Today, a lot of people steer away from fried foods, opting for oven-baked meals instead. After all, it’s a healthier alternative. However, they don’t want to sacrifice flavor. If you’re among them, you’ll love these three recipes. They’re so delicious that everyone in your family will love them.
Potatoes Anna
If you’re health conscious, you probably limit your intake of carbohydrates, which includes potatoes. The other problem is that a lot of potato recipes involve frying. However, you can make oven-baked Potatoes Anna, and enjoy every bite without feeling guilty.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and sliced thin)
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme (chopped fine)
- 2 cloves of garlic (chopped fine)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (grated)
Directions
- For these oven-baked potatoes, first heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, put the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water.
- Next, use one tablespoon of butter to grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet. In addition, spray cooking oil on a 12×12-inch piece of tin foil.
- Heat the remaining butter in a one-quart saucepan. To that, add the thyme and garlic. Cook on medium heat for one to two minutes or until the garlic softens. Remove the pan from the stove and set it aside.
- Put the salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- You’ll then drain the potatoes. For this, be sure to pat them dry using paper towels.
- Carefully arrange one-quarter of the potato slides in the center of the 10-inch skillet. However, make sure the edges overlap slightly. After covering the bottom of the skillet, brush the potatoes with one-quarter of the butter, thyme, and garlic mixture. Next, sprinkle on one-quarter of the combined salt and pepper. Then, sprinkle on two tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat this pattern two more times. However, make sure it ends with the cheese on top. Using the back of a spatula, press down firmly on the potatoes. Cook them on high heat for roughly five minutes. Also, shake the pan a few times to prevent the potatoes from sticking.
- Cover the skillet with the foil, making sure to put the sprayed side down. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes. Just before serving, use a spatula to loosen the edges of the potatoes. You’ll then invert them onto a serving platter.
Macaroni and Cheese
Especially if you have children, it’s hard to beat this oven-baked mac and cheese recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon each of black pepper, ground mustard, and Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups whole or 2 percent milk
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
Directions
- While the oven heats to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, cook and drain the elbow macaroni using the directions on the package.
- In the meantime, melt the butter in a three-quart saucepan on low heat. Add the flour, salt, pepper, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to blend. Cook this on medium-low heat until it becomes smooth and bubbly. However, you’ll need to stir it constantly. Remove the pan from the stove.
- Stir in the milk and bring the ingredients to a boil. Again, stir constantly. Boil for one minute, followed by adding the cheese. Stir until it melts.
- Next, add the drained macaroni. Then, pour it all into an ungreased two-quart baking dish. Bake it uncovered for 25 minutes. At that point, it’s ready to serve.
Southwest Turkey
Thanksgiving isn’t the only time you can make an oven-baked turkey.
Ingredients
- 12 to 14-pound turkey (thawed)
- 8 sage leaves (fresh)
- 1 teaspoon each of chili powder and ground cumin
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 to 2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (finely chopped)
You might also like: Casserole Recipes The Whole Family Will Love
Directions
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Use your fingers to carefully separate the skin from the turkey breast. Afterward, put the sage leaves under the skin. In addition, you can stuff the turkey using your favorite recipe at the same time.
- Tie the drumsticks back using a piece of heavy string.
- With the breast side up, put the turkey on a rack inside a shallow roasting pan.
- In a saucepan, heat the butter, chili powder, cumin, and chilis just until the butter melts. Brush two tablespoons on the turkey.
- Also, don’t forget to place an ovenproof thermometer in the turkey so you’ll know when it’s done. Just make sure it goes inside the thickest part of the meat and doesn’t touch any bones.
- Bake the turkey uncovered for three hours to three hours and 45 minutes. During this time, brush more of the butter mixture on top. However, after baking for two hours, make a tent out of aluminum foil. Place that loosely over the turkey. Then, as soon as the meat turns golden brown, untie the legs and continue cooking.
- As soon as the meat thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the turkey’s ready to come out of the oven.
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