Beer Battered Fish and Better than Primanti's-style Slaw!

Some lads and lassies think corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day is the way to go. Not necessarily.
 I've never met an Irishman who didn't like fish and chips. Come to think of it,  I've never met anyone who didn't like fish-n-chips. I have, however, met those who do not like corned beef and cabbage- myself included... and I'm part Irish!

This particular dish is special because New Belgium Brewing Company, known for it's Fat Tire Amber Ale,  will donate $1 to their "glass that gives" program for every picture submitted to them with their ale- hence the bottle in my picture on the left. How often do you hear about a brewing company donating money to a non-for profit "do gooder" organization? Not often. So do yourself a favor this St. Patty's day (or ANY day) and buy some Fat Tire Amber Ale, take a picture with it, and skip the corned beef.  Go fish!

My Irish Dad @ Primanti's w/ a signature sammy

Start with your Better-than-Primanti's Slaw- Primanti Bros. is an iconic Pittsburgh Strip District dive known for it's loaded sandwiches with hand cut fries, meat and their famous tangy, mayo-free, slaw. They threw everything together on a sandwich for the iron workers, years ago, who had no time to sit and enjoy everything in a restaurant. The concept stuck and has made Primanti Bros. "a must eat" on your next trip to the iron city. It's awesome, believe me... and I was skeptical, at first. Their slaw is excellent... but not as good as this:  

1lb pkg or bag o' slaw. (Sure, you can DIY and thinly slice your own cabbage and carrots, but, save yourself the trouble and grab a package. I got mine from our local fruit market for .98. SCORE!)
2tsp Ms. Dash Original blend
1tsp salt
1pkg Equal (I dunno what it is about using artificial sweetener with this recipe, but, real sugar just doesn't work)
1/2 cup Rice Wine Vinegar (don't even bother making this w/out the rice wine vinegar)
1/2tsp Celery Seed
1/4 tsp dill (fresh or dried)
1tablespoon Olive Oil

Combine all of those ingredients in a large bowl, toss, cover, and let chill.


Beer Battered O'Fish
2-4lbs of Cod or Haddock (or any firm, hearty fish- Sea bass, Halibut, Snapper will work... unless I am coming over for dinner, in which case, please use Haddock)
1 bottle of oil. (peanut, canola or veggie)
11/2 of flour
3/4tsp mustard powder
2Tbs Old Bay (I used Lazy Susan's Hot Fat Crab's Seasoning)
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 bottle of FAT TIRE AMBER ALE (or any amber ale will do)

Step 1) Preheat your oven to 275- to keep the fish warm after frying.

**If you want to do some hand cut chips (fries) use Alton Brown's technique. It's exactly how I fry... um... fries. Or, just buy some frozen **

Step 2) Get your oil hot, super hot, and ready to fry

In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients and mix together in a large bowl. Add your beer and mix. Coat your fish pieces in the mixture and let them sit until you are ready to fry. Drop the fish in the hot oil one at a time for 2 minutes, each. For consistency, turn them on each side in the oil. They should be golden brown. Remove the fish and let it rest on a a bed of paper towels (drain the oil) and then transfer to a cookie sheet in the oven until you are ready to dig in with your slaw!


<-- Make these for the kiddies. Take any store bought white cake mix, prepare per pkg. instructions and separate the batter in different bowls. Add different food coloring in each bowl and pour them, individually, into the cupcake liners and bake. The inside of the cupcakes (and the liners) will be RAINBOWRIFFIC!  

Kertney's Kung POW! "Better than Buffet" Companion Piece.

I CAN'T EAT ENOUGH KUNG PAO!

I order this dish more than any human being should. I order it so often that I'll bet Taiwan 101 is sick of making it for me, so I'll do them a favor and attempt to recreate it. In my trial dishes, I realized that I had to get a little more authentic with my sauce- something always wasn't quite right. After some investigating I realized that I needed MORE Asian condiments. Chinese chefs must have a condiment pantry as long as The Great Wall!  If you want to get a little more fancy with your Chinese cuisine, pick up these next 3 KEY items at your Asian market. No, you won't find them at your run-of-the-mill grocery store: 

1)Dark Soy Sauce, 2)Rice Wine and 3) Black Vinegar.   

In my quest for the perfect sauce, I came across Martin Yan's book, "Martin Yan's China." In his book, one can find a handful of Chinese and Taiwanese staples. The ingredients I noticed THE MOST in Yan's recipes were the above condiments, including the one's from my previous blog, "Better than Buffet." The dark soy sauce, rice wine and black vinegar make the world of difference between preparing an at home, Chinese stir fry vs. a savory dish delivered from your favorite Asian restaurant. Of course Martin has his own version of Kung Pao, but, my rendition hits the spot in the Kertney household. Don't get me wrong, I would eat whatever that man put before me... but I would be hard pressed to see if he didn't ask for seconds of my Kung POW, first! 

Kertney's Kung POW! 

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts- butterflied, pounded flat and cut into bite sized chunks.  

2 tsp salt 

2 cloves of garlic- pressed

My youngest "stripping" the celery

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

2 tablespoons pre-seasoned vegetable oil
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts

1/2 can of water chestnuts, halved (freeze the other half) 

2 handfuls of your choice of MAIN veggie. Broccoli, green beans, sugar snap peas and snow peas work the best. If you use green beans, you will have to steam or boil them, first- for 5 minutes, then shock them to preserve the color and so they remain crisp. 

1/2 small package of fresh mushrooms, halved

1/2 red bell pepper, cubed

1 celery stalk, stripped

3 scallions, chopped

Prepare and pound your chicken in between wax paper for a thin consistency. Roughly cut up your chicken into bite size pieces and add the cornstarch, salt and pressed garlic. Let that sit while you prepare "the sauce."

2 Tbsp Dark Soy

2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

2 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce

1Tbsp Black Vinegar

1 Tbsp Rice Wine 

1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

1 clove of garlic, sliced

2- 3 whole, dried, chile peppers (depends on how spicy you like it)

1 scallion, chopped

2 small pieces of fresh ginger- a sliver or two will be just fine

In a separate bowl mix:
2 Tbsp corn starch

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock 

HOLY CRAP THAT'S A LOT OF SAUCES FOR JUST ONE DISH!

This is a fast cooking process, so be prepared with all of your ingredients. Prep-work is essential with Asian cooking.

Preheat a wok or a deep skillet on high heat and add of 1tablespoon pre-seasoned oil. What is pre-seasoned oil? Check out my other blog. Add your chicken pieces and 1 chile pepper and fry until golden, then remove from the pan. Next, turn your heat down to medium high and add 1 tablespoon of oil, chestnuts and mushrooms and fry for 3 minutes. Next, add the celery strips, the remaining scallions, peanuts, and reintroduce your chicken. Add "the sauce" and get it well incorporated with the other ingredients.  Next add the stock/cornstarch mix and let cook for a minute or two. The sauce should be deep brown and thickening. Not thick enough? Add more cornstarch to less broth and add to the wok.  The LAST ingredients should be the beans, red peppers and garlic slices. You want crunch... not mush, so always add these at the end. The same goes for broccoli or any other main veggie. Cook them LAST and they will stay crisp. You only need to cook them for a minute or two. This whole process shouldn't last more than 10 minutes, tops!

Serve immediately over a nice bed of steamed rice and enjoy!  Check out my page about how to make white rice without any measuring! 

W.T.F? Those Taquitos Are Good!

"Those taquitos are good!"  

-Sigfredo Sr. 

My brother-in-law's brother-in-law is right; My sister, Christine, makes some pretty tasty taquitos! Her husband of 25 years is El Salvadorian. In those 25 years, Juan and his family have introduced several different products and techniques to our family. One of those What The Food products is Sazon.

Sazon is a muy delicioso Goya-brand flavoring agent that acts in the same way traditional bouillon cubes do... but with a powdery latin flare. I'll be using it for the rice. Another WTF spice I use regularly is Tajin!

Tajin was introduced to me by another amazing cook, my beautiful, Mexican neighbor, Ivonne. Tajin is a natural chile and lime spice that is perfect for all kinds of recipes, not just Spanish cooking! You can easily find Sazon and Tajin in your major supermarkets. In fact, I just spotted Tajin at Wal-Mart!

Today, I am making my own, non-fried, chicken taquitos, with the above two Spanish seasonings. Don't get me wrong, I love fried, just not today. Besides, I have been craving some Chipotle Grill as of late... but on a less gargantuan-of-a-burrito scale.  I decided to make some chipotle taquitos to kill my craving!

Kertney's Chipotle Chicken Taquitos
Prep Time: 2.5hrs (depends on if you marinade the chicken)

Cook time: 3-4 hrs- slow cooker
Makes 10+ taquitos

2 large, whole, Chicken breasts, skin on, bone-in. (Any part of the chicken will work, really... unless I am coming over for dinner, in which case, please use breast)
1tsp Tajin
1tsp Salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 chicken bouillon cube
Zest of 1/2 Lime
1/2 Lime juice
1 chile in adobo sauce
1/2 jar of store-bought Chipotle Salsa (I use my husband's favorite, Guy Fieri's "Da' Spice is Right" Salsa AND it's gluten free)
5 shakes of Texas Pete (My FAVORITE hot sauce)
1tsp Salt

Condiments:
Flour tortillas- warmed
shredded cheddar cheese
Sour Cream
Cilantro - optional
Extra hot sauce
Lime wedges (for squeezing onto your taquito... and for your Corona)

In a nutshell, take all of the above spices, olive oil and lime zest and rub them onto to your chicken.  Be sure to rub the spices on and under the skin. If you have the time, let that sit for an hour or two. If not- no biggie, just know that the longer they sit, the more flavorful they become! Brown the breasts in a prepared skillet on med-high heat. Put the browned chicken breasts into a crock pot and cover with the stock, lime juice (throw the 1/2 lime in there after squeezing it), bouillon and adobo chile. Trust me, you only want one of those little buggers unless you like some heat. Be careful! They are super spicy!

Waste not want not: Put the rest of the chiles in a ziplock bag or a plastic container and freeze until you need them again. 

Cover the crock on high heat and let sit for 4 hours, or until the chicken pulls apart with ease. Remove the bones and shred the chicken.

In a frying pan on medium heat, add butter, Texas Pete and onions. Saute until translucent. Add your shredded chicken, salt and salsa. (My sis uses a product called Sofrito in lieu of Salsa... but that's hard to find around here. Dunno why? It's a Goya product, though)


Spanish Rice: 


2 cups rice- long grain
1 pkg. Sazon
1tsp olive oil
1tsp butter
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 cups water
1/2 cup of Stock from the crock
1 tsp. salt (optional)

Prepare your rice 30-40minutes before you serve your taquitos. On high heat, in that SAME skillet you used for the chicken, add your butter, olive oil, onions, rice and Sazon until everything is well incorporated and the rice is hard white and the onions are translucent. (about 3minutes) Next, add your peas, peppers and garlic and stir for only a minute- we don't want to burn the garlic!  Add your water and stock- you should hear a large sizzle! Reduce the heat to low, cover and let steam for 30minutes. You can add salt to this if you want to, say, if you were preparing this as a side dish, but, because I am using them INSIDE the taquito, I'll leave the salt optional.

Take a warmed tortilla and add your rice, chicken, a squeeze of lime, dollop of sour cream, cilantro... load it up and finish it with a nice, cold swig of Corona. If you want to make a huge batch of refried beans or frijoles negros, GO FOR IT! I opted to stay away from the frijoles this time... especially after the stomach flu invaded the Kertney household.  TMI, I know. The Corona, however, was necessary.

Un-Kosher La-La-Latkes-n-Gravy.

Happy Chanukah, ya'll! 

Do yourselves a favor and make some latkes! Super easy and DELISH! The kids will even like 'em! This evening, the 2nd night of Chanukah, I decided to kick 'em up a notch and add feta, dill, Panko bread crumbs and smother them in a rich gravy. **Not the most kosher of Chanukah's recipes, but DAMMIT it's good!** You can go traditional and omit the extra ingredients; not use anything but salt, pepper, and add two extra eggs... but... where's the fun in that for this gentile?

**Funny/ totally un-Kosher/ throw your a@#$ right out of temple thing about tonight's dinner: 

I had some pork chops that I had defrosted the night before that I never prepared-- I know what you're thinking already. Latkes and pork?!  Anyway, I needed to use the chops tonight so they wouldn't be sacrificed to the HEFTY Gods. Where-for, I decided to concoct my moms old stand-by, pork chops and gravy. That's when I was drawn into a Chanukah-related Sesame Street where Grover and his friends were chowing on some latkes. SOLD! The only problem was that I didn't have any applesauce or sour cream for the more traditional potato-fare. What I had was a 1/2block of feta cheese that I also needed to use up and I absolutely needed to make those chops. IDEA!

Hearty La-la-latkes-n-Gravy:

Serving: 6 medium Latkes

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30min

SUPER SIMPLE GRAVY! 
2-4 Chicken breasts, thighs, or Pork Chops
1 can Campbells Cream of Celery or Cream of Mushroom Soup (this is something EVERYONE should have on hand for those "uh-oh, what am I going to make for dinner?" moments)
1/2 onion, rough chop
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 drizzles of Olive Oil
S&P

Salt and Pepper your choice of meat. In a large skillet,  on med-high heat, brown it until the yummy bits coat the bottom of the pan and your meat has a nice, golden sheen (5-7 minutes). Next, remove the chops and saute the onions in the olive oil and bits. Next, deglaze the pan with stock and then add the soup. Incorporate the bits and the soup well until it is a rich, golden brown and reintroduce the meat. Cover and let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes and drizzle all over your...


LATKES! 

3 medium- large Russet potatoes, skin on, grated, and rinsed (after you grate them, rinse well. Try to remove any extra starch)
1/2 of medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese
2 Teaspoons of Dill (fresh or dried)
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon Penzey's Fenugreek seasoning* (Now, this is ahhmazing spice to use, but, it is totally optional ... unless I am coming over for dinner, in which case, please use Fenugreek)
1 egg
21/2 cups flour (add more if it's too runny)
1tsp salt and pepper
Panko Bread Crumbs for coating
1/2 bottle of Vegetable oil (if you want this recipe to taste insanely delicious, use Peanut oil. Oy Vey!)

Mix all of the above ingredients together and let them sit in the fridge while the gravy simmers and you are ready to fry.

When the gravy is ready, dump 2 cups of Panko onto a plate. Next, ball up your latke batter, a little larger than a golf ball, flatten and smoosh both sides into the Panko crumbs.  Finally, drop them into a preheated skillet of oil.

 Fry those little suckers up until they are golden brown on both sides and let them rest on a few paper towels to remove any excess oil and serve with the gravy. You can absolutely serve your chicken or chops WITH the latkes. If you are using thighs, separate the chicken from the bone and stir into the gravy. Oh yeah!

I served them up with peas. Peas are one of two green vegetables my kids will eat... which is why you see them so often as "the veg" on this here blog.

Take it from this mentsh and nosh on this recipe!


חנוכה שמח

Part II: Confessions of a Supplement Junkie

I was taking supplements BEFORE Dr. Oz made them mainstream! If you get yourself ANYTHING this holiday season, and your New Years resolution happens to be dropping a few pounds, think about purchasing some supplements.  They helped me lose nearly 50lbs. 

*First, read part I*

**New game changing supplement blog for meaner, sweatier workouts!**

After my blood work, Dr. Pagan noticed that I was deficient in a few categories. He told me that human bodies CRAVE nutrients and will seek them out... which explains those weird, last minute, night time cravings. Unfortunately, our body doesn't specifically ask for these nutrients and we eat whatever looks tasty in the pantry. Wouldn't it be nice if our stomach said,  "Hey! Put down the Dr. Pepper and Cheetos and grab a handful of almonds, a banana and a glass of milk. There. Craving over and you can still button your jeans tomorrow."

 My body needed: 

1. Magnesium (vitamin B6): After a long day at the office, mommy/daddy errands and
various extra carricular activites can leave us physically and emotionally drained- making careless dietary choices through out the day.  Unfortunately, our adult bodies can't keep up with the extra stress and calories like they could when we were in our teens and twenties. What we need is a metabolism booster... and that's where B6 comes in to help us out! An average adult needs 100/mg per day to supplement our bodies, thus burning, say, those extra dumb food decisions. Magnesium does double duty for yours truly. Studies prove that B6 acts as a histamine reducer for those of us who are used to getting those histamine induced headaches; like sinus headaches and migraines. Sure, I'm B-6ed up and still get migraines... but they have significantly decreased and only tend to flare up around Yankee Candle or my menstrual cycle... and you can't fight hormones! You can also get B6 by eating more fish, whole grains and legumes. 

2. Calcium  (vitamin D): Well, duh! I am a woman... and ALL women should be taking 800-1200mgs of calcium... unless, of course, you are already ingesting 4-5 cups of milk or yogurt per day? If not, start taking a supplement. Other than reducing the risk of osteoporosis, calcium is excellent for alleviating PMS symptoms and lowering blood pressure.  

3. Riboflavin (vitamin B-2): The energy pill. B-2 is, yet, another common deficiency among humans. Why? Well... we pee it out. The average adult urinates 5-8 times per day and loses 1.0 mg each time. We lose even more B2 when we wipe! (No, don't stop wiping. Gross.) Going to enjoy a night of excessive alcoholic frivolity? Say buh-bye to your B-2 and your energy! Interestingly, though, B6 (magnesium) is found to help with hangovers... and morning sickness.  Good to know, right? You may be able to determine, without a lab, if your body is craving this nutrient. Do your lips crack regularly? Mouth ulcers? Dry skin? Low, low energy?  Grab some B2... or a banana, green beans or some popcorn.

4. FLINTSTONES: That's right, I needed a multi-vitamin. We all do. The problem with those big horse-pills and me is that they kill my stomach. Blah. So I chew up two Flintstones (or whatever generic equivalent is on sale) per day. They don't jack my stomach and they take me back to an age when my biggest concerns were missing an episode of Jem and Holograms and Thundercats. 

Flat Belly? Yes, please! Dr. Pagan also recommended that I try the "Flat Belly Diet." He said that it is the ideal diet for new (and not-so-new) moms. Technically, I was still a new mom- my youngest daughter was two and my baby weight wasn't going anywhere! So, when I saw those pictures of me from my girlfriend's wedding... I ordered the bright yellow "Flat Belly Diet" that day! The FBD is more of a lifestyle change than a diet. It makes you re-think food and the way you eat... and I am 50lbs lighter because of it. One of the things the FBD recommends is flaxseed. Whole flaxseeds can be tricky to store, expensive to purchase and difficult to find! So... I went supplement.

5. Flaxseed oil:  The anti-fat. The essential fats in flaxseed oil make your body feel fuller, longer. Adding flax oil helps release food into your lower intestine at a slower pace, with a slow sustained rise in blood sugar, followed by a plateau of blood sugar. In other words, folks who add flaxseed oil to their diet plans will ingest fewer calories than those who do not use flax. Other flaxseed oil benefits include heart healthy Omega 3's and circulatory system kick-starters!  It's win/win! 

Currently, my girlfriend with the fat finding photographer is latex-deep into Kent State's nursing program. At this same time last year, she was in a comprehensive nutrition course. Among other nutrients the body needs for metabolism, her teacher mentioned cinnamon. Cinnamon? As a supplement? Really? So, I gave it a try... and I will NEVER go a day without them!

6. Cinnamon: Such an awesome, natural, discovery! Other than it's cholesterol lowering, arthritis soothing, natural insulin making, cancer fighting and cognitive brain functioning powers, cinnamon is an excellent metabolism bootster! A recent National Institute of Health Study showed how insulin directly stimulates fat cells to take in glucose, thus helping to burn fat. Nice!

Dieting During the Dot. PMS is pure torture... let alone when you are dieting! PMSing is an inevitable monthly thing, ladies! Lord knows that a week before my period, I am tired, puffy, irritable and I am HUNGRY! I just want to stuff my face with all kinds of sweet and salty, dense carbohydrate ridden crap, so, dieting can be a real pain in the you-know-what. Lucky for us, a woman's metabolic rate can rise by 10% during menstruation, thus helping us burn an extra 100-200 calories per day. If you can keep your diet somewhat in check during the dot, you will be fine a week later. You ay have to write some apology notes for your mood ridden bitchiness, but, I may have a buffer for that?

*Glucomannan is worthless. Don't waste your $

7. St Johns Wort: The anti-bitch pill. And why shouldn't I bitch? I have cramps, a headache, I can't button my jeans, my skin is gross, I'm tired, my back is killing me AND I am HUNGRY! The other problem is that I feel bad for my husband and kids. Nobody should have to deal with MOMZILLA. In lieu of locking myself in my cave and becoming scarce for a week, this magic pill helps tame the bitchy beast.  St. Johns Wort is known as "natures Prozac" and is taken to naturally treat depression, anxiety and other mood disorders. Another PMS reliever is Evening Primrose Oil, but, I tried that and didn't get the same results that I do with da' Wort. If you are already taking an antidepressant, please, talk to your doctor FIRST before trying this herb.




Now, now... I know that you are thinking, "Damn, Kertney! That's a lot of !@##@$% to take!" Yes. But you may not need all of this?

My advice is to start with blood work. Ask your doctor to see what YOUR body is craving. If you get migraines, cramps, dry skin, cracked lips, thinning nails and hair, etc... chances are that YOUR body is lacking a few things? If you decide to try any of the above supplements, be sure to give your doctor a heads up; ESPECIALLY if you are on any medications for diabetes, depression and/or cholesterol. Also, consider buying your supplements from a reputable company online. I love Puritans Pride. They have so many buy one get two free deals, it will make your head spin. For example, I got three months worth of my everyday supplements INCLUDING my children's gummy vitamins for $42. Shipping was FREE! Hello!? Just try doing that at CVS or Rite Aid. Not gonna happen!

Also, take a look at my newest information about fat and the 10 Reasons Why?  It breaks down the things that may not be working for you in the world of weight loss: Real, scientific, tangible things about how the body reacts to stress and hormones, for example, and the deal breakers involved nutritionally. It does talk about supplements and the need to talk to a professional.

After I got my supplements in check and my diet kick-started, I decided to start exercising. Losing weight has a yin and yang: good nutrition and more movement. I decided to go with Zumba. I was a musical theatre/ club scene gal before the baby making days.  If you want to burn fat and have a little fun during your cardio session, Zumba is a good option.  Mixxed Fit is another great option. One is more latin flavored the other is hip hop. I am preferring Mixxed Fit lately. According to my Fitbit, an hour of intense, full-out movement, burns between 300-500 calories. Score! I love wailing on a heavy bag, too. My MMA classes are by far the best- you are working every inch of your body- core especially- and you are learning how to defend yourself. Win/win.

Part III: ZUMBA! 
Part I: "Lose your fat." 

What to do with all that left over holiday ham? Scalloped Ham-n-Taters Au Gratin, of course!

I love this time O' the year. Why? 

SCALLOPED POTATOES! 

My favorite, super easy, leftover recipe is a Mom-inspired dish and a staple from my youth. We always had a s**ton of leftover ham from Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sure, Ma' made the baked pork and beans; and that creamy spiral pasta salad with the ham and mayo;  And lets not forget the split pea soup! But I think the family's favorite leftover ham dish was--drum roll please-- Scalloped Potatoes! This Thanksgiving, with my own family, I find that we, too, have an s***ton of leftover ham... and cheese. So, I have decided to take two of my favorites, mom's scalloped potatoes and potatoes au' gratin (which is French-talk for anything that is grated- like bread crumbs or cheese) and combine them! Why? Because I can. And like Mom always said, "you should do whatever blows your skirt up." 

Ham-n-Cheesy Scalloped 'Taters

Prep Time: 20minutes

Bake time: 60min

Serves: 4-6

Preheat oven to 375

5 or 6 small- medium sized potatoes. (I prefer red potatoes because you don't have to skin them and they look pretty...but you can use whatever taters you want, provided that you skin them, first. Unless I am coming over for dinner. In which case, please use red potatoes, un-skinned.)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion 

1 cup roughly chopped leftover ham
3 strips of uncooked bacon, chopped
2 cups of your favorite cheese (I used sharp cheddar and Asiago) **Reserve enough cheese to sprinkle on top at the end. 
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 cup of stock (veggie or chicken or my favorite Penzey's soup base)
1tablespoon flour
Freshly cracked pepper

Wash and slice your potatoes and lay them in a pre-sprayed 6x9" casserole dish and mix with half of the ham.

On the stove: In a medium sauce pot, on med-high heat, add your bacon and ham bits. Fry them up until crispy and remove from the drippings. Place on a paper towel and set them aside for later. Do not drain the fat... we're going to use that for the roux! Roux? Cindy Lou Roux, that's who! (God, I'm a dork) Next, drop the temp to medium and add your onions. Let those cook until translucent and then add 'your flour. Combine the flour, fat and onions until well incorporated. Finally, add your stock, cream, cheeses and pepper. Let that cook until thick and creamy (gravy like consistency) for 5- 7 minutes and pour over your potatoes.

Let that bake, covered, in the oven for 55min. The final 5 minutes should be used in the broiler, after you topped the now bubbling potatoey goodness with your remaining cheese and bacon/ham bits. Nom, nom, nom...

Resist the urge to dig in and let that bake in the broiler, uncovered, until golden (5 minutes or so). Let it cool for 15- 20 minutes before you eat it (because it will burn in your mouth like hell fire, if you don't) and VOILA! Here you have the easiest most delicious au gratin/scalloped-leftover-killer-duo EVER! Okay... maybe not ever. But it's super tasty and I'm pretty sure it would do Mom proud!

You can enjoy your dish with whatever veggie ya like. I went with steamed peas and sangria. Sangria is a veggie, right?

Enjoy!

Chicken a la Kertney with Garlic mash!

I'm putting an Italian twist on an old English staple! It's no secret that I loooove Chicken Marsala. There's just something about the sweet, smokey flavor of the Marsala wine combined with the soft, buttery texture of the chicken... oh, and those big, moist chunks of mushr--- see!? I'm slobbering already. I'm also a huge fan of creamy Chicken a'la King and puff pastry. It reminds me of my mum and when she'd prepare it when we had company... and ate in the dining room... with the good china. Impressive. This fortuitous Friday would prove fortunate even further, (say that three times fast) for I had a coupon for the puff pastry AND the better brand of Marsala was on sale. So, why not combine the two dishes and create a comfort food TO DIE FOR!    

Chicken a'la Kertney:
Serves: 6
Prep time 35minutes
Slow cook time 2.5 hrs.

4 pack chicken thighs (skin on)
3 tablespoons butter
1tsp each, S&P&Garlic Powder
3tsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 package of puff pastry
1 small onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 small pkg baby bella (crimini)  mushrooms, sliced- I prefer thickly sliced bites of mushroom in this dish, but you can do it however you want... unless I'm coming over for dinner. In which case, slice them thick. 
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup of middle priced Sweet Marsala wine ($5-10)
2 cups of (pick one) a) Prepared Chicken stock or b.) Diluted Chix Soup Base (I prefer the Penzey's brand. Man, this stuff is awesome, but any will do. If you use a box/can stock, be prepared to add more salt and pepper)
Parsley to garnish- optional

Step 1: Season your chicken with S&P and Garlic Powder and plug in your crock pot. Heat your large pan to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add your chicken and brown until you get the good bits on the bottom of the pan, 5-7 minutes. Remove your chicken and place them in the crock pot. Reduce the heat to medium and set aside. Add your onions to "the bits" and saute 'til translucent.-2 minutes. Next add your mushrooms and garlic and add 1 tablespoon extra of EVOO. Saute for 5 minutes and de-glaze the pan with 1/2 cup of the Marsala and 1 cup of stock or diluted soup base. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and pour it over the chicken in the crock with the peas and the rest of the Marsala (1/2cup).  Let the chicken and shrooms cook for 2-2.5 hours or until the chicken is falling off of the bone.

Step 2: Prepare your puffed pastry (per pkg instructions) and your mashed potatoes (you had better not be making these from a package) 45 minutes before the chicken cooks.

Step 3: Remove the thighs from the crock and let cool a few minutes. Hello? You don't want to burn yourself! Pull the chicken from the skin and bone. Discard the bone and skin and place the chicken back into the crock.

Step 4: Measure out 1/2 cup of your cream and merry 1/2 cup of the crock sauce to it. We're trying to keep the cream from curdling when we add it to the crock.

Step 5: Get a medium sauce pan and get a roux going. (1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour.) Add almost all of the "crock sauce" until it thickens. Next add the crock cream. Prepare your plate and the puff pastry. Ladle in your creamy chicken mixture, add some freshly cracked pepper, fresh parsley and VOILA! Chicken a'la Kertney.

Oh, and be sure to enjoy it with some yummy wine! Try Deer Creek Winery's Fawn Catawaba-- one just opened in the Mall! The Fawn was my favorite; delicious, semi-sweet white wine.