Mashed Potatoes in a Crock Pot

5 lbs sierra gold potatoes or red potatoes, diced with peel
1 c water
1 c butter, cut into chunks
1 TBS salt
¾ tsp pepper
1 1/3 c milk, warmed
Place the potatoes, water, and butter into a slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours.  Do not remove the excess water from slow cooker. This adds to the creamy texture.  Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater, adding the desired amount of warm milk to achieve a creamy consistency.  Keep warm on low until serving.  Potatoes keep consistency for a couple of hours after mashing. Just keep the lid on the slow cooker and serve directly from there.

*** Notes - I used the "butter gold" potatoes, don't!  They are stringy and have a weird texture.  I think I would have been happier with plain ole russets!  Otherwise this was easy & good!

Cooler Corn (Corn for a Crowd)

as many ears of corn to feed the crowd
boiling water
ice chest

Cooking corn on the cob for a big crowd, using only boiling water and an ice chest:  Give your cooler a good wash and scrub, then place all the corn peeled and hair removed all in the cooler.  Pour enough boiling water over to cover the corn. Close the lid of the cooler tight and let it set for 30 minutes.  This works perfectly. The corn will keep warm and ready to eat for at least 2 hours. Enjoy! --- To make at home use a smaller cooler- same principle.

I did this Saturday for a BBQ, drained the corn about 12:30 pm, when we bagged the leftovers at 8 pm, the Ziploc's got "steamy".  AMAZING!

Bacon and Parmesan Pasta (aka Pasta Carbonora)

1 lb bacon (2-3 pkgs bacon bits)

1 pkg penne pasta
1 c heavy whipping cream
8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 c parmesan
2 eggs
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, start the sauce.  Now, you’ll wanna add a cup of heavy cream and the package of cream cheese to a saucepan and heat on low.  Once the cream cheese is nice and smooth, remove from heat.  Now add these guys… Two eggs and 1/2 cup of the shredded parmesan   Mix well.  If you’re freakin’ out about the eggs not being cooked, don’t.  The heat from the pasta will cook ‘em right up!  You’ll wanna fry up some bacon, and chop it all up.  Drain pasta and return to pot.  Now add the sauce mix and chopped bacon.  Mix well to coat.

I took this to our sunday dinner with the in-laws and neighbors.  I pre-made the sauce, pre-cooked the pasta.  I re-heated the sauce as the pasta reheated.  This was very good.  Almost as good as the pasta carbonora we had in Italy 25 yrs ago.  It re-heated well, is filing enough you could serve as a "light" dinner w/a salad.

CHAMPAGNE SALAD

Made this for a "girls" lunch at work.  Didn't have fresh basil, used cheese sticks (use what you have, right?).  This was delish!  The avocados turned a little, but what you would expect if you were cutting them for your lunch in the morning.

2 avocados, cubed

2 tomatoes, cubed
Fresh mozzarella, cubed
Fresh basil, sliced into thin strips
Girard's Champagne dressing
salt & pepper, to taste
Combine avocado, tomato, mozzarella, & basil in a large bowl.  Top with dressing and toss to coat.  The dressing is available at Kroger or Target.   This salad is best served fresh, although I've made it at night & eaten it for lunch the next day.

Corn Casserole

This always makes an apperance at Thanksgiving and Christmas at our house.  Not sure where it came from, probably the Jiffy Cornbread box.

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn (not drained)
1 c sour cream
1/2 c melted butter
Mix all ingredients and pour into (greased or sprayed with cooking spray) 8x8" casserole dish. Cook uncovered for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees.