Lovin' This Weather . . .

It has really put me in a cookin' mood.  Lately I have made all sorts of stuff.  I am in the mood for this wonderful apple cake, too.  I haven't made it in probably a year at least!  Why I don't know because it is so good.  It has a caramel glaze over the top of it, then you cover it with either pecans or walnuts!  Ooh, baby, you will love this one.  I am not posting that one today, though.  Don't fret I will get to it.  So please keep checking back, okay.

Sometimes I feel so greedy when I wish that I had a bigger kitchen.  I mean there's people who don't even have a home and I complain that my kitchen isn't big enough.  I just like to spread things out when I am cooking!  I definitely know how to make a mess let me make that perfectly clear from the start!!  I don't mind the cleanup either, but I do like to have room.  I have what I refer to as my "woman cave" right off of my kitchen and if I was to give that up I could have a really big kitchen.  I just love my small space where it is though.  It's cozy, I have a coffee table there filled with cookbooks and candles and just some stuff that I love.  So I am torn on what to do.  Plus, it would be another expense right now and I don't want that either.  So I guess for now, I will just quit complaining or dreaming I should say and be happy with the layout the way it is for now:)

On to some food.  I love taters!  Boiled with just butter, roasted, baked or whatever I eat them any 'ol way. Last night I made baked pork chops and boiled red potatoes with onions and fresh green beans.  It was really good, but the potatoes were out of this world if I must say so myself!!  The ingredients are few, but the flavor sure isn't lacking.  Oh, and if you don't care for onions this dish is not for you. I like to use vidalias for this dish if you can find them, but yellows onions will work as well.  The vidalias are sweet and cooked with that butter, oh man, once you try it you're hooked! Be sure to look at the pics below and see the color that the onions need to be to get that caramely flavor that you are looking for in this dish.  Is that even a word, caramely?  Well, it is now.  As the onions cook down they will turn brown after about 25 minutes and get almost sticky.  Be sure when you transfer them to the potatoes scrape as much as you possibly can of that sticky stuff from the bottom.  I use a cast iron skillet to cook the onions to get a more uniform heat and they won't burn as quickly as they would in a thinner fry pan.

Boiled Potatoes and Onions

7 or 8 red skinned potatoes
1 very large onion or 2 medium onions diced
1 1/2 sticks of butter (not margarine)
salt & peper to taste

Do not peel them!!  You want that skin on there.

Look at those onions swimming in all that butter . . .

They are getting there, but not quite yet . . . you need to have some patience with this process, ha!

Check this out!!  Golden brown and cooked to perfection . . . man, oh, man!!

See the chunks of potatoes in there that is what you are hoping for at the end.  Mashed just wouldn't taste the same . . . 

Place potatoes in large pan and cover with water.  Cook over medium heat until soft.  Use a fork to test the center and potato should fall apart easily.  Meanwhile, grab a cast iron skillet or another heavy pan and place 1 stick of butter in a begin to melt it.  Add the onions and cook over medium to low heat stirring frequently.  Cook until golden brown (see photo).  When the onions have reached that golden brown color remove from the heat. Drain the water from the potatoes and return them to the pan.  Add the remaining 1/2 stick of butter and using a potato masher mash the potatoes gently.  By gently I mean you don't want mashed potatoes you want chunks of broken potatoes.  Carefully add the onions and stir lifting from the bottom to incorporate the mixture.  Add the salt and pepper to your own taste.  I prefer a little more salt than most people so I can't tell you how much to add.  Again, these guys go with anything, so I hope you try them soon and if you have any questions just let me know . . .