Can you believe the holidays are already upon us?! This year, for many people including myself, has been crazy, hard, and unexpected. I think we can all agree that 2020 has not been a good year at all.
One thing I look forward to every year (most especially this year) is Christmas. Even more so with Olive getting bigger, I really want her to have great memories of the holidays like I had growing up. I want her to remember that Christmas is all about family, fun, love, peace, and good food.
I recall so many joyful holiday memories of cooking with my Abuela (grandma) all day and enjoying the food we made at night with the whole family. Food is a big part of my Mexican culture, as well as my husband’s Filipino culture. I want Olive to grow up cherishing both, she already loves to watch me cook!
I cook three meals a day, every single day for my family. With no other family member or helper, it can sometimes be exhausting so I’m always searching for food that I can make fast, but still taste good. As the holidays are fast approaching I’m looking to make a big meal for my family, but honestly I get a little bit stressed about putting so many dishes together and taking care of Olive who constantly wants her mama, haha!
I attended a Potatoes USA cooking seminar last year, and I recall that aside from fresh and frozen potatoes, they also offer dehydrated potatoes. I can make multiple dishes using dehydrated potatoes and save so much time, without compromising the taste of my dishes! Yay! Also, Olive Loves Potatoes!
Dehydrated potatoes are very much the same as regular potatoes, just with the water completely removed. It can easily be rehydrated once you’re ready to use them. They are a versatile ingredient that you can use in just about any meal. They have a long shelf-life, too.
I like to play around with recipes before Christmas Day, that way I’m already a pro (haha or wannabe pro) by the time it comes to making them. By then, I’ll know exactly what I need to do to make the dish perfect.
Olive and I are pescatarian meaning we eat everything except meat, so I came up with two tasty dishes using U.S. Standard Potato Flakes and Granules.
Potato and Cauliflower Soup Recipe:
U.S. Standard Potato Flakes
Cauliflower
Red Onion
Garlic
Vegetable Broth
Corn
Nutritional Yeast
Corn Kernels
Garlic powder
Salt
Black Pepper
Onion powder
Paprika powder
Dill weed powder
Olive oil
Note: I won’t give exact amounts I used since I just go by look and taste. I will tell you roughly what I used. Remember to be creative when cooking and you can substitute cauliflower with another vegetable, say broccoli or carrots.
Directions: Steam or boil cauliflower. I recommend steaming it to keep the nutritional value in. I used 1 whole cauliflower head. In a pan add olive oil, roughly chop onion and garlic, I used 1 small red onion and 2 cloves of garlic. After the onion and garlic turn a bit of a golden brown, add cauliflower. Remove pan from heat and add vegetable broth to cauliflower mix, I used about 2 cups. Blend everything together using an immersion blender (you can use regular blender too).
Slowly add the potato flakes to the soup until you get the consistency you want. Add about 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast to give your soup a nutty taste (you can leave it out if you don’t have nutritional yeast). Place soup pot back on the stove on low and add your spices and corn, season it however you like. After about 10 mins it should be ready.
Potato and Cheese Croquettes Recipe:
U.S. Standard Potato Granules
U.S. Standard Potato Flakes
Butter
Eggs
Cheese of your choice
Flour
Canola or Vegetable Oil
Garlic Powder
Salt
Black Pepper
Onion Powder
Paprika Powder
Milk or cream of your choice (I used oat milk)
Note: I won’t give exact amounts I used since I just go by look and taste. I will tell you roughly what I used. Remember to be creative when cooking. I actually messed up my first batch of croquettes because I made them too big and didn’t put enough oil so make sure that yours aren’t too big and you have enough oil that they have enough space to float.
Directions: In a pan, add butter and whichever milk or cream you want. I started off with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of oat milk. Let it melt together and slowly whisk in potato granules, keep whisking together till you start to see mashed potatoes forming. If it’s too runny, add more potato granules. If it’s too thick, add more milk or butter. When you get the amount you want and the consistency you like (best to be semi-thick) then add spices to your liking. Leave it on stove for about 5 more minutes then put to the side.
Crack 2 eggs in a plate and whisk together, set aside. Then in a separate bowl add the potato flakes and flour (50 percent flakes and 50 percent flour). Season both the egg mix and flour mix with same spices you used in the mashed potatoes. Before you start the next step, make sure the mashed potatoes have cooled down enough so the cheese won’t melt instantly. Add a cube of cheese in the middle of each croquette.
You can fold and roll them, then dip in egg, then in the flour mixture. Fry until golden brown. Let them cool then serve.
As you can tell, Olive loved everything, especially the croquettes. She ate so many, haha! This was my first time using potato flakes as breading but it’s definitely not my last because the croquettes turned out so flakey good! I really loved the texture. The soup was delicious, but I will add more vegetables next time for a fuller flavor. Soup is a great way to sneak in vegetables that your kids won’t normally eat. They won’t notice it!
If you want to try U.S. potatoes, they’re available here:
-U.S. dehydrated potatoes – baking supply stores or message Potatoes USA-Philippines FB and IG for more info
-U.S. frozen potato brands like McCain, Simplot, and Lamb Weston – frozen aisle of grocery stores nationwide
-U.S. table-stock/fresh potatoes – seasonal, produce section of the supermarket
I’m also hosting a great Giveaway where you can win a loot bag from Potatoes USA, which has tons of goodies including two huge bags of U.S. dehydrated granules and flakes. Perfect for your Christmas meals! Check out my IG (@naomijazelle) for more information in the next couple of days.
For more information on Potatoes USA, visit their website or like and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
naomijazelle.com 