Here’s a step-by-step illustration of creating a menu.

Step 1: Choose a main dish. In this case, Chicken w/ Cider and Bacon Sauce, which is an American dish.

Step 2: Choose starch and veggies. Since this is an American dish, stick with potatoes and green beans or carrots.

Step 3: Look for common themes in the different dishes. Use common flavors to pull the meal together. Example: Cheddar & Cider Scallop Potatoes and Sautéed Green Beans With Bacon. Another option: Apple-Glazed Carrots With Bacon (though this may overkill the apple flavor).

Step 4: Use common flavors to determine drinks and dessert. Some options that could work: cinnamon apples with chocolate sauce and hot chocolate, apples with caramel sauce and hot cocoa or coffee with caramel, cinnamon apples and cinnamon-flavored coffee, or throw in something unexpected, like chocolate fudge and hot cocoa with peppermint sticks. Not everything has to be matchy-matchy.

Possible Menu:

Main dish: Chicken w/ Cider and Bacon Sauce
Starch: Cheddar & Cider Scallop Potatoes
Veggies: Sautéed Green Beans With Bacon
Drink: Hot chocolate w/ peppermint sticks
Dessert: Cinnamon Apples w/ Chocolate Sauce

Common Flavors:

bacon in the greens beans to bacon in the chicken
apple cider in the chicken to apple cider in the potatoes
cinnamon in the potatoes to cinnamon in the apple dessert
chocolate in the apple dessert to chocolate in the drink

Adding extras:

Now, add some extra pieces to the meal, like cheddar cheese bread or biscuits, sliced almonds in the green beans and/or sprinkled on top of the apples, cinnamon sticks as garnish, and add some mushrooms or carrots to the meal.

This great recipe pairs potatoes with the tasty combination of apple and cheddar cheese. It can be baked in a casserole or individual gratin dishes.

2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
2 pounds potatoes
cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 425F. Rinse potatoes well in lukewarm water, peel if desired, and slice thinly. Arrange half of potatoes in a shallow 3-quart dish and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Arrange remaining potatoes on top and set aside.

Place flour in medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Stir in cider, broth, salt, pepper and nutmeg; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour the cider mixture over the potatoes and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and press potatoes with a spatula. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, then mozzarella cheese. Top with cinnamon sugar. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Let sit 10 minutes.

Try serving with apple wedges and cinnamon sticks as garnish.

Another adventure in spud-land. This is another easy and tasty recipe from the Lipton Recipe Secret Soup Mix magic cookbook.

6 medium potatoes
1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secret Savory Herb and Garlic Soup Mix
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter

Wash potatoes well in lukewarm water, peel if desired, and cut into chunks. Cover potatoes with water in a large pot and bring water to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Mash potatoes with a hand mixer.

Stir in soup mix, milk and butter, blending well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired and serve. Voila!

After buying a rather large bag of potatoes, I’ve found myself with more spuds then I know what to do with, so I’ve started experimenting with tater recipes. Here’s the first one I did, starting with a recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix:

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsps paprika
1 1/2 tsps cumin
1 tsp garlic powder (or garlic salt)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp brown sugar
dash cayenne (for the braver taste buds only)

Mix all the ingredients well in a small bowl and use instead of 1 package of taco seasoning mix. When adding to meat, simmer with a 3/4 cup of water.

Mexican Potatoes

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 to 6 large to medium potatoes

Preheat over to 425F.

Wash potatoes well in lukewarm water. Use a knife to remove any bad spots and peel only if desired (I prefer mine with the skins on). Cut potatoes into chunks and place in a large, heavy-duty ziplock bag. Add oil and taco mix and seal bag. Shake until potatoes are evenly coated.

Grease a 13×9 inch baking pan. Arrange potatoes in an even layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring every 8-10 minutes.

Serve plain as a side dish or top like a baked potato with sour cream, cheddar cheese, onions, tomatoes, peppers, or salsa.

A new twist on one of my old favorites (original recipe for Parmesan Herbed Noodles is posted on August 10, 2006):

3 cups dry egg noodles
8 oz sliced mushrooms
dash garlic powder
dash oregano
2 tbps butter
2 tbps olive oil
1 tsp basil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
splash fresh lemon juice
fresh ground black pepper
crumbled feta cheese, as desired

Using a large saucepan or cooking pot, heat several cups of water over medium-high heat on the stove. Sprinkle garlic powder and oregano over water. Add noodles once water is at a rolling boil and cook 8-12 minutes or until noodles are at desired firmness.

While water is boiling, heat butter and oil in a large frying pan and add mushrooms. Saute until well cooked. Remove from heat and keep warm. Do not drain.

Combine basil, garlic, thyme, salt, and parmesan cheese in a small mixing bowl. Top mixture with lemon juice and pepper.

Drain noodles and add mushrooms in oil and butter, coating noodles. Add herb mixture, stirring thoroughly to ensure even coating of noodles. Top with feta cheese as desired.

A fresh salad with baby spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, and red onion tossed in olive oil and red wine vinegar compliments this dish nicely and adds color to the meal.