Easter Deliciousness....

Good Morning!! Today is going to be better than Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I can feel it. Since Easter is Sunday, I thought I'd share my Gruyere Potato recipe with everyone. These are the most sinful, rich and delicious potatoes you will ever eat. As I instructed people the first time I posted this recipe, do not, under any circumstances, share these potatoes with anyone who does not love cheese, butter, cream and potatoes all baked together in delicious harmony. Amen.

Cadillac Cowgirl Gruyere Potatoes

10-12 medium Yukon Gold or Baby Red potatoes, sliced thin
8 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small sweet yellow onion (Vidalia or 1015) chopped
8 oz of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of cream
1 cup of half and half
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper (I use Telicherry coarse ground pepper. You can find it at the store in a pepper grinder)
2 Tbsp Rosemary, chopped and divided
1 Tbsp Thyme, chopped
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated and divided...and even more if you prefer :)
1/2 stick of butter (I like to use salted, sweet cream butter)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13 x 9 baking dish. Slice the potatoes thinly and place in the baking dish. You can layer them or dump them in...your choice! Combine the cream and half and half in a measuring cup. In a large skillet, melt the butter and saute the onions and garlic over low heat until the onion is tender. Add the cream cheese and 1/2 of the cream/half and half mixture to the skillet. Stir constantly over medium low heat until the cream cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the salt, pepper, 1 Tbsp of rosemary, thyme and 1/2 of the grated Gruyere cheese. Cook over low heat until the cheese has melted and the mixture is heated through. Add the rest of the cream/half and half a little at a time and allow it to thicken up a little. You might not need all of it...so add the rest sparingly. You don't want it to get too thick as it needs to coat all of the potatoes in the baking dish. Check the cheese/cream mixture for seasonings and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Don't be afraid to add more salt and pepper. Remember that potatoes are really bland. Once you have your cheese mixture seasoned to your tastes, pour the mixture over the potatoes. Top the potatoes with the remaining Gruyere and rosemary. Bake uncovered for an hour to an hour and a half (check them after an hour by piercing with a fork to see if the potatoes are tender enough). The potatoes should be tender and the cheese brown and bubbly. Allow them to stand at room temperature for about 5 or 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy the deliciousness of all the cheesy, creamy gooey-ness!

I'm also making homemade yeast rolls and I'm still considering one other side dish to contribute. I guess it will depend on how much time I have Sunday between sleeping in, Mass, and driving to Irving. Paige has been a model Epistholic during the Lenten season and has not let one muffin pass her lips. I wish I could say the same; I've been horrible. I can only hope I'm forgiven and God and I can move on to other more pressing issues he and I face on a fairly daily basis.

Paige started a new Karate class yesterday. She's been in Karate for a year and it's time for her to test for a solid belt (she's still a striped belt). In her "Karate Kid" class, she learns a lot, but it also focuses on fun, too. She's ready to move up to the beginner class so that she can get ready for her next belt test and move up into the ranks of the solid belts. She did really well yesterday and held her own. This class is longer and on Thursdays it's almost two hours because after class, they spar for an hour. I think she's going to do just fine.

Today was free dress day at St. Joseph. She picked out her outfit and I let her wear it. I'll post a pic later....I didn't take one this morning. It's definitely one of her "signature" looks :)

A friend of mine is doing the 17 Day Diet...it looked interesting until she told me no booze. I quickly shelved that idea.....

I've been getting the gel manicures in lieu of having fake nails. I wore fake nails for 18 years and I was getting really, really tired of them. I like the gel nail polish - it doesn't chip and it lasts about two weeks. I'm ready for a new one, though and I'm debating whether I should have nice nails for Easter or wait until Larry Joe Taylor. Priorities, I tell you.

I was asked to supply a recipe for Bruce Foods to use with their Casa Fiesta Beans and I'm really leaning towards bagging up some sample packages and passing them out for bean cooks to try. Of course, the seasonings can be used with any brand of beans and will feature Mild Bill's spices!

I hope everyone has a great Thursday and a restful, wonderful Easter. Spread some kindness and joy while you're at it......

Kelly