Nana's Creamed Potatoes (Update)

That's right! Updated with better photos and easier to follow instructions!

When I first posted this recipe I was quite new to blogging. My photography skills have since improved and to be totally honest I've kind of perfected this recipe. I still think this is one of those dishes where you're better off going by feel and taste than following a recipe, but I've tried my best to get some more accurate measurements for you.

Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

Years ago my Grandmother used to make sweet potato pudding that was like heaven on a plate and even though I have her recipe (in her handwriting) I can't make it like she did. Either the recipe is wrong or the directions are wrong or I'm not reading it right. I'm not sure what the problem is but mine always turns out soupy. I've tried everything from adding extra eggs to doubling the cooking time and it's still just not good. Even Admiral (who has probably made it dozens of times) can't get it to come out right.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana (copycat)

When Aaron and I first met we ate out often. We frequented Applebee's, Chili's, Ruby Tuesday's, and one of my favorites, Olive Garden. Aaron's order was predictable. Almost everywhere we went he ordered chicken tenders and fries, but at Olive Garden that was not an option. He doesn't like salad (or anything in it except for croutons) and he's not a fan of minestrone or pasta y fagioli, but one night he tried their other soup (I know they have chicken gnocchi soup now but at the time they did not), the Zuppa Toscana.

Yaya's Herb Roasted Potatoes

Aaron loves potatoes. He likes mashed potatoes, hash browns, french fries, you name it. I think he would be happy with a meal of just potatoes. We could have loaded potato casserole with french fries and mashed potatoes on the side and he would be in potato heaven.

Crock Pot Potato, Barley, and Canadian Bacon Soup

Two recipes from Iowa Girl Eats in two week? Yes, I think that is a very good idea! Oh man, she just can't go wrong. Every recipe on her blog is amazing, and I've tried quite a few of them.

I actually came across this soup when looking for healthier new recipes for January. I kept looking through Pinterest, but all I had pinned were high fat recipes. Most of them were for fried foods or were smothered in cheese or cream sauces. Don't get me wrong, those sound like fabulous meals, just not exactly what I'm looking for right now.

Ranch Mashed Potatoes

Back before Bailey was born, when Aaron and I lived in an apartment and ate mostly fast food because it was just easier to pick it up on our way home from work than to actually take the time to go grocery shopping and cook dinner after work, one of the few things that Aaron actually wanted to eat at home was (of course) macaroni and cheese.  Now, everybody has those weird food combinations that they like.  Mine is Wendy's french fries and a frosty.  I like to dip my fries in the frosty.  My brother used to (not sure if he still does) like Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls with nacho cheese.  Pregnant women are notorious for wanting strange things like pickles and ice cream.  Aaron's strange combination is ranch flavored Wavy Lays chips and macaroni and cheese.  He likes to use the chips as a scoop for the macaroni and cheese.

Twice Baked Potatoes

I may have mentioned this before, but a month or so ago I made twice baked potatoes for the first time in six years.  They came out so perfect that I almost forgot why I had ever stopped making them in the first place.  Then I saw Aaron's plate after dinner and realized why... He only eats the inside and throws out that wonderfully crispy, salty skin!  No matter though because I don't mind to eat his shell with a tiny bit of cheese melted into it for lunch tomorrow so I tossed it in a container and put it in the fridge.

Chicken and Potato Burritos

I love my Mom's cooking.  Like I've said before, she has a certain throw-things-together-and-see-how-they-taste style of cooking.  Most of our favorite original recipes started out as one thing and evolved into something else.  The chicken veggie spaghetti pie started out as spaghetti pie with meat sauce and somehow got mixed with spicy chicken vegetable soup.

Cheesy Chicken Baked Potatoes

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Today has been just plain ugly.  It rained almost all day.  It was even sprinkling when we stepped outside to watch our neighbors' fireworks.  That's probably okay since they scared the living daylights out of Bailey.  She was so conflicted, wanting to watch the pretty part but wanting to hide from the sound.

Since the forecast for the day was like 90% rain all day we decided not to do a cookout.  I was fine with that decision being that I would have ended up standing in front of the hot grill either in the rain or in the 90 degree heat.  The only problem was that I didn't know what to make for dinner.  I didn't buy anything to cook tonight and I don't generally keep extras of anything around.  I did happen to have 2 extra chicken breasts for the week, the boxed macaroni and cheese that I keep stocked in the cabinet, half a crown of broccoli from last week that was still good, and some extra potatoes.  I chose to make something new since technically it is new recipe night, and I have been on a baked potato kick for the last few weeks.

I used to order a spud at McAlister's Deli that had deli ham and turkey, cheese, and black olives.  There was another one I used to get that was topped with grilled chicken and mozzarella.  I made a sort of cross of the two.  I used baked chicken, black olives, butter, and shredded colby jack cheese.  It was a delicious combination and a very satisfying meal.  I don't think Aaron was quite as excited about it as I was, but he'll get over it when I make the spaghetti and meatballs tomorrow night.

Creamy, Cheesy Potatoes

Sometimes I find a recipe that seems just too good to be true.  This is one of those recipes.  It's only 3 ingredients!  Despite the excessive amount of time it takes to bake, it is absolutely delicious.

One Christmas my Aunt Chuck came to visit and made these amazing potatoes.  They were sliced thin and layered in a baking dish with sharp cheddar cheese, blue cheese, and cream, then baked in the oven until the potatoes were tender and the cheese and cream had turned into a wonderful melty, crunchy...

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

I know, I know... another casserole.  Another potato casserole at that.  I'm sorry, but I can't help falling for those potatoes every time I see a recipe.

I was skeptical about this recipe.  Like the Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake from last month, it's made with hot sauce which gives it a buffalo flavor.  I probably mentioned this before, but buffalo sauce turns my stomach ever since I was pregnant with Bailey.

Cheesy Potato and Smoked Sausage Casserole

Well, we have discovered yet another food that Aaron does not like: smoked sausage.  As disappointed as I am, I have come to a point where I just don't think I need to cook around his tastes quite so much.  So what if he doesn't like smoked sausage.  Bailey does.  I think from now on I'll cook around her tastes more than his.

Taco Tater Tot Bake

Tonight's dinner certainly wasn't pretty, but it was packed with flavor!  I love anything "Mexican" even though most of what we Americans call Mexican is really Tex-Mex.  I like foods with taco seasoning and green chiles.  I adore beans and corn, enchilada sauce, and who doesn't like cheese?  So when you put all of that over delicious tater tots it creates a wonderful mixture of delicious flavors.

Breakfast burritos

I try to keep a variety of foods in our breakfast menu because it seems like Bailey gets tired of things quickly.  I can only feed her Cheerios and bananas and yogurt so many days before she flat out refuses to eat it anymore.  So today I tried out an easy new (to her) meal.

Crock pot Italian chicken and vegetables

I think my family may have discovered a wonderful new idea.  Tuesday night for dinner at Yaya's house we had a leftover swap.  My brother brought leftover pizza, I brought Spicy Sausage Pasta Skillet, and Yaya had a to-go box full of delicious Mexican food.  My brother and I shared Yaya's leftovers and Yaya ate mine.  Bailey had the pizza.  It was a brilliant plan.  We all got rid of our leftovers and got to eat something new.  Bailey particularly enjoyed the meaty pizza.  She's used to having veggie loaded Calzones instead.

Nana's creamed potatoes

A little less than a year ago my cousin had a handsome little baby boy.  He was premature and spent about 12 weeks in the hospital.  When J and her husband finally got to bring their little bundle home everyone pitched in and brought over dinner for a couple of weeks to help out.

Sausage and veggie pasta casserole

The way my mom cooks is... interesting.  She pretty much makes up recipes off the top of her head.  She rarely follows a written recipe, and when she does it's more to know what is in the recipe rather than how much.  She measures spices by sight, smell, feel, or taste.  She rarely salts anything as she cooks.  On multiple occasions I have seen her make a box of brownie mix and not measure water or oil.  (I've also seen that fail as many times as it works.)

Breakfast casserole

This has been a tremendously long Saturday.  I barely got any rest Friday night and had to be up super early today, but I did accomplish a great deal today.  This morning I worked for actual pay!   I only get to work one Saturday every other month.  The only problem is that I have to drop Bailey at my Nana's at 7:00 am in order to get to work on time.