Tasty Potato Patties/Cakes

It's been a very long while since I  have been able to make any posts on my blog. Having lost my job briefly in January, I was able to get back in the swing of things by returning to education and teaching new little ones in the elementary setting. Luckily, I still have been cooking, but I haven't had the chance to make any posts due to being non stop busy busy.

Well, this post is really easy to make especially if you have a small group of people who are planning to have brunch or breakfast.

Ingredients:

Leftover mashed potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheese (preferably monterrey jack, but any good cheese is good)
1 egg (more mashed potatoes, then add an additional egg or 2)
Seasoned panko breading (italian breadcrumbs also work)
Butter and olive oil

First, start by taking out the leftover mashed potatoes and place into a bowl. This works best when you have made the potatoes a day or two before. If you need to, add pepper and/or salt. I normally don't since the potatoes have been salted enough.

Add the shredded cheese to the potatoes. Mix the cheese and potatoes. I don't like to add eggs to this as the cheese will act as a binder to the cold potatoes. Start to make your patties.

Whisk the egg(s). Place off to the side. Get your tray full of breading and also place off to the side. Start to make heat up your butter/olive oil slowly on medium/low heat.

Dip each patty into the egg mixture and then coat with the breadcrumbs or panko (whatever you are using).

Start to place your patties into the heated pan. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes (or until brown) and then flip. You might need to add additional olive oil and butter as you cook all of your patties.

 

Once cooked, remove and place into a prepared dish with some paper towels. This allows the oil to drain from the potato patties. We have this with some different types of quiche. Very nice brunch indeed!!

Buttermilk Biscuits

When making Sunday meals, I always want to make all the fixings with a main dish. With most meals, I really do like to have a side salad and a bread item. I have been pretty good about having this once in a while as I don't want to gain too much weight.

Again, the photos demonstrate a double batch of the biscuits. Making this recipe is rather easy to do as long as you sift the flour ahead of time. Sometimes, on occasion, add chives and cheddar cheese. It's a savory option, but its equally good on its own with butter and jam.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
about 3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 450.

Start by sifting all the dry ingredients into a large group.

 
Cut shortening into flour mixture into pasty blender (or pastry cutter) in a large bowl until mixture resembles fine crumbles.

 
Stir in just enough buttermilk so dough leaves side of bowl and forms a ball. Please keep in mind that you need to add additional buttermilk as you don't want the dough too dry.

 

Turn dough into lightly floured surface. Gently roll in flour to coat.

Knead lightly 10 times. Roll or pat 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie cutter. Reform into a ball and make more biscuits if need be.

 

 

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve hot. I have melted some butter and brush evenly.

 

Homemade Banana Nut Bread

I do love Banana Nut Bread. I have made various types of Banana Nut Bread, but its always hard trying to find the right flavor along with good ingredients. Thus far, I have found a really good recipe that incorporates good taste, flavor and keeps well. Most recipes that I have tried have bread that would keep for about no more than 4 days.

I also love to share what I make, so the pictures that I have developed actually demonstrate a double batch. This recipe does call for buttermilk and really ripe bananas. If your bananas aren't ripe yet, place into a brown paper bag for a day or two. This helps in the process. Sometimes, I have recently gotten leftover bananas from the school cafeteria. They normally have to throw this away as the kids don't eat bananas. So I make this and share with the cafeteria ladies. This is great for gifts during the holidays, which I plan to do.

Remember, some of the pictures demonstrate that I was making a double batch. Enjoy the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinammon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp all spice
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup coarse chopped walnuts (pecans will do as well)

First, start by heating the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottoms only of 2 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 or 1 large loaf pan.

Mix sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the eggs.

Add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, spices and vanilla until smooth. Beat until smooth. The bananas can freeze well and you needed to thaw out and it would ripen well.

In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients through a sifter. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda into the wet mixture until the flour is moist.

 

Chop up the nuts if you haven't done so. Finally, stir in the walnuts. Pour into each of the pans. You can also make these into muffins. It's a great way to have individualized bites of yummy goodness.

Bake the loaves for about 1 hour. If cooking a large loaf, add an additional 15 minutes. The best way to check if it is ready, use a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, then it is done.

 
Cool for about 5 minutes. Loosen the sides and take out of the tins. Place onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.  

Keep in mind, you can eat it while its still warm, but you need to keep refrigerated for up to a week and a half. Hope you enjoy!