Bacon-Cheddar Hasselback Potatoes

I don't know why I never tried to make these potatoes before, since I've seen the recipe all over the internet for years. I think it looked challenging, but it is actually very easy and fast!

Yield:   4 servings

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

8 slices cooked bacon, cut or broken into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Optional toppings: sour cream, chopped chives or green onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make cuts in each potato, about 1/8 inch apart, stopping just before cutting through to the the bottom. Place on a greased baking sheet and drizzle with butter, then season with salt and pepper. Place baking sheet in oven and bake until the outsides are beginning to crisp, about 45 minutes.

Remove potatoes from oven and place bacon pieces evenly throughout the cuts in the potatoes. Drizzle with more butter and sprinkle each potato with the cheddar cheese. Place back in the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or so, until cheese is melted and bacon pieces are crisp.

Once the potatoes are ready, top with any desired toppings and serve! Enjoy!

Loaded Irish Potato Pancakes (Boxty)

Boxty are traditional Irish pancakes, different than American style potato pancakes in that they are made from half hash browns, half mashed potato. I prefer them to traditional potato pancakes; something about the mixture helps make them a bit less greasy.

The Irish saying goes, "Boxty in the griddle, boxty in the pan, if you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man!"  Sexism and cooking; a great combination!  Happy St Paddy's Day!

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
3 cups grated raw potatoes or frozen shredded hash browns
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups mashed potatoes
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetable or olive oil, for frying

Directions:
Prepare mashed potatoes using standard methods and set aside to cool (can be made the night before, or used from leftovers).  Toss the grated potatoes with flour in a bowl.  Stir in the mashed potatoes.  In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and milk, then add to the potato mixture.   Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil on a griddle or pan, then drop the potato mixture in large tablespoons onto the hot surface, pressing down slightly to form patties.  Fry on both sides until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes per side.  Drain on paper towels and serve while warm.

Note: I turned these into "loaded boxty" pancakes; with sour cream, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and green onions. There are a lot of variations on boxty, so if you're in the mood to experiment, search online for more ideas.  In Ireland, these are traditionally served with breakfast or dinner, so there are a ton of ways to serve this recipe.  Enjoy!

Curried Cauliflower and Potato Soup

The depth of flavor in this soup is amazing, considering how few ingredients are in it, and that it's completely vegan - there is no cheese, no butter, no cream, none of the things that I associate with a really creamy and delicious soup. I almost added some cream at the end, just out of habit, but decided to follow the recipe I had, and it turned out perfectly without it!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, ends removed, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large baking potato, cubed
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 cup coconut milk
Salt and pepper, to taste 

Garnish:  Fresh cilantro, if desired

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, garlic, and carrots until soft and slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then add the cauliflower and potato, vegetable broth, and seasonings.  Simmer until cauliflower and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Stir in the coconut milk and season to taste.

I served this chunky, but for a creamier soup, you could puree the mixture with a food processor or immersion blender.

Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve, maybe with some crusty bread on the side.  Enjoy!

Note:  You could also make this soup with a brightly colored seasonal cauliflower - a green or yellow cauliflower would pair great with the yellow shade the turmeric adds to the broth.

Meatless Meatballs

 

I stumbled upon this recipe while trying to make a meal that was both hearty and delicious for a vegetarian friend.  This turned out really nice and the texture is surprisingly similar to a meaty meatball.

One caveat - I tried making the veggie meatballs even healthier by omitting the frying and that version wasn't nearly as tasty, or as textured, as the fried version.  Oil, you win again!  Bake for health or fry for flavor! 

Yield:  about 20 appetizer sized meatballs 

Ingredients:
Olive oil, for frying 
4 cloves garlic, minced 
1 medium white onion, finely chopped 
1 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
1 large zucchini, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
1 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped 
2 large eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 
Coat large pan with olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add garlic and onions to hot oil and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add mushrooms, jalapeno, and zucchini.  Cook until softened, then transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add cheeses, panko crumbs, and herbs to the vegetable mixture and mix until well combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the eggs and stir until the mixture comes together.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Once the mixture has chilled, form into firm meatballs with your hands or a scoop.  Add more olive oil to a pan, bring to medium-high heat, and fry the meatballs for about 10 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.  For a healthier version, bake the meatballs in 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until brown.

Serve with pasta and marinara sauce as an entree, or try adding a little extra cheese to the top and serving as an appetizer with some marinara on the side.  Enjoy! 

Note:  for a vegan version, simply omit the cheese and substitute an egg replacer so the meatballs hold together

Beer-Battered Buffalo Fried Shrimp

Buffalo sauce!  This is a perfect appetizer or you could make it and serve it over pasta.

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dark beer
1 1/2 pounds large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 celery stalks, sliced diagonally
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup prepared buffalo sauce
3 tablespoons melted butter

Optional:  Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping 

Directions:
Heat several inches of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until a deep fry thermometer reaches 375 degrees.

Whisk the flour, beer, and 4 tablespoons of the buffalo sauce in a large bowl.  Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat.  Cook the shrimp in batches, frying until fully cooked and golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per batch.  Do not overcook or your shrimp will be tough.  Drain on paper towels.

Add the sliced celery to the remaining batter and toss to coat with the sauce, then fry the celery until crisp, about 2-3 minutes.  When ready to serve, whisk the buffalo sauce and butter together, and serve on the side with the warm buffalo shrimp, celery, and ranch or blue cheese dressing, if desired.  Enjoy!

French Fry Hamburger Bun

 

Okay, so this is barely a recipe... it's almost an edible craft idea.  I personally don't like to put french fries on a burger but I know many people (including my boyfriend Kyle) who do this to a burger every time they eat one, so the concept makes a lot of sense.  And of course it's an impressive presentation!

I won't bore you with a standard french fry and hamburger recipe- I'm sure you can figure that part out for yourselves : )

Ingredients:
French Fries (fresh or frozen will work)
Wilton Edible Adhesive
Hambuger Patties
Any desired garnishes (cheese, condiments, veggies, pickles, etc)

Note:  You can find the Wilton Edible Adhesive in any craft store, such as Joanne's Fabrics or Michael's.  It is normally used for decorating wedding cakes, so it can be found in the cake decorating aisle.  It costs about $6-7 bucks and can be used for lots of other edible projects - pic below!

Directions:
Assemble the buns first.  I have done this twice, once with fresh french fries and once with frozen.  The only discernible difference was that the fresh potatoes glued together more readily, probably because they were not as wet.  However, I did like using the frozen fries because I had more options for shapes & sizes to glue together.  If you don't usually make homemade french fries at home, now would be the time to give it a try!  They taste infinitely better than the frozen ones you're used to eating (and that most restaurants are serving you!)

Heat the oil that you plan to fry your french fries in to 400 degrees, or preheat an oven to 450 degrees if you plan to bake them.  Begin by assembling the puzzle of your bun, using longer and shorter pieces to achieve the desired shape.  Then separate them and glue them in the order you assembled them in.  Allow to dry for about 5 minutes, then fry or bake your french fry buns.

If frying, use a large pair of tongs or metal spatula to carefully remove them from the oil to drain.  If any pieces fall off, don't freak out!  The glue has no flavor or texture and you can easily reglue the piece without any noticeable difference to the food.

Finally, make your burgers, add your desired toppings, and enjoy!

Baked Chili-Cheese Dogs

This is a great recipe to make if you're having a Superbowl party, or if you're just having people of the male persuasion over.  I've included a link to my new favorite chili recipe, but I won't sue you if you use your own recipe, or, god forbid, chili out of a can.

Leah's Chili Recipe

Yield:  Serves 4-8

Ingredients:
8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
2 cups chili
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Hot dog garnishes/condiments (optional)
Such as chopped onion, pickles or relish, mustard, ketchup, diced tomato and/or pepperocini, etc

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.  Place a hot dog into each bun, then place into pan.  Repeat until all of the hot dogs have been squeezed into place.

Ladle approximately 1/3 cup of chili onto each hot dog and then sprinkle with each of the cheeses.  Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until cheese is melty and buns are brown.  Use a flexible spatula to remove hot dogs from pan, then serve with desired garnishes and condiments.  Enjoy! 

Note:  I made a sort of healthy version - turkey franks with turkey chili.  Of course, the cheese is still a heart attack waiting to happen, but you do what you can!  The point is, you can customize this easily with any type of franks, chili and/or cheese.

Sweet Surrender Fire Roasted Turkey Chili

People are always trying to reinvent chili, but I've always preferred the basic formula. What's not to like about old fashioned chili with all the standard spices and fixings?

For this recipe, I wanted to try making a sweeter version, to use as a topping for baked chili dogs. I experimented with a baked beans flavor by adding molasses and brown sugar and surprise- it's my favorite chili recipe ever!  Of course you can sub any type of meat for the ground turkey, or omit altogether for a meatless version.  This is a particularly colorful chili, with four kinds of beans and five kinds of peppers.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
3 bell peppers (1 each yellow, green and red), seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper
1 head of garlic
1 16 ounce can each black, pinto, kidney and white beans
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3 cups chicken broth
1 pound ground turkey, browned and drained
3 dried arbol chiles, seeds and stems removed
3 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Start by roasting the peppers, garlic and onion.  Peel the onion and break the garlic cloves apart, but leave inside the skin.  Leave the peppers whole.  Drizzle the veggies lightly with olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes, turning once, until the vegetables are soft and have begun to char.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then peel the garlic and set aside.  Dice the peppers (remove the skin if desired, I actually like the flavor and color of it in the chili), jalapeno, and onion.

Add the vegetables to a large pot with 2 cups of the chicken broth, reserving one cup.  Add the cans of beans (including the liquid from the cans), diced tomatoes, molasses and brown sugar, and turn heat to medium.

For this recipe, I used a fun technique I learned from another recipe, roasting the chiles and then pureeing them to make a version of my own chili powder.  Yum!  If you want, you can omit the arbol chiles and add prepared chili powder to taste, skipping this next step altogether, but it's fun ; ) and I thought it added a nice flavor and creamy texture to the chili.

In a separate skillet, roast the dried arbol chiles over high heat for 2-4 minutes, until they begin to brown.  Remove and cool.  Add the roasted chiles to the bowl of a blender or food processor, along with the reserved cup of chicken broth, flour, roasted garlic, and spices (cumin, oregano, and chili powder).  Process until incorporated into a smooth paste, then scrape from the bowl and reserve.

Next, cook the meat over high heat until browned.  Drain and add to the chili.  Add the pureed chili powder to the chili, mixing to incorporate.  If you are concerned about the heat or seasoning, add in batches and taste until you are happy with the flavor.  Cook the chili for about an hour, until it thickens and the beans and meat are sufficiently tender, then season to taste and serve.  Serve with any of the traditional garnishes (cheese, sour cream, onions, cilantro, etc).  Enjoy!

Salt Crusted Potatoes with Cilantro Mojo Dipping Sauce

Potatoes and salt, a match made in heaven!

Yield:  2-4 servings

Ingredients for potatoes:
2 pounds small potatoes (I chose a selection of fingerlings with a few red potatoes thrown in)
Sea salt (I used Maldon)

Cilantro Mojo Ingredients:
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

Directions:
Place the potatoes into a wide pan in a single layer.  I used a large skillet.  Add 4 tablespoons of salt and enough water to cover the potatoes.  Bring water to a boil and allow to boil rapidly until all of the water has evaporated.  Turn the heat down to low and cook in the dry pan for an additional 5-10 minutes, turning the potatoes occasionally, until they are dry and the skins begin to wrinkle.  The skins should be covered with a thin crust of salt.

Make the mojo dipping sauce while the potatoes are cooking.  The sauce is very similar to a chimichurri and could be made spicier, if desired, with the addition of a bit of cayenne or more pepper.  Using a blender or food processor, combine all of the vegetables and blend until smooth.  Add the oil, spices, and vinegar and mix until combined.  Season to taste and reserve.

To serve, place potatoes on plate with the mojo.  If your guests desire, they can wipe a bit of the salt off of their potatoes before dipping in the mojo sauce.

I served this as a side dish to a delicious strip steak, as you can see, but it could also be served as an appetizer.  Enjoy!

Cointreau Cranberry Relish

This is a breeze to make and so much better than that cranberry-flavored canned jelly creature that no one ever eats!

Ingredients:
12 ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup Cointreau or Grand Marnier (orange flavored liqueur)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 oranges, zested

Directions:

Bring cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil over medium heat until the berries begin to soften, or about 10 minutes.  Add the spices and reduce heat, then add the liqueur.  Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved.  Remove from heat and stir in half of the grated zest, reserving the rest for the top.  Chill and serve with reserved zest as garnish, if desired.  Enjoy!

Pepperoni Pizza Biscuit Wreath

This is a perfect holiday appetizer recipe; it's easy to make, adorable, and delicious! 

Yield:  5-10 servings

Ingredients:
2 cans buttermilk biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands)
60 (approx) pepperoni slices
1 pound Mozzarella cheese (note: I used block cheese, cut into cubes) 
1 egg, beaten
1/8 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
1 cup marinara or pizza sauce
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Start with the first can of dough and separate the biscuits.  Take 2-3 pepperoni slices and a piece of cheese (if using shredded, about a tablespoon of cheese) and wrap the raw dough around the filling, pinching the edges to seal and form a ball.  Repeat with the remaining biscuits.
 
Place the empty bowl that you plan to use for the pizza sauce in the middle of the pan.  Arrange the pizza balls, seam side down and sides nearly touching, into a ring on the baking sheet.  Remove the empty bowl and brush each ball with the butter and then the beaten egg (this will add shine and flavor).  Sprinkle the entire wreath with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt, if desired.

Bake the wreath for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.  Warm the pizza or marinara sauce in the microwave and arrange a few basil leaves on top for garnish, if desired.  Remove the pizza wreath from the oven and place on a serving platter.  Place the dipping sauce in the center of the wreath and garnish with additional leaves.  Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese over the top, if desired.  Serve immediately, while piping hot!

Cajun Shrimp Po' Boy Sliders

Fried shrimp, spicy sauce, crisp coleslaw.  It's Louisiana voodoo! 

Yield:  Serves approx 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a meal 

Ingredients: 
Slider or sandwich rolls
Vegetable oil (for frying shrimp)
1 1/2 pounds breaded shrimp (I got frozen popcorn shrimp and it worked beautifully) 
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less for desired heat level)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup coleslaw or shredded cabbage, for topping, if desired

Remoulade Sauce: 
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sweet relish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon horseradish sauce
4 dashes hot sauce (more or less for desired heat level)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 
Mix all ingredients for the remoulade in a small bowl and season to taste.  Set aside.  Toast slider buns, if desired, and reserve

Heat oil for about 10 minutes at medium high heat.  Mix seasoning ingredients in a large bowl and add the shrimp, toss to coat (you could also do this in a ziplock bag).

Fry the shrimp in the hot oil in batches until golden brown, stirring constantly.  This will take 2-5 minutes per batch.  Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.

Coat each side of the slider buns with remoulade sauce.  Add the shrimp evenly between the sandwiches.  Top with coleslaw and additional hot sauce, if desired.  You can also add dill pickles, for more authenticity.  Spicy, crispy, delicious!  Enjoy!

Pineapple Ginger Habanero Salsa

This may be my favorite salsa recipe ever - it's that good.  And I love salsa, so that's saying a lot.  It's also colorful and unique!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and diced
4 green onions, tops and bottoms, finely chopped
Juice of 4 limes
1 medium red onion, finely diced
1 ripe whole pineapple, sliced and grilled until tender, then diced
1 habanero chile, minced (or add to taste until as spicy as desired)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Corn tortilla chips, for serving

Directions: Peel the pineapple and grill in large segments until soft.  Dice and add to a bowl.  Throw in the rest of the vegetables, the lime juice and oil and season to taste.  Add additional habanero if desired... that stuff is potent, so be careful!

Serve on tortilla chips or with tacos.  I have had this on pork tostadas and with shrimp tacos and it was fantastic either way (and by itself!).  Yum!  Enjoy!

Note:  The grilled fresh pineapple is the key to this recipe, so don't even think about using canned ; )