Category: Vegetable

Patate Gratinate (Potatoes au Gratin)

This Italian version of potatoes au gratin is the best scalloped potato dish I have tried. I bought a mandolin and wanted to try it out and now I have found a potato dish that everyone in the house enjoys. I can’t take credit for the recipe because it is in Scott’s book of recipes, so he deserves all the credit for this dish.

Picture above is the Pantheon during our trip to Italy in 2024.

Picture above of

Ingredients:

4-5 sliced potatoes

5 TBS butter

4 cups whole milk

1/4 cup flour

Pinch of oregano and nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmigiana cheese

Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Slice the potatoes place them in cold water so that they don’t turn brown.

Prepare your cheese by grating.

Prepare your béchamel sauce by melting butter, whisking in flour and milk until thickened. Season with oregano, nutmeg and pepper. Add some grated parmigiana and taste to see if salt is needed.

Layer the dish by beginning with placing some béchamel sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish, a layer of potato, béchamel sauce, parmigiana and mozzarella, repeat layers until the pan is full ending with béchamel sauce and cheeses.

Cover with tin foil for the first 20 minutes in the oven and finish uncovered until the potatoes are tender and the top is slightly browned; about 50-60 minutes.

Eggplant Parmigiana

This recipe was found on one of the nonna recipe sites we frequent. The batter of this eggplant recipe makes it unique and delicious, the mint is a must. If you want the vegetarian version you can omit the mortadella. Picture above from our Italy 2026 trip of the Roman Colosseum.

Ingredients:

Sauce;

Extra-virgin olive oil

Small onion, diced

28oz can crushed tomatoes

Fresh basil

Salt to taste

Eggplant batter;

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/4 cup parmigiana cheese, grated

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh mint, minced

1 tsp salt

2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 1/2 cup water

2 eggs, beaten

12 ox mozzarella, fresh, cubed

12 slices mortadella

Combination of peanut oil and olive oil to sauté eggplants

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 fahrenheit.

Place olive oil in a pan and heat, add onion and cook until tender, add tomato, basil and salt to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes or more.

Add flour, parmigiana, garlic, salt, eggs and water in a bowl and mix.

Peel eggplant and slice lengthwise, 1/4 inch thick.

Dip sliced eggplant into batter and sauté on both sides until golden brown, set aside.

In a deep dish, coat the bottom with some tomato sauce mixture. Add a layer of eggplant, add a thin layer of sauce, add a layer of parmigiana cheese and mozzarella, add a layer of mortadella, repeat 4-7 layers depending on how much you are making.

If you are going to finish the last layer with mozzarella cheese, wrap in tin foil for the bake and remove 10 minutes before taking it out of the oven.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Parmigiana Potatoes

This cheesy potato recipe is very simple and tasty. The amount of ingredient should be proportionate to the amount of potatoes you use.

The website I found this recipe on is biteswithbri.com.

Ingredients:

Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut in half

Garlic, minced

Thyme, dried or fresh, chopped finely

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmigiana cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Boil a large pot of salted water because you are going to precook the potatoes partially. Once the water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes. The potatoes should not be falling apart.

Strain the potatoes and toss with olive oil, garlic, thyme and salt and pepper.

Dip each cut side into the grated parmigiana. Press firmly so that cheese sticks.

Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Finish off by sprinkling some cheese over the top too.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until browned.

Stuffed Mushrooms

This tasty mushroom recipe is from the first diet plan that ever worked for me. It doesn’t taste like diet food because yummy melted cheese! Found in Suzanne Somers’ Get Skinny on Fabulous Food cookbook, they are cheesy and tasty with no rice or bread. They are easy to make and can be served as an appetizer if you are entertaining. Picture is my mom, son, and daughter enjoying Tofino in Vancouver Island.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound mushrooms
  • 4 TBS butter
  • 4 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 TBS chopped thyme, parsley or tarragon (she uses fresh lemon thyme in the book but I have trouble finding that)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:

Carefully pull stems off the mushrooms, finely chop stems. Select the 12 largest caps and set aside for filling. Finely chop the remaining mushrooms. Melt the butter in a large skillet, add shallots and saute until golden brown. Add chopped mushrooms and herb and saute until brown and crispy. Add wine and cook off the alcohol for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and preheat broiler.

Place the mushroom mixture in a mixing bowl with 1/2 the cheese, stir until well combined. Lightly rub the caps with oil and place on cookie sheet. Fill each cap and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Broil for 5 minutes. Cheese should be bubbly and the caps a little brown.

 

 

 

Twice Baked Potatoes

 

This is a modified recipe from Horne of the Moon Cookbook, a vegetarian restaurant in Vermont. It is simple, but not as simple as a baked potato. Well worth the extra effort. I am not listing the amount of each ingredient because it varies depending on how many potatoes you cook. Just keep tasting the mix.

Ingredients:

  • Large russet potatoes (however many you care to serve).
  • Butter
  • Sour cream
  • Cheddar cheese, grated
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork (1-1 1/4 hours). Cut the top of each potato so that the inside can be easily scooped out. Scoop out insides and place in a bowl. Mash with butter, lower over temp to 400, add sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Fill the potato shells and sprinkle each with paprika. Bake for 15 minutes and serve.

 

Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted caramelized cauliflower makes a great side dish. This recipe, found in the February 2013 issue of Bon Appetit magazine is delicious and simple to make.

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 sliced medium onion
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 4 unpeeled garlic cloves
  • 3 TBS olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions;
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut cauliflower into florets. Toss on a large rimmed baking sheet with onion, thyme, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to taste. Roast, tossing occasionally, for 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, toss to combine, roast another 10-12 minutes.

Roasted Carrots

 

This is a recipe from one of my favorite chef’s, Jamie Oliver. Very simple yet so tasty. No measurements given because you just add to taste and depends on how many carrots you are cooking.

Ingredients:

  • Carrots
  • Clementine
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Rosemary
  • Pinch of cumin

Directions:

Parboil the carrots for 10 minutes while heating the oven to 400F, place the drained carrots on a roasting sheet and squeeze the clementine over them, toss with the remaining ingredients and cook for 50 minutes.

Brussels Sprouts Braised in Butter

I know, I know, Brussels sprouts blahhhhh….but try these before you turn your nose up to this vegetable. Anything braised in butter is good! This recipe is from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Ingredients:

  • Brussels sprouts
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • Wax paper

Directions:

Trim the base of each Brussels sprout with a small knife and pierce a cross in it for quick cooking. Remove any wilted or yellowish leaves. Drop the sprouts into a rapidly boiling pot of water 1 ½ tsp salt per quart, bring to boil for 6-8 minutes, drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and smear butter inside a casserole or baking dish. Arrange the sprouts heads up in the casserole dish; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and with 2-4 Tbls melted butter.

Take a round of lightly buttered waxed paper and lay it over the sprouts. Cover and heat on top of the stove until vegetables begin to sizzle, then place in middle level of oven and bake for 20 minutes or until tender.