Sauteed Garlic Spinach on Mashed Potatoes

Sauteed Garlic Spinach on Mashed Potatoes was a happy accident! One night while cooking dinner, I was planning to pop some frozen veges into the microwave until I went to the freezer and couldn't find my veges!!


OH NO what to do?! I couldn't just serve the meat and potatoes without a vege! That wouldn't be right! Right?

I had to think fast - pretty much everything was ready to go! Then the light bulb went off - I had a bag of spinach! But how will it pair with mashed potatoes? That just sounded weird to me, but whatever, I was desperate. No time to get picky now!

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French Dip Sandwiches and Baked French Fries

This is a simple dish I've been making for years.  It is a family favorite!

You'll want to make the french fries first.  I always use Yukon Gold potatoes - I just really like them.  I also bake my french fries.  It is so much better for you, and we have come to enjoy our non-oily fries over the years. 

You can watch a how to video of my recipe on allrecipes.com just click here - Best Baked French Fries video

I use about 1.5-2 potatoes per person.  Slice the potatoes lengthwise into about 4 slices. Then slice each individual slice lengthwise again into 4 strips.  These are the size of steak fries.  You can see from the picture about the size I make them. When all the potatoes are in strips, place them in a container or a Ziploc baggie. Add about a tablespoon of sugar - seal and let sit for about 30 mins to an hour.  This will release the water in the potatoes and make them a little more crunchy than you normally expect from a baked french fry.

Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.  Drain potatoes and pat dry. Line a baking sheet with foil (double line for easier clean-up). Spray with cooking spray.  Toss those potato strips on the foil. Salt and pepper generously, and I like to add some garlic powder too.  Now you'll want to drizzle them with olive oil and toss them around a bit to make sure each wedge is coated with oil.  The amount of oil will depend on how many potatoes you are making, but start with a tablespoon and add more as needed.  Don't worry if it seems like you oiled them too much, you can drain them on a paper towel after they are cooked.  It is also important to make sure they are in a single layer with space between each fry.

Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 30 mins. Remove from oven and flip the potatoes - I like to turn each individual one over - it really doesn't take a whole lot of time and results in a crispier fry, but if you don't feel like doing that - just move them around a bit and try to get as many of them flipped over as you can (keeping them in a single layer with space between each fry).  Bake them for 10 more minutes and remove from the oven. Drain on paper toweling if needed.

You can start the sandwiches after you put the fries back in the oven for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.  You'll need 1lb rare roast beef, 1 can french onion soup, water, 4 onion kaiser rolls, 4 slices swiss, provolone, or whatever cheese you prefer.  

Heat the french onion soup in a sauce pan with 1/2 a can of water. Add the roast beef and heat through. Meanwhile toast the rolls in the oven. When toasted top with roast beef and a spoonful of the soup. Add cheese on top of the meat and melt in the oven.  Serve with extra juice and french fries.

Breakfast for Dinner? Yes, please!

This isn't just for dinner, of course, but it does work in a pinch! One day last week, I had not been to the grocery so the cupboards were bare!  After having a very busy day, all I really wanted to do was relax. I certainly didn't want to leave the house and go to a restaurant for dinner! So, what to do?  Make breakfast, of course!  

Don LOVES a good breakfast with eggs, potatoes, bacon, and toast, so I knew he wouldn't be disappointed!  I always start the potatoes first, as they take a little time to get soft the way the hubs likes 'em.  I gathered what I needed...

Eggs, potatoes, onions, garlic, bacon, cream cheese, salt, and pepper

and got to work!  I always like to have everything right on hand - especially when making something like this that moves along quickly.  First I cubed the potatoes. I used Yukon Gold potatoes - they are my absolute favorite potato! ...and what I happened to have on hand. I recommend cubing 1.5 to 2 potatoes per person.  For some reason I used 3 here - I guess I thought the hubs was going to be extra hungry!

Then I diced up 1/2 of an onion - that looked good for the amount of potatoes I was making. I also minced up 2 garlic cloves - I LOVE garlic! I heated a skillet on medium-high heat and placed a thick slice of bacon in the pan to render the fat.  

Once my bacon was cooked on both sides, and I had a good amount of fat in the pan, I added the potatoes. It is critical you DON'T move the potatoes for 3 minutes!

  If you move them around right away you are going to leave a lot of potato in the pan, and they won't have that nice crispy stuff on the outside.. I learned that the hard way!  So leave them alone for 3 full minutes!  To busy your hands you can sit on them, or make them useful and pull that bacon out of the pan and chop it up.  You can also crack the eggs into the non-stick pan you will use to cook them so they will be ready to go - do something! Just don't touch those potatoes!  Did I get my point across? Great!  Now that 3 minutes is almost up, go ahead and salt and pepper them to your liking. I used about 1/2 teaspoon salt for this amount of potatoes.  I normally would used fresh cracked pepper, but I was fresh out (GASP!), so I used ground pepper - it worked!

Now that the 3 minutes is up you get to stir those potatoes!  I know it's been driving you crazy to just let them sit in the pan without stirring them, so go ahead and knock yourself out. Stir those beautiful potatoes and see how wonderfully crispy they are!  HINT - if you go to stir them and they are sticking to the pan - your heat is too low! Turn it up and let them sit another minute or so. They will release when they are ready to be stirred!  How's that for smart food - it tells you when it's ready (sort of).

Now you get to add the chopped bacon, onions and the garlic. Stir them for about a minute or two.  Then turn the heat down to mid-low and let those potatoes cook until they are as soft as you like 'em.  You'll be busy making the eggs, but you'll want to stir the potatoes occasionally during this time.

Now that the potatoes are going nicely, you can start on your scrambled eggs.  For the eggs I start with a cold, dry sauce pan. I use a non-stick pan for scrambled eggs to make clean-up a snap. Eggs really like to stick to my stainless steel pans, and I really DON'T like cleaning them up, so I purchased a chemically safe, non-stick pan just for making scrambled eggs!  Go ahead and crack your eggs in the cold, dry pan. I also add a tablespoon of butter for every 3 eggs I use. I made 6 eggs this night, so I used 2 tablespoons of butter. DO NOT ADD SALT YET!!  Eggs are one of the few things you want to salt AFTER they are cooked

Now that you have your eggs and butter in the pan, go ahead and turn on the heat to mid-high.  Start whisking your eggs - every once in a while check on your potatoes and give them a stir.  

Keep whisking your eggs... and stirring your potatoes

When your eggs start to thicken, you want to take them off the heat for 20-30 seconds and keep whisking while utilizing the heat in the pan.  Then go ahead and put them back on the heat - all the while keep whisking.  You will move them on and off the heat until they are fully cooked. Removing them from the heat every so often will help keep you from overcooking the eggs - no one likes to eat rubbery eggs - yuck!  Once your eggs are sufficiently cooked...

Pop your toast in the toaster, and remove the eggs from the heat. Add in 1 ounce of cream cheese. Stir that around to incorporate and then salt and pepper your eggs to your liking.  I sometimes like to add fresh chopped basil too, but on this night I made a Chimichurri Sauce (see recipe below - you can make up ahead of time)  Go ahead and plate up the eggs and potatoes with the toast and add some chimichurri sauce either on the side or, go ahead and be bold, and put it right on the eggs! Yummmmmm

I opted to eat just eggs and toast with the chimichurri sauce, so here is a pic of my plate

Chimichurri Sauce

1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Puree all ingredients in a blender or a food processor. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let sit at room temperature until ready to use. You can make this up a couple hours before if you like.

Steakhouse Porterhouse Steak

Publix has Porterhouse steaks on sale this week for $7.99/lb.  That saves you $3.50/lb so plan to make this recipe at least once this week – it is amazing!

The recipe calls for a Prime cut of meat, but I’ve found the Choice cuts at Publix are still amazing when made this way. 

This is one of those times I think I am better off not knowing what I don’t know!  I’m afraid if I try the Prime cut I won’t be able to go back!  Then I would have to cut way back on my Porterhouse eating and that wouldn’t be good!  Well, I guess it would be good for my health, but my taste buds would be very sad – and we just can’t have that!

Michael Symon's Steakhouse Porterhouse

I adjusted this recipe to serve 2.  Instead of a 4lb Porterhouse, I get about a 1.5- 2 pounder.

I look for the thickest cut with lots of marbling. Marbling = Flavor folks so it is worth the effort to search for the best looking cut!

Sprinkle the meat with a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar.  Toss on pepper to your liking and then cover it and put in the fridge overnight.  Let those seasonings work their magic all night long…all night….all nigh...  Oh sorry I got distracted with the song. Back to the recipe… 

I take the steak out of the fridge about noon the next day to let it come to room temperature.  Yes,it sits on the counter for hours.  We keep our house around 79 degrees, so it takes time for the meat to warm to room temperature.  This will vary depending on how warm (or cold) your home is.
Cooking your meat at room temperature ensures more even cooking throughout

Heat a large pan over fairly high heat and add a thick slice of bacon!  I really like the Publix brand Thick Sliced Bacon – that is some good bacon!  Allow the fat to render and then throw on your steak and let it CARAMELIZE!

Because I am working with a smaller cut than what Michael (like how I feel I am on a first name basis with him...) suggests in his recipe, I only let the steak cook for about 3 minutes.  If it is a very thick cut I might go a little longer.  After about 3 mins, flip that baby over and add a tablespoon of butter, a ½ a head of garlic along with somefresh oregano (1/2 tablespoon works well) to the pan.  Be sure to use FRESH oregano – the dry stuff is just nasty!  Once you try the fresh oregano, you’ll throw out that dry stuff never to buy it again!  It’s true.

Cook for another 3 mins and then remove from heat to a cutting board.  Let the steak rest for about 10 mins.  Then check the temp with an instant read digital thermometer.  If you don’t have one – get one! You can pick one up on the cheap just about anywhere. 

If the steak reads 120 degrees you are done! Slice it up and enjoy all of its tender, juicy goodness!  If it’s not quite up to temperature after resting for 10 mins then you can slice it and put it in the preheated 450 degree oven for just a minute or 2. 

Watch it closely!
Overcooking makes me sad and, again, we just can't have that.

While the steak is resting you can mix up the garlic butter as stated in the recipe.  I tried it once, but honestly this steak is so good we didn’t feel the roasted garlic butter added anything. Which is strange if you know of my love affair with garlic.

You can serve this with just a salad and be ever so happy.  I really LOVE the Publix brand Caesar Dressing - try it!  It is downright tasty!

Now if you want to be in sheer bliss you would serve this with garlic smashed yukon gold potatoes and sauteed fresh baby spinach with (what else) garlic!  Go ahead and serve that spinach right on top of those potatoes - it is a taste sensation!  

If you like wine try pairing this with Kendall Jackson's Pinot Noir 

- it is quite tasty and goes nicely with most meats!

...and just about anything really - even by itself! It is gooood!!