Hashed Brown Potatoes

The next time you are making a brunch type situation or a breakfast-for-dinner meal, give these Hashed Brown Potatoes a try. They are worth the peeling and dicing and slow cooking, trust.

I often make these the day ahead when I'm having a brunch get together the next day with the extended fam. I just hold off on adding the fresh parsley and scallions. On the day of the event before serving, I reheat the potatoes in the microwave and just stir in the parsley and scallions at that point. They taste like you just rocked them out!

These do require a bit of time on the stove top. Have patience! You want that browned crusty, buttery long-cooking thing to happen. 

These are amazing with any type of egg dishes you love!

Hashed Browns

Serves 4 to 6

From "Barefoot Contessa Family Style"

By Ina Garten

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 1/2 lbs. boiling potatoes, peeled and 1/2-inch diced

1 1/2 cups yellow onions (2 onions)

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. minced fresh flat leaf parsley

2 Tbsp. minced scallions, white and green parts

Melt the butter in a large (10- to 12-inch) saute pan. Add the potatoes, onions, salt and pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally with a flat spatula, until the potatoes are evenly browned and cooked through. (Allow the potatoes to cook for 5 minutes before turning.) Turn off the heat and add the parsley and scallions. Serve hot. 

Cheese Straws: Totally Worth It

Frozen puff pastry is a miracle worker in the kitchen Especially for these super fabulous Cheese Straws. Light, crunchy, cheesy, indulgent, sophisticated. How can one food be all those things? Hmmm. Trust, it just is!

This recipe is an Ina Garten. I will def be making again.... and again and again.

Gruyere, thyme, parm, puff pastry. A perfect quartet!

These are great for a cocktail party or game day. They are decadent with a glass of wine or champs. Or if you are my son, a tall lemonade. (He's 10.)

We had these on a French-themed night when I made my fab French Onion Soup. They are so much fun to make and eat!

Cheese Straws

(Makes 22 to 24 straws)

From "Barefoot in Paris"

By Ina Garten

2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, (such as Pepperidge Farm), defrosted overnight in the refrigerator

1 extra-large egg

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup finely grated Gruyere

1 tsp. minced thyme leaves

1 tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board until it's 10 by 12 inches. Beat the egg with 1 Tbsp. of water and brush the surface of the pastry. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, 1/2 tsp. of the thyme, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and some pepper. With the rolling pin, lightly press the flavorings into the puff pastry. Cut each sheet crosswise with a floured knife or pizza wheel into 11 or 12 strips. Twist each strip and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and puffed. Turn each straw and bake for another 2 minutes. Don't overbake or the cheese will burn. Cool and serve at room temperature.

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

 Colorful. Flavorful. And Freezable.

Three words I love in soup.

I found this Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup on the Pinterest. It is soooooo easy, and it's a healthy dish that is filling and full of veggies. 

The prep couldn't be easier. Just place ingredients in the crockpot and stir. Then shred the chicken before cooking for another thirty minutes. The recipe gives instructions for cooking on the low setting for 6 hours. I did it on the high setting for 4 hours, and it worked perfectly. If you want this to be more child friendly, you could use just plain chopped tomatoes to cut down on the spice factor. I used a nice fire-roasted. I also added a green bell pepper because I had one, and the more vedge the merrier in my opinion. 

Serve over rice, if you'd like. Top with cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips or strips. Avocado would be fab too, but I don't groove on that due to my food allergies. But you do you!

Sooo delish.

The recipe made a ton, so I froze a batch for later on in the winter. Yay for preparation!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

From Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons

Makes 12 servings

3 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 packet fajita seasoning

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cans chopped tomatoes with chilies

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp., chopped cilantro for garnish

1 cup tortilla strips, for garnish

Serve with: Shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream

Add chicken, onion, chopped tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, broth, bay leaf and fajita seasoning to the slow cooker. Mix with a spoon.

Cook on low for 6 hours. Shred chicken. Cook an additional 20 minutes.

Serve with cilantro, tortilla chips or your favorite toppings like sour cream, avocado or shredded cheese.

Please note: The Jersey Girl uses low-salt chicken broth. She added a green bell pepper and used fire-roasted tomatoes. She cooked this dish on high for 4 hours. After shredding the chicken, she added chopped cilantro and cooked on low for thirty minutes.