Hashbrowns - one of my favorite foods. Just about any form of potato, especially potato that you can put ketchup on...yum. When I was younger, my mom would take any leftover potato skins and chop them up and make homemade hashbrowns. These hashbrowns can also be called skillet potatoes, or whatever other name restaurants come up with. They're basically, potato skins with whatever potato flesh is left in them, diced up and cooked in a skillet until browned. Since being married, I've started adding other ingredients to my hashbrowns and they really become a treat.
First you have to start with a baked potato (or pre-cooked potato). What we usually do is have baked potatoes with broccoli and cheese one night, and then save the skins and leftovers for a hashbrown meal. It's difficult for me to get my husband to save his skins, he prefers to eat the whole potato, but I always save mine. If you don't have leftover potato skins, or if you need more potatoes, it's perfectly fine to cook up some potatoes just for this meal. I use all of the potato, but you do need to have some skins to make them really good.
Once you have the potato ready to go, then you can figure out what other ingredients you'd like to have. I usually use onion, some garlic, and cheese. Other ingredients that I've used or that might be good: bacon, sausage, peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos or tomatoes. Just make sure you dice everything up to about the same size before cooking. I would also pre-cook any meat that you have.
When you have all your ingredients ready, heat your skillet up to about medium-high heat. You're going to need a decent amount of oil/grease for these. The potatoes will soak up whatever liquids are in there so you may need extra. I would start off with 2 tablespoons of whatever you're using. I'm being general with the "grease" because I like to use some of my bacon grease for this recipe. I'll usually use about a tablespoon of bacon grease and a tablespoon of butter. Then I'll add more as needed. You could use oil (but I don't think olive oil would be a good flavor in this) or margarine, whatever you prefer, but think of the oil as another flavor to the hashbrowns. The oil you use makes a difference in how the potatoes taste.
Now, it's your choice on how you want to cook these. The best thing to do is cook any of the raw ingredients (onion, garlic, peppers, etc.), then once they've softened, add the potatoes and any other pre-cooked ingredients (like meats). Then you want to cook those potatoes for awhile. Try not to stir them too much, just enough to keep them from sticking to your pan. You want them to get brown and crispy. Once they get to the point of browning that you like, then turn the heat off and add any cheese you want. I like to just put the cheese in at the end and stir it around some so that it melts in the potatoes.
Then just plate up and serve! As I mentioned before, I love putting some ketchup on top. Or you can put this awesome nutritional yeast gravy on top, another winner!
Another house (diner) favorite that I'm thankful to my mom for teaching me - the perfect grilled cheese. My poor husband when we were married, made his grilled cheese in the toaster oven. Which is fine if you just want some cheese toast but for a good grilled cheese, you need a little more work.
Heat up a good skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. It's tempting to heat it up higher but then you'll just end up with burnt bread instead of golden brown. Then slice your cheese and put your sandwich together. I suggest putting the thicker cheeses on the outside, thinner or softer cheese in the middle. I've used lost of cheese combinations in the past so whatever you have should be good. Then be sure to put some butter on the outside of the bread. Then put the sandwich buttered-side down on the hot skillet. While you let the butter melt, go ahead and put butter on the other, top side, of the bread. Go ahead and flip the sandwich but try and hold it together (and not burn yourself!). If it falls apart, it's ok, just try and get it all back together so the cheese doesn't get stuck to your pan. Also, be sure to press the sandwich while it's cooking. It'll help the cheese melt and the bread to brown evenly.
Flip the sandwich back and forth until you get your desired browning and the cheese is good and melted. Then, plate, cut and serve! Our favorite is to have some with tomato soup but it's good enough to eat by itself!
Enjoy!
First you have to start with a baked potato (or pre-cooked potato). What we usually do is have baked potatoes with broccoli and cheese one night, and then save the skins and leftovers for a hashbrown meal. It's difficult for me to get my husband to save his skins, he prefers to eat the whole potato, but I always save mine. If you don't have leftover potato skins, or if you need more potatoes, it's perfectly fine to cook up some potatoes just for this meal. I use all of the potato, but you do need to have some skins to make them really good.
Once you have the potato ready to go, then you can figure out what other ingredients you'd like to have. I usually use onion, some garlic, and cheese. Other ingredients that I've used or that might be good: bacon, sausage, peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos or tomatoes. Just make sure you dice everything up to about the same size before cooking. I would also pre-cook any meat that you have.
When you have all your ingredients ready, heat your skillet up to about medium-high heat. You're going to need a decent amount of oil/grease for these. The potatoes will soak up whatever liquids are in there so you may need extra. I would start off with 2 tablespoons of whatever you're using. I'm being general with the "grease" because I like to use some of my bacon grease for this recipe. I'll usually use about a tablespoon of bacon grease and a tablespoon of butter. Then I'll add more as needed. You could use oil (but I don't think olive oil would be a good flavor in this) or margarine, whatever you prefer, but think of the oil as another flavor to the hashbrowns. The oil you use makes a difference in how the potatoes taste.
Now, it's your choice on how you want to cook these. The best thing to do is cook any of the raw ingredients (onion, garlic, peppers, etc.), then once they've softened, add the potatoes and any other pre-cooked ingredients (like meats). Then you want to cook those potatoes for awhile. Try not to stir them too much, just enough to keep them from sticking to your pan. You want them to get brown and crispy. Once they get to the point of browning that you like, then turn the heat off and add any cheese you want. I like to just put the cheese in at the end and stir it around some so that it melts in the potatoes.
Then just plate up and serve! As I mentioned before, I love putting some ketchup on top. Or you can put this awesome nutritional yeast gravy on top, another winner!
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| Red potato hashbrowns with onions, garlic and cheese (soon to be topped with gravy). |
Another house (diner) favorite that I'm thankful to my mom for teaching me - the perfect grilled cheese. My poor husband when we were married, made his grilled cheese in the toaster oven. Which is fine if you just want some cheese toast but for a good grilled cheese, you need a little more work.
Heat up a good skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. It's tempting to heat it up higher but then you'll just end up with burnt bread instead of golden brown. Then slice your cheese and put your sandwich together. I suggest putting the thicker cheeses on the outside, thinner or softer cheese in the middle. I've used lost of cheese combinations in the past so whatever you have should be good. Then be sure to put some butter on the outside of the bread. Then put the sandwich buttered-side down on the hot skillet. While you let the butter melt, go ahead and put butter on the other, top side, of the bread. Go ahead and flip the sandwich but try and hold it together (and not burn yourself!). If it falls apart, it's ok, just try and get it all back together so the cheese doesn't get stuck to your pan. Also, be sure to press the sandwich while it's cooking. It'll help the cheese melt and the bread to brown evenly.
Flip the sandwich back and forth until you get your desired browning and the cheese is good and melted. Then, plate, cut and serve! Our favorite is to have some with tomato soup but it's good enough to eat by itself!
Enjoy!
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