Ranch Potatoes

So this isn't exactly the most healthy way to eat potatoes, but you can't really go wrong in the taste department when it comes to cheese and bacon.  Here we have the ranch potatoes recipe:

Ingredients:
8-10 medium potatoes (cut into ½” cubes)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (undiluted)
1 ½ cups milk
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
salt and pepper
6  bacon slices (cooked until crispy and crumbled)

Cooking Instructions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Add potatoes to a large pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender. Drain.
Step 2: Lightly grease an 13×9 inch casserole dish. In a bowl mix together cream of mushroom soup, milk, ranch dressing, 1 cup of the cheese, salt and pepper. Pour over potatoes in the casserole dish.
Step 3: Sprinkle remaining cup of shredded cheddar cheese and the crumbled bacon over the top. Place into the oven and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
(Makes 6 Servings)

I halved this recipe since it would feed a large family and there are only 2 of us... 3 including the baby.  :-)  And me and my husband are both fans of this recipe.  It definitely has a lot of ingredients for a side dish, but it's great if you're feeling iffy about your main dish or if your main dish isn't super flavorful.  I will definitely use this recipe again.

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos

I actually really like butternut squash, so I thought that if there was any vegan burrito that I would like, this recipe would be the winner.  Here it is:

Yield: 4 burritos or 3.5 cups of filling

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed, & roasted
1/2 cup uncooked short grain brown rice (yields: 1.5 cups cooked)
1-2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
One 15-oz can black beans (about 1.5-2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
3/4 cup Daiya cheese
4 tortilla wraps (large or x-large)
Toppings of choice: (avocado, salsa, vegan sour cream, spinach/lettuce, cilantro, etc)

1. Preheat oven to 425F and line a large glass dish with tinfoil. Drizzle olive oil on squash and give a shake of salt and pepper. Coat with hands. Roast chopped butternut squash for 45 mins. or until tender.

2. Cook brown rice (for directions, see here)

3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, onion, and minced garlic. Sautee for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add in salt and seasonings and stir well.

4.  Add chopped red pepper, black beans, and cooked rice and sauté for another 10 mins. on low.

5. When b’nut squash is tender remove from oven and cool slightly. Add 1.5 cups of the cooked butternut squash to the skillet and stir well. You can mash the squash with a fork if some pieces are too large. Add Daiya cheese and heat another couple minutes.

6. Add bean filling to tortilla along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Leftover filling can be reheated the next day for lunch in a wrap or as a salad topper.

 Okay, I used mozzarella cheese instead of vegan cheese, but I pretty much followed the recipe perfectly otherwise.  It was just okay.  While we finished them, neither me or my husband will ever crave these.   Perhaps it's because meaty burritos are just so much better.  :-)  If these are your style and you think they look awesome then they're probably worth a try, (the original chef RAVES about them) but for now I don't highly recommend them to just anybody.

Turkey Wraps with Honey Mustard Dip

This recipe is so simple that it can hardly be called a recipe.  However, it's a good idea for a snack or lunch (or possibly even a dinner) so I'm going to include it.  Here's the recipe:

Turkey Wraps with Honey Mustard Dip
Serves 4

For the wraps
4 large tortilla wraps or lavash flat bread
4 ounces whipped cream cheese
8 slices turkey breast
1 head iceberg lettuce
8 slices Monterey Jack cheese

For the honey mustard dip
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise

For the wraps, spread a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese onto the tortilla. Towards the center of each wrap, layer with 2 slices turkey, lettuce, and 2 slices of cheese. Wrap tightly and slice on the diagonal. Secure with toothpicks, if necessary. (If using tortillas, save the end pieces for snacking.) Serve with honey mustard dip.

For the honey mustard dip, combine honey, mustard, and mayonnaise in a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust ingredients to personal taste.

I liked these a lot.  I also added some tomatoes and you really could add whatever else sounds good to you.  I actually liked the dip as well, but it WAS pretty mustard-y so if you're not a fan of mustard, stay away from the dip.  :-)

I recommend making these for lunch, or for a big group of people.  They're easy to prepare, serve, and eat. They totally work for dinner too though.