Garlic Home Fries - Pure Garlic Potato Love

Amazing.  Awesome.  Love.  Just a few words to adequately describe today's post.  The recipe, you ask?  Yes... the recipe.  But also the original blogger.

Today I bring you the October edition of my favorite group of food bloggers, the Blogger C.L.U.E group.  A wonderful group of ladies working together on a monthly theme while investigating one of the other member's blogs to find a recipe to meet that theme - This month our theme brings "Fall Recipes".

Years ago when I started blogging I met Christiane, The Mom Chef of Taking on Magazines.  And while we've never actually met in person, she's a friend.

Canadian Geese... I love them!

I've watched years of seasons pass on the other side of the country (spider season comes and goes), I've seen her daughter grow into a young lady, I've followed her travels and enjoyed tales of family visits.  I love the Canadian Geese that float on her lake (well... the lake in her neighborhood) and wander in her front yard, I don't understand why she doesn't really like chocolate, but I enjoy hearing about the thunderstorms she loves so long as they are not over me (we don't get those in San Diego).

You see, Christiane has an amazing heart.  She's full of love, humor, and passion, and pure and simple, she's just a really wonderful person.  And she takes the mystery out of recipes.  Her blog, Taking on Magazines, tests recipes from popular magazines in a real kitchen... one with interruptions, pets under foot, a daughter needing help with one thing or another and real ingredients that don't come pre-measured or prepped.

Describing the process, bringing a verdict and telling you what she would do differently next time helps incredibly, and on more than one occasion she's made a recipe I've had earmarked and with her advice I've avoided issues that may have occurred had I simply followed the original recipe in the magazine.

Occasionally her daughter gets in on the action, and I feel like I know this little girl as I've seen her grow through her videos.  Full of humor like her mom, Dudette will tell it like it is, and she will always make you smile.


Dudette bringing her verdict on Caramel Banana Pecan Bread Casserole

And today in addition to introducing you to Christiane, I bring you a fabulous recipe - Garlic Home Fries - originally from The Food Network Magazine, April 2015.  While the recipe may have been from April, it screams fall to me.  With the Idaho potato harvest occurring as I type, potatoes bring a hearty, warm side to any meal, and on occasion (like today) become a meal on their own.

 

We have a favorite restaurant here in Carlsbad, The Naked Cafe, which serves similar potatoes.  I've tried to recreate them at home to no avail.  Liv's comments are always noncommittal, but I know that they don't live up to the restaurant version.  Frankly, I think it's my trying to "healthify" them that makes them suffer (one really does need oil/butter to crisp potatoes).

So today I followed Christiane's recipe and actually used butter and olive oil.  And garlic.  And oh my heavens!  These potatoes totally rock.

 

Crispy on the outside (I will crisp even more next time) and fluffy inside, the garlic stirred in at the last minute is positively swoon-worthy.  Liv smiled in appreciation, and while they still aren't exactly like the restaurant, they are the closest thing we've had, and we'll have them again.  The Verdict?  This recipe is a keeper.  Just like Christiane.

Now join me as we travel the world to see what other Blogger C.L.U.E members are bringing for Fall Recipes!

  

Apple Coffee Cake by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies

   

Applesauce Cranberry Bundt Cake by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos

   

Baked Squash Stuffed with Homemade Applesauce by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme

   

Banana Peanut Butter Chip Muffins by Confessions of a Culinary Diva

   

Braised Chicken Leg Quarters by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm

   

Brussels Sprouts with Harissa, Honey and Lime by Stacy from Food Lust People Love

   

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins by Lora from Cake Duchess

   

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch

   

Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup by Christiane from Taking on Magazines

   

Frangelico Squares by Kate from Kate's Kitchen

   

Garlic Home Fries by Kim from Liv Life

   

German Apple Pancake by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

   

Honey Sriracha Sweet Potatoes by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook

   

Hot Curried Chicken Salad by Debra from Eliot's Eats

   

Pumpkin Bran Muffins by Anna from annaDishes

   

Pumpkin Bread with Pumpkin Ale by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch

   

Pumpkin Palmiers by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

   

Raspberry Cointreau Syllabub by Kate from Kate's Kitchen

   

Witchy Finger Cookies by Sue from A Palatable Pastime

Garlic Parmesan Kale Chips (on the grill or in the oven)

About six months ago Liv discovered Roasted Kale, or Kale chips.  As she has always been somewhat averse to anything green (with the exception of my beloved avocado), her discovery gave us reason to celebrate.  The fact that even asks for roasted kale simply makes my heart sing!

However... enter my oven.  Said oven, some 17 years old and not of high quality to begin with, has taken it upon itself to randomly beep an overheating error code even when it's off, having us flip the breaker to make it stop.  With the little breaker switch not looking so sturdy itself, I've simply not been using my oven.  But things like kale chip requests have me searching new cooking methods and my trusty grill (it never lets me down) solved this problem.

Oiling our organic kale with avocado oil (I've been using one from Chosen Foods that I found at Costco) and crushed garlic, I placed my baking sheet onto the grill and before long my neighbor actually popped his head over the fence to ask what was smelling so good.  Leaving one side of the grill off and the other side on high, the kale was nice and toasty at about 12 minutes, and a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese brought a delightful saltiness that had us both impatient for the kale to cool.

So whether you are avoiding heating that oven on a hot day or dealing with an oven on its last leg like me, the grill does a fabulous job.

Roasted Kale with Garlic and Truffle Oil

I seem to have missed the kale boat... Last week I was reading a blog talking about the trends of 2012 they hoped never to see again and midway down the list was Roasted Kale, or Kale Chips.  (Quinoa was top of the list, but with my love of all things quinoa I'm not even addressing that one...)  As I've never even heard of "Kale Chips" up until a few months ago, I'm realizing just how out of touch I am.  That being said, I've just boarded the Kale Boat.

Trying for 12 of her 13 years to get Liv to eat anything green, I had nearly given up when last year she discovered salad.  All kinds of salads, Caesar, spinach, ranch dressing, specialty olive oils and vinegars and tomatoes.  Yes, even tomatoes entered the picture and she has asked for them by name.  Still, her green repertoire remained fairly slim and limited to just few items so I'm always looking for ways to increase the green.

Liv & Miss Abbie

Imagine my surprise when she arrived home from a dance class with her choreographer Miss Abbie (you may have seen Abbie on last season's Amazing Race as part of the team Abbie & Ryan) and asked for kale.

"Kale?", I asked, "You really want kale?".

"Yes," came her response.  "I love kale!  Kale, and do we have any truffle oil??"

Well, no, we didn't have any truffle oil, but we do now.  Seems Miss Abbie roasted her kale with truffle oil and brought the crispy pieces into class for the girls to try.  Ever trying to increase the eating habits of the girls, I'm immensely thankful to Miss Abbie's encouragement, because pretty much anything Miss Abbie does is really cool in her student's eyes.

So Liv comes home proclaiming her love of Roasted Kale with Truffle Oil and we had to try.  Adding a touch of garlic to the mixture, I have to admit that it's pretty darn good, in fact, Liv and I sparred over the last few pieces.  (I'll admit here the Liv just may have received her green aversion from me.) 

Roasted to a sort of crispness, parts of the kale remain a little softer bring all sorts of textures to the snack, and yes, the truffle oil makes all the difference.  Are you on the Kale Boat??

Garlic Dinner Rolls

 

Dear Bread,

 I love you.  I crave you.  I'm not sure I can live without you.  A few weeks ago a friend of mine posed this question on Facebook, "Bread or Chocolate?".   Now, I will admit that chocolate and I have a thing too... but you?  You have my heart. 

Tender, soft, and simply irresistible, you are the perfect partner to my every meal.  Warm and slathered with butter, you become even more attractive, and then when you met garlic?  Not only did you make my house smell beyond fabulous, but you tasted positively heavenly.

We've had such a good relationship over the years, so I have to wonder... why don't you like me as much I like you?  Why do you insist on sitting around my middle just because I've entered my mid-40's?  We've been such good friends, and friends shouldn't make friends gain a pound or two.

Even still, I will never turn my back on you.  We may not be able to spend quite as much time together, but you will always be a part of my life.  I just can't quit you...

♥

Love,

Kim

Whole Roasted Garlic Lemon Chicken

A couple of rainy days have had us indoors with the fireplace on and the oven cranking out holiday treats.  Tonight we opted for one of our favorite whole roasted chickens and ate like Kings!

Aromatic garlic combined with the roasting chicken and a sprinkle of Herbs de Provence filled the house with with home cooked goodness.  Even my burrito eating teenager was drawn downstairs asking if dinner would be ready soon.

While the aroma of garlic is strong, the chicken is delicately flavored providing perfectly seasoned leftovers.  A few squeezes of lemon brings an added brightness to this tender and juicy bird.  We thank him for bringing a bit of protein relief to our holiday sugar overload!