Potato Skin Nachos

Don't you just love when two of your favourite foods join forces to become a super-awesome ninja snack? Last week I wrote an article for amotherworld.com (<-- click the link when you're done reading here!) about how we're feeding our kids crap. This recipe may seem like total hypocrisy when you read it, all I can say in my defense is: don't share this with your kids! In fact, don't share this with anyone! Eat it all yourself! Muh ah ah ah!

Okay, that's out of my system. Thin, crispy-fried potato rounds are smothered in cheese and bacon and are served with a spicy ranch sour cream dip. I have no idea where I got this idea but it's been bouncing around inside my head for a while. After I made it the first time I did a little research and found some restaurants that serve versions of this. Mine are better. Trust me. (I have nothing but women's intuition and my taste buds to base that claim on, let's just go with it.) These pop-in-your-mouth potato skin treats are an awesome Saturday-afternoon-watching-the-game kind of snack. It comes together quickly and is satisfying without being too heavy or filling.

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Potato Skin Nachos

4 medium potatoes, washed, dried and sliced into 1/8"-1/4" rounds
1 tsp seasoned salt
5 strips bacon, cooked
1 c shredded marble cheddar
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 c grape tomatoes, quartered

Spicy Ranch Sour Cream

1/4 c sour cream (I use light)
1/4 c ranch dressing
1/8 - 1/4 tsp smoked chipotle powder (depends on how spicy you like it)


Instructions:

1. Preheat oil (any kind except Olive oil) to 200˚F.
2. Deep fry the potatoes for 2 minutes and then remove from the oil. Increase the oil temperature to 375˚F and return the potatoes to the oil. Cook until golden brown and crispy.
3. while potatoes are frying, mix together the sour cream, ranch dressing and chipotle powder in a bowl.
4. Remove the potatoes from the oil and spread out on a few sheets of paper towels to drain the excess oil. Sprinkle with the seasoned salt.
5. Arrange the fried potatoes on a baking sheet and sprinkle on 3/4 of the cheese. Top with the bacon and the remaining cheese.
6. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
7. Top with chopped scallions and grape tomatoes and a side of the ranch sour cream dip.

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enjoy!

Pub Style Beer Battered Fish & Chips

My husband's second favourite meal, after a huge juicy steak, is fish and chips. Shortly after we met I made this homemade version for him and I'm pretty sure that's why he proposed.

My grandma never bought frozen fish sticks or frozen french fries. She was a "from scratch" kind of lady. I inherited her love of making food the old-fashioned way, so when my family wants "fish sticks" this is what they get (no complaints so far!).

Don't be scared to attempt this recipe, it's not that complicated and as long as you're not making it 3 times a week it's a nice treat.

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Pub Style Beer Battered Fish & Chips
serves 4

Beer Batter
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 beer, any kind, you won't need it all, just enough to get a pancake batter-like consistency

Fish
2 lbs. Haddock Fillets (or 4 of generous size)
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
lemon

Chips
6-8 med. potatoes, peeled and cut into fries, I use Russett for fries with a fluffy inside

Instructions:

1. Preheat deep fryer to fish setting temperature, or if using a pot, to 320˚F
2. Blanch fries in hot oil for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. While the fries are blanching, mix the first 5 ingredients together to incorporate.
4. Add beer a little at a time until a pancake batter-like consistency is reached. Drink rest of beer.
5. Pat fish dry with a paper towel and dredge in the 1/4 c. flour making sure it's well coated. Shake off excess flour.
6. Dredge the floured fish in the beer batter coating well.
7. Add the coated fish to the hot oil 1 at a time slowly lowering them in. Depending on the size of your deep fryer or pot and of your fillets, only cook 2-3 pieces of fish at a time so that they don't stick together.
8. Fry for approximately 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Line a cookie sheet with paper towel and place a cookie rack over top.
10. Remove fillets from hot oil and place on cookie rack to drain excess oil. They will stay piping hot for quite a while, do not put in hot oven or cover as the coating will get soggy.
11. when all fillets are cooked turn temperature of deep fryer up to french fry setting, or 375˚F.
12. Return french fries to hot oil and cook until golden brown.
13. Remove from oil and put on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
14. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over fish and serve with tartar sauce.

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Tip - Out of tartar sauce? You can make some quickly with 1/2 c. mayo, 2 tbsp relish, 1 tsp lemon juice and a dash of paprika!

enjoy,

Hashbrown Bake

Sometimes you just need a big ol' bowl of comfort food. That time was this week for us. My kids were sick and my husband and I were on call 24/7 for days and days. We were tired, drained and needed some TLC for ourselves. I pulled out my trusty recipe cards (I know, so retro) and stopped flipping when I came to this recipe.


Originally called "Hashbrown Casserole"(a very popular recipe as I discovered upon googling it), I changed the name to Bake cause I've been told the mention of the word "casserole" can incite riots at the dinner table. This (shhh!) casserole is creamy and cheesy and fills you up with warm, gooey, yumminess. I usually serve it alongside Honey Baked Ham (a tradition in my Husband's family), but it would be great with steak or chicken, or as an addition to your brunch table as my sister is fond of doing.


It's quick and easy to assemble, and is always met with smiles at dinnertime. Give it a try and see what your family thinks!

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Hashbrown Bake recipe from my lovely sister-in-law Cindy Friolet

1 bag frozen country style hashbrowns (I use McCain)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 c. light sour cream (a small container)
1 med. onion, diced
1 c. shredded cheese (I use marble cause it's what I always have on hand)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. crushed black pepper
1 stick (1/2 c. ) butter, melted
1 c. seasoned bread crumbs (You can also use cornflake crumbs)

Instructions:

1. Combine the soup, sour cream, onion, salt and pepper.
2. Mix in the hashbrowns and cheese and mix to thoroughly combine.
3. Pour mixture into a greased oven safe dish.
4. Mix the melted butter with the bread crumbs and crumble over top of the hashbrown mixture.
5. Cover and bake at 350˚F for 1 hour. Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes to allow top to brown.

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Enjoy!

Amanda

Salmon Cakes with Herb Cream Sauce

Nothing gets kids running to the table, excited for dinner, like fishy cakes!



Okay, I lied... chances are if they knew this was on the menu they'd be hiding under their beds. Unless they're my kids. My kids have a strange affinity for salmon, not strange like salmon is gross (cause my husband and I love it), just strange cause most kids their age like hot dogs and.. well... just hot dogs.

Salmon is one of those super foods, full of anti-oxidants and Omoega-3s, brain food. But salmon, especially fresh salmon, is expensive. When you're attempting to stay within a food budget, one salmon meal could easily use half your week's food allowance. Ever since our teenaged nephew moved in with us I've watched our weekly grocery bills sky-rocket and I've watched my husband get more and more depressed over how much of his paycheck is getting left at the grocery store.

In an attempt to keep my husband from going off the deep end, and serve my family the fish they all so deeply love, I tried to figure out a way to make everyone happy. That's when I remembered my grandma's salmon cakes. She used to make these all the time when I was little, using up left over mashed potatoes and a can of salmon. $7.99/filet (x 5 for my hungry family) vs. $1.99 for 1 can of salmon. Now THAT'S a budget conscious meal!

You could easily make this with tuna, shrimp or any other cooked and flaked, white fish. Give them a try with my herb cream sauce and serve up some affordable brain food!

Salmon Cakes with Herb Cream Sauce

Salmon Cakes
1 can salmon (I use Cloverleaf Wild Red Pacific Sockeye Salmon), with skin and bones removed
2 c. potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled
1/2 container of light garlic & herb cream cheese
3 scallions, diced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. dried dill or 1 tsp. fresh
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:

1. Boil the potatoes until for tender. Drain and a return to the pot and place the pot on the burner for a few seconds to dry out the potatoes.
2. In a bowl mash the potatoes with the cream cheese.
3. Add the salmon, egg, scallions and bread crumbs, dill and salt & pepper. Mix to combine thoroughly.
4. Shape into 8 patties.
5. Heat butter and oil in a skillet and fry patties until golden brown & heated through.

(ridiculously easy) Herb Cream Sauce
1/2 container light garlic & herb cream cheese
2 tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Place cream cheese and milk in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave for 30 seconds (or until cream cheese really soft and milk is heated) and stir to combine.
3. Season with salt and spoon over salmon cakes.



enjoy,
Amanda

Cheesy Bacon Scalloped Potatoes

Barbecue season is upon us and there's nothing I love more with a nice juicy steak than potatoes. Especially these ones. Full of cheese and bacon and cream this is comfort food at it's best. I've been playing around with this "recipe" (and I use that term lightly cause I really just guesstimate everything) for a while now. I think I have finally perfected it so that it's creamy without being soupy and the cheese, bacon and potatoes are all balanced. Hope you try it and let me know what you think!


Cheesy Bacon Scalloped Potatoes

3 lg. russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
1 c. (approximately) Cream (Heavy/Whipping or Half and Half work well)
3 tbsp Butter
1 c. Grated Cheddar (I use light marble)
6 Slices of Bacon cooked crisp, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Slice enough potatoes to fill your dish (I needed 3 huge ones for a small corning ware dish)
2. Spray your dish with Pam or rub with a bit of butter and then put down a layer of potato slices.
3. Pour a bit of cream over and then put another layer of potatoes down.
4. Put little dots of butter and then another layer of potatoes and then more cream. Salt and pepper every 2nd layer.
5. Continue doing a layer of potatoes and cream and then potatoes and butter. Every 3rd or 4th layer sprinkle with cheese and bacon.
6. Top with remaining cheese and bacon and some more butter and then cover and bake at 350 degrees for an hour or more depending on how big your dish is.
7. Garnish with diced scallions, or sour cream, or both!