Want to add stuff to scalloped taters

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Jun 6, 2013
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Southern Illinois
so last night i mad 3 cheese scalloped potatoes and they came out really good ( yes the box kind), but something was calling that it could use more add ons.

something along the lines of pizza cheese and pepperoni mixed in or on top. i am curious though as to when and where to add the peperoni at some point.

i know pepperoni bleeds grease and flavor. would the grease ruin the structuree or mix of the taters or add flavor to it or would you just keep it on top?

another thing i want to try adding on would be a surface crust made up of chicken in biskit crushed crackers. i dont know if it would burn on top or if i would have that in between the top of the taters with pizza cheese above it.

any ideeas would be helpfull to help me structure this thing.
 
Hey, rocky :) That sounds interesting. re: the pepperoni, I would pre-cook it a bit and drain off as much grease as possible. A minute or two in the microwave on a paper-towel-lined plate should do it. I would then layer it into the potato layers.

For the topping, toss the crumbs with a little melted butter and sprinkle it on for the last 20 minutes of baking . That will be enough to brown it without burning.
 
Hi Rocky. :) I agree with GotGarlic's suggestion of pre-cooking the pepperoni a bit to get rid of the excess grease.

By 'pizza cheese', do you mean mozzarella? You could layer the lightly cooked and drained pepperoni on top, sprinkle with the mozzarella, and put it under the broiler for a minute or two (watch it carefully) at the end of the baking time.

Another alternative would be to add crumbled cooked (and drained) bulk sausage to the mix and bake according to directions. Add some cheese and bread or cracker crumbs on top 15 or 20 minutes before it's done baking.
 
Given the resources, I've added chopped/sliced ham, and cheese, layered throughout scalloped potatoes and a good amount of black pepper lends itself to them as well. Since I start with raw potatoes, I cover the pan tightly with foil to keep the top from browning too much.
 
Yes, scalloped potatoes with ham and peas is one of our winter favorites.
Peas really?
DH requested peas in his tuna salad, really? They weren't half bad.
I like peas I just never would have thought to add them to scalloped potatoes either.
I never realized I grew up in such a pea deprived environment.:ROFLMAO:
I'll have to give that a shot.
 
I am not sure but it looks the same as potatis gratäng and I used to chopped chorizo, onion, bacon fry first and then mix into the pre made one and then mozzarella on top.
 
Peas really?
DH requested peas in his tuna salad, really? They weren't half bad.
I like peas I just never would have thought to add them to scalloped potatoes either.
I never realized I grew up in such a pea deprived environment.:ROFLMAO:
I'll have to give that a shot.

My DH loves peas. They do add a nice pop of sweetness to a rich casserole.
 
I like that crusty brown goodness you find along the top of the casserole. So putting some crushed crackers on top may enhance this. Try mixing in a little fresh or dried thyme &/or sage in the sauce too.
 
Oooh yes, ham is a good addition, too. When I make a scalloped potato casserole with ham, I add broccoli. Peas are a good idea, too - will have to remember that. Anything green to add a pop of color and veggie goodness. :yum:
 
Another vote for ham. Whenever I have some leftover from baking a half ham, I try to find time/interest in making scalloped potatoes with slices of ham in it. Most times, though, it ends up as chunks of ham in mac and cheese, since I like that one better.
 
I have a question for those of you that use peas in casseroles. Don't they get that yucky, gray-green color and turn to mush after cooking long enough to heat the casserole through? Or do you stir them in or just sprinkle them on top later in the cooking time and cook just long enough to finish the cassrole and heat the peas through? Of course, that's assuming you still like your peas bright green.
 
No, they don't turn yucky green. They stay nice and bright. I put down a layer of potatoes, a layer of ham, sprinkle with peas, drizzle with cheese sauce, repeat. It might help that I par-cook the potatoes while I'm making the cheese sauce, so the dish doesn't have to cook for an hour and a half, but I'm not sure about that. I bake it at 350 for 30-45 minutes.
 
Comfort food = memories of childhood, for my DH. He says that frozen peas are OKAY but to really make a tuna salad like his mom used to, she used canned peas (the mushy gray ones). In honor of recreating this food memory, we put canned peas on the shopping list. Canned peas taste different than frozen peas.:ermm:
 
I would suggest trying an Americanized version of Jannsons fretelse (potatoes, onions, cream, and sprats). I've never made it with a boxed scalloped potato mix, but love it (without the cheese). Prosciutto, smoked haddock, smoked salmon or a mix of wild mushrooms/portebello all come to mind as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janssons_frestelse
 
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For pasta salads, I blanch the peas for two minutes and then shock them in ice water to keep them green. For soups, etc., I add the peas the last 5 minutes. You could do that with the scalloped potatoes by pulling out the potatoes and mixing the peas in while the dish rests before serving. Frozen peas will "cook" sufficiently during the rest time.
 
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