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Potatoes

Source of Recipe

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List of Ingredients

Nutrition Information

Potatoes are a good resource of vitamin C and potassium.
Unfortunately, they
have been accused for many years of being a high-calorie food. This is
unfair: one medium baked potato contains only 110 calories. But beware!
If you add
one tablespoon each of sour cream and butter or margarine, the calories
jump to
240!

The four basic types of potatoes are round whites, long whites,
russets and
round reds.

Selection

Look for plump, firm, unbruised potatoes. Avoid those that are green
or have
started to shrivel or sprout.

Storage

Store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark place that is well ventilated. A
temperature of 45 degrees F is best for storage. Potatoes stored above
45 degrees F
will sprout and shrivel. Those stored below 45 degrees F will develop a
sweet
taste, as some of the potato starch turns to sugar. (This increase in
sugar
will cause the potato to darken when cooked.) Do not store potatoes in
the
refrigerator.



Recipe

Preparation

Scrub potatoes. Peel them or not, depending on your taste. Peeled
potatoes
will turn dark if they are not cooked soon. Do not soak them in cold
water to
keep them white. This will cause the potatoes to lose vitamins.

Boil: Best for thin-skinned potatoes. Place one inch of water in a
sauce pan
with a tight-fitting lid. Cook covered. Medium potatoes will take about
30 to
40 minutes to cook.

Bake: Best for thick-skinned potatoes. Bake potatoes 45 minutes at 400
degrees F, or bake them along with whatever you have in the oven and
adjust the
time according to the temperature. It can range from 325 to 450 degrees
F. At
higher temperatures, the skin will be crisper. Pierce skin with a fork
so steam
will escape. This prevents the potato from bursting.

Microwave: Pierce skin with a fork. Arrange potatoes on a paper towel,
one
inch apart. Microwave on high power for four to six minutes per potato.
Turn
potatoes over after half the cooking time. Let stand five minutes. When
the
potatoes are cooked, take them out and wrap in foil to allow the
potatoes to cook
evenly throughout.

Steam: Best for thin-skinned, small potatoes. Cut a small strip from
the
potato. This will keep the skin from breaking. To steam, bring one inch
of water
to boil in the bottom of a pan. Place a colander or a collapsible
steaming
basket in the pan. Then put the vegetables in the colander or steamer
and cover
it tightly. Reduce heat to medium-low, but make sure it is high enough
to keep
the water bubbling. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

~umext.maine.edu

Quicker Baked Potatoes

For quicker baking time for your baked potatoes try boiling them
for 5-7 minutes first and then wrapping them in aluminum foil and
baking at 400 degrees.

Keeping Potatoes from Sprouting

To keep potatoes from sprouting lay an apple in with your
potatoes. A chemical (gas) that the apple give off will help to
keep them from sprouting.


Stretching a Box of Scalloped Potatoes
By Tee Maltby

When I buy a box of scalloped potatoes (on sale!), I add an extra
raw potato, cut in thin slices, before cooking. I also add 3/4
cup more milk than required. It makes more scalloped potatoes, so
I can feed more people!