layers, and gently pour in medium white sauce and blend in to evenly coat potatoes in dish. Cover dish with either foil, or if the baking dish has it's own cover use that. Bake in a 350º F oven, for approximately 20 minutes. Uncover baking dish and continue baking for about 10 minutes more until potatoes are tender and slightly browned on top layer. 
Servings: 4

Potatoes Au Gratin:

4 Large Raw Potatoes 


1 cup Medium White Sauce 


¾ cup grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese


1 Tablespoon chopped parsley


½ to ¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs


½ to ¾ cup additional grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese


approximately 2 Tablespoons Butter

Peel and pare potatoes. In large saucepan, boil potatoes until just done, but not completely tender. Drain potatoes in a colander and cool under cold running water from the faucet. Slice potatoes into slices, from ¹⁄8" to 
¼" thick, depending on your preference. 
Reheat white sauce slightly, adding the ¾ cup of grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese, and parsley and blend thoroughly. You may have to add just a bit more milk in the process to return the sauce to the "medium" consistency. In a buttered baking dish, place sliced potatoes in layers, and gently pour in medium cheese-white sauce and carefully blend in to evenly coat potatoes in the dish. Sprinkle the additional ½ to ¾ cup grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese evenly on top of potatoes, then sprinkle the ½ to ¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs, also evenly on top of the grated cheese layer. Dot the breadcrumbs evenly spaced with the butter. Cover dish with either foil, or if the baking dish has it's own cover use that. Bake in a 350º F oven, for approximately 20 minutes. Uncover baking dish and continue baking for about 10 minutes more until slightly "bubbling" and browned on top layer. 
Servings: 4

Either Scalloped or Potatoes Au Gratin will make a delightful side dish for any meal, whether chicken, pork or beef, any time of the year, and is even great as an alternative to any side dish for a special holiday meal, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas.

ARTICLE: Delicious Ways to Make Mashed Potatoes

(Originally published at Yahoo.Voices formerly Associated Content~May 28, 2008)

It may surprise people to know and realize, that the potato can be considered a true North American vegetable, and prior to the European explorations of the "New World" during the 16th century, especially by the Spanish in the Peruvian Andes, then later by the British in Virginia, the potato, whether white, russet or sweet potato wasn't known or grown in the European countries prior to their discoveries of the North American continent. It was in the Peruvian Andes that the varied species of the potato was first grown, then later introduced to North America by trade and commerce between the indigenous Indian nations.

When the early explorers began bringing back potatoes to their countries, they weren't well received only because quite simply, no one knew how to cook them properly. Instead of using the potato meat itself, they often cooked just the stems and leaves of the potato which were poisonous, and it was no wonder that people became ill and in many instances, were banned from use.(1) Thankfully, often through trail and error, ways to cook the potato were discovered over the centuries and became one of the largest crops grown in both America and Europe and has perhaps become one of the most versatile foods that can be prepared in a myriad of ways. One of the favorite ways to prepare potatoes, is of course, mashed.

While on occasion as a short-cut I have used any one of the boxed instant mashed potatoes, I have never cared for the taste of them. And yes, perhaps in this frazzled, hectic lifestyle so many of us have, we may not have the time to make mashed potatoes from scratch, and rather grab that box of instant mashed flakes. But nothing beats the taste of the real McCoy. Also, like the versatility of how to prepare potatoes as a wonderful side dish, so are there variations of how one can prepare mashed potatoes, and of which I wish to share here.

Basic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 to 6 Medium-Sized Potatoes (Idaho, Eastern or Russet) 


3 Tablespoons Butter


⅓ cup milk* 


Dash of pepper

Peel and pare potatoes and place in large saucepan of water, bringing to a boil and cook until tender, approximately 25 minutes. Drain well in a colander. Place the potatoes back in saucepan and using a potato masher, mash potatoes until no longer lumpy. To "fine" tune the mashing process, I then use a regular fork and re-mash the potatoes. Place saucepan on stove again over a low flame. Add butter and blend, continually whipping the potatoes, then slowly add milk, then add a dash of pepper to taste. Whipped until the potatoes have a nice fluffy appearance. 
* For those who are health conscious, instead of whole milk, one may substitute and use fat free, 2% or 1% milk. Another suggestion too, however, for an even creamier taste, is to add ⅓ cup of buttermilk instead. 
Servings: 4

Variations of Mashed Potatoes.

Here is where the fun begins by adding other ingredients to the mashed potatoes and giving them an extra zest. For all the variations of the mashed potatoes, cook potatoes as before but by adding the following.

Garlic and Parsley Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 to 6 Medium-Sized Potatoes (Idaho, Eastern or Russet)


3 Tablespoons Butter 


⅓ cup milk* (see above substitutions)


1 or 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic 


½ to 1 Tablespoon of Parsley (according to taste preference)


Dash of pepper

Peel and pare potatoes and place in large saucepan of water add the one or two cloves fresh garlic , bringing to a boil and cook until tender, approximately 25 minutes. Drain well in a colander. Place the potatoes and garlic back in saucepan and using a potato masher, mash potatoes and garlic until no longer lumpy. To "fine" tune the mashing process, I then use a regular fork and re-mash the potatoes. Place saucepan on stove again over a low flame. Add butter and parsley and blend, continually whipping the potatoes, then slowly add milk, then add a dash of pepper to taste. Whipped until the potatoes have a nice fluffy appearance. 
Servings: 4

Cheddar and Chives Mashed Potatoes:

Ingredients:

4 to 6 Medium-Sized Potatoes (Idaho, Eastern or Russet)


3 Tablespoons Butter


⅓ cup milk* (see above substitutions)


½ to ¾ cup grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese (again according to taste preference and how much cheese one wants to use)** 


1 Tablespoon Chopped Chives


Dash of pepper

Peel and pare potatoes and place in large saucepan of water, bringing to a boil and cook until tender, approximately 25 minutes. Drain well in a colander. Place the potatoes back in saucepan and using a potato masher, mash potatoes until no longer lumpy. To "fine" tune the mashing process, I then use a regular fork and re-mash the potatoes. Place saucepan on stove again over a low flame. Add butter, grated cheese, chives and continually whipping the potatoes until everything is evenly blended, especially the cheese, then slowly add milk, then add a dash of pepper to taste. Whipped until the potatoes have a nice fluffy appearance. 
**For the grated cheese, one can either grate the cheese from a "brick" of Sharp Cheddar Cheese or add the same amount of packaged pre-grated cheese. 
Servings: 4

Additional ingredient to add for even a better version. Add 1 Tablespoon of Betty Crocker's Bacos Bacon Bits to the potatoes at the same time you add the butter, grated cheese, and chives As you can see, there is probably no end to the way one can prepare mashed potatoes, and you may have your own favorites, however, these are my favorite ways to prepare mashed potatoes. Hope you enjoy!

Bon Appétit!

Origins of the Potato

Potato Origins

History of Potatoes (1)