Feb 01, 2021 in Cooking

Po-tay-toe. Po-tat-to. Potato. And Kitchen Cabinets.

February isn’t just about chocolate hearts and kisses, it’s also a month to celebrate potatoes.

That’s right, potatoes. February is National Potato Lover’s Month, and to celebrate this special vegetable, we’re going to talk about the different types of potatoes, how to store them, and share three different recipes. But first, a little potato trivia.

Did you know?

A single origin for potatoes can be traced to modern-day Peru, and they were domesticated approximately 7000-10,000 years ago. The first potatoes were purple and turned a deep blue when cooked.

Did you know the french fry originated in Belgium and not France? Good thing too, because the French were forbidden to cultivate potatoes between 1748 – 1772 since they believed potatoes caused leprosy.

The average American eats 140 pounds of potatoes a year. For perspective, a red kangaroo and a mountain goat each weigh 140 pounds, so do two of our standard base kitchen cabinets. That’s a lot of potatoes!

Potatoes are a good source of Vitamins B & C, high in Complex Carbohydrates, fat-free, and high in fiber if you eat the skins. Most of the nutrients in potatoes can be found in the skin, so wash your taters well!

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Potato Types

Red and white potatoes are thin-skinned which makes them good for boiling and stewing. When you see “new potatoes”, that simply means they have been freshly harvested. Russets tend to be oblong and thick-skinned; they are best for baking and making mashed potatoes. (See our recipe below).

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How to Store Potatoes

Store potatoes in a cool (45-50° F.), dark place with good ventilation. Our Cabinet Select kitchen cabinets are the perfect place for this (of course)!
If you find a green potato in your mix, throw it out. Green potatoes ƒproduce a toxic substance and have a bitter taste, so best to avoid them.
It’s also a good idea to avoid storing potatoes in the refrigerator as the cold makes them produce more sugar and higher levels of a chemical called acrylamide which is NOT good for you. Just store them in a kitchen cabinet for safekeeping.

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I don’t know about you, but all that talk about potatoes makes me want to jump into my beautiful kitchen and start cooking! Here are two recipes we hope you’ll enjoy.

Roasted Greek Potatoes

Ingredients

The Potato Spice Mix

• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika
• 1 tsp, Rosemary.

The Potatoes

• 4 large baking potatoes, peeled, washed, cut into wedges
• 8 large garlic cloves, chopped.
• 4 tbsp Greek extra virgin olive oil.
• 1 lemon, juiced.
• 1 ¼ cup vegetable or chicken broth.
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
• 1 cup parsley leaves, rough chopped.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix together spices in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Mix potato wedges in a large bowl, sprinkle with the spice mix, and toss.
4. In a large, lightly oiled baking dish lay potatoes out.
5. In a bowl, whisk together chopped garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and broth.
6. Pour into a baking dish and over potatoes.
7. Cover the baking dish with foil, place in a 400-degree oven for 40 minutes.
8. Remove, uncover and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the potato wedges.
9. Return to the oven uncovered to roast for another 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through and have turned a nice golden brown with a little crust forming.
10. If you want to add more color, place the dish under the broiler for 3 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving. Serves 6.

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Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil or nonstick cooking spray
• 5 cups or about 2 lbs of raw potatoes, washed and sliced thin.
• ½ cup Onion, peeled and sliced thin.
• ¼ cup Flour.
• ¼ cup Butter.
• 1 ½ cup low-fat.
• ½-1 cup. grated cheese or 3-4 slices processed cheese.

Instructions

1. Generously spray or oil the bottom and sides of a 2-qt. baking dish.
2. Lay about 1/3 of the potatoes flat in the baking dish.
3. Add 1/3 of the flour, butter and onion.
4. Continue to layer the ingredients two more times.
5. Heat the milk to a simmer and pour evenly over the potatoes.
6. Bake at 400° F. uncovered for 1 ½ hours or until potatoes are tender.
7. Sprinkle or place cheese on top the last 25 minutes until cheese is melted.

Blog Header Image Source: Pixabay

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