Cheesy Oven Potatoes

I grew up on a potato farm so of course potatoes are a staple in my diet. Yum!  I'm not sure how I would survive my new allergies without them! This recipe is a fairly basic one, but it's really easy, delicious, and filling so I thought it was worth sharing here. 

As always, be sure to only use ingredients that you know are safe for you! I am sensitive to pepper (although common, it's a spice!) so this recipe doesn't use it, but if you find that you are okay with pepper, go ahead and add some.  Here goes: 

Cheesy Oven Potatoes

5 large russet or other baking potatoes (Idahoan if possible! )
1/2 to 1 cube butter
Salt to taste
1 cup grated cheese (I used a colby jack mix. Check ingredients for purity though.)

Preheat oven to 350. Wash potatoes. Don't peel. Cut into 1/4" thick slices.
Use butter to coat the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking dish. Layer potatoes over each other.  Sprinkle potatoes with salt. Cut remaining butter into chunks and spread over the potatoes.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or until tender when poked with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese and put back in the oven, uncovered, for a few minutes or until the cheese is well melted.

Let cool a few minutes for cheese to set. Makes 6-8 servings.


These are delicious and disappeared quickly!  You can make them without the cheese for a healthier option, but I'm always needing a few extra calories to make up for what I can't eat. Plus cheese is just yummy.  You can also serve with sour cream.   Enjoy!

Meatloaf

I have been craving meatloaf lately but I couldn't use my old family recipe because most (if not all) recipes use tomatoes in some form or another. I looked up a bunch of recipes online and did some substituting and creative thinking. I love how it turned out!  My whole family ate it quickly, and that's saying a lot for kids ages 4 to 12!  This recipe is family size, although you could easily use half the amounts.  

Please keep in mind that your specific sensitivities may be different than mine. Be sure to only use ingredients that you know are safe for you! 

Here goes: 

Meatloaf

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2/3 c cracker crumbs, finely crushed (I used approx. 1/2 sleeve Saltines)

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tsp salt

1-1.5 lbs ground beef, raw

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large bowl, whisk the milk and eggs until combined. Stir in cracker crumbs. Add chopped onion. Add ground beef and mix well. Pour into a greased loaf pan. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until edges are browned. 

Remove and let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool. 

Loosen edges then turn out of the pan onto a platter. Slice and serve warm. Serves 6-8

Final note: I ate this as-is and loved it. My husband added ketchup to the side of his and the kids followed suit. Oh well. Looks like he's washing the ketchup-covered dishes, so no harm done. 

Enjoy!