Easy and cheesy – my simplified recipe for cheesy potatoes

We spent a lot of this past weekend grillin' and chillin' at home with friends, and while we want to eat well, we don't especially want to make too big of a production out of it. We would rather be sitting around the grill talking and having fun. So when it comes to sides, I always want to do something fast and no-hassle.

Everyone loves cheesy potatoes – they go as well with burgers and dogs as they do with a steak, and this recipe takes all of 5 minutes of prep, so you will still have plenty of time to relax. Check it out.

Here's what you'll need:

1 30-oz package of Ore-Ida® Country Style Hash Browns – the shredded kind (NOTE: I used about 3/4 of the bag – it fit better in my casserole, and I found it kept the dish pretty creamy)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 cup sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste
A couple of handfuls of French fried onions, crushed up
2 T butter


Here's how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 350º. Spray a 2 quart casserole with non-stick spray. Take the bag of hash browns and give it a few whacks to break it up. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the frozen hash browns, the soups, the sour cream and the salt & pepper. Turn this into your prepared casserole. Top with the French fried onions and dot with butter. Bake for about 45 minutes until bubbly and golden on the top.

I am sold on using the cream of chicken for added flavor, but I know other people who use cream of celery and it works just as well. The onion topping gives nice crunch, but also imparts a subtle onion flavor without a single minute of chopping. But, you could try substituting potato chips or crackers.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what your friends and family think!

A comforting meal that is so simple to make – hamburger stroganoff

I know there are times when The Bob and I feel the need to hunker down, and we have had that feeling after the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Watching the non-stop coverage is painful, and we feel for the families and friends of the students and university personnel who are the innocent victims of this horrible crime.

I have a feeling we are not the only ones who need a bit of comforting right now and one way we can comfort each other is through food. It may not be totally logical, but for some reason it works. Last night I put together a super-easy hamburger stroganoff – a yummy, creamy, mushroom-y, meaty feast for the two of us. There are "upgrades" you can make to this meal if you have the time and energy, but I took the easy way last night.

Here's what you'll need:
1 lb. hamburger
Dash of garlic powder
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup half and half (folks, this is not diet food!)
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 teaspoons paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Here's how you do it:
Crumble the ground beef in a deep skillet and sprinkle with as much garlic powder as you like (I used about 1/2 teaspoon, not too much). Brown and drain. Add to the skillet the remaining ingredients and stir until it's all incorporated. Bring up to a bubble and stir occasionally until it's thick and creamy. That's all there is to it.

You can let the stroganoff simmer gently over very low heat while you prepare egg noodles and then ladle a big generous serving over top. It would probably be delicious over mashed potatoes or rice, too. (I did the low carb thing and had mine over mashed cauliflower and it was wonderful.)

The upgrades, you probably figured out, would be to mince a clove of garlic to replace the garlic powder, and of course you can use fresh mushrooms instead of canned if you feel like slicing.

The thing about a dish like this is that, while it has flavor, it's not overpowering. It's bland in a good way – the way Nigella Lawson describes bland – more as a texture that is soothing. Which was the whole point last night.

I hope you try this the next time you're feeling the need to sink down into a bowl of pure comfort.

Tips for an easy, good-looking home pedicure

After a long winter of neglect, my feet needed a little attention. Clomping around in winter boots and shoes made my heels hard and cracked, and my toenails, well, they were just scary. So, last weekend I took the time to give myself a pedicure.

Pedicures are one of life's little pleasures. Nothing makes you feel more pampered and pretty than smooth feet and polished tootsies. Back in the day, I loved to go with my girlfriend and have the pros take care of my feet, but these days I do it myself and save the money. I consider myself all thumbs when it comes to these things, but if I can do it, you can do it.

Here's how I do it.

1. The tools. Lay out your toenail clippers (the big kind that cut straight across), an orange wood stick, a large emery board, nail block, a pumice stone and a towel. You will also need polish remover, cotton balls, base/top coat, and your polish. Get it all assembled now to save time. I also consider a fashion magazine part of the routine – for me, it completes the pampering, spa-like experience.

2. The soak. If you have polish on your nails, remove it first. I start by soaking my feet in nice, warm water with some great-smelling bubble bath or shower gel. If you have one of those cool foot massage thingys, I am jealous. I just sit on the bathroom counter and soak my feet in the sink. While you're soaking one foot, pumice the other (heels, toes and the soles of your feet), then switch. Next, while soaking one foot, clean under nails and push your cuticles back on the other, then switch. After that, sometimes I use a scrubbing cleanser to get my feet super-soft. Take as much time with the soak as you like. Rinse and dry your feet, then apply lotion.


3. The shape. This can be the trickiest part, it was for me, but if you try this a few times, you will get it down pat. Find a comfortable way to sit so that you can easily reach your toes. I sit on a dining chair with my feet on the floor and just bend over at the waist. This position makes it easy for me to spread my toes out, so I don't need any cotton between them.

To start to shape the nails, trim them straight across – I like mine fairly short. Then take the emery board and shape your nails. The rule of thumb is to shape the nail to mirror the shape of your cuticle. Take your time on this part, because the final appearance depends a lot on the shape of the nail. Take your orange wood stick or cuticle pusher and just go around each nail to make sure that the cuticle is pushed back and the nails are immaculate.

Once you get the shape like you like, take your nail block and buff. This helps the base coat and polish adhere, and it also takes off any ridges so you get a nice, smooth look. Using a cotton ball and some polish remover, clean off the nails and let them dry.

4. The polish. Here's my top tip for making a home pedicure look professional – use lighter colors. With the darker shades, mistakes are more obvious. I use a pretty gold/apricot polish from Ulta that is not too light but not too dark.

Believe it or not, I put on a pair of thong sandals to complete this step. That way I can still (carefully) walk around while it dries and not worry about it. Start with one base coat, then read an article in your magazine while it dries. Apply one coat of color and let it dry while you read another article. Apply a second coat and let dry. I ALWAYS apply two coats of color, even with the lighter shades. I believe it makes for a longer-lasting pedi. Finally, apply a top coat.

Here are a few more tips I have learned from experience. With basically four coats on your nails, it takes time for them to cure and harden. Plan to do your pedicure early in the day so you are not going to bed right after – you may end up with sheet marks! The same applies with socks and shoes.

5. The final result. That's it! With just a little effort and some patience, you can give yourself a good-looking home pedicure that rivals a professional job. And with the money you saved you can get yourself that cute pair of sandals to show off your tootsies!

Four simple grilling tips that save time and dishes

Despite the fact that it doesn't feel much like spring yet, we have begun grilling season at the King house. The Bob is a charcoal junkie, and we both prefer the flavor over gas grilling. I suspect real reason Bob likes the charcoal grill is the Big Fire, and the fact that he can have a couple of beers while he waits for the coals to be ready. Regardless, grilling is a relaxing, fun and no-fuss way of making a delicious dinner, whether it's just a couple of burgers or shrimp and chicken kebabs.

Over the years I have sometimes been surprised at the pile of dishes that winds up in the sink after grilling out. Washing a huge pile of platters and tongs is not my idea of a relaxing evening. So, along the way I have developed a few time- and and dish-saving strategies.

1. Season your meat right on the butcher paper or Styrofoam tray it came in. This works when it's a dry rub, dry seasoning blend, or even just salt and pepper. Then put the package on a clean platter or tray to take out to the grill. When you've got the meat on the grill, toss the packaging and you've got a clean platter ready for the cooked meat. If you can't use the packaging the meat came in, lay down a length of aluminum foil or waxed paper – it will work the same way. This saves you a dish in clean-up, and also helps you avoid any cross contamination.

2. Zipper-seal bags work the same way for marinades. Throw your meat or veggies in a large zipper-seal bag and let them marinate. When they're ready, don't transfer them out onto a clean dish – instead carry the bag and a clean platter out to the grill. Take the food out of the bag and then toss it (and the marinade) and you have a nice clean platter to put the cooked food on.

3. Foil-wrap veggies for a simple side dish or garnish. Instead of pulling out a pan to cook your veggies, lay out a healthy length of aluminum foil and pile them in the center (use a double layer if your foil isn't the heavy-duty kind). We use this technique for asparagus, onions and peppers, corn, whatever we have. Season right on the foil – butter or olive oil and whatever seasonings you like – then wrap them like a package. Toss them on the grill with your main dish and just check them every now and then. We often take the foil pack inside and just pull the veggies out with tongs rather than dirtying another dish. You could also pile the cooked vegetables alongside the cooked meat on your platter.

4. To save on clean up and reduce the risk of cross contamination, keep a few things handy by the grill. A container of disinfectant wipes are great for not only hands, but sticky tongs and spatula grips. A roll of paper towels is better for the occasional drip than a wet cloth or sponge that would hold bacteria. We keep a trash can right by the grill, too, to save steps and keep the area tidy.

So, relax and enjoy grilling out with these ideas that save on cleanup. You just might find that there's enough time for one more beer while dinner's on the barbecue.