FOOL PROOF HASHBROWNS

This hash brown recipe is fool proof. It will give you crisp potato patties, just begging for a dash of hot sauce (or ketchup for the kids). The following instructions are for individual patties, but you can also spread this mixture out in a big frying pan (fry until crip) then cut into wedges for serving.

 

3 cups "Simply Potatoes" (see note below)
1/4 cup very thinly sliced green onions (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

I use the (shredded) hash brown variety of a product called "Simply Potatoes". In my store they are sold in the refrigerated section, but you can also use refrigerated "Ore Ida shredded (loose) hash browns" as well. I have tried fresh potatoes, but they tend to get mushy in this recipe.

Toss the potatoes (gently) with the flour (and onion if you are using it) and set aside. Next, mix the salt and pepper into the egg then stir it gently into the floured potatoes. 

Pre-heat a heavy frying pan to medium high and brush the skillet with a generous coating of vegetable oil (I like to use my electric frying pan).

For each serving, place 1/2 cup (lightly packed) 

potato mixture onto HOT, greased frying pan 

and then gently flatten the mound with your 

spatula, like this:

Fry patties for 4 minutes, per side, 

or until they are golden brown and crispy

Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. I love how these hash browns hold together; you can even eat them out of hand like a commercial hash brown patty, but they are so much better.

NOTE: 3 cups of THAWED Simply Potatoes or 

Ora Ida equal about a pound.

ENJOY ! 

HEINZ CHILI SAUCE CLONE

This is a clone recipe for Heinz chili sauce. It is so easy...takes every day ingredients and is even tastier than the original!! Chili sauce was never a pantry staple for me; I always found it on my shopping list for holiday and special occasion recipes, like this shrimp cocktail (which called for Heinz chili sauce). I will never buy commercial chili sauce again because this is so much better (and cheaper)!!!

1 cup of tomato sauce

1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons dry onion flakes
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk everything together and bring to a boil in a small saucepan with a heavy bottom. Turn heat down to a low simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, depending on how fast you are simmering it (mine was done in 25 minutes). Watch it towards the end so it doesn't scorch.

Cool to room temperature, 

then cover and chill.

It will get nice and 

thick like this.

NOTE: I made this recipe, exactly as it is stated above, I don't know how it would effect the final results if you use fresh onions.

CARAMEL PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE FOR VALENTINES DAY

I hope you will consider making this Caramel Pear Upside-Down Cake for your Valentine Sweetheart. Served warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, it will knock his/her socks off.

There are a lot of different steps to this recipe, but none of them are hard to do. 

Preheat your oven to 350F and spray a 9" x 2" cake pan with vegetable spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and then spray it again.

FRUIT LAYER
2 large firm-ripe Bosc pears (about 1 pound)
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup cold water
4 tablespoons warm butter (cut up)

Peel, core and slice the pears in 1/4" slices. Arrange them in the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside. 

In a heavy bottomed 2-quart saucepan, mix the sugar, lemon juice and cold water together. Gently boil and stir until it starts to turn amber (watch carefully because once it starts to turn color, it will darken fast). 

When it turns a nice caramel color, remove from heat and stir in the butter (it will really foam and sputter, so be careful). Mix well then pour over the pear slices and set aside while you make the cake batter.

CAKE BATTER

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon together, set aside. In a different small bowl, mix milk and vanilla extract, set aside for now.

.

With electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter for one minute, or until it is light and fluffy; add brown sugar and beat on high for 3 minutes. Reduce speed and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl once in a while.

Next you need to add the small bowl (of flour mixture) to the butter mixture, ALTERNATELY, with the small bowl (of milk mixture) dry, then milk, then dry, then milk, does that make sense? Spoon the finished cake batter over the caramel-pears.

Bake at 350F for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before you invert it onto a serving plate and peel off the parchment paper. 

Happy Valentines Day!!

NOTE: Do not use a springform pan because the caramel sauce might leak out.

NOTE: Bosc pears are a "baking pear".