Roasted Green Bean, Chicken & Potatoes (One Pan)

When I had jaw surgery and members of the Relief Society were bringing in meals for my family, my visiting teacher Feleicia brought this dish in and Paul and the girls gobbled it up.  So once I could start eating regular food again, I found the recipe on Pinterest and made it myself and it was absolutely delicious and so, so easy.  Definitely a keeper for an easy weeknight meal.

Roasted Green Bean, Chicken & Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces green beans
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. small red potatoes, diced
1/4-1/2 cup butter (I made this according to the original 1/2 cup instructions but felt like the amount of butter could have easily been cut in half)
1 small envelope Zesty Italian dressing seasoning
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a 9x13-inch baking dish, arrange green beans, chicken and potatoes in 3 vertical rows, side by side.  Cut the butter into thin slices and arrange evenly around the pan on top of the green beans, chicken and potatoes.  Sprinkle the Italian dressing packet evenly over everything and then salt and pepper the dish to taste.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour, until the chicken is no longer pink and the potatoes are soft.  If the green beans start looking overdone around the 45 minute mark, place foil over the pan for the remainder of the cooking time.

Source: High Heels & Grills (although I saw this pinned to other sites online and have no idea where the original version came from - my guess is this is one of those dishes that has been around for years and nobody knows who created it)

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This delicious and filling soup is perfect for colder weather and rainy days, plus it is made in the crock pot which is perfect for days when I know I will have a lot going on.  There is a little prep work with cooking the bacon, chopping and sauteeing the onions, and prepping the potatoes, but it comes together quickly in the morning and then you don't have to worry about it until it is basically done 5 or 6 hours later.

INGREDIENTS

10 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 lbs Russet potatoes (about 6  medium or 4-5 of the really large ones), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 oz), plus more for serving
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream OR plain greek yogurt
Additional salt and pepper, to taste
Sliced scallions, minced

DIRECTIONS

In a large pan over medium heat, cook the bacon 5 to 7 minutes, until crispy, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate until serving.  Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.

Add the chopped onion and cook over medium-high heat until softened and slightly browned, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook an additional minute or so, until fragrant.  Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minutes, stirring constantly.  Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to the slow cooker.

Stir in the remaining 3 cups of  broth, potatoes, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper into the slow cooker.  Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, 4 to 6 hours on low.  

Transfer 3 cups of cooked potatoes to a medium bowl with the cream and mash until smooth using a potato masher.  Return the potatoes to the slow cooker, along with the shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.  Stir to combine and let the soup sit until heated all the way through, about 10 minutes.

When ready to serve, microwave the bacon for about 30 seconds, just until it is reheated and crispy.  Season the soup with salt and pepper, to taste.  Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with bacon, shredded cheese, and scallions, then serve.

Recipe slightly adapted from Pink Parsley.; originally from Slow Cooker Revolution (the America's Test Kitchen book of crockpot recipes).

Crispy Hashbrowns

I LOVE hashbrowns.  The kind that are crispy and golden and crunchy on the outside with a soft, hot white interior.  Hashbrowns make breakfast extra special because I only ever get them when we are on vacation and stop for breakfast at a diner or something.  So when I realized I overbought potatoes for dinner the other night, I decided it was finally time to figure out diner-style hashbrowns at home. 

After looking up some instructions for latkes (similar to hashbrowns) for techniques in the America's Test Kitchen cookbook, I started googling and found a "recipe" on seriouseats.com that takes pretty much the same approach.  Removing excess moisture from the shredded potatoes by squeezing them in a dish towel and then briefly cooking the hashbrowns in the microwave first for just a couple of minutes are the secrets to extra-crunchy and golden-brown hash browns.  I like my hashbrowns a little extra peppery with ketchup on the side.

Crispy Hashbrowns

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shred the potatoes on the largest holes of a box grater. Wrap in a kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth, and twist to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer the potatoes to a plate lined with two layers of paper towels. Cook in a microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add shredded potato. Season with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Using a spatula, press potato into an even layer. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip the potatoes with the spatula and brown on the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Remove and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

Recipe from Nick Kindelsperger at www.seriouseats.com.