Back to Food and Thought....Scalloped Purple Potato and Rutabaga

Enough with the training already, right?  Well, for now at least.  Besides those last 4 workouts should keep you busy for a while.

Monday is our garbage pick up day and the perfect morning to clean out the fridge. (am I the only one wanting to clean out everything?  The fridge/freezer, the pantry, the closets...natural I think, right after Xmas...)  I've been away from most of my "normal" foods and meals, partly because of the season, and partly because, I have to admit, I did partake in more holiday foods this year than the last 6 years combined. Still it wasn't bad at all, not even close.  I didn't gain an ounce, and in fact I pretty much weigh what I have all year, but my nutrition was...well, kinda weird. I am a firm believer in "trade-offs", diet/calorie trade offs for sure.  Last month candy was the culprit...I mean I was a culprit and I was the one that preyed on candy!  And since I picked it, I had to play it!  But that was then, this is now...

Ah, Monday!  One of my favorite days of the week.  Clean out the fridge, prepare and portion, and I'm ready for the next 5 days at least!  I hadn't really cleaned out the fridge since before the Christmas and, good-ness, it was way past time.  What did I find?  Hmnn...  Tons of animal fat saved in small ramekins!  I meant to make more gravies for Mark, and also do a little more roasting and sauteeing using the flavored fats from the rib roast, the veal chorizo, the chickens, etc.  Use it or lose it time!  I threw out most of it, freezing the beef fat and the spicy chorizo fat.

I also found a whole unopened pint of heavy cream (expiration date of 12/8!  whoops...still smelled OK, lol), a bunch of purple potatoes way back from CSA (months ago...yikes!), 1/2 container of shredded parmesan cheese....or and two large rutabagas I bought at least 3 weeks ago.  Sounds like it's time for a scalloped potato casserole!  Personally I'm not a big potato fan.  don't get me wrong, I love potatoes, mashed, baked, french fries, and certainly scalloped!  But I wouldn't pick them from a menu, nor when they sit in the fridge am I tempted to choose them...not sure why.  But Mark loves potatoes!  (not sweet potatoes though...I know, I know, what the heck, right?)

What I did not have was any milk, and only 1 c. of heavy cream just was not going to get it done! (just for the record I only use whole milk and whole milk products)  What I did have was some super duper rich chicken stock made from those super duper $30 chickens.  If that stuff doesn't wreak of nutrition then I don't know what does, lol!  I loved the end result!

1 c. heavy cream, 1 c. rich chicken stock, 2 eggs (good pinch of salt).   Thinly slice potatoes (on a mandoline...you should own one, really you should!) or a combination of root veg like rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, or even squash, and toss in a large bowl with shredded 3/4-1 c shredded parmesan cheese, and yes,  another good pinch of salt!  Pour cream mixture over potatoes and cheese and then transfer to casserole, making sure you have enough liquid to come at least half way up the sides of your dish.  Top with more cheese!  Cover with foil (making a few steam vents), bake in a 350-375 oven for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking for another 20-30 minutes until golden brown on top.  As yummy as mine looked at this time I went ahead and put the broiler on....whoops, that was almost a disaster!  keep an eye on it, or set a timer for every minute!

I mean really, how can you go wrong?  I liked the addition of the stock so much I just pulled more out of the freezer for next time...when is next time you ask?  Well, soon!  But next time I think I'm going to make the Rutabaga the star that it deserves to be!  More on that next time!  Enjoy!  And please do share your ideas and/or recipe for potato casserole!

PS  I think I'm officially going to claim "POS", short for "a good pinch of salt"  You know, kind of like how Rachel Ray is known for "EVOO" (extra virgin olive oil).  "POS", a good pinch of salt!


On an entirely different note...I learned a lot about my intolerant, bitchy, know it all, self during my yoga practice this morning.  I realized that one of the characteristics that I find most annoying in other people is when someone "doesn't know what they don't know".  Hmn...could that be me?  I'm annoying myself!  Lately I'm being more and more humbled through my yoga practice.  More about that one too!