17 | August | 2012 | frugalfish.org

I was having some dear friends over for dinner to thank them for hosting our son’s graduation party at their farm; and decided to use real potatoes, instead of hash browns, to make my cousin Diana’s cheesy potatoes in the Crock-pot. My friend is an amazing cook and makes lots of things from scratch.

She took one bite of the potatoes and said, “You used real potatoes!!! They are so much better.”

That was quickly followed by an appalling feeling when I realized some of the potatoes in the Crock-pot had turned black!!! She told me not to worry about it that they tasted the same, but I was still disappointed.

Later I remembered a recipe from the cookbook that came with my former Crock-pot. It was for scalloped potatoes and they instructed you to soak the potatoes in a couple of teaspoons of Cream of Tartar for a few minutes after you peeled and sliced them.

The next time I made “Cousin Diana’s Cheesy Potatoes” I tried the trick and it worked like a charm. I soak the potatoes I am cooking to mash with Cream of Tartar when I cook them in the Crock-pot also.

This tip works when cooking fresh sweet potatoes and yams, also.

Fresh, peeled potatoes, that I shredded in my food processor, which are soaking in water with 2 teaspoons of Cream of Tartar. I rinse the Cream of Tartar off before mixing in the other ingredients and putting it all in the Crock-pot.