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You're the STAR Blog Hop & HOME Features

T his linky party is the perfect place to show off your creativity! Share your blog posts, for a chance to be featured next month!     WELCOME to the August 2022  " You're the Star " Blog Hop! Before we continue onto the Linky party I wanted to share from my blog: Keep cool during these last few weeks of summer with my delicious 3-Ingredient No Churn Ice Cream ! ___________________________ WELCOME to  HOME feature week of the August 2022  " You're the STAR " blog hop! Meet your HOME week Hosts   This week is HOME feature week Swing by the Home Hosts' Blogs: Bev from Eclectic Red Barn Cindy from Mom, the Lunch Lady Niki from Life as a LEO Wife This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU! There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month.   The "theme" occurs in our weekly features:

Loaded Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

 A fluffy combination of mashed potatoes and cauliflower, is topped with caramelised onion, cheese and bacon.

cauliflower mashed potatoes topped with bacon, caramelised onion and cheese, in a white casserole dish

Wow, it's almost the end of November already! Am I the only one who finds that each year passes more quickly? Thanksgiving in the U.S was Yesterday. I hope all my readers, family and friends in the U.S enjoyed their day, and that you were able to celebrate with ones you love. Despite the pandemic, we've been so blessed this year. While I am out of work, my SO has been able to return to his place of employment. I am thankful to be able to stay home, to make sure my children are on track with online/distance learning. I am on year 11 of being pain free, in regards to my Crohn's disease, and the pandemic has given me the time and motivation to start my self care/fitness journey. But most of all, we are blessed that everyone has been able to stay healthy, during this stressful time.  

During my self care journey, one of my struggles has been to eat healthier. While I love quinoa, chickpeas, salads, veggies, the rest of the family isn't crazy about them. They still want their comfort foods, like mashed potatoes. So I thought I'd try making mashed potatoes that had cauliflower in them. In hopes of the kids not really noticing the cauliflower, I decided to add a ton of flavour to the dish. I used sour cream, rather than milk. I also topped the dish with some caramelised onions, bacon and melty cheese. Spectacular!! The potato cauliflower mixture was smooth, creamy and slightly tangy. I loved the addition of the slightly sweet caramelised onion, and salty cheese and bacon. It really turned ordinary mashed potatoes into something extraordinary and special. This would definitely be a perfect side dish, for any holiday meal!

mashed potatoes and cauliflower, topped with caramelised onion, cheese and bacon, in a white casserole dish




Loaded Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 1/2 C chopped fresh cauliflower
2/3 C Gay sour cream
1/4 C (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 small onions sliced
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp brown sugar
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 C Old White Cheddar, grated

Place potatoes and cauliflower in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and season with a generous pinch of salt. Cook until potatoes are very tender; about 10-15 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the onion and season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stiring occasionally, until onions become golden and tender; about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with brown sugar and toss to coat. Set aside.

Drain the cooked potatoes/cauliflower, and return to the hot pot. Add in butter and sour cream and using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread potato/cauliflower mixture into an oven safe dish and top with caramelised onions. Mix the crumbled bacon with the cheese and sprinkle evenly over the caramelised onions. Place under the broiler, until cheese is bubbly and brown; 3-5 minutes.

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Comments

  1. I love how you reframe your pandemic experience into things you are grateful for. Also this recipe looks delicious. Is there a substitute for cauliflower? I can’t find it in Zambia (where I live).

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    Replies
    1. I haven't tried making these with anything other than cauliflower, so I am not sure of a suitable substitute. Everything I think of would drastically change the flavour of the dish. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

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  2. This is perfect for dinner tonight; stress-free for the rest of the afternoon!�� Thanks for a perfect idea!
    Happy to see you are managing well your health. PS, I also have to hide ingredients in meals, especially tomatoes!! Not easy, given the colour��

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL Mom life! It's funny but my picky eater has now become my adventurous eater. She loves brussel sprouts, avocados, peppers. My son has always been a good eater but is getting pickier in his teenage years.

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  3. Cauliflower is such a great alternative to potatoes. This dish sounds amazing with the sour cream, bacon, and white cheddar! I have some family members that would really love this, so I can't wait to share this recipe with them.

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    Replies
    1. Yes it's a great way to make mashed potatoes a bit more figure friendly without going hard core cauliflower.

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  4. This looks very delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

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  5. What a wonderful tasty recipe! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. I will definitely be trying. I also make cauliflower Baked Ziti.

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  7. This sounds absolutely delicious. I will definitely be making this.

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  8. I love how indulging this mash is. A great side for any night of the week and can be easily meal prepped for the week. Triple points.

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