What's On the Side: Potatoes Anna

Potatoes Anna is a classic French dish composed of thinly sliced potatoes cooked in beaucoup de melted butter. Not surprisingly, it is delicious.

I had plans to make salmon for dinner the other night, and wanted to make some sort of potato dish on the side. I tend to make mashed potatoes, but was looking to try something new. The major selling point of this recipe from Martha Stewart is that it can be made up to 8 hours in advance and reheated just before serving. This meant I could take one item off my to-do list when it came time to cook dinner that night.

Though the presentation is quite elegant, the recipe itself is rather simple. All it takes is a couple of sliced potatoes, some melted butter, a little seasoning, and voilà--you have a stunning dish for your dinner table.

Potatoes Anna (printer-friendly version)
makes 2-4 servings

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

coarse sea salt
freshly ground pepper
herbes de Provence

fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Using the slicing blade on your food processor or a very sharp knife, slice the potatoes about 1/4-inch thick.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of melted butter to a 8-inch cast iron skillet and brush to cover the bottom.
3. Beginning in the center of the skillet, arrange the potato slices in a circular pattern to cover the bottom of the skillet. The slices should overlap slightly. Brush with melted butter, season generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with a small pinch of herbes de Provence. Repeat for at least two more layers.
4. Place the skillet over high heat and cook until the butter begins to sizzle, about 1-3 minutes.
5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the potatoes are fork-tender. This should take about 60 minutes, but check after 45. Remove from the oven.
6. Serve in the skillet, or use a large spatula to loosen the potatoes from the skillet, then flip onto a serving plate. Garnish with fresh thyme before serving.
7. Alternately, potatoes can be made in advance, allowed to cool, then covered with aluminum foil and refrigerated. To serve, reheat in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.

(adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe)

What's For Brunch: Blueberry Baked French Toast

This blueberry baked French toast is decadent, delicious, and a perfect match for brunch-time mimosas.

Although I can't quite relate to the Hamptons lifestyle, there's something about Ina Garten that I just love. Perhaps it's her down-to-Earthness or her simple-to-follow recipes ("What's not to love?"), but whatever it is, if Ina is making it, I want to try it.

And so it goes with this recipe for baked French toast that was featured recently on one of her shows. Dustin's parents were in town for the Easter holiday, making it the perfect time to try out a recipe that feeds a crowd. And let me tell you, this baked French toast did not disappoint.

It has 10 eggs – yes, 10 whole eggs, by god! And this recipe also calls for a mixture of heavy cream and milk (although you could sub in all half-n-half, as Ina uses). So, yeah, this recipe definitely doesn't scream "health food," but it does scream "delicious."

Everything comes together in the blink of an eye the night before, so all you have to do is pop it in the oven in the morning. (Just remember it takes about an hour to cook, so roll out of bed, pop it in the oven, set the timer, and then roll back into bed if you'd like!)

The custard is delightfully decadent, the blueberries add a burst of fresh flavor, and you can never go wrong with a little powdered sugar on top. And don't forget a drizzle of maple syrup on top! Ha, who am I kidding ... drench it in the good stuff!

Blueberry Baked French Toast 
makes 6-8 servings

unsalted butter, at room temperature
10 cups (1-inch-diced) day-old challah bread
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
10 eggs
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for topping
powdered sugar, for serving
pure maple syrup, for serving

1. Grease a 9" x 13" x 2" baking dish with the unsalted butter. Place 5 cups of diced bread into the baking dish in an even layer. Top with an even layer of the blueberries. Top with the remaining diced bread.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, orange zest, and salt.
3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread layers. Lightly press down the bread cubes to ensure they are evenly moistened. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes. Check to see if the top is becoming too browned; if so, lightly cover with foil. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the custard is set and the fruit is bubbling.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm with pure maple syrup.

(adapted from this Ina Garten recipe)

What's For Lunch: Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Lunch is ready in a jiffy when you have this delicious quinoa black bean salad waiting for you in the fridge. 

The great thing about making a big batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week is that you can customize it all week long. This recipe uses three cups of cooked quinoa, but you could easily change the proportions to match however much quinoa you have on hand.

Quinoa black bean salad makes a great side for tacos, burgers, or barbecued chicken. And I find that it's also perfectly filling on its own for lunch. Having it ready to go in the fridge is perfect for those days when my lunch break is virtually nonexistent and I barely have time to get up from my office chair, let alone throw together something healthy for lunch.

This salad is fresh, zesty, and ready to eat when you are. I prefer it cold from the fridge, though it also tastes great at room temperature, making it perfect to bring along to your next picnic or potluck.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced sweet pepper
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes (seeds removed)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 teaspoons fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

1. Add the cooked quinoa to a large serving bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the red onion and sweet pepper and saute until softened, 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the cooked onion and sweet pepper to the quinoa and stir to combine. Then stir in the black beans, chopped tomatoes, cumin, and taco seasoning. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and stir to combine.
4. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish each serving with freshly chopped cilantro, if desired.

What's For Dessert: Vanilla Bean No-Bake Cheesecake Parfaits

No need to turn on the oven to make these simple–but delicious–vanilla bean no-bake cheesecake parfaits.

Happy Fourth of July! I've been on a bit of a berry kick lately, and currently have a fridge full of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. I might need an intervention.

And while I've been eating most of these berries in one of my daily Greek yogurt parfaits, I figured since it's a holiday, it wouldn't be a terrible idea to make a more decadent treat to highlight the fruits of summer.

Enter these vanilla bean no-bake cheesecake parfaits. They are simple to make and don't require you to turn on your oven (which is kind of key on a hot summer's day, particularly if you're like me and your house lacks central air conditioning). Even better, they are delicious and light in flavor, making for a perfect summertime dessert.

I would've photographed all three, but, um, I might have eaten one last night. Which, you know, is important so that I can tell you all about how delicious it is. Which it is. And was. And I'm totally looking forward to enjoying another one later today! Or maybe for lunch, whichever happens first...

Vanilla Bean No-Bake Cheesecake Parfaits (printer-friendly version)
makes three servings

1 package (8 ounces) neufchâtel or plain cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (about half of a 14-ounce can)
caviar from one 4-inch vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 sheets graham crackers, crushed
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

1. Place a layer of crushed graham crackers into the bottom of three glasses or jars (about two tablespoons each). Set aside.
2. Add the neufchâtel cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla bean caviar, and vanilla extract to the bowl of an electric mixer with the whip attached. Whip at high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the filling to an icing bag or zippered quart size bag. If using a zippered bag, snip off a corner and then pipe about 2-3 tablespoons of filling on top of the graham cracker layer in each glass. Top with a layer of strawberries and another sprinkle of crushed graham crackers. Repeat the layering with one more layer of cheesecake filling and top with fresh strawberries. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

What's On the Side: Potatoes Au Gratin

You can't go wrong with the cheesy goodness of Potatoes Au Gratin hot from the oven. 

If you're going to serve ham for Easter dinner, you're going to need to also serve something delicious on the side. This recipe for potatoes au gratin definitely fits the bill.

I'm a huge fan of potatoes any day of the week, but slather them in a decadent cheese sauce, and I am all in.

This au gratin dish is made with Swiss and Parmesan cheeses, but feel free to play around with what you have on hand. I think a sharp cheddar or a gruyere would also make for a tasty dish. You can make it even more decadent by subbing in whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream for the 1% milk I used. Once put together, bake it in the oven until the sauce is bubbling away and the tops of the potatoes are lightly browned. And then just try to resist the urge to dig right in ... but you wouldn't be the first person to burn their tongue with a too-early taste. :)

Potatoes Au Gratin
makes 6-8 servings

6 cups peeled, sliced russet potatoes (1/4-inch slices)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups 1% milk
1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch deep pie dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
2. Cook the sliced potatoes in boiling water for 5-7 minutes or until tender, then drain.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour until absorbed. Whisk in the milk. Continue cooking (and whisking) until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove the the heat and stir in 3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, salt, pepper, and garlic.
4. Arrange half of the potatoes in overlapping layers in the pie dish. Pour half of the sauce over the potatoes. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup Swiss cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with paprika.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until browned on top. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

(adapted from a recipe in 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles)