Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs

Need new something to do with your regular mashed potatoes? These potatoes are relatively easy and add great flavor! You can also make them ahead and throw them in the oven right before you are ready to eat! My husband looked at the potatoes and said, "Those look good but i know i am not going to like them!" Great, i though to myself... here we go again (he is a hard person to please when it comes to food!). But surprise, surprise... he loved them!!

Yummy!

Peel and and cut potatoes into about 1-inch pieces.


Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until they are very tender, about 15 minutes.



Drain; return the potatoes to the same pot and mash well.

Mix in the milk and butter.



Mix in the mozzarella and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.



Coat a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter. Transfer the potatoes to the dish.


If you do not have bread crumbs on hand, go ahead and make your own. Just throw a piece of bread in a mini chopper or food processor and there you have it!!

Easy as pie!!!

In a small bowl, stir the bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan.

Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mashed potatoes. Great thing is the recipe can be prepared up to this point hours ahead of time; cover and chill. Or bake, uncovered, until the topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Ready to eat... Potatoes were delicious and went great with a grilled steak!!!

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe adapted from Giada De Lauretiis

Stracciatella Semifreddo

I don't know how to pronounce it but i do know how to eat it!!! And it was nummy!!! A great dessert for summer... cold, creamy, nutty and just the right amount of chocolate! This dessert requires lots of freezer time so plan ahead.... another thing learned from experience!

It melts really fast so it must be ready to eat when served!

Start off by toasting Hazelnuts in the oven... i had a hard time finding hazelnuts and once i did they had the "skins" on them but after toasting they came right off! (Don't mind the very ugly looking pan.... it has definately seen better days!!!)

Next grease the inside of a bread pan and then cut parchment paper in strips to fit the pan. The parchment paper overlaps and makes taking the dessert out of the pan a breeze.. see pics at the end.


In food processor combine biscotti and toasted hazelnuts... love the food processor, it makes life so much easier!!

Add melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are moistened.

Using a spatula, press the crumb mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.

Now it is time to start the filling. Separate 8 eggs yolks.

Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and salt until smooth.

Transfer mixture to a glass bowl and place over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk until the egg mixture is pale, thick and creamy and a thermometer reads 160°, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Put the bowl into a larger bowl of iced water to cool completely.

In another medium bowl, beat the cream until thick. Add sugar and beat until the cream holds stiff peaks.

Mix 1/4 of the cream into the cooled custard. Using a spatula, gently fold the remaining cream into the custard.

Drop spoonfuls of the Nutella over the custard mixture and gently fold until just incorporated but still chunky. Spoon the mixture onto the prepared crust.

Fold the overhanging parchment paper over the custard and freeze at least 8 hours or up to 3 days.

When ready to serve, just pull back the sides of the parchment paper....

Use the "tabs" on the ends as handles and the dessert should come right up out of the pan. Peel the parchment paper off of the dessert.

The beautiful dessert....

Cut into slices and serve!!

Printable Recipe

Grilled Pork and Fontina Sandwiches

This sandwich is one of the best I've ever tasted-so fresh and delicious!

Plus it's on Ciabatta whats better than that;)

This is a Giada recipe that I modified a little I'll give both options in the recipe.

2 8 oz. 1 in. thick boneless pork loin chops

*I used a pork roast that I sliced and grilled*

Olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

2 t. herbs de Provence

1/2 c. mayo

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil leaves

2 t. lemon zest

1 t. lemon juice

1 loaf of ciabatta or rustic bread, ends trimmed cut in 1/2 horizontally

*I sliced mine to make individual sandwiches*

4 romaine lettuce leaves, halved lengthwise

4 oz. fontina cheese, cut into slices

Preheat grill-you could use a grill pan. Drizzle pork with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle both sides with the herbs de Provence and grill for 10 mins. Turn chops over and cook until instant read thermometer inserted registers 160* F. Transfer the chops to the cutting board and let them rest for 10 mins. Slice each chop into 6 {1/4 in thick} slices.

In a small bowl, combine the mayo, basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To assemble: lay bottom half of bread down on work surface and spread with mayo mixture. Add lettuce leaves, arrange cheese slices, and top with pork slices. Spread the top half with more mayo mixture and cover sandwiches. Slice into 4 pieces and serve.

I sliced my bread and assembled each one individually and it made like 12 sandwiches instead of four. I did use a little more pork than she did though.

This is a must try recipe-it was so easy and delish!!

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe