Doney keeps produce fresh!

No one knows better than Joshua “Josh” Doney how important it is to keep fresh produce fresh. As Major Market’s March Employee of the Month, Joshua was recently honored with a cash award and his name on a plaque, according to John Alarcon, store manager. “Joshua is honored for his consistent customer service <and for> being a good example and role model for others,” John said.

In the produce department, Joshua, a six-and-a-half-year employee, appreciates Major Market’s commitment to having the best quality, freshest available produce and also offering the community the best of what is grown locally. He finds himself answering more and more questions about cooking vegetables including folks who, Joshua says, “hold up something and ask, ‘What is this and how do you cook it?’” He has also seen an increasing interest in the whole produce section, especially in the wide range of organic vegetables offered at the market.

Next time you shop at Major Market, be sure to congratulate Joshua… and thank him for his work, which provides the community with the best produce available.

While Joshua’s favorite vegetable is broccoli, he loves potatoes, too! So today, in this almost-St.-Patrick’s-Day mode of thinking, we honor Joshua for his achievement and present a “bushel” of potato recipes for the coming holiday fare… or almost any time of the year.

This Gaelic casserole-style side dish combines potatoes with cabbage or kale.

Colannon

2 lb. potatoes

3 cups finely cut cabbage or kale

3 tbsp. minced onion

3 tbsp. butter

1 ½ tsp. salt

Cracked pepper

1-2 tbsp. milk

Cook, drain and mash potatoes. Cook cabbage or kale in boiling water until tender. Drain well. Sauté onion in 1 ½ tbsp. butter. Mix sautéed onion with potatoes, cabbage (or kale), salt, pepper and milk. Beat until smooth. Turn into buttered shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Dot with remaining butter. Bake in a 400-degree oven about 15-20 minutes. 6-8 servings.

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This colorful mélange of potatoes, onion, pimiento and green pepper makes 12 or more servings… a lively choice for a Lenten potluck.

Swedish Potatoes

12 cooked potatoes, diced

2 onions, diced

1 lb. cheddar, diced

1 small jar pimiento, drained

1 green pepper, diced

2 sticks butter, melted

½ cup milk

Salt and pepper

Combine potatoes, onion, cheddar cheese, pimiento and pepper. Toss lightly and transfer to a large buttered shallow casserole. Combine melted butter and milk. Pour butter mixture over potato-onion mixture. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven about 45 minutes or until heated through and beginning to brown. 12-18 servings.

Onions and potatoes are flavor mates in this savory casserole invented by Connie.

Connie’s Potatoes

6 potatoes, sliced about ¼-inch thick

½ pkg. onion soup mix

½ cup butter, melted

½ cup water

Combine butter and soup mix. Pour water into a 2-qt. casserole. Add a layer of potatoes, then soup mix mixture. Continue alternating until all ingredients are used, ending with soup mix mixture. Cover and bake in a 350-degree oven about 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 8 servings.

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Potatoes are a universally appreciated vegetable. Here, blue cheese sparks this onion and potato combination said to be inspired by the cuisine of Denmark.

Danish Potatoes and Onions

18 small onions

18 tiny new potatoes

½ cup butter

½ cup flour

2 ½ cups whole milk

Salt

Pepper

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

¼ cup dry breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. butter

Cook onions and potatoes separately just until tender.

Meantime, melt butter in a 1-qt. saucepan. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes, but do not brown. Add milk and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine onions, potatoes, cream sauce and blue cheese in a large casserole. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Dot with butter. Bake in a 350-degree oven to heat through, about 30 minutes. 6-8 servings.

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If a name says it all, everyone would know that this version of potatoes comes from a family with Irish heritage.

Kelley’s Potatoes

5 medium potatoes

1 tsp. salt

½ cup butter

Peel potatoes and cut lengthwise into shoestring size, about ¼-inch thick. Melt butter in a skillet. Add potatoes. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes, or until tender. Sprinkle with salt and serve. 6 servings.

Here’s a potato casserole with a rich Baltic flavor.

Russian Potatoes

4 cooked potatoes, cubed

¼ cup melted butter

1 cup dairy sour cream

1 cup cottage cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cracked pepper

¼ cup minced parsley

In a large bowl, gently mix potatoes with butter, sour cream and cottage cheese. Add garlic, salt and cracked pepper. Turn into a buttered 1 ½ to 2 qt. casserole. Bake in a 350-degree oven until piping hot, about 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. 4-6 servings.

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Sesame seeds add flavor and crunch to this skillet dish.

Sesame Skillet Potatoes

4 cooked potatoes, diced

¼ cup butter

1/3 cup sesame seeds

2 tbsp. minced onion

Salt

Pepper

¼ cup whipping cream

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add sesame seeds and onion. Cook, stirring, until seeds are lightly browned. Add potatoes, salt, pepper and whipping cream. Cook, stirring, until very hot and golden brown. 4-6 servings.

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Fresh, packaged or refrigerated potatoes could be used for this zippy casserole.

Cottage Cheese and

Herbed Potatoes

2 cups hot mashed potatoes

½ cup small curd cottage cheese

½ tsp. dill weed

2 tbsp. minced chives

1 tbsp. butter

Mix hot mashed potatoes with cottage cheese and dill weed. Spread evenly in a buttered shallow casserole. Sprinkle with chives and dot with butter. Bake, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. 4 servings.

To do ahead: prepare mixture and refrigerate. Take from refrigerator one hour before baking. Bake 30-40 minutes or until piping hot.