Our oldest uncle turns 95 on Friday and we are having a family dinner.  He liked Bent's salmon so much that he requested it for dinner (this from a life long meat and potato guy!). We had scalloped potatoes this last Saturday, so don't want to do those again.  A lot of times, I might do rice with fish, but he is having a bit of a problem anymore with keeping something like rice on a fork and doesn't like using a spoon.  So potatoes are better, but I wanted something a little special.

I thought perhaps twice baked potatoes?  But I don't have a real special recipe for those, so if someone has one that they like and would share I would appreciate it.

I also thought of a hash brown casserole.  For the 2010 American Royal, ACW3 sent me a hash brown casserole recipe to enter in the potato side category.  It was very good -- hash browns, butter, sour cream, grated cheese, herbs de Provence -- but I can't find the recipe.  The recipe use to be posted on Pelletheads, but obviously can't get it there (boy am I mad at that new owner; hopefully he is just working on something and hasn't destroyed that site -- 10 years of excellent info and recipes that can't be accessed). I know this is a stretch, but I thought I would see if any of you, especially the "old timers" may have copied that recipe and could share?

If not, if folks have a hash brown casserole recipe and want to share, it would be appreciated.  Thanks!!

For appetizer you could do bacon wrapped dates with a maple syrup/balsamic vinegar glaze.
The bacon wrapped date is easy and there are recipes on line for the glaze.
They sound weird but they are really good.  Had them for an appetizer once at a very nice Italian restaurant and insisted I had to make them myself.  Might be my next cook in the Memphis section but if you do them I will move on to something else.

Z

My hash brown casserole is pretty standard, but I get requests for it all the time.

1 bag hash browns, thawed
1/2 cup onion, grated on a cheese grater
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack, or whatever other cheese you like shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
Salt and pepper

Mix everything together, bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. This makes about one 1/2 pan of potatoes.

To make it a bit more appealing to the eye, add another flavor layer, and crunch sometimes I add slightly crunched up cornflakes tossed in melted butter to the top of the casserole before baking. It makes for a much better presentation, and gives some textural variety to the classic potluck dish.

I don't know about the rest of the country, but this is at about every potluck type meal in my area. Last fall, we had a little neighborhood cookoff, and all the non meat cookers were to bring a side dish. There were 3 giant dishes of this from 3 different families. Don't believe there was any left of any of them.

Thanks FMT.  I assume the cream of chicken is added without any additional liquid, just as it comes out of the can?

Thanks FMT.  I assume the cream of chicken is added without any additional liquid, just as it comes out of the can?

Yes. Alot of people I know use cream of mushroom in theirs as that is generally used more for casseroles. I like the flavor the cream of chicken adds.

...I thought perhaps twice baked potatoes?  But I don't have a real special recipe for those, so if someone has one that they like and would share I would appreciate it.

This is nothing special, but coincidentally my better half requested I do these just yesterday. The process is really simple and the quantity of ingredients is just to your taste - nothing is etched in stone.

Potatoes are washed and dried, then lightly rubbed with olive oil, then sprinkled with kosher salt. After the potatoes are finished baking and are cooled to the touch (but still warm).  Scrape the potato into a large bowl and add sour cream, mayo, and a touch of ground yellow mustard (if you like the tart flavor. Add crumbled bacon if you like. Mash everything together and refill the hollowed out potato skins, top with cheese (any kind you like), a bit of bacon, chives, and bake until browned.

Malcom Reed's site, howtobbqright
sides and such
Parmesan Garlic Smoked Potatoes
Fantastic

I cook something that is really easy that the family enjoys.
I make stuffed bell peppers on my FEC 120.

There's really not a detailed recipe. I blanch the peppers and stuff them with a mixture cooked ground beef and rice. I layer in a cheese with a little ketchup. You can use any seasonings you like in the beef/rice mixture.
I top[ them off with more cheese and a light coating of the ketchup.

They are simple, but very satisfying. It's not gourmet, but I enjoy them.

I cut red potatoes with the skin on into approximately 1 inch cubes, and throw in the microwave in a bowl to soften.  I then throw them in a container with some olive oil, dry ranch powder, and Emeril's Essence.  Throw on a foiled baking pan and put in oven on 450 degrees until they reach your level of crispiness.  Scoop with a spatula onto your plate.

Smoked twice baked potatoes love them!!
• 6 Russet potatoes
• 2 cups cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (divided)
• 4 jalapenos, deseeded and diced
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 Tablespoons of butter, softened
• 1 Tablespoon of your favorite rub or seasoned salt
• 8 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Coarse salt
Directions:
Preheat Smoke Pro Pellet Grill to about 225 degrees F. Wash the potatoes and pat them dry with a paper towel. Rub olive oil on them with your hands. Sprinkle with coarse salt to taste. Put them into the pellet grill and cook for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until tender.
Cook and crumble the bacon while potatoes are smoking.
When potatoes are tender, remove them from the pellet grill and cut them in half. Use a large spoon to scoop out the potato from the skins. (Note: Be careful not to tear the skin. You can leave a little potato layer to help make them sturdy.) In a large bowl, mash potatoes and mix in cream cheese, bacon, jalapeno, rub or seasoned salt, 1 cup of grated cheese and whipping cream.
Once you have all the ingredients mixed in with the potato, stuff it back into the skins. Place the stuffed potatoes on a cooking sheet. Top the potatoes with remaining cheese. Place them back in the pellet grill for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

FMT's hashbrown casserole recipe is one of those can't miss dishes, we serve it with all holiday meals and there's never a morsel of it left over.

The cheesy potatoes you made at the 2010 Royal were the bomb.  You could make those.
Z

The cheesy potatoes you made at the 2010 Royal were the bomb.  You could make those.
Z

That was ACW3's recipe Al.  It was posted on PH and I didn't keep a copy.  So I don't have that recipe.  It was good!

Thanks for all the ideas.  You folks should all post these in the recipe board so I will know where to look for them next time.