Seven Easy Potato Recipes: Soup, Medallions and More

Potatoes are a main staple in many households as they can serve to be a side dish or be the center of your entrée. Whatever your use for potatoes, there are several dishes that are simple to make in a matter of minutes. Here's some easy recipes for you try, one for every day of the week!

Potato Soup: This recipe is a variation of the creamed styles that are so popular. You will need 6 medium sized potatoes, one medium yellow onion, 2 stalks of celery, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, and desired amount of chicken bouillon cubes. Peel and clean all potatoes and dice them into medium sized cubes. Take your diced potatoes and put them in about 6 cups of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. While potatoes are boiling, peel and finely dice your onion then string and chop your celery. Once potatoes are boiled do not drain, rather mash them with a potato masher right in the hot water until the potatoes are a finer consistency. Add celery, onion, pepper, and bouillon and let cook for about one hour. Once finished, garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and parsley.

Loaded Potato Boats: These are similar to what you would get as an appetizer in a restaurant. You need shredded cheddar cheese, bacon or bacon bits, scallions or red onions, parsley, sour cream (optional) and salsa (optional). We microwave our potatoes but you can also use the oven if you prefer. Take 4 medium sized potatoes and wash thoroughly leaving skins on. Pierce 4-6 times with a fork and put in the microwave for 16 minutes or until potato is soft. Once cooked, allow potatoes to cool for about 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half length wise and using a spoon, hollow out each half slightly leaving an empty pocket. Add generous amounts of cheese and top each potato half with onions, bacon or bacon bits, and parsley. Garnish with sour cream and salsa or you could serve these on the side. Potato boats are easy and quick. Many people like to have chili on them as well. This is totally up to you.

Diced Fried Potatoes: Fried potatoes are a great side dish and a huge hit with our family. We eat them at least three times a week! You will need one medium sized potato for every person you are serving. We use 4 medium size potatoes, one small yellow onion, meat tenderizer, garlic salt, and margarine. Wash potatoes thoroughly leaving skins on, though you may choose to peel your potatoes. Heat about 2 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil on medium heat. Dice your potatoes into small cubes and put in a skillet. Add desired amounts of meat tenderizer and garlic salt, a teaspoon of each should suffice and stir potatoes. Dice onion in small pieces and add whole onion. Include about two tablespoons of margarine to your mix. Margarine will add to the moisture of your potatoes and this will be needed as oil can be absorbed easily. Put a lid on your potatoes keeping them on medium heat for 10 minutes, and then put your stove burner on low and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes while stirring frequently. You will notice your potatoes getting a golden brown color. Serve these at breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Easy Potato Medallions: Medallions are incredibly easy to make with little effort. You will need about 4 medium sized potatoes washed with skins on, extra virgin olive oil, bacon bits, onions, and shredded cheese, whatever you may have on hand will be fine. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice potatoes about a quarter of an inch thick and put on a greased (using butter, margarine, or spray) cookie sheet. Place your potato slices on cookie sheet and baste with olive oil and put into the oven for about 15 minutes. Your potato slices should be semi soft at this point. After 15 minutes, add the rest of your toppings, using the cheese first, then bacon bits and onions. Put slices in the oven for another 5-10 minutes and remove. Let your slices cool slightly before serving. We have used these as easy appetizers as well as side dishes.

Cheesy Baked Potatoes: Very similar to scalloped potatoes found in a box, these are homemade and you can make as many as you want. You will need a cup of milk and Campbells Cheese and Broccoli Creamed Condensed soup. Again, using about 4 potatoes washed and peeled, slice your potatoes rather thinly and place in a ceramic baking dish. Most baking dishes will do as you can layer your potatoes and they will still cook. Spread your potatoes evenly in your dish. Combine soup and milk in a sauce pan and let cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until milk and soup are blended. Pour finished soup over your potatoes and cook for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Take out your potatoes and make sure they are soft. Add 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool as this will allow your cheese sauce to thicken. This makes another great side dish that is easy to make and is an alternative to boxed potatoes.

Easy Potato Pancakes: Potato pancakes make a great side to any meal. You will need about 2 cups of shredded potatoes. We literally grate our potatoes on a hand grater so they are fresh. You will also use one beaten egg, one half of a yellow onion that will also be shredded on a grater, hand or machine grater will do, and a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper. Combine your potatoes, onions, egg, salt and pepper into a mixture. Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat on a heated griddle or in a frying pan. Allow your pan or griddle to become hot and then you will spoon your mixture to the desired amount into the hot pan. Fry one side for about 5 minutes then flip and flatten your pancake to about a half inch. Flip again and fry the other side for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain excess grease on paper towels and serve. You can make as many of these as you like. Here, the onion really brings out the flavor of the potato pancake.

Mashed Potatoes: What would a potato be if it weren't mashed potatoes? Mashed potatoes are probably the most popular so here's a slight variation of the traditional mashed potato recipe. Take the desired amount of washed potatoes and peel and dice in cubes. Place your potatoes in water with a pinch of salt and boil until your potatoes are soft and can easily have a fork placed in them. Once boiled, drain potatoes and mash them with a masher adding desired amount of milk, usually about a half a cup, and 3-4 tablespoons of butter or margarine. We like to whip our potatoes so I use a mixer on medium speeds until the potatoes are thoroughly mixed and have a creamier texture. Then we add parsley, black pepper, one teaspoon or so of meat tenderizer, sour cream, about a quarter of a cup to our mix, and finally top the potatoes off with a light dusting of ground paprika for presentation.

Here are just seven easy and relatively quick potato recipes to try. Potatoes are so versatile that the possibilities are endless and they are really fun to cook. So, if you're bored with the same old mashed potatoes, give some of these a try.