The Taste: Tuesday at 8|7c on ABC

Just got hooked on The Taste on ABC!  I love cooking shows and reality shows and this combines them both.  I also love that the taste-testing is done blindfolded, with only one spoonful deciding the fate of the competitors!  Talk about using those senses!

If you're in the U.S., catch episodes here: http://abc.tv/Z3jimp In Canada, you'll have to catch it on ABC on Tuesdays at 8pm ET, as the link doesn't work for us.

creamy garlic mashed potatoes

• 3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups half & half cream
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place chopped potatoes in large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat while maintaining the boil. Cook until tender.

In a medium saucepan, heat the half & half and garlic over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash the potatoes and add the garlic-cream mixture, salt and Parmesan; stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens.

Serves 10-12

turkey lasagna - a downey original!

• 1 jar Classico Marinara and Basil pasta sauce
• 1/2 package no-cook lasagna noodles
• 1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 -3/4 cup water
• freshly chopped basil and oregano (to taste)
• 1 package Kraft Italiano shredded cheese

In a large skillet on medium heat, combine oil, garlic and onions. Cook until onions are translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until slightly browned - because it is extra lean, you will not likely need to drain the meat. Once the meat is cooked, add pasta sauce, chopped herbs and water. Stir to combine and remove from heat.

Spread sauce on bottom of glass baking dish. Layer on noodles. Add enough sauce to cover noodles. Sprinkle on 1/3 of package of shredded cheese. Repeat, layering noodles, sauce and cheese. There should be enough to do 3 layers. Be sure to finish with cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Allow to set for 5 minutes and serve.

Makes 6-8 servings.

penne with garlic shrimp and parmesan

• 450 g penne
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
• zest of half a lemon
• 1/2 grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• fresh parsley and basil, chopped

Bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente - about 7-9 minutes. Drain pasta, but reserve some of the pasta water for the sauce below.

While water is coming to a boil, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the shrimp and pepper flakes. Toss for 2 minutes until shrimp are golden but still translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and reserve.

Return pan to heat and add the garlic. Toss until softened but not browned (1-2 minutes). Add the lemon zest, tomatoes and white wine. Increase heat to high and toss for 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol.

Add the shrimp and heat through for 1 minutes. Remove from heat and add Parmesan. Add drained pasta into the skillet, adding some of the pasta water (1-2 tablespoons) to make a creamier sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and basil and toss. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

sweet potato and leek soup with matchstick fries and frizzled leeks

Soup:

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 leeks, chopped - reserve a 3" piece of one
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Matchstick Fries and Frizzled Leeks:

• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes
• 3 inch piece of leek, julienned
• 2 tablespoons potato starch or flour
• canola oil
• salt

Soup: Wash leeks well and drain, remove any damaged outside peel and remove the ends. Cut leeks into 1 inch sections (don't forget to leave a 3 inch section aside for garnish).

In a large stock pot, melt butter. Add leeks and cook slowly until softened (do not brown). Add chicken stock and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook until fork-tender (about 20 minutes). Use an immersion blender (or a regular blender, but in 3 batches), puree the ingredients. Add grated ginger and salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish: Peel and cut potatoes into matchstick pieces. Rinse to remove starch and pat dry with paper towel. In a large stock pot, pour 3-4 inches of canola oil. When oil is heated, fry the matchstick potatoes until golden brown. Remove from oil and dry on paper towel. Sprinkle salt immediately so that it dissolves into the potato. Cut leeks into julienne slices. Place in a small bowl with potato starch and toss to dust the leeks (this will prevent it from burning). Fry the leeks in oil until golden (about 1 minute). Mix the potatoes and leeks together. Add in a mound to the top of the soup bowls just before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

feta and vegetable pasta salad

• 450 g cooked rotini noodles
• 1 cup feta cubes (I like the flavoured Apetina brand - with sun-dried tomatoes)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halves
• 1 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup Kraft Zesty Italian dressing

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl, refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavours to blend.

Makes 8 servings.

white trash truffles

• 1 package of Oreo cookies
• 1 package of cream cheese
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a heavy duty ziploc bag, crush Oreo cookies until there are no chunks left. A rolling pin is helpful for this, just be careful that the ziploc bag doesn't tear. Add cream cheese to the Oreo mixture and seal the bag. Mix the ingredients together in the ziploc until full incorporated.

Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop mixture and use hands to roll into truffle-sized balls. Place onto foil lined cookie sheets. Chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in a small saucepan on the lowest heat. stirring often. Remove truffles from the fridge and drop two at a time into the melted chocolate. When coated, carefully remove from pan and set on foil lined cookie sheet. Chill until chocolate has hardened.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen truffles.