Thursday, September 12, 2013

Yummy Cheesy Potatoes


8 Medium Potatoes peeled
1 1⁄2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1⁄2 cup sour cream

1/2 c melted butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 t salt and pepper

Topping 
1/4 c melted butter
1/2 c bread crumbs

Boil potatoes, let cool. Slice or dice into small cubes.
Mix together the potatoes, cheese, melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, salt and pepper. Pour into an oblong baking dish. Add additional 1⁄2 cup grated cheddar cheese on top of the potato mixture. Mix together 1⁄4 cup butter (melted) and 1⁄2 cup bread crumbs (add more bread crumbs if too moist). Pour over cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. 

Lemon Tarts


Ingredient
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold butter
3 tablespoons cold water

Lemon Filling:
8 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup crème fraiche or sour cream 

2 eggs
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons lemon zest

Pastry: In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, large-tined fork, or a food processor on pulse setting, cut the chilled butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Sprinkle the cold water onto the mixture and toss gently a few times, just until it forms a ball that holds together.
Separate the dough into two balls, flatten slightly into thick disk shapes, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for several hours before working with it.
Preheat an oven to 375F. Roll and trim the dough to make a circle large enough to fit a 10-inch fluted tart pan. Fit the circle into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Line the line the dough with pie weights or dried beans and bake it for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and bake the shell for an additional 5 minutes. Set aside the pastry shell, still in the tart pan, to cool.
In a double boiler or a medium size saucepan set a large pan of simmering water, stir together 8 tablespoons butter and the crème fraiche. Once this mixture is thoroughly combined, set it aside. In a separate pan set over the double boiler, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Stir the lemon juice into the mixture and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and butter-crème fraiche mixture to the eggs and cook, stirring constantly till it thickens.
Pour the lemon filling into the prepared pastry and BAKE AT 275 for 15 minutes, until it turns golden brown and the filling is set.
Allow the tart to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator before serving.
This lemon tart recipe makes 8 to 10 servings.