3 pounds small red potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt & black pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Place whole potatoes on a rimmed baking dish. Pour 3/4 cup water into pan and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Allow potatoes to cool for about 10 minutes.

Toss potatoes with half of olive oil.

Smash potatoes with bottom of a drinking glass.

Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Season with thyme and salt & black pepper.

Bake for 40 more minutes.

Serves 4

These potatoes are flavored with roasted garlic, lemon and fresh thyme.  They are baked to perfection in the oven.  The result is a potato that’s crispy on the outside and tender in the middle.  Goes well with most entrees.

1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 heads garlic, top trimmed
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
salt, to taste
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut slits on the top of the potatoes, do not cut through. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan and brush with the olive oil and melted butter.

Add the garlic, parsley, lemon and thyme in the pan, in between the potatoes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Roast the potatoes for 1 hour, basting the oil mixture every 20 minutes. Serve immediately after roasting.

Serves 4-6

My Aunt makes this recipe for every holiday and it’s always a hit.  Everyone is always requesting this recipe, so here it is!  A whole head of cauliflower cooked to perfection and topped with a rich cheddar cheese sauce.

Cheese Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
6-8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on Medium heat. Stir in the flour and mix well until any possible floury clumps are worked out. Let the flour cook for a minute or two. Slowly add the milk, a tablespoon at a time at first, incorporating each spoonful completely before adding another. Stir in the cheese and let melt, stirring often with a wooden spoon until completely melted.

1 whole head of cauliflower, rinsed well and trimmed
water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Black pepper, to taste
Warm cheese sauce, recipe below

Fill a large pot with enough water to almost cover the head of cauliflower and salt and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, Trim off the cauliflower leaves. Carefully, use a knife to cut off some of the core, but without severing any florets.

Core-side down, place the cauliflower in the pot, cover and cook with the water simmering for 20 minutes. Carefully remove from the pot and let drain, core side down. Carefully transfer to a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Immediately, top with a warm layer of cheese sauce. Serve immediately with remaining cheese sauce on the side.

Serves 8

Be sure to keep an eye on the onions for the topping as I burned my first batch.

For the topping:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon regular unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Nonstick cooking spray

For beans and sauce:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Use a mandolin to slice the onions very thin, then separate into rings.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions a few times while they bake. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use.

Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Adapted from Alton Brown