Rutabaga: Swedes and Tatties Smash

 My better half has been diagnosed pre-diabetic.  Time for a lot of menu changes.  Out with the starch in with the veggies. I've been working on this for years... But I love potatoes, pasta and corn.   Rice, meh.

In the UK Rutabagas are also called Swedish Turnips or Swedes.  I have no idea where I read that but I love Rutabagas and all things Brassica.  I think Rutabagas are related to cauliflower and mustard, and those are genus Brassica.  I could look that up and be correct but the stream of conciousness is flowing freely now.

I think potatoes are Tatties.  Hence Swedes and Tatties. Basically a lower carb replacement for Mashed Potatoes.

4 LB Rutabaga 1/4" dice
1 LB Potato 1/2" dice
1 Large carrot chopped
1/2 onion diced
4-6 cloves of garlic, smashed.

Boil all of the above until fork tender, drain. reserve some water if needed to thin the smash. using a hand masher or imersion blender smash to desired consistency. 

1/4 cup  butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Good Cheddar (grate yourself for better flavor)  
    Adams Reserve, Cabot Reserve, Cathedral City, Dubliner
1-2 tsp herbs du provence
1-2 tsp salt to taste
1 - 3 tsp garlic to taste
1/2 - 1 tsp ground pepper to taste

Blend all of the above into the smash, increase ingredients to taste. 

I didn't say it was healthy, just lower in carbs 

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.

Stroganoff from Scratch

1 C Sour Cream
1 C Beef Broth - I used "Better than Broth"
1/2 C Mushrooms (3-4 LG) chopped into grape sized pieces
1 Sm Onion (3/4 C) finely chopped
1/4 C Dry Red Wine
2 Tbs Butter
1/2-3/4 TBS Paprika
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp ground pepper
Pan Drippings - scrape the drippings from the bottom of the baking pan, after cooking two batches of Swedish meatballs - much crispier after the second baking...

Sautee onions and mushrooms in butter until softened.
stir in pan drippings
add spices
add broth and wine, bring to a boil for about a minute.
lower heat to low and stir in sour cream
heat through and serve with Swedish meatballs

A variation I did not try called for adding 2 Tbs mustard, to be served over a pork cutlet.

Stroganoff - Easy

abt 1 lb Leftover meat or Meatballs or Swedish Meatballs or
brown 1 lb ground beef or stew meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can beef broth
1 jar of mushrooms (try fresh - sautee with with onions and garlic)
1/2 cup dry red wine (Substitute 3 oz dry sherry & 1 oz. Shiraz)
1 lb uncooked egg noodles
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 - 1 onion (try with pearl onions)
2 garlic cloves sliced
2 TBS butter or Olive oil
2 TBS paprika (to taste)
1 Tsp Nutmeg
Ground Pepper to taste
Pinch - 1 Tsp Corn Starch to thicken
optional - 10 oz bag frozen peas

In a 2 Qt pot saute onions and garlic
cook noodles per instrux.
when tender add soup, wine, spices
Bring to boil, then simmer and add meat
Heat over medium 10-15 minutes, add cornstarch to thicken
optional Stir in peas
Stir in Sour cream
heat through


I found this through Wikipedia:

http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodmeats.html#beefstroganoff