I had a can of Potatoes and a can of Peas, I made edible food that was actually delicious

 

Recently, I was challenged to make dinner with canned food.  I don't buy canned food. I buy canned tomato products for various recipes.  I have canned chic peas and canned black beans in my pantry at all times.  I keep cans of Niblets.  Really, you can't have a happy life without Niblets. I have canned cream of chicken soup for my fake (delicious) chicken divan.  I have Heinz baked beans (British cans) for my beans on toast meals and I think that's about it.  OH, I keep cans of evaporated milk here for making caramel for any dessert.  I think that's about it for my cans.

I haven't ever eaten (to my knowledge or memory) canned vegetables.  I listened dutifully as a friend told me about various side dishes and meals using canned potatoes and canned peas. I'm always up for a challenge and today I opened the cans. I didn't do the recipes she gave me, I ventured forth on my own,  Well, I was almost on my own, my International Tester was with me via Skype and she watched with a mix of horror and delight as I cooked up two quick dishes, using the canned vegetables.  I have to say, she facetimed me later and told me she'd gone to the store to buy her own canned potatoes and canned peas to try her own culinary experiments.

I will confess right up front, these were not disgusting.  The two recipes I made were, actually, delicious.  I will keep a can of each of these in constant rotation for a quick side.  I will shush the 'recipe' up next time to add a few things but on the whole, as a base, these to rock the boat! 

First, the potatoes: 

There's no recipes here, these are methods... jumping off points.

One can of sliced potatoes, some fat of some sort, a little chopped onion, salt, pepper and a little fresh green onion for after...  damn, these are good

Open the can, drain, rinse! and dry
    

Shush some onions in some fat and when they're slightly browned, toss in the potatoes.  Shush those around on a relatively high heat until they're gorgeous.  I cut mine in half with a fork purely because I can already tell, I want more pieces of this!
    

Cook, toss, plate, throw some green onions on and serve.  These are AMAZING with a fried or poached egg on top.  I'm gobsmacked at how good these are.  I'm keeping canned potatoes in my larder for the rest of my life.  wow
   


Now, the peas; in a can.  Wow.
So in a bowl, add a blob of mayonnaise, either homemade or store bought.  Add some chopped white onion.  I will admit, I did chop then rinse and dry the onions.  I didn't want the acidity of raw onions but did want the crunch.  Add a little pepper if you're so inclined.  I happened to find, about my person, one beautifully boiled egg.  This might be good.
    


Open, drain and rinse the peas.  Drain them well.  Add the chopped egg and mix.  Chill
    

I the to admit, I didn't think either would be good but, I have to confess... they are both yummy.  The peas is a nice alternative to potato salad on the side of some grilled chicken.

I think they're both worth a try... there you go, I coked with canned food and didn't throw it away.

Let me know, try them!

/tracy

Potato salad, in the pressure cooker. I'm about to revolutionize the way you make the classic summer gathering food. NOW you can make it for a gang of 50 or as a simple side for one. It's not banished to party land any more.

I am about to revolutionize the way you make potato salad.  

I love potato salad and only ever eat it when there's going to be a happening of substantial size at my house.  I make to take to parties, in enormous bowls, garnished with herbs and cherry tomatoes (if I'm feeling radical).  

I make a pretty classic, simple, straight forward potato salad.  Some things shouldn't be shushed up or tarted out of what made them classics to begin with.  

This isn't a recipe to change what you put in your salad but rather, how you make it.  Grab a glass of wine, let's begin: 

TRACY'S PRESSURE COOKER POTATO SALAD, For ONE OR For 50

Ingredients:

potatoes, waxy white or red ones, as many as you need
1 russet potato, just a small one, trust me
eggs, as many as you want in your salad
the dressing you prefer
OR make your own with
mayonnaise
mustard
aioli if you have any
celery, green onions, regular onions (diced small and rinsed in ice water),
vinegar, apple cider is my preferred choice
water
sugar
salt, pepper, herbs that you love

LONG winded directions, with pictures

IN your pressure cooker, put some water, about 2 cups and a steamer rack.  I use one of those flower types.  

CUT your potatoes into potato salad sized chunks.  Skin on or off, your choice.  You MUST use waxy potatoes, russets will fall apart.  THAT being said, one russet in the mix makes the dressing creamier and thicker so if you want a softer mouth feel, add one, also cut small.  Nestle your eggs into the potatoes at the top.  I have 4 lbs of potatoes so I am using 3.  When I do this for just me, I use one.

LOCK AND LOAD, 4 minutes, oh look at the before and after shot.  I open when the timer goes off, quick release this stuff.  See how different HAHAH  Remove the eggs to a towel on the side and
  
While your spuds are doing their spud thing, make your dressing in the biggest bowl you have.  Make your own or futz a recipe, depending on how much you need.  Make it thin thin thin!  The consistency of pouring cream.  Trust me, the hot potatoes suck this stuff up.  They absorb the flavor so incredibly. 

Today, mine was about a cup of mayonnaise, a tablespoon of dijon, zest and juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar,  thyme, white sugar, water till it was the right consistency.  I also had a little leftover aioli which I added.  The trick is to taste, taste, taste.
 
Drain the potatoes when the timer goes off and dump them into a collander, see the steamer insert I use?  Dump the potatoes, screaming hot, into the dressing and fold fold fold, carefully but not too fanatically.
   
They SOAK up the dressing, it's amazing.  Add whatever chopped veggies you want, I just wanted celery today.  Break the ends of the eggs and drop them into cold water, peel them.
  
Transfer the salad to a prettier bowl when it's all mixed in.  I put the whole eggs on top and cover the whole thing and put it in the fridge. When it's cold, I will chop the eggs, fold it all together one last time, put some sliced green onions on top and serve it up.

This recipe works for a small amount or a giant amount, 4 minutes, high pressure, on a steamer and you have a delicious, fabulous, quick, tasty, happiness inducing potato salad.

It's not just for OTHER people anymore!

Make it, enjoy it!

/tracy

Cauliflower Salad with bacon

So, you fry a pound of bacon until it's crisp and then chop it up.

HA!  got your attention, is there any recipe on earth that can be BAD starting like that?  This is one of those oldie and goodie recipes. The church ladies and regular folk made it and took it to whatever function was being attended at the moment.  It comes in and out of fashion.  I used to make it as my standard party piece but then it fell by the wayside in favor of me making some other new and more interesting salad.  Well, it's come around again by way of my dear friend who asked me to make it 'again' and I took it to her house today and we ate it, and we loved it, and it's back in rotation so I thought I'd share it with you.

Tracy's Cauliflower Salad

1 lb bacon, cooked and chopped
1 head cauliflower, broken into tiny florets
1 small iceberg lettuce (it HAS to be iceburg lettuce, there's something wonderfully old fashioned feeling about having a chopped iceberg salad)  anyway, shred the lettuce.
*IF you want it to be more substantial, you can substitute shredded cole slaw mix in place of the lettuce, it's a different creature all together but it's as delicious and it's heartier and will hold longer

THAT's it!  Seriously, throw it in a big bowl.  The secret, is the dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise (not miracle whip or salad dressing, use real and full fat or don't bother making this)
1/4 shredded parmesan cheese (or a little more if you like)
1 Tablespoons sugar
**I add a number of grinds of freshly cracked black pepper but it's not "officially" in the recipe ;) 

Mix the dressing separately and then toss it all together at the last moment.  DEVOUR with abandon!

I felt obligated to take some quick pics as I made it, i'm a little embarrassed it's so quick and easy.

Ok, cook your bacon.  This is a lb and I cooked it in the oven at 425 for about 20 minutes, drained on a towel then chopped it up.  I saved the fat in my bacon fat jar :)
 

Look at this lovely cauliflower!  I break it into quite small florets and then chop the stalk small and include that.  It's so tender and flavorful, even raw.  Do it.
   
 

The dressing, I just toss in a measuring cup and leave in the fridge until I'm ready to mix it.  Mix at the last moment, the lettuce doesn't hold up well.

Toss and eat with joyful abandon, it's SALAD :)  I love this with brisket, shredded and piled high on homemade rolls... hmmmmm  that gives me an idea

  

It's just a quickie but it's a GOODIE!