Potato-Bacon Soup

Unfortunately, I don't have very many pictures for this recipe. It had been a very long Tuesday by the time I had the chance to make dinner so I stuck with something very simple that is quick to make and very filling.

I've only made this one other time, and that was in college. We weren't allowed to have any kind of heating contraptions aside from a microwave, so I cooked the whole thing in the microwave. My roommate and I were pleasantly surprised by the results. This time I have a stove at my disposal, and it's even better than I remember.

Typically, you'll have the six ingredients on hand to make the soup so no extra trip to the grocery store should be necessary (of course, I'm always short on at least one ingredient, this time it was cheese). I would recommend using fresh thyme. Enjoy!

Potato-Bacon Soup
Recipe from Irish Food, Fun & Crafts, adapted by me

32 oz chicken broth (one of the boxed ones)
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I did not peel mine)
i medium onion, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
6 strips of bacon, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a medium-sized pot, cook bacon until crisp. Drain the fat away.
Combine broth, potatoes, onion, and thyme in the pan with the bacon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and boil ten minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

Erin Go Bragh!

"Boxty in the griddle. Boxty in the pan. If you can't make boxty, you'll never get your man." I'll give you three guesses at what I had for dinner last night...




For those not in the know, boxty is an Irish dish similar to a potato pancake (but different then the Jewish Latkes). To me, they seem similar to an omelette, just without the eggs. Typically they are fried on a griddle with some butter and filled with a savoury filling of your choice.




The first time I was introduced to this amazing meal was on my 16th birthday. Kilkenny's Irish Pub located on Cherry Street has been my favorite restaurant here in Tulsa ever since. Every time I go, I vow to try something different. And every time I still end up ordering the Kilmacow (seared beef with mushrooms, the only time I'll ever actually come close to eating one of those little fungi) topped with the Irish cheddar sauce (it comes with a whiskey sauce, but they allow substitutions on all sauces for their boxty).




By some chance I happened to pull out one of my Irish cookbooks and flipped immediately to the page with the recipe for boxty (I'm still not completely convinced that it wasn't St. Brigid or even St. Patrick himself guiding me to the recipe). The recipe isn't terribly difficult, but does have a few steps to it. The nice thing is it's customizable to your tastes. Craving chicken? On a veggie bender? Can't go another minute without lobster? I hope you enjoy it as much as my sister and I did (the first words out of her mouth after her first bite were, "Oh.My.God! This is so good."). Enjoy!



Boxty Potato Pancakes
Recipe by Irish Food & Cooking

For the filling
1 Tbl olive oil (I didn't measure; you just need enough for searing the meat)
1 lb stew meat
2 cups beef broth

For the potato pancake
1 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped (I used red potatoes since it was all I had)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
Salt to taste
Pat of butter (I used more so the pancake wouldn't stick; maybe about a tsp. per pancake)

For the cheese sauce
2 Tbl butter
2-1/2 cups milk
1 Tbl cornstarch
1 Tbl cold water
1.5 lb shredded cheese (I used a mixture of cheddar, Gruyere, and a Spanish cheese that is similar to cheddar)

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, sear the stew meat in the olive oil. Add the beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about an hour until the liquid has cooked completely away.
2. Meanwhile, place the peeled and chopped potatoes in a blender or in the bowl of a food processor and process until the potato is thoroughly liquidized (I used the food processor; next time I'll use a cheese grater; mine never liquidized, but that was OK because I wanted it to be similar in texture to hash browns; I also did not peel the potatoes as I was getting lazy).
3. Add the flour and enough milk to processed potato to give a dropping consistency, and add salt to taste. The milk and flour can be adjusted, depending on how thin you like your pancake. Heat a little butter on a griddle or cast-iron frying pan.
4. Pour about a quarter of the mixture into the pan (I used about 1/2 cup for each pancake). Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the cake. Once the pancake is finished, place your desired filling inside and either roll or fold (I do the omelette method, but you can do the crepe method).
5. To make cheese sauce, place butter and milk in a medium sized pot. Mix the cornstarch and cold water and set aside. Bring the milk to a boil, and while stirring constantly, add cornstarch mixture.Once the sauce reaches desired consistency, begin adding the cheese, a little at a time until completely incorporated. This can be seasoned as needed.

Hasselback Potatoes

Being Irish, I eat alot of potatoes. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again: I could live off of potatoes. So the other night, I came across a new recipe for potatoes that I really wanted to try. I just happened to have some of the big baking potatoes in my pantry and thought that i'd give it a shot.

Supposedly, these potatoes are of a Swedish origin (I'm 1/8 Swedish so I thought it would be cool if it turned out I was making something my great-great-Nana would have made). I don't know how true that is or if there's any truth at all to that claim. I did check my lone Swedish cookbook but couldn't find them anywhere (that doesn't meant they're not though).

This is a really simple recipe that can be served with just about anything. Grilled chicken or a nice steak would be ideal for me, but I'm sure it would taste just as good with fish if you're into that sort of thing (sorry, I'm just not a seafood kind of girl). Enjoy!

Hasselback Potatoes

Recipe from All Recipes, adapted by me

4 (8 ounce) baking potatoes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Romano cheese (I didn't have any on hand so I just used cheddar)
1 tablespoon seasoned dry bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Peel the potatoes, and place in bowl of cold water to prevent browning. Place potatoes into a large wooden or metal spoon. Using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato the short way about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart, making sure to cut down to the lip of the spoon, not all the way through the potato. The slices should stay connected at the bottom, and the spoon helps keep the depth even. Return the potato to the bowl of water, and proceed with the remaining potatoes.
3. When all of the potatoes are cut, place them cut side up in a shallow baking dish or small roasting pan. Drizzle with half of the butter, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the remaining butter. Sprinkle Romano cheese and bread crumbs onto the tops of the potatoes, and season with a little more salt and pepper. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.

A Little Comfort Food

Lately, I’ve been craving comfort food. I don’t know if it’s because I’m missing my hubs or if my body just wants a carb overload. Either way, I’ve been craving cheese and potatoes with a good helping of meat. My family is Irish, so I could literally live off of potatoes and be happy especially if you throw some cheese into the mix.

My sister had made a casserole with chicken earlier in the week, and there was plenty of chicken left over, so I decided I wanted fried chicken and au gratin potatoes (I don’t usually eat the two together, but I was really craving this).




I borrowed the recipe for the potatoes from an acquaintance that I watched make them one time. For the chicken, I recommend using your own recipe. Everyone has their favorite way to make it, whether it’s Nana’s secret recipe or your childhood best friend’s mother’s. Personally, I just throw a bunch of fun spices in with my flour and dredge away to my heart’s content.

Au Gratin Potatoes
2 lbs potatoes (Yukon work best)
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups cheddar cheese (this can be adjusted to your taste as well as the type of cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Wash potatoes and slice thinly. Place in pot of water and cook until half-way done (about 15 minutes).
In an oven-safe dish, spray Pam (or use butter). Place a layer of potato slices followed by a layer of cheese (about 1/4 cup). Pour 1/4 cup cream on top. Continue layers until finished. Top with cheese.
Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.