When I posted the recipe for my Fiesta Potato Pie a little over a year ago, I got a lot of comments about the fact that I used instant mashed potatoes to make the crust. I know, I know, I don’t normally buy instant mashed potatoes either, but I actually developed the recipe for a Hungry Jack instant mashed potato contest! I didn’t win, but still thought the recipe was blog worthy, and I did like the fact that I could easily control the moisture level of the crust by using the potato flakes. Anyway, everyone wanted to know if the crust could be made with real potatoes instead, which I totally understand, so when I was brainstorming ways to use up my 15 pounds of potatoes, I decided to tackle the crust once again!

I’m so glad I did because it turned out beautifully – crusty on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside. This time I filled the unique crust with layers of caramelized onions, shredded gouda cheese, and goat cheese…soooo good! I served the wedges alongside a healthy dose of roasted Brussels sprouts, but a salad would also be lovely. Also, the tart is easier to slice once it’s cooled off a bit.

Cheesy Caramelized Onion Tart with a Mashed Potato Crust
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large yellow onions, sliced (12 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 pounds golden potatoes, peeled, and cut into chunks
1/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
2 cups shredded gouda cheese
4 ounces goat cheese

Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil over medium low heat in a large nonstick pan. Add onions, cover, and cook 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook an additional 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until caramelized. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute; stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add potato chunks to the pot and boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and mash in a large bowl; stir in milk, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Heat oven to 350˚F. Press mashed potatoes into a greased 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and bake at 350˚F for 40 to 45 minutes or until potato crust is golden brown. Push the center down with the back of a spoon.

Evenly spread half the caramelized onions in the cooked potato pie crust. Evenly crumble goat cheese on top and then half the shredded gouda cheese. Top with remaining caramelized onions and shredded gouda cheese. Bake for 5 minutes at 350°F or until cheese is melted. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, use a toothpick to loosen the edges if needed, and remove from tart pan; cut tart into wedges. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 398 calories, 21.0g fat, 6.2g fat, 14.1g protein per serving
Cost: $1.52 per serving

I don’t usually buy a lot of produce at Costco, since it’s tough for just the two of us to eat our way through their large packages of fruits and veggies before it all spoils (although I do regularly make an exception of their Brussels sprouts and berries because we gobble those right up!), but the other day a 15 pound bag of potatoes ended up in my cart. I was craving roasted potatoes and feeling way too lazy to head to the regular grocery store just to pick up a smaller package. Plus, I was feeling up for a little potato challenge!

The first thing I did when I got home was whip up a potato hash with bacon, onions, and apples. It’s great for breakfast, but I enjoyed it most topped with a lovely piece of salmon glazed with maple syrup and crusted with chopped pecans and panko. This yummy meal also came together in a flash since I made the hash the day before and then just quickly cooked up the salmon before dinner. Ok, I’m off to brainstorm some more potato recipes – only 6 pounds left to go!

p.s. The winner of my Milk Bar giveaway was Bianca – congrats!

Maple Pecan Salmon over Roasted Potato, Apple, and Bacon Hash
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Roasted Potato, Apple, and Bacon Hash:
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices hickory smoked bacon, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Maple Pecan Salmon:
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup panko
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
4 salmon fillets (ours were 7 ounces each)

Directions:
To make the hash, heat oven to 400°F. Place potato pieces on a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast at 400°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, place chopped bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy; drain on paper towels. Place onions and apples in the bacon grease and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Mix roasted potatoes, bacon, onions, apples, and salt together in a large bowl.

To make the salmon, heat oven to 350˚F. Mix pecans, panko, and salt together in a small bowl. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet and sear the salmon fillets, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Place seared fillets in a large baking dish and use a pastry brush to evenly brush with maple syrup. Evenly sprinkle pecan panko and press gently into the salmon. Bake salmon for 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F or until cooked through. To serve, divide the hash evenly among 4 plates and place salmon on top. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 964 calories, 58.2g fat, 6.0g fiber, 63.7g protein per serving
Cost: $4.70 per serving

I’m sort of in denial that it’s somehow already November, but the bright side is that peppermint mochas and gingerbread lattes are back, and I’m finally getting some use out of all my cute boots. Plus, now that there’s a bit of a chill in the air, I’ve been brainstorming up some ideas for comfort food! Soup and mac & cheese always top my list, but chicken pot pie also warms me up, especially when it’s topped with puff pastry.

For my version, I made individual servings with my cute little French onion soup bowls again, but any small oven-safe dishes would work well. I couldn’t resist topping them with the aforementioned puff pastry, and I decided to give them a bit of Caribbean twist. I spiced the filling with jerk seasoning and added roasted sweet potatoes and plantains in with the chicken. Ahh, plantains just make me happy, and I really loved this flavor combo. It’s a cold weather comfort dish with some island flare, ironic perhaps, but very tasty!

Jerk Chicken and Sweet Potato Pot Pies
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium yellow plantains with brown-black spots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk (I used 2%)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 box puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
Heat oven to 400˚F. Place sweet potato pieces on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix until evenly coated with oil and roast at 400˚F for 15 minutes. Add plantains to the cookie sheet, mix well, and roast for an additional 10 minutes at 400˚F or until sweet potatoes and plantains are tender; place roasted veggies in a large bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet and add chicken pieces. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from heat and place in the bowl with the sweet potatoes and plantains. Add chopped onions to the skillet and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Add onions to the bowl with the veggies and chicken and mix well.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook one more minute or until mixture starts to brown. Whisk in milk, chicken broth, jerk seasoning, and salt and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Place in the bowl with the chicken and veggies and stir until well combined. Evenly distribute filling into 6 mini oven-safe pot pie serving dishes. Place dishes on a large cookie sheet.

Roll out puff pastry and cut to fit over the 6 dishes (I used 3/4 of the package). Place cut puff pastry on top of the dishes. Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl; brush egg wash evenly over the puff pastry and poke a few holes in the top of each puff pastry. Bake at 400˚F for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 707 calories, 30.2g fat, 5.2g fiber, 46.8g protein per serving
Cost: $2.40 per serving

Whew, what a week! We moved and are finally mostly unpacked, although the guest bedroom is still a bit of a disaster and we need to go shopping for a few accessories (rugs, mirrors, etc). The most important room is completely organized and fully functional already though – the kitchen, of course! I made a super easy meal the third night in our new place – Mediterranean Couscous with chicken sausage, and it was so nice to have a home cooked meal after too many nights of takeout. And tonight, I finally found enough time to whip something up for my blog!

I made golden mashed potato cakes stuffed with shredded chicken, peas, and a bunch of Indian spices. The chicken addition was inspired by my Avocado Chicken Cakes. Can’t wait to cook again!

Indian Spiced Chicken and Potato Cakes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups cooked shredded chicken (I poached 4 chicken breasts)
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
7 tablespoons of your favorite chutney or Greek yogurt (I mixed a bit of tamarind sauce with Greek yogurt)

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet and sauté onion for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add ginger and garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Add coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and salt. Immediately remove from heat and stir until spices are fragrant.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add potato chunks to the pot and boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and mash in a large bowl; stir in milk and butter until smooth. Mix in cooked onion mixture and flour until smooth. Stir in chicken and peas. Shape mixture into 14 cakes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet. Add 3 cakes and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining oil and cakes. Drizzle chutney evenly over cakes. Makes 7 servings of 2 cakes each.

Nutrition: 608 calories, 21.2g fat, 6.0g fiber, 39.2g protein per serving
Cost: $1.73 per serving