Tag: april

Curry Roasted Potatoes and Cauliflower

When you think of curry, potatoes and cauliflower, the first thing that comes to mind might be aloo gobi, the classic Indian dish (and a favorite in our house). But simply roasting them gets you similar flavors with a lot less prep required. This makes a great weeknight side — doable in well under an hour, even if you are a slow chopper.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb yukon gold potatoes, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
2 small red onions, cut in 1/2-inch wedges
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and adjust rack to upper third position.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, cauliflower, red onions and olive oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle in curry powder and a couple generous pinches of salt, and toss until well distributed.

Spread out the vegetable mixture on a well oiled baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes. Turn on the broiler and brown the veggies for 1-2 minutes more, then serve.

Pictured: Corning Ware April DC-1 1/2-B Designer Casserole

Easter Dinner 2019

We had a phenomenal Easter feast this year, but it sadly did not involve very many vintage dishes! Still, I’m making a record of it because I want to remember the recipe I used for our ham: The bourbon orange glaze was excellent. It was my first time doing a ham, and it came out super moist and seasoned just right. I added a spoonful of homemade miso to the glaze for extra umami, so perhaps that’s what made it!

Overall it was a great meal with family and friends.

Menu:

  • Bourbon Orange Glazed Ham (recipe)
  • Grilled Tri-Tip
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  • Mashed Potato Casserole with Cheddar and Green Onions (recipe)
  • Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing (recipe)
  • Caesar Salad
  • Individual Yorkshire Puddings

Pictured: Corning Ware April DC-1 1/2-B Designer Casserole

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner 2019

Corned beef and cabbage is a must for any St. Patrick’s Day feast. And if haven’t cured your own corned beef, you’ve gotta try it! It really is pretty easy if you plan ahead — like brining a turkey, but for 5-7 days. The one special ingredient you need is curing salt (sodium nitrite), also known as prague powder or pink salt (not the same as Himalayan pink salt). It’s easiest to purchase online — I bought this one a couple years ago and it will probably last me forever.

Typically corned beef is made from brisket — but any tough cut will do (must be suited for long, slow cooking, like a pot roast). So this time I’m trying it with a chuck roast. That has led to a slight hiccup in my menu planning: Because the roast is thicker than a brisket, there’s no room for cabbage in my slow cooker! Consequently I’ve added a mustardy coleslaw to the lineup, which I think complements the corned beef pretty well.

This year’s St. Patrick’s Day menu:

  • Home-Cured Corned Beef (roughly based on this curing recipe and this cooking recipe)
  • Mashed Potato Casserole with Cheddar and Green Onions (recipe)
  • Braised Collard Greens (recipe: Braised Winter Greens from Cook’s Illustrated‘s More Best Recipes)
  • Mustardy Cabbage and Apple Slaw (recipe)

Pictured: Corning Ware Green Macrame P-332 Roaster, Corning Ware April DC-1 1/2-B Designer Casserole, Pyrex Spring Blossom 043 Oval Casserole, Pyrex Verde 444 Cinderella Mixing Bowl

Mashed Potato Casserole with Cheddar and Green Onions

Sure, regular mashed potatoes are tasty. But with a couple of extra steps, you can turn them into something even more delicious — mashed potato casserole! I must admit that another motivation for making this dish was to use a vintage casserole dish from my collection. Corning Ware is a particularly handy choice, because you can assemble the casserole ahead, refrigerate it overnight, then pop it in the oven with no risk of thermal-shock-induced breakage.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
8 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 green onions, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

In a large pot, combine potatoes with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook until softened, about 15 minutes.

Drain the potatoes, then put back in the pot. Add 7 tbsp butter, cut into smallish pieces. Mash with a potato masher until butter has melted and is mixed in. Add sour cream, milk, garlic powder and salt and mash until smooth. Stir in green onions and 1 cup of the Cheddar.

Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated overnight, if desired. Leave out at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking, and extend cooking time as needed.)

Melt 1 tbsp butter. In a small bowl, combine with bread crumbs and stir until butter is evenly incorporated. Stir in 1/2 cup Cheddar, then sprinkle the mixture over the potatoes.

Bake, uncovered, until topping is lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes.

Pictured: Corning Ware April DC-1 1/2-B Designer Casserole