Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:
7 medium sized or 4 large russet potatoes
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
4 slices of bacon
salt
pepper
garlic powder
parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wrap each potato in aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes or until tender.  While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon on a sheet pan for 8 minutes in the oven or until crispy.  Drain the fat and pat with paper towels.  Then chop up into tiny pieces.  Place in a large bowl with the sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese.  Mix together and set aside.

Once the potatoes are out of the oven, allow them to cool until they can be handled.  Slice each in half and scoop out the middle into the mixture in the bowl leaving a 1/2 inch of the potato flesh inside the skin.  Place the empty skins on a baking sheet and sprinkle the inside with a little salt.  Using a fork, mash the potato with the sour cream and cheese mixture and stir together.  Fill each potato with the mixture and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.  Bake in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Serve and enjoy!

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The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Soup

Potato and Leek Soup
Rose and Crown Pub
Disney World's Epcot United Kingdom Pavilion
Orlando, FL

Now you are probably wondering why I would order hot soup in the heat of Florida, but honestly this soup is good enough to be eaten on the hottest days of the year.  Now I am not sure how authentically English this soup is, but every person in the restaurant is from the United Kingdom and works in Disney for one year.  I have a feeling they wouldn't want to serve me a phony English soup.  But authentic or not, it is delicious.  I ordered a cup because I was getting an entree also, but if you are really hungry order a bowl.  Or just order a bowl anyway cause this soup is just that good.  Leeks are almost like a mildier onion and they really are all over this soup.  The soup itself has a very strong leeky flavor which perfectly goes with the creamy texture of the pureed potatoes.  The texture is just completely silky.  There are absolutely no lumps in this soup.  Not only do you get the leek flavor in the soup, but then on top they put a leek oil which adds flavor and a beautiful color.  Then they top it with fried leeks for texture.  When you dig down into that soup and break apart those crispy leeks in the creamy soup you are just in heaven.  Then on the side they give you two rolls and butter.  For me, I ditch the butter and just start digging in.  I think the rolls were made to dig in cause they absorb the soup so well yet still maintain a crispy texture on the outside.  This soup really is the best soup I ever ate.

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Potatoes Au Gratin

My recipe for potatoes au gratin is very similar to my macaroni and cheese recipe except for a few extra additions here and there.  It is very simple and a delicious side dish with any meal.  Hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons oil or butter
2 tablespoons of flour
2 cups of milk
2 cups of sharp Cheddar cheese
5 russet potatoes
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil in a medisum saucepan on medium heat.  Slice bacon into strips and put into hot pan.  Slice onion into thin slices and chop the garlic.  Add both of these to the oil with the bacon.  Once the bacon has become brown and the onions are translucent (about 5-10 minutes) add the flour and stir.  A paste should form.  Continue to cook this for 1 to 2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste out.  Lower the heat to low and slowly add in the 2 cups of milk while whisking.  Once all has been added continue to whisk until the paste and the milk have become one.  At this point you can turn the heat up to medium high and allow the sauce to thicken for about 10 minutes.  Stir often so that no lumps form.

While sauce is thickening prep the potatoes.  Peel each potatoe and slice very thin, like 1/8 -1/4 of an inch thick.  You can use a mandoline but I find a knife works just as well. 

Once sauce has thickened add the cheese and stir.  Once cheese has melted add the parsley, salt and pepper. 

Cover the bottom of a 13 x 9 greased baking dish with a few tablespoons of sauce.  Then layer the thinly sliced potatoes in one single layer, slightly overlapping.  After each layer of potatoes add enough sauce to cover the potatoes and continue to work up until all of the potatoes and sauce have been used.  Add extra cheese on top.

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.  Enjoy!

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