Simple Mashed Potatoes

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Mashed potatoes have a clear purpose in my life; they help me eat delicious gravies and sauces. These mashed potatoes aren’t anything special on their own, but when they’re loaded with boeuf bouguignon or short ribs, they turn magical. They do a great job absorbing the flavors around them and holding together so the savory stews can travel from plate to fork to mouth. It’s time for these potatoes to get the credit they deserve!

To make them, boil 3 medium-sized new potatoes per person until they can easily be pierced with a fork. Then, drain the water from the pot.

Use a potato masher to completely mash the potatoes, skins and all. The potatoes will seem very dry and crumbly.

If you’re making 2-3 servings of mashed potatoes, add 2 tablespoons of butter into the pot of potatoes, and let it melt, turning on the heat if necessary. Then, pour in between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of milk and stir. Add more milk if you want the potatoes to be looser, or stir the potatoes over the heat if you want them to thicken. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, keeping in mind the salt content of the dish you’ll be serving them with. That’s it! There’s nothing fancy here, just a dutiful sidekick to your amazing stews.

Shopping list for 2-3 servings:

  • New potatoes- 3 per person
  • Butter- 2 tablespoons
  • Milk- 1/4 to 1/2 cup
  • Salt and pepper
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Green Tea and Honey Ice Cream

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I am a huge fan of green tea ice cream, and although this one doesn’t look green, it is one of the best I’ve ever had. It is refreshing, mellow, and perfectly sweet. Of the three ice creams I have made so far (one of which isn’t good enough to share with you yet), this one has the best texture by far. And surprise: I made it with skim milk (and cream and egg yolks, don’t worry, it’s not too healthy)!

To make this ice cream, first choose your favorite green tea. I went with regular green tea bags because I didn’t think a floral green tea would translate well to ice cream that I want to eat by the bucketful. You need 6 tea bags.

Then, heat 1.5 cups of milk (skim milk works just fine) until it begins to steam. Stir in your tea bags, remove the milk from the heat, and let it come to room temperature. Then, put the milk and tea bags into the fridge and let them continue to steep for at least 4 hours. Remove the tea bags from the milk and squeeze all of the excess liquid from them. Add 1 cup of cream into the pot, and heat it up again until the milk steams.

In another bowl, whisk together 5 egg yolks, 1/2 cup of cream, 3/4 cup of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of honey. Once those ingredients are combined, whisk in a few spoonfuls of the hot cream mixture in order to temper the egg yolks. Add a few more spoonfuls of the hot milk, and repeat.

Once the egg mixture is adequately warmed up, pour it into the pot of hot milk. Stir the pot over a low-medium heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t let the milk boil. Remove the mixture from the heat, and let it come to room temperature. Then, put it in the fridge until it chills.

Freeze the chilled mixture according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Try not to taste it while it churns or else you may end up eating the whole thing! Transfer the ice cream to a container, and freeze it until the ice cream hardens further. I really love this one. David identified the honey in it at his first taste, and that made him happy.

This recipe is from Williams-Sonoma.

Shopping list:

  • Milk- 1.5 cups
  • Cream- 1.5 cups
  • Green tea bags- 6
  • Sugar- 3/4 cup
  • Egg yolks- 5
  • Honey- 3 tablespoons
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Two Meals in One- Roasted Chicken and Veggies & Chicken Tortellini Soup

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Now that I am away from home during the weekdays, I have to find creative ways to make easy dinners. It’s either that or a belly overload of our usual (albeit delicious) takeout places. I’ve been making some of our favorite meals that take a little bit longer to cook during the weekends and then refreshing them into new meals during the week. I am not one to eat the same exact meal repeatedly. Roasted chicken on a bed of vegetables is beyond easy, but it takes about an hour to cook in the oven, so make it when you have the time.

It is healthy and delicious! Serve it the first night with a grain like couscous.

When you’re ready to transform it into a completely new meal, think about making soup! Bring 1 to 2 quarts of chicken stock to a simmer. Chop up your leftover vegetables, shred your leftover chicken, and add them to the soup. Drop in some fresh tortellini or another pasta to cook along with it. When the pasta is done, season the soup with salt and pepper, ladle it into bowls, and grate over some parmesan cheese. Don’t forget to add a slice of bread to soak up all of the flavorful broth! Enjoy this quick and tasty weeknight meal!

Shopping list:

  • Chicken- 1 cut into 8 pieces
  • Roasting vegetables of your choice
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Chicken stock- 1 to 2 quarts
  • Fresh tortellini
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