Baked Parmesan Sliced Potatoes…Easy and Delicious!

By Jodee Weiland

I love baked sliced potatoes because they taste great when seasoned right, and they are so easy to make.  Whenever I buy a large bag of potatoes, I always ask myself how I will ever use that many potatoes, especially since it’s just me and my husband most of the time.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

If the kids are in town, that’s great, because there is no problem using large quantities of most foods, potatoes or otherwise.  But when it’s just the two of us, I have to figure out ways to make sure things don’t go to waste.

https://learnfromyesterday.comThat’s one of the reasons I decided to make my Baked Parmesan Sliced Potatoes.  I cook using for the most part a Mediterranean style of cooking.  The reason for this is twofold.  First, I’m Italian, and that’s the type of cooking I grew up with as a child.  Second, as most of us know these days this is one of the healthiest ways to eat, if done right, and I am a health nut.  So I decided to bake my potatoes like my father often did when I was growing up.  But I have adapted the recipe a little in order to make it healthier.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

My father used to make the best potatoes, cutting them into wedges, seasoning them with garlic and onions, and frying them in extra virgin olive oil.  They were great.  Later, he even baked them.  What I have done with his recipe is to add a little more seasoning.  I added parsley and black pepper first.  Then I added on the Parmesan Reggiano cheese.  And remember, these are not potato chips.  They are baked potato slices.  There is a difference!

https://learnfromyesterday.com

Baked Parmesan Sliced Potatoes…Easy and Delicious! 6 or more potatoes (I used red Potatoes) sliced about 1/4 inch thick Extra virgin olive oil as needed Garlic powder to taste Onion powder to taste Parsley flakes Sea salt to taste (optional) Ground black pepper to taste Grated Parmesan Reggiano (enough to sprinkle over the tops of the potatoes) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cover the cookie sheets with parchment paper for an easy clean up. https://learnfromyesterday.comhttps://learnfromyesterday.com           Wash and scrub the potatoes with a vegetable brush.  With a mandolin slicer or a knife, slice the potatoes about 1/4 inch thick.  Put the potato slices in a bowl and drizzle with enough olive oil to coat all the slices.  Then put the onion powder, garlic powder, parsley flakes, salt, and black pepper in to taste and one at a time, stirring with a spoon and making sure all slices are seasoned.  When this is done, place the seasoned slices on the baking sheets.  Then take your grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese and with a spoon, lightly coat to taste each slice by sprinkling on the cheese.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

https://learnfromyesterday.com

Bake at 400 degrees in oven for 18 to 22 minutes.  Watch closely and check with a fork to see if the slices are done.  They should be like fries, but not completely dried out like potato chips.  These are baked slices, not potato chips, unless you want them like that.

https://learnfromyesterday.comThese Baked Parmesan Sliced Potatoes are delicious!  We served ours with grilled filet mignon, Grilled Corn on the Cob with Jalapeno Lime Seasoning, and a nice red wine.  The meal was great and the flavors blended nicely.  I feel certain that if you try this recipe, you will find it not only easy, but worth what little effort it takes.  I would suggest a mandolin slicer though because that makes preparation of the potatoes so easy.  Try this recipe soon, and enjoy!

Italian Bread…Nothing Better than Fresh Baked Bread

By Jodee Weiland

Being Italian, I know how important good Italian bread is to complete an Italian meal.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

When I was growing up, my parents always had Italian bread in the house.  It complemented many different meals in our home from pasta dishes to soups to Italian beef and more.  It was even sometimes used as a teething ring for the babies in the family.

https://learnfromyesterday.comThat’s true!  It seemed that every baby in our family was handed a fresh loaf of Italian bread to gum to death when teething.  Of course, they were watched closely as the traditional family picture of the baby was taken holding a loaf of Italian bread to their mouths and attempting to chew on it.  The babies were all naturals at this process, and mom and dad were always overjoyed to see them do this.  Today, those are fond memories held by all the children and grandchildren.

That’s why making Italian bread is so much more than just making the bread for me.  It’s memories of family that go along with this process of baking the bread that make it special for me.  So enjoy this recipe and hopefully, you will have some memories of your own that making this bread will bring back to you as well in one way or another.

Italian Bread…Nothing Better than Fresh Baked Bread

3 and 1/2 cups bread flour (the last 1/4 cup or less to be added as needed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 and 3/4 cups warm water (1/2 cup of this will be for the yeast mixture)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 gently beaten egg white

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare parchment paper for baking sheet.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

In a small mixing bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar with 1/2 cup of warm water, that is water that is warm to the touch, about 100 degrees. Stir this and let it rest for about 10 minutes until it becomes foamy.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

Then in a large mixing bowl, gradually blend together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and water mixture, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and remaining water as you begin to work this with your hands into dough. At first, you may blend the ingredients with a spoon, but as it thickens you will work it with your hands. Once your dough is all blended, continue to work the dough with your hands and begin to knead the dough for about 8 minutes. Do this on a flat surface, where you will add flour as you go to the surface to keep your dough from sticking.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

Once done, place your ball of dough into a bowl, smoothing a touch of olive oil over the dough.  Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel for about 20 to 30 minutes and let it rest.  It should double in size.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it again before shaping into a loaf.  Place your loaf on a parchment covered baking sheet and cover loosely with a towel while it sits.  Once again, it should double in size.  When it does so, take the gently beaten egg white and brush it on the loaf.  You may not use all of it.  Then with a sharp knife cut 3 to 4 (1/4 inch deep) slits diagonally across the top of the loaf.  Put the bread into the preheated oven and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes.  My loaf took about 34 minutes to bake.  Allow bread to cool briefly before cutting and serving.

https://learnfromyesterday.comThere’s nothing quite like fresh baked Italian Bread.  No matter what meal you serve it with, your family will enjoy it.  This bread recipe is a basic Italian bread recipe, but you could add whatever you like to it.  This basic recipe can be the base for a cheese bread or olive bread or any type Italian Bread you want.  Next time I make it, I am going to make it with a cheese and some jalapenos.  Try it out and see how many different ways you can vary it.  I think you will like it, even if you just choose to make just the basic recipe.  So try it, and enjoy!

Too Many Fruit and Vegetables…Freeze or Dehydrate Them!

By Jodee Weiland

If there are times in your life when you find you have too many fruits and vegetables, either from store purchases or gardens, I have an alternative for you to tossing them because you didn’t find enough recipes to use them in before they went bad.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

One, you can freeze some of them.  Two, you can invest in a dehydrator and dehydrate them.  Either way, you avoid wasting them.

https://learnfromyesterday.comOne thing my folks taught me early on was this: don’t waste food!  As a kid, I always heard about those kids less fortunate than me who didn’t have food to eat, and this was true.  There were people who would have loved to sit at our table and be able to have a good meal.  Meals were always great in our home, so I believe you shouldn’t waste food, if you can avoid doing so.  One sure way is to invest in a food dehydrator.  Another is to make use of your freezer.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

For us, bananas and other fruits often start going bad the soonest, since we always have fresh fruit in the house.  My way of saving fruit, some of the time, is to clean it and freeze it.  I then use this frozen fruit in recipes later or smoothies.  I even use some frozen fruit in sangria or just add it to various drinks or wines.  It’s great because the fruit is used, not wasted, and I get to enjoy the fruit in a completely different way.

https://learnfromyesterday.comAnother way to save fruit and vegetables, as well as herbs, is to dehydrate.  A food dehydrator is great for this and fairly simple to use.  I love dehydrated apple slices.  They actually make a wonderful before or after dinner treat, especially in the fall.  My son put these out one Thanksgiving and that’s when I first fell in love with them.  Try them and find out for yourself!

https://learnfromyesterday.com

Dehydrated Apple Slices

6 to 7 apples sliced 1/8 to 3/8 inches
Orange juice as needed to pre-treat (for longer shelf life)
Cinnamon to taste

https://learnfromyesterday.com

Core the apples, and then slice them with the skin to desired thickness with a food processor or a slicer.  Place in a bowl with a fruit juice to pre-treat.  I used orange juice.  Remove from the juice and place on the trays of the dehydrator.  Sprinkle to taste with cinnamon.  Then set the dehydrator to 135 degrees F (57 degrees C) on the machine, cover and start.  If your slices are 1/8 inch, it will take about 2 and 1/2 hours.  If they are 1/4 inch thick, it will be about 4 hours or more.  Each machine’s directions will tell you that the slices are ready when pliable but does not have moisture beads left when torn apart. If done without skin, times may vary.

https://learnfromyesterday.com https://learnfromyesterday.com

The directions will vary with different fruits, vegetables, and herbs, but they really are not complicated.  Just follow the manufacturer’s directions and find new uses for the fruits, vegetables, and herbs as a result.

https://learnfromyesterday.com

I really feel it is important for all of us to do our part in making the best use of all our food resources and to try not to waste if we can.  By doing so, we will benefit from the results and get more bang for our money spent on food.  Even if we are growing our own food in gardens, it’s nice to know we are making good use of everything our gardens produce.  Be sure to take a look at what you can do to use, not waste, good food, and as a result, enjoy!