January 28, 2012: Skinny Mashed Potatoes Recipe

For yummy mashed potatoes that don’t pack a lot of calories, this recipe fits the bill perfectly! These potatoes are flavorful and creamy enough to make you think they’re loaded with fat.

Skinny Smashed Potatoes served with Buttermilk Chicken with Mushroom Sauce and Sugar Snap Peas

Skinny Mashed Potatoes

4 large red potatoes (or combination of red and Russet potatoes)

¼ cup low fat buttermilk, warmed through

2 T. plain yogurt

1 T. margarine

1 t. dried parsley

1 T. chopped chives (or substitute green part of green onions, minced)

½ t. dehydrated garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

If using Russet potatoes, peel them. Cut all potatoes into fourths. Place in a pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cover. Boil gently for 30 minutes, or until soft. Drain and return to pot. Place on warm stove burner to evaporate any remaining water.

Add remaining ingredients. With a manual masher, coarsely mash potatoes.

Serves 4

September 5, 2011: Pennsylvania Dutch Crumb Cake

My pastor and his family are going through a difficult time right now, with a treasured family member in the hospital and not doing well. They’ve got all their family here, of course, and my friend Kathy and I decided to try to make things just a bit easier for them by providing meals. I volunteered to make a coffee cake – easy to grab and munch and it feeds a lot of people. This is a spicy crumb cake that is perfect with a hot cup of coffee.

I found this recipe in an American Profile weekly magazine and didn’t have to change much of anything; I just tweaked it slightly. It was adapted with permission from Greg Patent’s A Baker’s Odyssey.

Pennsylvania Dutch Crumb Cake

Crumb Base:

4 cups flour

½ t. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 t. ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until the consistency of fine meal. Add sugars and cinnamon and mix well.

Topping and Cake:

6 T. butter, melted

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

½ t. nutmeg

1 t. baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 t. vanilla extract

Place 4 cups of the crumb base in a medium sized bowl. Add melted butter; stir just until blended.

Add remaining ingredients to the rest of the crumb base and beat until smooth.

Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan (use the wrappers from the butter or nonstick cooking spray). Spread cake batter in bottom of pan. Using your fingers, crumble the topping over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool. Dust top of cake with powdered sugar, if desired.