Grilled Ranch Potato and Sausage Packets

Perfect Pairing: 8-cup glass measuring bowl

Friends!  Are you still with me?!  If you are, bless your heart. 

So… I have been majorly slacking on my little passion project, Perfecting the Pairing.  Let’s be honest, all of 2016 has been a bust, but the last two months have been ridiculous with ZERO posts.  I have a good reason!  Life has been bananas!  Wonderful, but bananas.  

In the last month Chris accepted a job in Iowa, we sold our condo in the city (closing soon), I started working remotely (it was an answered prayer to keep my job), we celebrated our one year anniversary, and we moved in with my parents until we close on our new home in Bettendorf, Iowa.  We kind of feel like our lives have been turned upside down but we are absolutely overjoyed with the exciting changes happening.  We are going to miss Chicago so much (especially our friends… and the restaurants) but we can’t wait to open the next chapter in IOWA.  If you follow this blog at all you know how much I love the lake where my parents live, so living there has not been a hard adjustment! 

Now that life has normalized a bit I am anxious to start blogging again!  These days I get to cook on a regular basis for more people and have access to all of my mom’s fun kitchen gadgets/serving pieces/spices/etc.  I have ZERO excuses!

The warm weather makes me want to grill all the time. Grilled foil packets are a quick and easy dinner with minimal clean up.  Everything is mixed together (potatoes, green beans, shallots, and pre-cooked chicken sausage) to make a complete meal.  The whole shebang is seasoned with ranch seasoning and red pepper flakes and thrown on the grill. 

So simple!

I pre-cook the potatoes for a few minutes in the microwave to speed up the grilling process.  I use my favorite 8-cup glass measuring bowl.  This is a must-have tool in my kitchen.  I use it all the time. 

 

Perfecting the Pairing is back!  

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing:  We got married! #LamsInLoveForever

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Grilled Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes

Three years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Greek Turkey Burgers

Four years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Pickle Dip (I just re-discovered this recipe and make it all the time.  Now I add a spoonful of hot pepper jelly!)

 

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Miso Potatoes

Perfect Pairing: Chicken Yakitori

Have you bought miso yet?  I extolled its virtues in this super simple Grilled Miso Salmon and in this Grilled Vegetable Salad with Miso Dressing and Toasted Cashews.  I can’t tell you how often I use miso in everyday cooking in salad dressings, marinades, and seasoning for roasted vegetables.  That being said, I think this potato recipe is my favorite use of miso.

Small red potatoes are boiled until they are just tender, fried in a little melted butter, and then coated in an umami bomb of miso, brown sugar, and spicy garlic paste.  They are mouthwatering.  They also smell amazing while you are pan frying them. 

I think these little beauties are great served with any grilled Asian-inspired protein.  I served them alongside Chicken Yakitori and a simple slaw.  

You will love this detour from your regularly scheduled potatoes!

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Cheeseburger Soup

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Lemon Cream Pasta 

Three years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Baked Brie Dip

Four years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Ham, Cheese, and Asparagus Croissants

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Un-Recipe Files – Grilled Seasoned Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

 

I just returned from a magical vacation in the happiest place on earth!  It is going to take some time to adjust to reality.  Everything really is just magical in the Magic Kingdom.  I went with family, including two of my adorable nieces.  It was so fun to see Disney through the eyes of a child. Although, I still feel like a child when I am there!

 

The precious moments were too numerous to list, but here are a few favorites.

 

We also had a lot of good food at WDW.  While it was fabulous, I was ready to get back to some simple, healthy, home-cooked food. This simple preparation of brussels sprouts and potatoes on the grill is just what I had in mind.

For the sprouts, cut the ends off and then cut in half, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and some of your favorite seasoning.  Grill in a basket until lightly charred and tender.

 
Here is what you do for the potatoes.  Scrub the spuds, poke a few times with a fork, microwave them for about 5 minutes, cut in half, score the insides lightly, drizzle with melted butter or olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and your favorite seasoning. 

Make a tray out of foil and place on the grill.  Cook until the potatoes are tender and start to brown. 

 

I made this entire meal on the grill in under 30 minutes, start to finish.  Stay tuned for the salmon recipe.  It is a favorite!

 

 

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Thai Peanut Pasta Salad

 

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Summer Corn Salad

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Chorizo and Potato Frittata

Perfect Pairing:  Sriracha

This recipe came to be because of a cooking accident.  Fortunately it turned into a very good thing!

I have a really good deal going when I visit my parents.  Before I head home I will send my mom some menu ideas along with a grocery list.  Usually by the time I get there everything is purchased and put away.  How fabulous is that??  My mom thinks it is a pretty good deal too because I do most of the cooking.  Everyone wins.

Recently I asked my mom to buy chorizo for an appetizer I wanted to try.  I guess I didn’t think to tell her to get Spanish chorizo instead of Mexican.  Once we realized this we were about 20 miles from the closest grocery store.  How different could they really be?  Well, it turns out they are very different.  My goal was to slice the chorizo and grill it, but you cannot do that with Mexican chorizo.  It is more of the crumbly bulk sausage variety. 

So now I had some cooked chorizo that needed to be used.   We didn’t have much else in the house, but did have eggs and potatoes.  A frittata!  There is a chance that this is actually more like a Spanish Tortilla, but honestly I don’t understand the difference, so I am calling it a frittata.  I am including this picture against my better judgment.  I know it is so far from being pretty, but it is nice to get an idea of what the entire recipe looks like.  Right?

We all loved this.  It was super hearty and great as a main course for dinner.  I used Manchego cheese but you could use whatever favorite cheese you have on hand.  The chorizo has a kick, but this dish is great topped with a little (or a lot of) sriracha sauce.  I love that stuff.

 

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Traditional Potato Salad

Perfect Pairing:  Small paring knife

September?  Really?  Already?  I know it is so cliché , and everyone says it, but wow, summer just went way too fast.  I had such a wonderful summer with friends and family.  I definitely made the most of it, which was my goal.  At least we still have some warm weather to enjoy.  Before I start posting pumpkin recipes I have at least one more summer-y dish for you.

Traditional potato salad and apple pie have something in common for me.  My family has been making both of these things for years using handed down family recipes.  They are both so amazing that I have very little desire to try either of these things from restaurants.  They never compare.

A long time ago I wrote about another recipe that I called, “Not Your Standard Potato Salad”.  I even wrote in that post about my mom’s recipe. 

Anyway, that one contained bacon, cheese, and all kinds of seasoning, so it can’t really be compared to the good old fashioned traditional potato salad that mom makes.  Don’t get me wrong… it is really good, just different.  Everyone in my family loves mom’s traditional recipe, which is good because it makes a big batch.  Nothing like a big bowl of tater salad!  The dressing is made from scratch and is pretty simple. 

After cooking the red potatoes they need to be peeled, which can be kind of annoying.  We have found the best way to do this is with a small paring knife.  That is what we like to call a moron job.

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Sweet Potato with Kale, Mushrooms, and Pancetta

Perfect Pairing – Deli Counter

Well I have stuffed potatoes with arugula and parmesan….

Fajita inspired ingredients…

And all of this stuff…

 

BUT I have yet to do anything with sweet potatoes.  Until now!

This was one of those random dinners you throw together to try to use what you have on hand.  In this case I had kale, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes.  I was thrilled with the result.  It was super hearty and healthy (ignore the small amount of pancetta).  Kale and sweet potatoes are powerhouse ingredients, full of nutrients.  It may not be beautiful, but it was darn tasty.

Freshly grated nutmeg is a great complement to dark greens, so I used that in my version but it is optional if you don’t feel like investing in nutmeg.  Personally, I love having a few whole nutmegs on hand and I grate them on my microplane.   

I topped the potato off with a dollop of ricotta mixed with parmesan and salt and pepper.  It kind of acts like sour cream here.  If you are following the paleo diet, which is incredibly popular right now, you could leave the ricotta off. 

One of my biggest annoyances is waiting at the deli counter at my grocery store. There is always a line and I swear they could move much faster.  I hate pulling my number out of that little machine and realizing I am 12 people from the front of the line.  Ugh.  I decided to stick it out when I was making this, because I knew I could save a fair amount of money.  I bought the pancetta and ricotta from the deli.  I was able to get the exact amount I needed and I think I saved about $7.  Totally worth the wait.  You could also use bacon if you are not feeling the pancetta.

If you have leftovers they are great repurposed for breakfast.  I chopped up the leftovers (potato, kale, mushrooms, and pancetta) and sauteed them in a skillet until lightly browned and topped it off with some ricotta and a fried egg.  Whoa.  It didn't suck.

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Un-Recipe Files - Baked Potato Bar

Can you have too many versions of a stuffed baked potato?  I don’t think so, as referenced here and here.  I clearly have a thing for them right now.

I set out a baked potato bar over the Christmas holiday for my family.  Nothing was specifically purchased for this meal, we had everything on hand, and it was probably one of my favorite meals of the holiday.  The potatoes were baked using my favorite method, found here.

The cheese drawer was overflowing, so why not have a trio of cheese?  We had a couple packages of Green Giant broccoli and cheese sauce in the freezer.  I knew that would be a perfect pairing.  The stars of the bar were the random leftovers from the fridge.  You have to get creative!  The previous day we had made stuffed mushrooms and ran out of mushrooms so we were left with a mixture of sausage, cream cheese, parmesan, parsley, bread crumbs, and garlic.  I had no idea what was going to happen to that stuffing when I put it in the fridge, but I just couldn’t throw it away.  It was crazy good on potatoes.  Also leftover was some Asian Balsamic Beef Roast (that recipe will be on here soon, a winner) from the slow cooker.   Of course you have to include the basics like sour cream, bacon, and green onions.

Taking pictures was a challenge, lots of hands reaching into the shot.  DAD!  Out.

He was a bad example.

Ok, that is just too cute.  She can have whatever she wants.

Same with this little one, whatever she wants.  The curls… they slay me.

I loved seeing everyone’s creations! 

Meat and potatoes kind of guy.

Blueberries go with bacon and cheese, right?  Again, the curls.

Two very distinct versions on one plate.  I don’t agree with this potato-cutting style, but no one asked me.

Now that is a good looking potato. 

Keeping it simple and vegetarian.  I like the melted cheese.

What can be wrong with this?  Cheese… good, bacon… good

This is mine.  I can’t make up my mind on things, I want to try everything, but not all together. 

I get it from my mom.

Oh dad, that is just a mess.  Is that…. butter?  Let’s go with cheese, that’s better, right?

Baked potato bars are delicious, a great way to get rid of leftovers, and everyone gets to express themselves.  You really can’t ask for more than that from a meal.

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