Oven Rosemary Potatoes Recipe

Alexia Foods Oven Fries in the freezer section have been soy free in the past and hopefully will be in the future.  Sometimes we run out and other times we just want to make a 5 or 10 pound bag of them so its just not practical to have that many Alexia ones in the fridge.

The Alexia ones have the following ingredients:  Olive Oil, Rosemary, Garlic, Russet Potatoes, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Marjoram, Thyme, and Dextrose.

There are varied recipes out there in books and on the internet but what we do is basically cut the potatoes in 4 or 6 sections so the pieces are about 1 1/2 inch chunks or if you want thick fry shapes then sliced accordingly.   Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl and pour olive oil, whatever form of garlic on hand, chopped fresh Rosemary( dried is fine too), Thyme, Salt, and Pepper.  Then toss the potatoes til coated and place on a cookie sheet that has oiled aluminum foil lining it.  Maybe sprinkle some more salt and seasonings over it if desired and put in the oven.  Bake about 30 minutes until they are browned some and a fork comes out easily or you taste them to see if done.  Depending on your oven, you may need to turn them about half way through the cooking process.

Quick Baked Potato or Sweet Potato Recipe

Well this isn't really a recipe but rather directions.  Wash the potato or yam or sweet potato.  Wrap it in wax paper and twist the ends.  Microwave for 7 minutes and let sit a couple minutes before unwrapping to serve or eat.
Sometimes more time is needed but 7 minutes is what the plastic wrapped microwave ones say in the produce section and what has worked for me for years.  If you need more that one, then adjust the time about 4-6 minutes for each additional one and have them individually wrapped.
After doing this the first time, make a note of how long it takes with your microwave if it needs more time since different microwaves have different wattage.
If you are eating baked yams or sweet potatoes, then mix some cinnamon with brown sugar to fill it with.
I haven't tried it yet but I think using a piece of a paper grocery bag might work too.  The steam from the potato should keep the paper from catching fire but don't try this unless you are watching it and let me know if it works or you had to call the fire dept and don't blame me.  I have used parchment paper before and plastic wrap but am a little weary of plastic wrap touching food in the microwave from the stories of it as a possible carcinogen.

Sweet Potato Sefleu or Casserole Recipe

Aunt Stephanie made some great sweet potato stuff for a Thanksgiving years ago and I called her to get the recipe.  When she emailed it to me, she wrote Sweet Potato Sefleu and thats the name we called it because I though it was some Southern name for it. I later found out that Sefleu was just a typo that the spellchecker she had must have mixed up but we've had this recipe in our book this way so long that the title has stayed.

Gnocchi Recipe

We love gnocchi!!!  I try to make it at least once a month.  While I like it many ways, my family seems to prefer with a Spinach Ham Cream Sauce the best, and with Pesto second best.  I like it Bolognese but since that is basically like Spaghetti Sauce, its best to save that for Spaghetti.  Here is the Gnocchi recipe that I basically start from but depending on the potatoes available and amount of people eating, I really add or subtract eggs and flour as I go.  After you make it multiple times, you just know how it should feel when you knead it. 

Oh, a side note. DON'T USE RED POTATOES if you don't have to.  They just don't seem to work right for gnocchi or taste right with it.

Here is a video from an Il Fornaio chef that shows how to make the dough.  I'm not going to do a video myself, but this one is a good example of how its done.  I usually combine everything and knead it in a large mixing bowl to make less mess. I also usually don't add the cheese to my dough.  Its too expensive and since I use it in the sauce, it always seems fine with us without.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGCKZaaRRJU

Next,watch this video on how to shape the gnocchi.  I don't do the rolling on the cheese grater like demonstrated or on fork tines or a wooden mold that others do.  It's too much work for me and takes too much longer.  The sauce seems to work and stick to the gnocchi for me without the extra work, but do remember to dust with flour like he says or they will stick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEuiI2JdMLc&feature=channel

If the youtube links die, then search for how to make gnocchi videos and you will find some.  I just like these two because they are about how I was taught to do it.

Baked Potato Soup Recipe A.K.A. LOADED BAKED POTATO INSIDE OUT, SOUP STYLE

Halloween is almost always a big pot of Potato Soup and another of Chili.  Potato Soup is really just a soup version of funeral potatoes but somehow is different and besides being good, is very filling.  Our recipe is adapted from the same recipe that seems to be on recipe cards from friends all over.  Michelle Stevenson and Lanae Waldron independently gave us the same recipe years apart.  A triple batch which is what we do on Halloween is pretty huge but fills my favorite BIG pot.

Funeral Potato's Recipe

Yes, this is the "Jello of all casseroles".  How do you make it without Cream of Genericness Soup so that it is soy free?  Well..... Substitute another pint of sour cream instead of Cream of Soy flavor of the month Soup and add some diced chicken or chicken broth.  Extra cheese never hurts either.  Another thing that doesn't hurt is to double or triple the amount of corn flake topping.