Comfort Me with Potatoes...and Flowers

You can have your chocolate and sweets, just comfort me with potatoes. There is not one style that I will refuse, I am simply enamored with potatoes. I am fighting the flu, since Nate and Matt both have it, and I do not need that experience since we are leaving on a trip in the near future. So... I pulled out my trusty bag of Yukon Gold and prepared roasted potato slices with herbs, sea salt, and pepper. When I get old and cranky I hope someone will remind my care givers that I can be soothed with anything potato.

Is there an all potato cookbook? I have hundreds, yet I have yet to see one that is all on my favorite food subject. I am sure there is one or two. I am going to look up all of my favorite ways to produce a potato dish and I hope you will share yours with us as well. I'll keep adding to this post as I find something delicious (and while I nibble on my roasted potato slices.)


What ever happened to Nathalie Dupree? She had a cooking show on public television years before the Food Network and she was so gracious and so in love with cooking good food. I have not heard a word about her for years. I am going to give you her recipe for potatoes Anna. I first made this dish while watching one of Martha Stewart's videos. While she was pouring on the butter, between each layer mind you, she was trying to convince us that it was not fattening. It was seriously good, but you can imagine how thunder thighs could increase after one helping, according to Martha's recipe. Nathalie's is just a bit more sensible even though she is a southern gal who likes her butter too.

POTATOES ANNA

1/2 c. soft butter
2 lbs. (about 5 c.) Idaho potatoes, pared and thinly sliced
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. With 3 tablespoons butter, grease an iron skillet. Dry potato slices.
Gently toss potatoes with salt and pepper. Layer a third of potato slices, circular fashion, around bottom and side of skillet. Dot with butter or pour melted butter over the layer and each layer after that. Repeat twice or as many times as you have potatoes and butter. Remember the bottom will actually be the top once it is inverted, so make the first arrangement pretty and add a sprig of thyme in the middle for added flavor and beauty. The potatoes should be golden brown and crunchy. When inverted it will look like a cake. You slice it like a cake as well.

Another version:

POTATOES ANNA

5 med. Idaho potatoes
1/2 c. butter, melted
Seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

Cut potatoes into thin, even slices. Place in water until ready to bake. Dry thoroughly. Arrange slices in circles, overlapping each slightly to cover bottom of greased pie plate. Sprinkle with seasonings and drizzle with butter. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle remaining butter over top. Bake in 400 degree oven about 45 minutes or until brown and crusty. Invert onto platter; lift off pie plate; cut in wedges to serve.

I looked up Ms. Dupree on the Internet and WOW, she is still active and even ran for senate on a write-in ticket. http://www.nathalie.com/bio.htm She is such an interesting person and cook. Just google her name and have fun reading about her and her eight cookbooks.

Nathalie Dupree's
Southern Memories
Welcome to Nathalie Dupree's South, a place of ladies' luncheons, bake sales, fresh fish dinners, and pit barbecue, where time seems to move a bit more slowly and fresh, flavorful food is an indispensable part of everyday life. For years, PBS host and author Nathalie Dupree has led the renaissance of Southern cooking, bringing the best of the region's fare to the country. Now she recalls the people and the places that have shaped her philosophy of cooking and entertaining in Nathalie Dupree's Southern Memories, the culmination of her lasting love affair with Southern food and Southern living.

For anyone who has longed to step into Nathalie's world as seen on her PBS series, Southern Memories will be as welcome as a cool iced tea on a hot summer day. I've ordered this and another of hers. I'll let you know how they are.

Everyone in the family gets this when they are feeling poorly.
Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Ingredients
3 large leeks, cut lengthwise, separate, clean. Use only the white and pale green parts, chop.
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)*
2 lbs potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
Marjoram - dash
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce
Salt & Pepper
Method
Cook leeks in butter with salt and pepper in a medium sized sauce pan. Cover pan, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Check often. Do not brown leeks! Browning will give leeks a burnt taste.

2 Add water, broth, and potatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Scoop about half of the soup mixture into a blender, puree and return to pan. Add marjoram, parsley, and thyme. Add a few dashes of chili sauce to taste. Add some freshly ground pepper, 1-2 teaspoons salt or more to taste.

Serves 4-6.

In 1985, a Cincinnati, Ohio woman hit the Ruth Lyons show when Bob Braun (sp.?)took over for Ruth. Her name was Beverly Nye and she became an instant celebrity. She knew how to do everything in a homey way from preparing the pantry for disastrous events, to home making in a grand wifely style. I guess it became too much ado because her great newsletters, which I have all of, and her home made style book, I think there was only one, disappeared and she was heard from no more. She was a dedicated family woman and perhaps she knew when to call it quits and concentrate on her husband, Roy, and the family. Here is her country potato cheese soup.

In a sauce pan, melt: 2 T. butter or margarine

Add: 6 large diced potatoes
2 medium chopped onions
3 stalks chopped celery
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add: 2 c. chicken broth
Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. Put mixture in blender and blend to smooth
Return to heat and stir in 1 cup half and half and 2 cups of cheese of your choice--Colby, American, (Brie make sure it is a non- reactive pan or Gruyere, a Swiss cow's milk cheese that melts beautifully)
Heat until cheese is melted. Serves 4, but can be stretched.

I just got on line and found other people looking for this woman. Many people thought she was dead, but someone had this web site, apparently hers, with the following message. (After more searching I found that she did die in 2005. Perhaps her family sells her books.)


Golly, it's been so fun hearing from "old" friends who have just discovered my website. Thank you all for remembering me and recalling memories and recipes from past shows. The world really is full of wonderful people!

My newest book, Year Round Sunshine, is still going strong and is still available by internet or mail. I am so pleased so many of you are enjoying it.

People are asking if my other books are still available. A Family Raised on Rainbows is out of print and I no longer have any. However, I do still have a few copies of my other titles. To place an order simply send check or money order to the address below.

A Family Raised on Sunshine $5.95 plus $3 s&h
Everyone's a Homemaker $7.95 plus $3 s&h
The Best of Beverly $7.95 plus $3 s&h
Year Round Sunshine $24.95 plus $3.50 s&h


Just email me, me@beverlynye.com, or write to:

Bev Nye
1493 West Cornerstone Drive
South Jordan, UT 84095


Well, stay in touch everyone!

Smile Always!

Bev Nye

I am a busy woman, today, digging up the long gone.






http://www.thehungrymouse.com/ The Hungry Mouse says grab your fork and put on your fat pants for this mashed potato dish. This recipe looks wonderful and she pictures it step by step. I like following her blog, too. I am going to try this!