Mashed Potatoes with Gouda and Bacon

This will probably be the last recipe to come from my Richmond kitchen. We're finally packing and we load up and pull out for good Saturday morning. I have mixed emotions about this move. Usually I'm all about new places and new people. But I've loved it here. It has only been four years but this is home. We've spent the majority of our married lives here, started a family here. I hope Chicago will be so good to us.

I plan on cooking and blogging again. As soon as things get settled and our life regains some sort of routine. Motherhood has been a big change, but it definitely won't keep me out of the kitchen and away from you! So until then- I leave you with this creamy cheesy not-so-waistline friendly mashed potato casserole. Bacon, gouda, sour cream... I probably don't need to tell you that it's heavenly.

Mashed Potatoes with Gouda and Bacon

INGREDIENTS
8 slices bacon
5 large green onions, finely chopped
3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1/3-1/2 cup milk (to desired consistency)
2 cups (about 8 oz.) smoked gouda, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Butter a 9x13 baking dish. Cook bacon until browned and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Chop bacon. Place in a medium bowl and add green onions; toss to combine.

2. Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and boil with lid slightly ajar until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain.

3. Add the sour cream, butter, and milk to the pot. Using a potato masher, mash until almost smooth. Add more milk to thin if necessary. Stir in 1 1/2 cups smoked gouda and 1 cup of the bacon-onion mixture. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread in the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.

4. Preheat oven to 375 F and bake for about 30 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden. Top with the remaining bacon-onion mixture and serve.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

I'm not big on salads as a meal. A bowl of lettuce usually just doesn't do it for me. On the side- sure. But I want to eat. Not nibble on greens and pretend I'm filled. But for this salad I make an exception. It's got everything I could want to leave me completely satisfied! It's not particularly light on calories (the good salads usually aren't). (Although I did replace some of the fat in the dressing by swapping in nonfat yogurt.) But it is packed with flavor and nutrients. With chopped lettuce, onion, and tomatoes, flecks of corn and black beans, briny olives and grilled barbecue chicken it offers a good dose of fiber and protein. (The stuff that sticks with you, leaving you full.) I finished it off with a creamy avocado ranch-style dressing, chopped cilantro, and crunchy crushed tortilla chips. You can, of course, use this recipe as a starting point and adapt the ingredients to your preference. Use pinto beans instead of black. Throw in some cabbage or jicama. Try gouda in place of cheddar. You get it.

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

INGREDIENTS
romaine lettuce, chopped
fresh or frozen corn kernels
black beans
red onion, thinly sliced
cheddar, grated
tomato, chopped
cilantro, chopped
black olives, sliced (optional)
tortilla chips, crushed (optional)
chicken breast
barbecue sauce

Creamy Avocado Dressing:
1/2 ripe avocado
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sour cream
1/4 cup Greek yogurt (nonfat is fine)
1 Tbsp. buttermilk + extra milk or buttermilk to thin
1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1/8 tsp. dried parsley
1/8 tsp. onion powder
pinch dried dill
pinch garlic powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. To make the dressing, blend all ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth (or mash the avocado and whisk all ingredients together by hand). Thin with extra milk or buttermilk if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill until the juices run clear. Let rest several minutes before chopping and tossing in your favorite barbecue sauce.

3. To make the salad, toss to combine lettuce, corn, black beans, onion, cheddar, tomato, cilantro, olives (optional), and tortilla chips (optional) in a large bowl. Top with grilled chicken and dressing and serve.

Dressing serves 4-6.

(Dressing adapted from All Recipes)