Allison's Recipe Book

Ingredients:
Baked potatoes, slightly cooled
Melted butter
Kosher salt and black pepper
Shredded cheese (cheddar, gruyere, fontina, pepperjack, or other of your choice)
Eggs
Additional fillings of your choice: sauteed vegetables, bacon or ham, etc.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice a layer off the top of each potato.  Use a spoon to gently scoop out insides, leaving a thin layer of potato against the skin and avoiding puncturing the bottom.  Reserve scooped potato for another use.

Brush inside of each potato with melted butter and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese into each potato and add fillings as desired (vegetables, diced meat, etc.)  Fill each potato about 3/4 full.  Crack one egg into each potato.  Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper.  Top with additional cheese and toppings if desired.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes.  Egg whites should be set and yolks soft.

3 cups idaho potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into cubes when cool, approx. 1 lb
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, diced
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb skinless smoked sausage (Eckrich is my favorite brand)
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch “half moon” cuts. Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to SLIGHTLY brown. Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole. Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss. Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (Use a whisk and stir constantly.) Pour white/cheese sauce over potatoes and meat. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).

NOTE: You can substitute: 1/2 lb. hot dogs, sliced into 1/2-inch slices OR 1/2 lb. ham diced into 1/2-inch dices OR 12 oz. can of Spam diced into 1/2-inch dices, instead of the smoked sausage.

Ingredients needed for Mashed Cauliflower

Raw cauliflower – a medium head makes about a pound of florets
Any combination of butter, milk, cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes – about 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper
If you have low carb “instant mashed potatoes”, add up to 1/4 cup for texture*
Options: minced garlic (a clove or two); garlic powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon); cheese

Preparation for Mashed Cauliflower

*I like to use instant “potatoes” made for low carb diets, such as Dixie Carb Counters Instant Mashers. Other people use a small amount of real potato or instant potatoes to improve the texture. But you don’t need any of these things.

Break the cauliflower up into florets, or just chop. I like to cook it in the microwave in a container that I prepare and serve it in, but you can steam it. Cook it until it’s tender — a fork should easily pierce it.

The easiest thing to do is to add the rest of the ingredients to the container the cauliflower is cooked in, and then use a stick (hand) blender to put it all together. Or you can put it all in a regular blender or food processor.