Carby goodness -- it's what's for dinner (a.k.a potato, vidalia onion and green pea hash)

I love carbs. I can't deny it.

I really love carbs when I am very hungry and it is way past my dinner time. Like tonight.

The potato is at the top of my list o' favorite carbs.

Fried. Mashed. Baked. Sauteed.

It really doesn't matter as I could eat potatoes everyday, every meal.

Though my waist line may revolt.

Tonight, my favorite carb played the starring ingredient in a potato hash that featured vidalia onion and peas.

I was looking for a dish to accompany the rather plain and very healthy baked lemon pepper fish we were having for dinner. 

I stared at the box of perfectly good rice pilaf and the box of brown rice but nothing can compete with a good old russett potato.

The potatoes were also on the verge of being at the 'this potato has seen better days' state so I threw the potatoes in the microwave. While they cooked, I cut up and sauteed some sweet vidalia onion in butter.

Once the potatoes were cooked, I took them from the skin and placed the broken up potato pieces in the pan with the onions and butter and proceeded to sautee them over medium heat until they started to gain a little bit of the golden brown color that comes when you cook things in butter.

Ah, bliss.

I gave the pan of goodness a few shakes of onion salt, garlic salt and ground pepper.

Then for color, I added a handful of frozen peas.

I let the whole dish cook for a few more short minutes, stirring it frequently.

After about a total of 12 minutes from start to finish to make this side dish full of carby (is that a word? I don't think so but I like it anyway) goodness, I scraped it into a dish and served it up alongside our rather sedate fish.

Needless to say, there wasn't a bit left of my potato, vidalia onion, and pea hash. I also made this exact hash for my husband but substituted sweet potatoes.  It was equally as good!

Carby goodness -- it's what's for dinner!

Potato, Vidalia Onion and Green Pea Hash
(serves 4-6 people)

Ingredients
4 medium size russett potatoes
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 vidalia onion, chopped
3/4 cup frozen green peas
Garlic salt
Onion salt
Freshly ground pepper

Details
*Microwave potatoes until fully cooked. Then, peel skins off of potatoes and cut the potatoes into bit-size pieces.

*While the potatoes cook, melt the butter in the pan (you can use less or more butter depending on how much butter you like in your potatoes) and sautee the onion until soft.

*Once the onion is soft, add the potato pieces to the pan and sprinkle with garlic salt, onion salt and pepper to taste.  Stir the hash frequently while cooking over medium heat until potatoes start to get slightly brown.

Pumpkin donut muffins ... need I say more?

I officially bid adieu this week to summer and decided fall would begin early for me. 

Yes, I have moved on early to the next season, which happens to be my favorite.

Though the summer was lovely, I've felt rejuvenated this week with cooler and less humid weather and windows open throughout the house.

Most importantly, I also welcomed back pumpkin to my cooking repertoire.

What better way to welcome pumpkin back to your world than with pumpkin donut muffins?

You can't come up with an answer, can you?  I know. Neither could I.

Trust me, there is no better way.

I highly advise you take time one morning this weekend and make a batch of these muffins.  They are cake-like on the inside and reminiscent of my favorite traditional cinnamon sugar cake donuts I've always loved.

From the moment I put the batter in the muffin pan early this morning (after sneaking a bite of the batter), I knew something special was about to come into my life.

But it only got better.

When I pulled the muffins out and proceeded to brush each lightly with butter and then sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar mixture,they were even more delish than anticipated.

Blissed-out pumpkin heavenliness.  There is no other way to describe these muffins other than a perfect way to begin fall.

Pumpkin donut muffins

Pumpkin Donut Muffins
(makes 12 large muffins)

IngredientsFor the batter:
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree (from a 15-ounce can)

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

For the sugar coating:
3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Directions
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups. Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture, and beat to combine.

*Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

*Recipe from Martha Stewart