Today is National Potato Day, and next month is National Potato Month.

As a kid, we ate a lot of potatoes. They are one of those foods that the majority of people really like, and you can fix them in a variety of different ways. They are perfect for thickening soup or stews, and help keep growing kids full in between meals. I’m no food expert, but potatoes are a staple in my home as they keep well and regularly go on sale at the grocery store, and I use them a lot.

Here’s my recipe for Grilled Potatoes, Onions and Yellow Squash.
And, as usual, these measurements are not exact. I hardly ever cook anything with exact measurements. That’s how I learned to cook.

2 or 3 red potatoes (you can use whatever you have on hand, doesn’t have to be red)
1 small onion
1 medium yellow squash
1 or 2 garlic cloves (use more or less depending on your preference)
butter
salt
pepper
flavored olive oil (my recipe will be at end of post)

Wash your vegetables. With veggies wash or with soap. Make sure to rinse well
Slice potatoes in 1/4 inch slices
Slice onion in roughly the same size rounds. Use as much or as little onion as you’d like.
Slice squash slightly thicker than potatoes and onions as they cook faster.

On a piece of aluminum foil, place three pats of butter. Next, layer potatoes on pats of butter. Next layer onions, then squash on top of potatoes. Place three more pats of butter on top, and place garlic on either end of foil. Finally, drizzle with flavored oil and fold aluminum up into a tight packet. Place on grill at about 300° F. Leave on grill until potatoes are tender.

Flavored Oil
This really is a huge cheater recipe.
Get one packet of “Herb and Garlic” salad dressing mix
3/4 cup olive oil.

Combine and shake/whisk/mix together. I keep this in the fridge, and use on a variety of foods.

See those little browned bits on the side of that potato? That’s the absolute best part of this whole recipe. YUM!

Oh! Notice the crack in my counter top? That, along with the wretched outdated counter tops themselves, is why I’m redoing my kitchen. GAG!

Sometimes I play a bit of a game when I reach into the freezer to pull meat out to thaw for supper or dinner or breakfast. (Yes, sometimes I’ll eat a steak for breakfast and sausage for supper). Well it’s not much of a game because there are usually only two types of meat in the freezer, beef and pork. Sometimes there’s a whole chicken in there, but rarely do I have the chance to eat chicken. Because frankly, we don’t butcher a lot of chickens, and I can’t afford to buy chicken when I raise beef and pay to have a whole or half beef slaughtered, cut and wrapped. Just doesn’t make sense.

So my reach into the freezer garnered a “Cubed Bottom Round” steak. Most people would make Chicken Fried Steak with that, but not me. I grill those babies up and love every minute of eating them, unbreaded and not smothered with gravy.

You’ll notice there is no seasoning what-so-ever on the steaks themselves. Our beef can hold it’s own. The mushrooms and onions have a little butter, salt, and cracked pepper. Because that’s how I like them. They don’t need to make up for flavor that might be missing in the steak either. I just like grilled mushrooms and onions.

These are hot off the grill. Perfection as far as I’m concerned and since I’m eating them, that’s all that matters to me.

And the final…cut with a butter knife.

Blackberry Cobbler Bread

5 c Fresh blackberries
1 1/4 c Sugar
3 1/2 tb Sifted flour
Butter

Dough:
2 c Flour
2 tb Sugar
4 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Cream of tartar
1/2 c Butter
1/2 c Milk

Toss 5 cups fresh blackberries with 1 1/4 cups sugar and pour them into a well buttered 1 1/2 quart oblong baking dish. Sprinkle 3 1/2 tablespoons sifted flour pver the berries, dot them with butter, and set them aside.

Into a bowl, sift 2 cups flour with two tablespoons sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and cream of tartar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. With a fork, stir in 1/2 cup milk and form the mixture into a ball. Roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick on a floured board. Cover the blackberries with the dough and trim the edges. Cut a vent in the center of the dough and sprinkle the top generously with sugar. Bake the cobbler in a hot oven (400F.) for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

Drizzle a little heavy cream across the top, and enjoy.

This recipes kicks out a boat load of cookies. These freeze really well and are perfect for experimenting with.

Marmalade Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheet.

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup butter (softened or room temperature)
1 cup sour cream
1 tblsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tblsp. baking soda
1 tblsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 of a bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 – 1 cup orange marmalade (or any preserve of your choice. I’ve used peaches, apricots, raspberry…the skies the limit)

Cream together sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture, alternating with sour cream, to creamed mixture, and beat well after each addition.

Add marmalade. Use more or less marmalade per your taste. I usually use a cup.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookies sheet and bake for 8 minutes. You do NOT want to over bake these. These should be lightly golden brown. Over baking them causes the marmalade on the edge of the cookie to crystalize and have an icky burnt taste.

And apparently I’m in the mood to cook, because I’ll have another recipe post ready for you later today.

Enjoy the day!

Jenny

Bread pudding, of any kind, is one of my favorite desserts. I love it warm, with a drizzle of heavy cream or chocolate or caramel.

This recipe is one that I take to potluck events, and always get asked for the recipe. It’s simple!

Slow Cooker Eggnog Bread Pudding

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups eggnog
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 cups cubed bread, white or wheat (I leave the crusts on, but some people cut them off. Totally up to you)
1 cup raisins, or dried cranberries or dried blueberries or dried apple pieces

Put eggs, milks, cinnamon and sugars into large bowl and bead with wire whisk until well blended. Add bread and stir until bread is soaked. Stir in raisins and pour into a slower cooker that has been coated with butter. Turn heat on high for 2 hours, reduce to low heat and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle of pudding.

Good warm or cold.

(pictures coming this afternoon after mine is done)

Go make this today!!!

Good Morning Everyone.
.
I’ll be posting my version of “Pumpkin Bread” in this post later today, (actually I’m posting pumpkin bread in a new post, because I own this blog, and life got in the way of posting that recipe, that day!) but this morning, I’m uploading this post for the #TrickOrTweet scavenger hunt held by True Femme. (click here to visit the True Femme site and get all the info about the #TrickOrTweet scavenger hunt)

I’m offering two prizes. One I’m giving clues for, the other, you’re own your own. *Insert EEEEvil laugh*

The first prize is for the tweet you’ll be tweeting. Somewhere on my http://www.oubetcha.com website is a martini glass filled with “Pumpkin Divine”. If you’ve never tried a Pumpkin Divine Martini…What Are You Waiting For? Wonderful! Fantastic! Oh-So-Out-Of-This-World! I’ll be posting the recipe for Pumpkin Divine Martini’s this afternoon as well. Whoa! Let me catch my breath….

Just give me a minute….

Almost there….

Whew!

Continuing on. Somewhere on the http://www.oubetcha.com website, is a Pumpkin Divine Martini *deep breath*. Find the drink, click on it, and you’ll be led to another clue that will lead you to the tweet you’ll need to post on twitter to be eligible for the prizes there. Once you’ve posted the tweet to twitter, please come back here to In A Mini Skirt, and leave me a comment. One lucky random winner from all the comments left on this post will win a pair UBetchass lacey boy shorts. Please be aware – sending of prizes can take up to 2 weeks. These are still in production, and will not be ready for another week. You have your choice of small, medium, and large. You can also pick from black, nude, pink, green, yellow and purple.

Prize Number 2

Somewhere on my design site, http://www.jayanndesigns.com is another Martini, send me a DM on Twitter @UBetcha_Apparel with the Martini’s location (Page and description of image it’s on) and one random winner will receive my brand spankin’ new “Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies” recipe, on a custom designed recipe card, in the mail or email, whichever you prefer. Please leave your email address in your DM.

If you have questions…Tweet me! @UBetcha_Apparel

RECIPES

PUMPKIN DIVINE MARTINI

Ingredients:
* 1/2 oz Sylk Cream Liqueur
* 2 oz vanilla vodka
* 1/2 oz pumpkin liqueur or pumpkin spice syrup
* 1 tsp whipped cream
* cinnamon stick for garnish

Preparation:
1. Pour the Sylk Liqueur and vodka into a shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Add the pumpkin liqueur or syrup.
4. Shake again.
5. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
6. Top with a teaspoon of whipped cream.
7. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

PUMPKIN BREAD

Continuing on with my Harvest based recipes I bring you…

Harvest Quiche

1 1/2 lbs of zucchini, grated and drained
4 medium eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated
1 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1-2 cloves of garlic – I love garlic, so I usually use 2 gloves
1/2 cup half and half cream
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tbsp. of butter
1/4 teasp. salt
1/4 teasp. dill
Pinch of black pepper

Saute’ onion, mushrooms and garlic in butter until tender.

Mix the cheeses and zucchini together in a large bowl. Add onion, garlic, mushroom mixture.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Pour into a lightly greased 9″ pie plate. (No crust needed)

Bake in 350˚F oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Another variation is to brown 3 strips of bacon. Remove bacon, but keep bacon fat in pan, and saute onions, mushrooms and garlic in the bacon fat. Crumble bacon and add with zucchini and cheeses. Continue on with recipe.

Fantastic for lunch or supper, this recipe can be halved for couples and singles. Serve with a light salad and croissants.

Enjoy. Should you use this recipe, please let me know your thoughts!