side dish - HerPretty

Aug 19, 2012

Recipe – Loaded Potato Casserole

Do you ever get a craving for a fully loaded baked potato with bacon, cheese, sour cream, etc? I’ve got a great family-friendly recipe that is completely amazing and super easy. And it takes half as long as going through all the effort of baking a potato!

Loaded Potato Caserole

Loaded Potato Casserole

Recipe Type: Side

Author: Katie Vyktoriah

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 8 – 10

Ingredients

1 bag tater tots
1 jar Ragu cheddar cheese sauce
1/2 C salsa (whatever strength you like)
1/2 C crumbled bacon
2 C cheddar jack cheese
2 T sour cream
1 tsp chives

Instructions

In an oven safe casserole dish, dump out the bag of tater tots.
Pour over the jar of cheddar cheese sauce and stir well so that all of the tots are nicely coated.
Stir in the salsa so that it is combined with the other ingredients.
Add in the crumbled bacon. You can stir it or just leave it on top. Whatever you like.
Put into a 425 degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and give it a good stir. The tots will probably break apart, which is absolutely fine. Just be sure everything is coated in the luscious cheesy sauce.
Sprinkle the cheddar jack cheese on top and place back into the oven for another 10 minutes or so.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately with sour cream and chives on top.

Notes

If you don’t have tater tots, a bag of hash browns will work just as well. OR, if you are really craving it you can use ACTUAL potatoes. Just dice them up small or shred them into the pan.
For the crumbled bacon, I actually buy it in bulk from Costco, but you can easily just crisp some up and then crumble it yourself.
You don’t NEED cheddar jack cheese. Use whatever kind you think would taste best.

I’m not kidding when I tell you that this recipe is to DIE for. Even my 18 month old son went gaga for it! Just add in anything you would normally have on your favorite baked potato and go from there. The leftovers freeze beautifully and can be reheated in the microwave OR the oven.

Enjoy, and if you use it, let me know how it goes!

Filed Under: HerFoody · Tagged: bacon, baked potato, casserole, cheese, potatoes, side dish, sour cream

May 10, 2012

Recipe – Gluten Free Potato Cakes

By Katie Vyktoriah · Leave a Comment

potato cakes

A yummy accompaniment to any meat dish, potato cakes are a fun way to use up left over mashed potatoes and are a treat for the whole family. This version is my gluten-free homage to a classic.

Gluten Free Potato Cakes

Recipe Type: Side

Author: Katie Vyktoriah Reed

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 2 – 4

Ingredients

2 C mashed potato (instant works, but real is better)
1 egg
1 spring onion
1 tsp chives
1 shallot
2 TBSP gluten free flour
1 TBSP cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 C oil (for frying)
4 rashers of streaky bacon (fried to a crisp!) optional

Instructions

Put your oil in a frying pan and set on a high heat to get ready for the cakes.
Mix the mashed potatos, onion, chives and shallot together in a medium bowl until combined.
Add in the egg and stir to make sure it is evenly dispersed.
Add in the cream, salt and pepper. Stir.
Finally, add the flour and mix until the whole thing resembles a slightly sticky dough.
Divide the mix and use lightly floured hands to create four potato patties.
Place the patties in the hot oil and fry until golden.
Flip and fry the other side.
Remove from the oil and place on a bit of paper towel to soak up excess oil.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some crumbled bacon, or alternatively, your favourite sauces. Ketchup and Mayonnaise work well.

Filed Under: Blog, Gluten Free, HerFoody · Tagged: family friendly, gluten free cooking, potatoes, side dish

Apr 30, 2012

Recipe – Creamed Spinach with Mushrooms

By Katie Vyktoriah · 4 Comments

A delicious side dish that can’t be beat (in my mind anyway!) is creamed spinach with mushrooms. I have no idea how it is normally made, but my version is pretty quick and easy and a real crowd pleaser in our house. I recently served it as an accompaniment to the Gluten Free Chicken Fingers I made. It was a big hit.

Creamed Spinach with Mushrooms

Recipe Type: Side

Author: Katie Vyktoriah Reed

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 2 – 4

Ingredients

1/2 C frozen spinach
8 medium white mushrooms, quartered
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 Tablespoons cream cheese
1 Tablespoon chives
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and add in your onions and mushrooms.
Fry until the onion is soft and translucent and the mushrooms are soft and spongy.
Add in the garlic and stir in.
Add the frozen spinach.
Cook for about five minutes. All the while, the spinach should be breaking up and integrating with the rest of the dish.
Add some salt and pepper to season.
Just before it is done, add in the cream cheese and the chives, stirring over a low heat until the cheese has totally melted and dispersed into the rest of the dish.
Serve immediately.