Loaded Baked Potato Dip with crispy fingerling potatoes

I thought about saving this one for the NFL playoffs or the Superbowl, but then I realized you all are probably doing a lot of partying these days. What with all the holiday family gatherings, work parties, Christmas and New Year's Eve. Maybe a super easy, crowd pleasing dip would come in handy right about now?

This dip has all the toppings you love on a baked potato - sour cream, cheese, bacon, some chives. Only this way you get a higher toppings to potato ratio which is all anyone really wants, right? If you're traveling with this then just serve it with some thick-cut potato chips, but if you're home and have the oven space, it totally deserves to be kicked up a notch with creamy, crispy-skinned fingerling potatoes. Little mini baked potato dippers! Just make sure to have some pronged toothpicks or forks so you can get a good grip on the little buggers!

Loaded Baked Potato Dip 

with crispy fingerling potatoes

For the dip:

12 slices thick cut smoked bacon, or about 12 oz, cooked until crisp

1 cup sour cream

1 cup greek yogurt

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4-1/3 cup chopped fresh chives

LOTS of black pepper (if that's your thing)

For the fingerling potatoes:

1 1/2 lbs of the smallest fingerling potatoes you can find

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper

1. In the bowl of a food processor add the cooked bacon (broken into pieces), sour cream, yogurt, cheddar, chives and a few grinds of black pepper. Pulse 5-10 times, or until the dip is well combined but still slightly chunky. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour. (If you chill it for much more than this, bring it back to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving)

2. While your dip is chilling, roast the potatoes. Preheat oven to 425F. Clean up the potatoes and dry well. If the potatoes are on the larger side, cut in half, or otherwise bite sized pieces. In a bowl, toss the potatoes with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil until well coated. Spread evenly on a greased baking sheet, or 2 baking sheets if needed, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are soft on the inside and the skin is slightly crispy. Serve warm with dip.

Kabocha Squash and Celeriac Soup with Duckfat-Roasted Pepitas

I'm about to embark on the utter madness that occurs in my kitchen between Thanksgiving and Christmas. In a whirlwind I go into the wee hours of the morning for a month and half making dishes for family gatherings, a feast for Friendsgiving, and candies and cookies like a good little Christmas elf. It's over in a flash and an explosion of wrapping paper, and all I'm left with is a giant pile of dishes!

Without fail, after a month of nonstop crazy, I get sick right before Christmas and go into hibernation until New Year's. You'd think I'd learn to slow down a bit, but I never do. MUST. BAKE. ALL. THE. THINGS!!!

Until that happens though, I will be busy playing and experimenting in the kitchen. And even with all the Christmas lights going up around me, my focus is still on Thanksgiving. Give the day its due, people! What's the rush with Christmas decor up in the stores in August and Halloween stuff gone off the shelves before we even get there?! Thanksgiving is a glorious day filled with gluttony and naps and football! What could be better??

And here's another thing, I feel like soup doesn't get its rightful place on the Thanksgiving menu. I can't think of anything more comforting and homey than a warm bowl of soup shared with family and friends. Not a large bowl, or a rich bowl, (you do need to fit in all those mashed potatoes and second servings of stuffing, after all) but a small, well-seasoned bowl of soup made from simple, seasonal ingredients. Now that's the way to start Thanksgiving in my opinion.

This kabocha squash and celeriac soup hits all the marks. It's slightly sweet and super creamy, but still light thanks to the low starch content of the celeriac. Top that with some savory pepitas roasted in duck fat (or bacon fat!) and some crisp apples, and it's perfection.

Kabocha Squash and Celeriac Soup

with Duckfat Roasted Pepitas
(makes 8-10 cups)

For the soup:

1 medium kabocha squash, about 2-3lbs, peeled, seeded, and flesh cut into 1 inch pieces

1 large bulb celeriac, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 large shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cinnamon

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup apple cider

2 sprigs thyme

1/2 cup cream (optional)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tart apple, peeled, cored and finely diced (for garnish)

For the pepitas:
2 tsp duck fat, melted
1/2 cup pepitas 
1/2 tsp truffle salt, or kosher salt

1. For the soup: Preheat oven to 425F. Toss the squash and celeriac with olive oil and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Season well with salt and pepper and bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly brown and soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

2. While the squash and celeriac are roasting, melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook just until fragrant, about a minute. Add the roasted vegetables, garam masala and cinnamon, stir and cook for a minute or two. Add the chicken stock, apple cider and thyme to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes. 

3. In batches, puree the soup in a blender until very smooth and creamy. Add additional stock to thin if needed. Pour the pureed soup back into a pot and stir in the cream if using. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. Serve soup topped with diced apples and warm pepitas. (If you're making the soup in advance, don't add the cream until you're ready to serve.)

4. For the pepitas: Preheat oven to 350F. Toss the pepitas with the duck fat and 1/2 of the salt. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 of the salt. 

Maple Sriracha Pumpkin Seeds

Have you carved your pumpkin yet? Maybe you're a last minute pumpkin carver. That's ok too. That means you can make these tasty seeds NOW! 

Maybe you already carved your pumpkin a week ago. Maybe it's already rotting out on your doorstep. Maybe it's going to sit there now until the last of the snow melts in the spring and you have to scoop it up with a shovel. I mean, I've totally never done that or anything... It's ok if you have. I won't judge.

Good news is, if you've already carved your pumpkin and don't have any seeds, you can still make these! You can roast up the seeds from any winter squash you cut up this fall. I bet you didn't know that! If you did, then high five!

These seeds are sweet, spicy, slightly smokey and totally addictive. I made these when it was already dark out and had to save my photos for the morning, so I limited myself to a handful. It was torture. Don't do that to yourself, just eat them hot out of the oven!

Maple Sriracha Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 cups pumpkin or any winter squash seeds, cleaned of stringy squash guts

1 Tbsp bacon fat, melted (or olive oil)

1 Tbsp sriracha

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp smoked salt, or kosher salt

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or nonstick foil. Preheat oven to 325F.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a good little handful of salt. Add the cleaned pumpkin seeds to the pot and boil for about 8 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. It's ok if they're a little sticky, they don't need to be bone dry.

3. Add the boiled seeds to a small bowl and add the fat, sriracha, and maple syrup. Stir until well combined. Sprinkle on the salt and toss well. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently, or until they are golden brown. Sprinkle with a little extra salt if desired and dig in!

Thai Turkey Meatballs with wilted tatsoi

 

Well, folks, I'm leaving for vacation in a few days for 2 whole weeks! We are heading out to explore Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons. I'm wicked excited, but I won't be cooking or photographing much food (just mountains, wolves and bears, oh my!) so I wanted to get up a post before I go MIA again!

This dish is a staple meal of mine. Even moreso since my favorite local farmers' market, Coventry Regional Farmers' Market, acquired Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm as a new vendor this year. They raise pastured turkey and I buy a package of ground turkey meat almost every week for various purposes - burgers, meatloaf, and of course these meatballs! 

I love thai food because it hits all the marks for me - sweet, sour, salty, spicy. The flavor of these only improves overnight so they make excellent leftovers. I made this version in the spring when the markets were overflowing with greens and tried tatsoi for the first time. I loved it in this dish for it's mildly bitter, mustardy flavor, but you could absolutely use spinach or another green in its stead. And if you aren't a heatseeker like me, feel free to omit the jalapeno.

Thai Turkey Meatballs

with wilted tatsoi

For the meatballs:

5 shiitake mushrooms

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

2 tsp thai green curry paste

2 tsp minced ginger

2 Tbsp fish sauce

1/3 cup green onion, chopped

pinch of sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil 

For the coconut curry sauce:

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp jalapeno, minced (optional)

1 Tbsp ginger, minced

1/3 cup green onion, chopped

1 small bunch tatsoi, chopped, or your choice of greens (such as 2-3 cups packed fresh spinach)

1 13oz can unsweetened coconut milk

3 Tbsp thai green curry paste, or to taste (it will depend on the type of curry paste you have)

1 tsp fish sauce, or to taste

juice and zest of 1/2 - 1 lime

1. For the meatballs: In a small bowl, pour boiling water over the mushrooms and let them soak for at least 30 minutes. Remove the stems, chop finely, and squeeze out some of the excess water. Place in a large bowl.

2. To the mushrooms, add the turkey, curry paste, ginger, fish sauce, green onion, sugar, egg, cilantro and garlic. Mix gently until well combined. Using slightly wet hands, form into 1 to 1 1/2 inch meatballs. They will be fairly loose and may not completely hold their shape; that's ok.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the meatballs until well browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside in a large bowl.

4. For the coconut curry: To the same pan add the garlic, jalapeno, ginger and green onion. Sautee, stirring constantly, just until fragrant. Add the chopped tatsoi and stir just until it has wilted slightly. Pour in the coconut milk, curry paste and fish sauce, bring to a simmer and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the meatballs and any accumulated juices back to the pan with the coconut mixture, cover and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the greens are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, taste for seasoning and serve with rice or just as-is!

Cheesy, Beefy Nachos

I love nachos. Who doesn't? Crispy, cheesy, gooey, meaty. The ultimate game day treat. It's a pretty simple concept - put meat, cheese and various toppings on top of tortillas chips and bake until warm and melty. And yet, somehow, restaurants frequently mess this up.

The worst is when they come out as a giant mountain of tortilla chips with every last bit of cheese and meat just tossed on top. Why do restaurants do this?? What am I supposed to do with this huge pile of lonely, plain tortilla chips?? Layer it, people! LAYER IT!

The other offense is barely melted or congealed cheese. I want a cheese that is smooth and flowing and doesn't set up within 3 minutes of coming out of the oven. The answer to this problem is to use an exceptional melting cheese. Monterey Jack is one of my favorites. In addition to that I like to make a homemade cheese sauce which adds another element of cheesiness and texture. Sure, you could use jarred nacho cheese sauce, but the flavor of homemade is far superior and you don't get all the nasty additives!

If you're serving these to a crowd for a game day get together you can keep them warm and the cheese melty by placing the platter on a small heating pad. So, go forth this Sunday and make delicious nachos for your friends and family while you watch the NFL Championships! I think you can tell where my allegiance lies....

GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

Cheesy, Beefy Nachos

For the nacho meat

1 lb ground beef

1 package sloppy joe seasoning (or use your own mix)

1 6oz can tomato paste

1 1/2 cup water

For the cheese sauce

8 oz extra sharp cheddar, shredded

1 Tbsp corn starch

1 12-oz can evaporated milk

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp of your favorite hot sauce

pinch salt

Additional ingredients

1 1 lb bag unsalted, restaurant style corn tortilla chips

2 cups monterey jack, shredded

1 can black bean, drained and rinsed

2-4 fresh jalapenos and/or red fresno chiles, finely chopped (ribs and seeds removed if you prefer)

chopped seeded tomatoes

chopped scallions

sour cream

guacamole

1. For the meat: Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Drain the fat. Stir in the seasoning mix, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Set aside while you make the cheese sauce.

2. For the cheese sauce: Toss the shredded cheese with the corn starch and then transfer it to a medium pot. Add the evaporated milk, paprika, hot sauce and salt. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until completely melted, bubbly and thickened, about 5 minutes. If you'd like to thin it out, add a bit of milk. Keep warm over very low heat while you prepare the nachos.

3. Preheat oven to 400F. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment, evenly spread half the tortilla chips in a single layer. Sprinkle half of the meat, beans, shredded cheese and chile peppers over the chips. Drizzle 1/2-3/4 cup of the nacho cheese over the top. Top this with the remaining tortilla chips and again top with the remaining half of the meat, beans, cheese and chiles. Drizzle another 1/2-3/4 cup of the nacho cheese over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until everything is melted and just slightly brown around the edges of the pan. Topped with some chopped tomatoes and scallions if desired and serve with sour cream and/or guacamole!

Daring Cooks March 2011 - Papas Rellenas!

This month was my very first Daring Cooks challenge, and I think I started drooling as soon as I read what it was:

Kathlyn of Bake Like a Ninja was our Daring Cooks’ March 2011 hostess. Kathlyn challenges us to make two classic Peruvian dishes: Ceviche de Pescado from “Peruvian Cooking – Basic Recipes” by Annik Franco Barreau. And Papas Rellenas adapted from a home recipe by Kathlyn’s Spanish teacher, Mayra.

I decided to make the Papas Rellenas. Do you know what they are? I'm happy I learned of their awesomeness, and I'm pretty sure you will be too. They are basically mashed potatoes stuffed with a delicious filling, breaded, and fried. Well, gee, if you're going to twist my arm about it I guess I'll make and eat them...

Traditionally these are stuffed with a beef filling which sounds delicious, but I decided to make a seafood filling that included lobster, shallots and red bell peppers. I also had some scallions leftover from making champ, so I threw those into the potatoes too. These are definitely forgiving, so get creative!

Papas Rellenas with Lobster filling

Recipe adapted from Kathlyn

 Makes 6-8

For the dough:
2 1/4 lbs russet potato
1 large egg
salt and pepper to taste

For the filling:
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp dry white wine
3/4 lb cooked lobster, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp Sriracha
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste

For the preparation:
Vegetable oil (about a liter)
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
1 cup panko breadcrumbs


For the dough: Boil the potatoes until they pierce easily with a fork. Drain and cool. Once cool, peel them and mash them or put through a potato ricer. Add the egg, salt and pepper to taste, and knead until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

For the filling:
1. In a medium skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, red pepper and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Add the wine, stir, and then add the remaining ingredients. Cook for 2-3 minutes just to warm through and to allow the flavors to meld. Cool to room temperature.

Final Preparation:
1. Gather three small bowls: In one, combine the flour, salt, and cayenne. In the second, combine the beaten egg with a splash of water. In the third, add the breadcrumbs.
2. Flour your hands and scoop up a ball of the potato dough, about 1/6th-1/8th of it. Flatten the dough to a round pancake in your hand, making a slight indentation in the center for the filling.
3. Spoon a generous amount of the filling into the center, then roll the potato dough closed, forming a smooth casing. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
4. Heat 1 1/2 - 2 inches of oil in a pan to 350-375F.
5. Roll each formed papa into three prepared bowls: first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally into the breadcrumbs. Allow to rest on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes to allow the breading to set.
6. Fry the papas in batches of 2-3 at a time for about 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping once halfway through to ensure even browning.
7. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. You can keep them in a 200F oven to keep them warm as you cook the remaining papas. Enjoy!

Black Bean, Plantain and Spinach Quesadillas

I've been eating an inordinate amount of black beans lately. I go to Chipotle or Moe's pretty much every weekend. I've made black bean burritos, beans and rice, and chili with kidney and black beans all in the past week and a half. Now I'm adding these quesadillas to my list.

Sometimes it's just easier to break open a can of beans than it is to cook some chicken or steak. Not only that, but they're filling, nutritious and cheap! Makes me feel smart, eating beans. It suuure do.

These quesadillas have a great mix of flavors going for them. Spicy, sweet, cheesy, creamy. Pick out some nice, ripe plantains - ones that are heavily spotted with brown - to get the most sweetness.

Black Bean, Plantain and Spinach Quesadillas

(makes 2-4 servings depending on how hungry you are!)

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp butter
2 very ripe plantains, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, minced (ribs and seeds removed if you'd like it on the mild side)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp cumin
2 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice

4 10 inch flour tortillas
1 cup sharp cheddar or cheddar jack, shredded
3/4 cup (packed) fresh spinach, torn into bite sized pieces
salt to taste

1. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, butter and cubed plantains. Cook until plantains soften and begin to caramelize, stirring occassionally, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil. Add onion, red pepper, jalapeno and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in black beans, cumin and cooked plantain and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occassionally.

3. Add the cream cheese to the pan and stir until melted and evenly distributed, 1-2 minutes. Stir in lime juice and taste for salt.

4. Set your oven on broil. Place 2 tortillas on a large baking sheet sprayed lightly with cooking oil. Divide half the cheddar cheese between the tortillas, spreading it evenly. Divide the black bean mixture between the two torillas and spread it around. Top with the spinach and remaining cheddar cheese and cover with the other 2 tortillas.

5. Bake under the broiler until crispy, flipping once, about 5-7 minutes total. Enjoy with avocado, salsa, sour cream or whatever you like!

The Simple Things --- Blue Cheese and Honey toasts

I won't lie, I do love me some swanky food from time to time. Bring on the foie gras bon bons and truffled 63 degree eggs.... or something. At the end of the day though, it's the simple things that make me swoon - homemade pasta, fresh bread lovingly prepared by hand, and creamy, stinky cheese. Simple things that are elevated to an art form by skilled hands.

This weekend at the farmer's market I picked up some of those things. A jar of raw honey with a piece of comb from Swift Farms and a loaf of Rustic Roasted Onion bread from Farm to Hearth, amongst other things. Have you had a piece of honeycomb before? You should. You really, really should.

As for the bread - typically when I come home with a loaf of Farm to Hearth bread I need to restrain myself from sitting down and eating the whole thing with a stick of butter. It's so damn good. The onions in this loaf only escalated my addiction. I really wanted to eat my honey too though! So I threw together a little snack.

Usually I buy some cheese from Cato Corner at the market, but I already had too much cheese at home (it feels sacrilegious to say that...) I did have a little chunk of spicy Roquefort that I thought would pair well with the sweet, floral honey. These little toasts are the perfect bite of crunchy, sweet, spicy and salty. And if you're usually timid about bold blues, this is the time to take a risk! The honey will balance out some of the punch in the blue. They're great for a snack or for a party appetizer.  I used hazelnuts because I had them on hand, but pecans or walnuts would work just as well!

 

Blue Cheese and Honey Toasts

10-12 small slices of good bread or baguette

olive oil

~ 4 oz spicy blue cheese, like Roquefort, at room temperature

honey

chopped nuts

Lightly brush the slices of bread with olive oil and toast either in the oven, in a pan or on the grill until slightly toasty and crunchy. Spread or crumble a bit of the blue cheese on each toast. Drizzle with honey (don't drown it!) and sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Enjoy!