Scalloped Potatoes with Cheese

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 quart milk
6 cups cooked potatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped pimento
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup buttered bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour gradually and cook until bubbly, stirring constantly. Add milk gradually and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in potatoes, parsley, pimento, onion, and salt. Spoon into a lightly-greased 3 quart casserole. Combine cheese, bread crumbs, and paprika. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake at 400° 30-35 minutes or until topping is browned and potato mixture is bubbling. Serves 8 to 10.

Mashed Potato Casserole

12 medium potatoes
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions:
Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain. Mash potatoes in a large bowl. Add cream cheese, sour cram, salt, pepper, and garlic. Beat with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in chives. Spoon into a lightly greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with paprika and dot with butter. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Notes:

Cheese and Bacon Potato Casserole

6 medium baking potatoes
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 stick margarine, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Velveeta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 green onions, chopped

Directions:
Cut unpeeled potatoes into halves. Place in large saucepan, cover with water, and boil until potatoes are tender. Drain. Preheat the oven to 350°. Quarter the potatoes and arrange in a baking dish. Stir salt and pepper into melted butter. Pour melted butter over potatoes. Sprinkle bacon crumbles and grated cheese evenly over the potatoes. Place in hot oven until cheese is melted. Garnish with chopped green onions.

Notes:
Recipe from 2008 Taster's Luncheon, Hopkinsville, KY. (Jennifer Chewning)

Cheesy Potato and Ham Soup

1 large onion, finely chopped 1 cup celery, finely chopped 2 tablespoons grated carrot 8 medium potatoes, diced 4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour 3 cups milk 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 1 cup diced ham Parsley, salt, and pepper

Directions:

Place onions, celery, and potatoes in a large saucepan. Add water to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and stir over low heat for 3-4 minutes. Add milk a bit at a time and heat to near-boil, stirring constantly. Add grated cheese and stir until melted. Stir in diced ham. Drain most of the broth from the cooked vegetables, and set the broth aside. Pour cheese sauce over the vegetables and thin as desired with the reserved hot broth. Serve hot.

Related:
Soul food for a cold January night
(A soup based on this recipe)

Twice-Baked Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes
1/3 cup margarine or butter
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Paprika

Directions:
Cut hot potatoes in half and scoop out the pulp, leaving a bit in the shell so that the shell does not collapse. Set the shells aside. In a large bowl, beat together potato pulp and margarine. Gradually beat in milk. Stir in onion, salt, and pepper. Spoon potato mixture into each shell. Arrange shells on baking sheet and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake potatoes at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until completely heated through. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Camp Breakfast Hash

1/4 cup butter cubed
2 packs (20 oz. each) ready-to-cook hash browns
1 pack (7 oz.) brown-and-serve link sausages
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
12 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cut the sausages into 1/2 inch chunks. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add hash browns, sausage chunks, onion and green pepper.  Cook uncovered over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, turning once, until potatoes are lightly browned. Push the potato mixture to the outer edge of the skillet. Pour the eggs into the center of the skillet.  Cook and stir until the eggs are completely set. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cheese. Cover and cook for a minute or two, until cheese is melted. 8 servings.

Notes:
Everyone will want seconds.

Twice-Baked Potatoes with Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ham

4 medium baking potatoes 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided 1 cup plain yoghurt 1 clove garlic, minced 1 /2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped broccoli 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 cup finely diced cooked ham bits

Directions:
Scrub the potatoes with a vegetable brush. Dry them with a towel and pierce them several times on all sides with a sharp knife. Bake at 400° until soft (about 1 hour). Allow to cool just enough to handle; then cut in half lengthwise. With a large spoon, scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/2 inch shell of potato pulp and skin. Cover the shells and keep warm. Combine potato pulp, yoghurt, salt, pepper, paprika, and 1/2 cup cheese. Mix well, cover, and keep warm. In a hot oiled skillet, cook garlic, broccoli, and mushrooms until tender. Add ham and heat through. Fold hot skillet mixture into potato pulp mixture. Fill potato skins, place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and sprinkle remaining cheese over their tops. Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is well-melted.

Notes:
Filling and not terribly fattening, except for the cheese -- and you could use a low-fat cheddar.

Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

2 large potatoes, peeled 1 medium onion peeled 2 eggs 3 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt Dash of pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
Grate the potatoes and onion on a large-hole grater. Press grated potatoes and onion between paper towels until dry. Combine eggs, milk, and butter, and beat lightly to combine. Add flour, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Fold in grated potatoes and onion. Heat a heavy skillet and add vegetable oil. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into hot oil and flatten it with the spatula into a 4-inch pancake. Brown both sides. Keep warm in a 250° oven until served. Makes 8 to 10 latkes.

Potato Cakes

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes 1 egg beaten 1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
Combine in a mixing bowl: potatoes, beaten egg, flour, milk, and onion. Mix well. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet. Use a big spoon to scoop potato mixture and drop it into the hot oil. Brown on both sides, turning once. Serve hot.

Notes:
The original recipe calls for two tablespoons cream, but milk works fine.

Cheese and Chive Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes, baked 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 shallot, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided

2/3 cup sour cream 1 (5-1/2 oz.) tub of garlic and herb spreadable cheese 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:
Melt the butter in a small heavy skillet over medium heat; add the shallot and garlic and cook until wilted (about 2 minutes). Meanwhile, cut a 1-inch strip from the top of each baked potato and scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/2-inch shell. Mash the pulp. Stir pulp, shallot mixture, 1 tablespoon chives, sour cream, cheese, horseraddish and pepper together. Spoon pulp mixture into potato shells and place in a baking dish with sides. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining chives just before serving.

Notes:
Substitute any soft cheese as desired. If the pulp seems a little thick, increase the amount of sour cream. You can use an onion instead of a shallot. The flavor will be a little different, but it's still good.

Twice Baked Potatoes Deluxe

4 medium baking potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup plain yoghurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced

Directions:
1. Wash potatoes well. Dry and pierce on each side with a fork. Cook in the microwave on high for approximately 15 minutes or until soft (or bake at 400° for a hour.) Let potatoes cool.
2. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/2 inch of pulp to support the skin. Set potato skins aside. Combine potato pulp, 1/2 cup cheese, yoghurt, salt, pepper, and paprika, and mix well. Set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet. When hot, add garlic, broccoli and mushrooms. Cook until tender. Drain gently; add vegetables to potato pulp mixture and stir lightly.
4. Preheat oven to 350°. Spoon potato pulp mixture into potato skins. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese; return to oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.