An Apple and a Potato Walked into a Casserole...
The potato said to the apple, "My, you look so red." The apple replied, "I know. I'm delicious."
Sorry, I have a bad case of the corny jokes. I don't know about for you, but my 2011 has started off on a pretty good foot so far (knock on virtual wood). My waist looks a little trimmer (despite all the leftover chocolate truffles), my smile is a little wider (probably because all of the leftover chocolate truffles), and my optimism has been renewed. It is different for every person, but for the optimistic ones, each year is a new start. Anything can happen. This year I made a couple resolutions:
1. Take the stairs to and from lunch (it's only 3 flights, but every bit counts)
2. Practice. Practice. Practice. This is referring to gluten-free baking. If I ever want to have a bakery someday, I need to know how to make GF baked goods in my sleep... In high altitude... Backwards... With my hands tied behind my back...
3. Consciously have more gratitude. Sometimes when we have a problem or there's a hiccup in our plan, we get so wrapped up in it that we forget about all that we do have. I'm not saying that I was an ungrateful little brat last year, but I know that I can always use more gratitude. When the blizzard hit after Christmas here in NY, I was pissed off that the trains weren't running, that the snow wasn't plowed, that the trash hadn't been picked up. But what I should have been thinking was, "Thank goodness that I was able to fly home safely. Thank goodness that I have a heated apartment and an understanding employer."
In this spirit of renewal and possibilities, I am off yet again to a solid start with cooking. I have made 3 dinners already this week! (You might recall, but I was lucky if I made one per week in November and December) This last dinner centered around 2 of the few things I could find at the farmer's market: apples and potatoes. To celebrate their glory, I prepared an Apple and Potato Grain, creamy, earthy and slightly sweet. Served with simple steamed broccolini, the meal was delicious. Honestly, we couldn't stop eating it. I actually cheered (out loud) because I had leftovers to have the next night. It does take a little while to bake, but it is worth it.
Apple and Potato Gratin: Yields 4-6 Servings
2 T butter
1 large leek, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced into thin half-moons
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 T chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, thinly sliced
3 McIntosh apples, cored and thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg
pinch of nutmeg
1. Heat oven to 400. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch casserole dish.
2. In a small saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and sweat until translucent. Stir in sage.
3. Place one layer of potatoes in the prepared pan, over-lapping edges. Top with one third of the leek mixture; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer apples on top of leeks (slices from 1 apple). Continue layering ending with a layer of potatoes. There should be 4 potato layers and 3 apple layers.
4. Whisk together milk, cream, egg and nutmeg. Pour over gratin. Sprinkle top with salt and pepper.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil for the last 20 minutes of baking time. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
This one takes some time, but is totally worth the effort. Hope you enjoy it! I am making yet another dinner tonight. It's a little Mexican-inspired meal (Quesadillas!!). I am also planning an afternoon of baking for Saturday, complete with cookies AND cinnamon rolls. Oh yeah. Stay tuned for sweet inspiration.
Sorry, I have a bad case of the corny jokes. I don't know about for you, but my 2011 has started off on a pretty good foot so far (knock on virtual wood). My waist looks a little trimmer (despite all the leftover chocolate truffles), my smile is a little wider (probably because all of the leftover chocolate truffles), and my optimism has been renewed. It is different for every person, but for the optimistic ones, each year is a new start. Anything can happen. This year I made a couple resolutions:
1. Take the stairs to and from lunch (it's only 3 flights, but every bit counts)
2. Practice. Practice. Practice. This is referring to gluten-free baking. If I ever want to have a bakery someday, I need to know how to make GF baked goods in my sleep... In high altitude... Backwards... With my hands tied behind my back...
3. Consciously have more gratitude. Sometimes when we have a problem or there's a hiccup in our plan, we get so wrapped up in it that we forget about all that we do have. I'm not saying that I was an ungrateful little brat last year, but I know that I can always use more gratitude. When the blizzard hit after Christmas here in NY, I was pissed off that the trains weren't running, that the snow wasn't plowed, that the trash hadn't been picked up. But what I should have been thinking was, "Thank goodness that I was able to fly home safely. Thank goodness that I have a heated apartment and an understanding employer."
In this spirit of renewal and possibilities, I am off yet again to a solid start with cooking. I have made 3 dinners already this week! (You might recall, but I was lucky if I made one per week in November and December) This last dinner centered around 2 of the few things I could find at the farmer's market: apples and potatoes. To celebrate their glory, I prepared an Apple and Potato Grain, creamy, earthy and slightly sweet. Served with simple steamed broccolini, the meal was delicious. Honestly, we couldn't stop eating it. I actually cheered (out loud) because I had leftovers to have the next night. It does take a little while to bake, but it is worth it.
Apple and Potato Gratin: Yields 4-6 Servings
2 T butter
1 large leek, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced into thin half-moons
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 T chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, thinly sliced
3 McIntosh apples, cored and thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg
pinch of nutmeg
1. Heat oven to 400. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch casserole dish.
2. In a small saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and sweat until translucent. Stir in sage.
3. Place one layer of potatoes in the prepared pan, over-lapping edges. Top with one third of the leek mixture; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer apples on top of leeks (slices from 1 apple). Continue layering ending with a layer of potatoes. There should be 4 potato layers and 3 apple layers.
4. Whisk together milk, cream, egg and nutmeg. Pour over gratin. Sprinkle top with salt and pepper.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil for the last 20 minutes of baking time. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
This one takes some time, but is totally worth the effort. Hope you enjoy it! I am making yet another dinner tonight. It's a little Mexican-inspired meal (Quesadillas!!). I am also planning an afternoon of baking for Saturday, complete with cookies AND cinnamon rolls. Oh yeah. Stay tuned for sweet inspiration.
Comments
Post a Comment