Crushed Potatoes

I haven't been blogging much but I religiously keep up with my blog reading (thank you, Google Reader!). I bookmarked Crash-Hot Potatoes at the Technicolor Kitchen and was inspired to alter it slightly. Being in the mood for baked potatoes one particular night but only have small white potatoes, I combined Patricia's recipe and a stuffed baked potato.

Smiles and clean plates were plentiful that evening.

16 small potatoes (Yukon Gold are my preference, about 2" in diameter)
non-stick cooking spray
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1–1 1/2 cups shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tablespoons finely snipped chives

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add potatoes; boil for about 10-15 minutes, until soft yet firm.

Drain, and arrange on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Using the flat end of a meat mallet, squash each potato flat, until it is twice its original diameter. Drizzle the tops with olive oil, and scatter with salt and pepper. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes until crisp and golden brown.

Remove baking sheet from the oven and add approximately 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese to the top of each potato and give each mound of cheese a quick squirt of cooking spray (to aid in the melting if using fat-free cheese). Return to oven for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven.

Mix 1 tablespoon of the chives into the sour cream in a small bowl and dollop about 1 tablespoon of sour cream on top of each potato. Garnish with remaining chives.

Yields 8 servings.

WW info:
Click here

'Tater Skins

I am really looking forward to the Super Bowl this year for many reasons.

1. The New York Giants are in it! Go Giants! I hope they cream the Pats. I'm a New Yorker living in Massachusetts and I absolutely depise the New England Patriots.
2. We have a brand new 46" Sony LCD and we will be watching the game in HD.
3. Most of the yummy traditional football snacks I'm preparing are Weight Watchers Core-friendly!!!!! Which brings me to the point of this post....

So I don't remember the conversation my husband and I were having the other night, but in the middle of it, it all of a sudden occurred to me that I could make CORE potato skins and have no guilt about indulging in them!

8 baby white potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 Tbsp fresh chives
1 cup fat-free sour cream
4 strips lean Canadian bacon, fat trimmed
1 1/2 cups fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until soft in the middle, about 25 minutes. (You can also speed up this process by microwaving them at this step for 5 minutes). Stir 1 tablespoon of chives into sour cream and mix well; set aside.

Meanwhile, spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place trimmed bacon in skillet. Cook until brown on both sides and crispy, about 4 minutes each side. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel to absorb any residual grease. When cooled, chop into fine pieces. Set aside.

Slice potatoes in half and spray the skin sides of them with non-stick cooking spray and season generously with salt and pepper. Place potato halves back on baking sheet, skin side up, and cook for 10 minutes,

After 10 minutes, flip potato halves over and scoop out about 1/4 of each potato and discard. Distribute half the cheese over the tops of the potatoes. Layer the bacon evenly over this layer, followed by the remaining cheese. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chives over tops and lightly spray finished skins with cooking spray. Return to oven and bake until cheese has melted.

Serve with sour cream.

Yields 8 servings (2 halves each).

WW info:
core - included
flex - 1 point each

Roasted Potatoes with Yellow and Red Piperade

Piperade: A traditional Basque dish that is comprised of peppers, onions, and tomatoes in olive oil. (Thank you, Wiki!)

These potatoes involved a little more work and effort for roasted potatoes but the final dish is wonderful. All the flavors come together perfectly. I found the recipe in the Thanksgiving issue of Bon Appetit where it was shown as a potential Thanksgiving side dish. I personally don't know if these flavors would work alongside traditional Turkey Day fare, but I will definitely make it again. I did alter the recipe slightly and I think it came out wonderful.

non-stick cooking spray
1 large red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, and sliced into 1/4 strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, and sliced into 1/4 strips
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 Tbsp olive oil
coarse kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 large potatoes), sliced into thick
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 shallots, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a bowl, toss the bell pepper strips and red onion strips with the olive oil. Add to baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat salt and pepper evenly. Roast for 10 minutes. Add potatoes over the peppers and onion and spray generously with non-stick cooking spray. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and toss with peppers and onion. Return dish to oven and continue to roast until the potatoes are golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Toss parsley and shallots into potatoes and roast an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped basil immediately prior to serving.

Yields 4 servings.

Original recipe

WW info:
core - included
flex - 3 points

Latke vs. Latke

Some are fried; some are roasted .... can you tell which are which?

Latkes don't have to be unhealthy, you know. The ingredients aren't bad, its the frying that will do you in. I prepared the mixture (per weight watchers core so I could indulge myself as much as possible) but fried half and roasted half (again, so I could partake in the Hanukkah deliciousness without the fat and calories). The roasted ones were just OK. Nothing takes the place of a fried potato latke.

1 medium onion, grated
3 large all-purpose potatoes, grated
1/4 cup matzoh meal*
1/4 cup egg substitute
cooking spray

*If following WW Core, substitute matzoh meal with oats (quick or old-fashioned), ground in food processor to flour-like texture.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Grate onion and potatoes and squeeze as much moisture out of them as possible. Mix in a large bowl with ground oats and egg. Add more egg if the 1/4 cup doesn't seem to coat and bind the potatoes.

Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray and create 12 pancakes, each made up of 1/3 cup of the mixture. Spray tops of each pancake ightly with cooking spray and place sheets on center rack in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Yields 12 latkes.

WW info:
flex - 1 point per latke
core - all included (if oatmeal is used)

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes were just OK. I think they needed more liquid. They tasted great right out of the pot, but after sitting for about a half hour waiting for Thanksgiving dinner to be served, they got too dry. There's definite potential here, but it needs more liquid to get there.

10 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup fat-free half & half, warmed
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Drain.

Add potatoes back to pot and add warm half & half and butter and mash potatoes. Halfway through mashing, add cheese and continue to mash potatoes and stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

WW info:
2 points per serving.

Portobello Layered Mashed Potatoes

I adapted this from the recipe I found on Cooking Light and it was DELICIOUS. A great twist on mashed potatoes. I'd bet you can even skip the baking step and just stir the mushroom mixture into the mashed potatoes. Its a shame you can't see the layers of potatoes and mushrooms in my pic though.
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/3 cup half and half
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon light butter
1/4 cup fresh onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups finely chopped portobello mushroom caps
1 tablespoon dried basil, divided
non-stick cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon olive oil

Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until tender; drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add potatoes back to pot; mash. Add reserved cooking liquid, half and half, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper, and mix until well blended.

Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 2 minutes, without stirring. Cook until liquid almost evaporates (about 4 minutes), stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in half the basil.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Spread one-third of potato mixture in bottom of a 1.5-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Spread half of the mushroom mixture over potato mixture; repeat layers, ending with potato mixture. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese and basil; drizzle with oil. Bake for 25 minutes.

Yield 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

WW info:
flex: 3 points
core: 1 point

Turkey Burgers and Sweet Potato Chips

I love turkey burgers. And the best ones are homemade. And in my opinion (and a few other that have also told me so), I make the best turkey burger out there. The secret? Add enough stuff to the meat until it just doesn't smell like meat. Ha. I usually have at least a half dozen or so in the freezer ready to go when I just don't feel like cooking.

And my sweet potato chips.... I'm finally learning to eat hot orange food. I know that sounds wierd, but I've never been able to stomach things like pumpkin related items, anything sweet potato, cooked carrots, etc. But a coworker ordered some sweet potato fries from a take out place that we frequent, dn you know what? They weren't so bad. So I decided to try it out. I made chips, instead of fries, but its all the same in the end.

The Best Turkey Burger
1 egg white or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs*
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
20 ounces 93% lean ground turkey

*If you want to keep the burgers "core", then sub the breadcrumbs for oatmeal and add a dash of a few seasonings like onion powder and dried parsley.

Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Mix ground meat into egg mixture, just until mixed being careful not to overmix (or else you'll wind up with tough burgers).

Shape into 6 patties. Grill or freeze promptly.

WW info: 3 points per burger (does not include bun)

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Sweet Potato Chips
1 large sweet potato
olive oil non stick cooking spray
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel potato and slice thin (a mandolin is recommended). Toss in a bowl with seasonings and a few sprays of cooking spray. Lay flat on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Flip chips and continue to bake until crispy (about 10 minutes). Length of time for baking will vary depending on how thin your potato is sliced.

Yields 2 servings.

WW info:
1 point per serving (based on 4 oz of potato)

Steak Frites

Check out my sexy grill marks!

I looked online for a recipe for the "frites" part of Steak Frites and came up with nothing. In the end, I gave up and just made something up. They came out great. And I mixed Yukon Golds and sweet potatoes for fun and for color. You can prepare the steaks anyway you like. Just time it so that they finish at the same time the fries do!

2 large Yukon Gold potatoes
1 medium sweet potato
olive oil
salt, pepper, old bay seasoning, garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel potatoes and slice into fries, about 1/4" square. Toss in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat. Toss in salt and pepper.

Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Lay fries flat on a baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic powder and old bay seasoning. Flip and season other side. Place sheet on top rack of oven and cook for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.


WW info:
CORE - all included! (depending on your marinade for your steaks)
FLEX - varies depending on size of steak and marinade. frites are about 4-5 points