Potato Torte

This {Potato Torte} is a very special dish to me since I only eat it once a year, on Easter Sunday. This tradition started when I was going to college in Seattle and was always made by my dear friend Debbie. Now that I'm in SF, I've decided that it's time for me to find the recipe and start making it myself every year on Easter. 

This dish is quite delicious and VERY filling. I recommend this recipe for potlucks, dinner parties, or anything that requires feeding lots of people, and not just on Easter! Just note that it does take about 2 hours to cook, so plan accordingly. 

Once you've made this once, I'm willing to bet anything that your friends and family will BEG you to make it again!! 

{All ready to go in the oven for 2 hours}

{Looks yummy!!! Must wait till it cools down...}

{Ready for my first bite!}

** I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but it was scanned and sent to me. I also wish I could give credit to it's rightful owner but I don't know where my friend got it from either! But here is the exact recipe, enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes

1 pound Gruyere cheese 

1 pound baked ham 

l large sweet red pepper 

l egg plus 2 egg yolks 

4 cups heavy cream

l teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach 

1 medium onion, minced 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes; slice thin and set aside in a large bowl of cool

water, Grate the Gruyere and set aside. Slice ham and red pepper 

into thin strips. 

2. Combine the whole egg, yolks, cream, and salt and pepper in a

large bowl, Drain the potatoes and add to the cream mixture. 

3. Thaw and drain spinach well. ln a small bowl, combine spinach

with onion and mustard.

4. Preheat oven to 325°. 

5. Place a thin layer of potatoes and cheese over the bottom of a 

buttered 9 X 13-inch casserole. Drizzle a small amount of the 

cream mixture over the potatoes and cheese. Top with ham 

strips. 

6. Make a second layer of potatoes, cheese and cream. Top this with 

the spinach mixture. 

7. Spread remaining potatoes, cheese and cream over spinach 

mixture. Top with strips of red pepper. 

8. Bake the torte in a 325° oven for Z hours. Do not cover. The top 

should be well browned.

Fan favorite side dishes: TRUFFLE asparagus and quinoa salad

This week we had the honor of gathering around the dining table to celebrate a friend's 30th birthday. The guest of honor brought his mother as his date, whom most of us will be meeting for the first time. Which meant I would be making my FAN FAVORITE: maple dill salmon, garlic herbed roasted potatoes, and this time I would be adding TWO new sides.... TRUFFLE oil asparagus and spicy corn pepper quinoa salad.

As a nanny I spend most of my days running around after a 2 year old toddler which leaves me with a small window of time before she gets into trouble. So keeping recipes simple without sacrificing the taste is really important. The truffle oil asparagus and quinoa salad were perfect additions as it took no time at all to prepare and it tastes amazing! 

*The truffle oil is not necessary, olive oil is perfectly fine. You can also add some grated parmesan cheese halfway through the baking time as well. 

** We got our truffle oil at Costco for about 15 dollars, it can almost be double that in specialty stores so if you see a deal, get it! 

Truffle Oil Asparagus - 20 minutes

- 1 lb of asparagus

- 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil

- salt and pepper to taste

- 2 tablespoons of truffle oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Wash and trim asparagus

2. Please on baking sheet, coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Bake for 20 minutes, toss halfway through cooking time.

4. Place on serving platter and drizzle with truffle oil. 

Spicy Corn and Pepper Quinoa Salad

- 1 cup of uncooked quinoa

- 1 cup of fresh or canned corn

- 1 red pepper, diced

- 1 jalapeno, diced

- salt and pepper to taste

- 3 tablespoons of olive oil

- fresh lemon juice, 1/2 of a lemon

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa. Bring 1 cup of uncooked quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan. Cover let it simmer on low for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let it continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Fluff with a fork. (this can all be done ahead of time and served at room temp)

2. Place cooked quinoa in serving bowl. Add corn, peppers, and jalapeno. 

3. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon, and salt and pepper. Make sure to give it a good mix before serving.