Creamy Potato Salad with Avocado

All I hear about anymore is how much snow is covering the nation.  But not here.  Here it feels like summer.  Granted, summers here in Oregon are cool, but it's still summer.  Sun, beach, 65 degrees,  You can bet I've been wearing flip flops and wishing that the summer produce was in so I could make a pie.  But I'll go for the next best thing and make a potato salad.  Doesn't it just sound like a picnic on the grass?

Creamy Potato Salad with Avocado
from Vegan Visitor

1 1/2 lbs new potatoes, scrubbed
1 large ripe avocado
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs (I used sage, garlic powder, coriander, and dill.)
Steam the potatoes until they are just fork tender but al dente.  Cool until the potatoes can be handled, then quarter.  Peel and dice the avocado and combine with the potatoes and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Stir in the herbs, then season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss well to coat everything and to break down some of the softened avocado.

Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts Gratin

This is the side that I brought to Thanksgiving this year. I found it on foodgawker.com, one of my very favorite websites. I get all kinds of recipes there and the pictures are gorgeous. This dish turned out delicious, although I think it is definitely a dish that needs to be made and served immediately. Or, if reheated, do it in a microwave. It is really cheesy and the sauce is very yummy. I know that cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are two veggies that are iffy on many people's lists, but trust me, try it. Enjoy!

Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Adapted from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

3/4 head of cauliflower, cut into large florets

3/4 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered lengthwise through core

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups hot milk

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

3/4 cup grated Gruyère (or Swiss) cheese, divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a large bowl filled with cold water and ice. Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5-6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain. Throw the cooked cauliflower into the bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking any further. Bring the pot back up to a boil and put in the quartered Brussels sprouts and cook for 3-4 minutes. The cauliflower should be completely cooled. Drain them and set aside. After the Brussels sprouts are done, throw them in the bowl of ice water. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyère and the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 x 11 x 2 baking dish. Placed the drained cauliflower and Brussels sprouts on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyère and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is browned.

Hasselback Potatoes

Here is the long awaited savory recipe! I actually forgot to take pictures of the one I intended to put on here, but that's ok. I have seen these recipes on foodgawker a lot and they always looked so good. But my problem is that I always forget to think about side dishes when I make my grocery list. This week however, I remembered and we made these delicious potatoes. To be fair, Brett actually made them. They turned out wonderfully! They were soft on the inside and kind of crispy on the outside. I'm so glad I finally tried this, and you should try it too! Enjoy!

Hasselback Potatoes

6 medium sized potatoes (I used Yukon gold)

2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

30g butter (I have no idea how much this is)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425. Put the potato on a cutting board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals. Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some salt and black pepper. Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.