Messin with Mashed Taters...

I will confess up front, I am probably more excited about this blog post than any other....I would even say I'm almost GIDDY !   Mashed potatoes, pretty cut and dry right ?  Oh contrare.... I came upon a recipe that called for a combination of potatoes AND cauliflower and decided to try it out on some friends tomorrow at a luncheon I'm hosting, because seriously, do you THINK I could pass this by my family ?  Um no.  Case in point, the hubster walked in from outside and smelled the distinct aroma from the stovetop and immediately started in..."Why, Why would you do this to our house?"  To which I replied, "Let's play name that smell !"....Gracie joined in and declared, "this isn't a very fun game".  Okay so why my excitement you ask ?  BECAUSE, after I had put everything together and tasted it for myself, I just KNEW I had to get a sneaky spoonful in SOMEBODY tonight to confirm my suspicions...this recipe ROCKS !  Gracie helped chop my potatoes so in thanking her for the wonderful job she did, I said, "You have GOT to try these mashed potatoes, they are incredible!"  Now, I will confess, she walked away from the kitchen and didn't actually watch me prepare the potatoes so had no idea the cauliflower came anywhere near the same pot....(insert evil laugh here).  She took a bite without hesitation and declared that yes indeed, they are tasty !  VOILA !   SO, what have I learned tonight. 1) I WILL make this recipe again....2) I WILL prepare the cauliflower during the day, freeze or refrigerate the evidence for later mix ins....3) I WILL light a candle to detox the house before they get home. 

Mashed Potatoes

3 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
3/4 to 1 cup of milk
1/2 to 3/4 cup of butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Chicken Broth

Bring potatoes to boil in broth until tender. While cooking, in another pot bring 1 1/2 cup additional chicken broth to boil and add cauliflower. Cover and steam until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and place in blender with milk and butter. Puree until very smooth. Drain and mash potatoes and add cauliflower puree along with seasoning to taste.  YUM !

Inspired by the Toll House cookie !

Back in the 1930's, Ruth Wakefield decided to try to make a chocolate cookie by chopping up bits of Hershey's chocolate bars. Instead of the chocolate melting and creating a "chocolate" cookie, the chocolate held it's shape and voila, the chocolate chip cookie was born.  I LOVE this story, and not just because it involves chocolate...although that certainly helps.  But I love the fact that Mrs. Wakefield had a plan and although the plan didn't turn out like she expected, she still created something fantastic. I think recipes are like that. A lot of times, what you may plan to make for dinner turns into something totally different when you realize you left something out or don't have all the needed ingrediants. That's what happened at the Perry Palace tonight.  I was planning on making an old standby, "Pepperoni Bread" only to discover I was running dangerously low on pepperoni. So I improvised !  I made half of the recipe with my traditional turkey pepperoni and shredded cheese and then the other half with deli sliced ham and swiss cheese. What resulted was a delicious revelation...the filling possibilities are now endless !  I had visions of spinach, chicken, and sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, sausage, artichokes, and oh wait a minute...I'm getting a LITTLE grandiose for my family...but YOU...YOU my friends could take this recipe and run with it !  Run, Run like the wind Bullseye!  Sorry, now I'm getting carried away.  Here is the recipe.  Feel free to alter, change, or copy as your little heart desires. 

Pepperoni Bread

2 1/2 cups flour (I used a mixture of all purpose white and wheat flour)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp yeast
1 TB olive oil
1 cup very warm water

Combine all the dry ingrediants in a bowl. Add the water and oil and mix. Turn onto floured surface and knead for about 1-2 minutes until it forms a firm but smooth ball of dough. Let rise in a warm place in a greased covered bowl for 20 minutes.
Place dough on greased cookie sheet and roll out into a rectangular shape filling the pan. Cover with pepperoni then cheese (or other topping of choice). Gently roll into a long tube pinching ends and seam to seal. Using a sharp knife, make 4 or 5 slits in the top. I sprayed the top of mine with olive oil spray and sometimes sprinkle with garlic powder or additional cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool a bit before slicing.  Can serve with hot marinara sauce for dipping.