Reference: Baked Potato, Bacon in the Oven

How wonderful is it that russet potatoes can be cooked at different temperatures?

Baked Potato Chart
Source: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/PotatoBaking.htm

Scrub em, fork em, roll em in salt, drop em directly on the rack.
Rub with Olive Oil for a soft skin.
Wrap them in Foil to steam em, (soft skin)

Conventional or Regular Oven:
(about 5 ounces or 150 grams each)

45 minutes at 400 degrees F.
60 minutes at 350 degrees F.
90 minutes at 325 degrees F.

Bacon

Sources: 

http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/breakfastcookery/ht/bacon.htm

http://www.marthastewart.com/264476/less-mess-bacon

Line Baking sheet with foil or parchment

Don't Pre-heat if you can  

400 degrees 17-20 minutes / 15-18 pre-heated

Hamster Pie or Lester's Ham Pie

This is a work in progress, an inspiration at this point

Shepherd's Pie with Ham

1 16 oz. Ham Steak
2 C mashed potatoes
8 oz Mushrooms + 1/2 bag peas (optional)
4 oz or 1/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar?)
1 Med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Pepper (paprika)
6 TBS sour cream
1-2  TBS butter
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1 tsp stone ground mustard
Pepper to taste
(thyme?)

preheat ove to 325

Saute the onions in butter 1-2 min
add mushrooms 1-2 min
add garlic 1 min
add ham 3-5 min
In a bowl whisk sour cream and mustard together (worcestershire?)
add sour cream sauce to veg and heat 5 minutes until bubbly
pour into baking dish
cover with mashed potatoes
sprinkle grated cheese over mash
bake 30 min at 325 until cheese is melted
serve with side of vegetables.

Beefaroni or Beef a roni

I gave the boys (young men) three dinner options tonight, based on what I bought. They have to cook it. I thought I had published the beefaroni recipe, but maybe it is hiding in the draft folder which I cannot find. Meatloaf and Cajun Jambalaya are published. I like giving them level challenges., just like video games.

Tonights Dinner Options are:

1) Meatloaf (moderate)  2) Beefaroni (easy)  3) Cajun Dirty Jambalaya with chicken (expert:  ambitious level)

There is a 2+ LB package of Beef, a 1 LB package of Veal and a 1 LB package of pork  divide the beef in half.  

Meatloaf gets 1 LB of each, Beefaroni gets 1 LB of Beef.

You must also have a vegetable and a starch.  There is broccoli in the fridge that needs to be cooked (steamed) or frozen beans / peas.

The Russet Potatoes are for baking.  Scrub them and put them in the oven on the rack, no dish needed, while the meatloaf cooks.  Check doneness by forking them after 40 minutes.

Or you can up the level up the meatloaf by adding home-made mashed potatoes using the red potatoes.

Beefaroni (easy level)

1 LB Ground Beef (½ the package)

1 + Cup grated Cheese (Mozzeralla or cheddar) - cheeses are labeled - please grate fresh cheese we need to use these up.

1 LB / 16 OZ Pasta Shells/ Elbows

1 Jar 24 Oz Pasta Sauce + 1 splash red wine to rinse jar.

1 diced medium onion

2 sliced garlic cloves

1 TBS italian seasoning (optional)

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp salt

2-3 TBS olive oil

Preheat oven to 325

Boil 1 box 16 oz = 1 LB pasta to al dente - it will cook more in the oven so cook shortest time.

Brown 1 LB beef in a skillet over medium/low heat with onion, garlic cloves, pepper + salt 1 italian seasoning (optional)

Once browned, add 1 jar of  pasta sauce to skillet.

Drain the pasta coat lightly with olive oil and pour into a 9x13 pyrex baking dish (the blue dish is 9x13)

Pour the meat sauce combo over the pasta and mix in.

Top with a layer of grated cheese.

Cover the casserole with tin foil.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil after 30 minutes.

Calendar Ideas: 12 recipes I love

The House Special
Beefaroni
Shepheard's Pie
Crab Bacon and Cheddar Dip "Sex on a cracker"
Tuna Casserole
Meatloaf
German Potato Salad
Cajun Jambalaya
  Cajun Seasoning Blend
Red Beans and Rice
Peg's Moms Chicken
Ten Minute Mushrooms
Zesty Carrots
Mushroom Soup
Beef Barley Soup
Roasted Pepper Soup
Hummus (original Syrian mix)
Crab Cake
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Red Cabbage with Bacon (Rot Kohl)
Summer Squash Planked
Brined Turkey
Herbed Mustard Pork Tenderloin
Goulash
Swedish Meatballs (Kotbuller)
The Bloody Mary
The Meatloaf Burger
Stock: Chicken, Lamb, Lobster
Crockpot Pork Loin

Shepherd's Pie 2014 St Patty's with Lamb

Shepherds to not shepherd cattle. They herd sheep...  Also, I prefer a meat based gravy to the tomato based sauce.  In a hurry, I'll use jarred gravy, rather than tomato paste / sauce.
It makes for a totally different flavor.

2 Lbs Lamb
1 + 1/2 chopped onion (about 1+ cup)
1/2 Lb Carrots sliced thin (about 1 c. chopped)
1/2 Lb Frozen Peas  (about 1 c. chopped)
4 cloves of garlic
1 C Beef broth (I could not find my frozen lamb stock, I must have used it all.)
2 TBS Worcestershire
1 TBS oil.
1 -2 TBS flour
1/2-1 tsp salt, 1/2-1 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp thyme

5 Lbs Potatoes (Only used about three, but leftover mashed, mmm)

1 C Half and Half or Milk

1/4 C Sour Cream

1 Stick of Sweet Butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C grated Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400

Peel and chop the potatoes into 1/2-1" cubes.  Boil in salted water.

Brown the lamb in oil, adding all the spices including Worcestershire sauce.
Remove lamb from pan with a slotted spoon when browned.
Saute the onion and carrots 3 minutes in the leftover juices/oils. Add the garlic, 1 minute more.
Add back the meat, sprinkle in the flour, coating the meat, cooking it and thickening the sause
Add beef broth (use the leftover potato water to make a thicker beef broth from base.)
Simmer until sauce thickens.

Mash the potatoes adding salt, butter, half and half, sour cream, until smooth and creamy.

Place meat filling in casserole.
spread the potatoes over the meat filling
sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake 20-25 until browned.

Egg Noodle Basic / Experiment

Trying to incorporate some semolina flour into a basic egg noodle recipe

1.5 C All purpose flour
0.5 C Semolina flour
4 XL Eggs
2 T Unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Bouquet Garni (or other herbs of your liking)
  Pasta does not have to be boring

Kneed it, rest it for 30 min +
Roll it, cut it, dry it.

2 Eggs per 1 C flour + Add 1/2 C milk to make dumplings or spaetzle.