Loaded Mashed Potatoes

This side dish was a request from my husband, so after doing a little looking at recipes on how to make them, this is what I came up with. They were really good. I served them up as a side to steak.
John's Rating: 8

The amounts would depend on how big of a batch you want:

Red Potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
Garlic, finely minced
Butter
Sour Cream
Cooked bacon (I used turkey bacon)
Cheddar Cheese
Green onions, sliced

Boil potatoes with garlic until tender. Drain. Mix in butter with mashed potatoes. Stir in sour cream with the potatoes until they are as creamy as you like them. Mix in crumbled bacon and some cheese. Serve on a plate and top with some shredded cheese and sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Pesto Cream Sauce

This is the way I like to eat pesto...in a cream sauce over pasta. It would be great served over some steamed vegetables. In fact the 2nd picture I sauteed some zucchini and threw it in with the pasta and it was great. I served these pasta dishes with some grilled chicken.
John's Rating: strong 8

Recipe from Our Family Treat

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Pesto (I use about 1/4 cup or 2 ice cube sized chunks, thawed)

Melt the butter, and then add flour. Once the roux is created, add the cream. Stir until warm. Add cheese. Once the Parmesan cheese is all melted, add the pesto. Stir and keep warm until ready to add to pasta.

Pesto

I finally found the recipe I want for pesto. It is delish! I grew my own basil and so I froze some of the pesto in ice cube trays. I have used that as well, and it works great...so next year I will be growing more basil :)

Sorry...I forgot to take a picture of the pesto...but I have pictures of what I made with it :) Stay tuned for tomorrow's post :) And next year I will have to take a picture of the pesto.

Recipe adapted Our Family Treat

2 cups basil

1/2 triangle brick Parmesan cheese (or to your taste)

1 medium garlic clove

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (I toasted mine in a frying pan with a little olive oil until they were light brown)

3/4 to 1 cup of olive oil

Mix all the dry ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped. Mix in the olive oil while blending on high speed until completely Incorporated and the consistency you like.