Sweet Tater Tots and Kale Chips

I had some left over sweet potatoes and kale- and this was born! I have made kale chips before and they are so good! Kale is awesome, if you haven't tried it, you should.  It's like spinach but can withstand more heat basically and still maintain its integrity.  So good just lightly crisped up in a skillet or baked as chips.  I would suggest don't let them go too far- because otherwise it kind of tastes like you are eating air.

And these tater tots were awesome, I kind of made up my own recipe for these and was hoping they came out good! And thank god they did because I will definitely be making these again.


Kale Chips

• A bunch of kale, stripped from the stem, washed and dried and cut/pulled into bite sized pieces
• salt, pepper, and cooking spray

Directions

1. Oven preheat to 475 degrees F
2. On a baking sheet or wire cooling rack arrange the kale pieces



new salad spinner too!

3. Spray with spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. Put in the oven for 5-10 minutes- you want the leaves to be wilted and just a bit brown and crispy on the edges.  Try no to let them cook too much.

Sweet Tater Tots

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 regular baking potato
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• pinch of celery seed (optional)
• about 2 cups of panko bread crumbs
• cooking spray

Directions

• Oven should already be at 475 degrees for the kale chips (and almond crusted chicken, if you made that too)
• In the microwave, in a microwave safe container put all the potatoes peeled and stabbed a couple times with a fork in and press the "potato" option (should be about 10 minutes)
• Meanwhile in a food processor (or you could just do this in a mixing bowl) add the spices.
• In another shallow dish add the bread crumbs (I added them a cup at a time)
• When the potatoes are done combine them with the spices and taste to make sure they taste good.  Adjust spices to your preference.
• When they are cool enough to handle, take a ziplock bag and fill with some of the mixture.  Snip the corner to make it into a piping bag.  

• Pipe out small (tater tot size) pieces into the bread crumbs, a couple at a time.  They kind of look like baby carrots.  Try not to make them too big. 

• After the are in the bread crumbs, shake the dish to coat.

• YOU MUST HANDLE THESE VERY GENTLY. They are super soft so gently pick up and roll in your hand a bit to get off excess crumbs.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with spray.  Line up your tots and then when they are all done spray again with spray.
• Pop in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until they are golden and crispy.
• In hindsight I would flip them half way throw cooking so they are nice and brown on both sides.
• This made all these in the picture with about 1/2 cup of potato filling left over- I just let my fiance eat the rest lol

Boneless Buffalo Wings & French Fries

My mouth is just watering looking at the picture! One of my favorite appetizers at a well known food chain here in the good ol' US of A.  By no means is this a healthy meal, but we rented a movie and I wanted it to almost be like we went out on a date.  Deep frying is delicious but I definitely do it only on rare occasion.  Anyway, these really did taste just like from the restaurant, but was actually really cheap to make- it's just oil, chicken, potatoes, some egg and flour (and spices of course).

Traditionally, buffalo wing sauce is hot sauce and butter (or margarine) but look around at your local supermarket- I used Steve and Eds Buffalo Wing Sauce- which tastes perfect (and has like no calories or fat). 

Basically, this is Applebee's and McD's all rolled into one delicious finger food meal that you can do at home!  No special equipment is required- but having a mandoline makes life soooo much better.  You will also need a fry or candy thermometer- they cost like 3 bucks- invest in one, I use mine more often then I thought I would.  (I used a little fry basket too- if you don't have one just use a slotted spoon, no big deal)  I also have to note that this meal does need some prep work and depending on your frying vessel- might take a while.  Read through the recipe first to see what I mean.

Other things to know:

• Oil: peanut would be ideal, because that's what they all use in those commercial deep fryers because of the neutral taste and high smoke point.  I used Canola.  You can use any light colored neutral flavored oil- you could use vegetable too- I would stay away from olive oils though.
• Potatoes: there are so many different varieties of potatoes, which one do you use? A high starch potato is best (because that's what they use in restaurants) like a russet.  I cut my potatoes using a mandoline into uniform cuts on the smaller fry size.  It's important to make them as uniform as possible for even frying/cooking time.  Another point about potatoes is that after you cut them they begin to oxidize- i.e. turn brown- so have the pot of water ready so you can just cut and dump as you go.

French Fries

Ingredients: Potatoes, Oil, Salt

Soak: First things first, get a large bowl or pot and fill with cold water, then slice your potatoes (as many as you want- I used about 8 baseball sized potatoes in all with the skin on) and then put your potatoes in the water.  Make sure they are covered with the water.  Cover the pot and put in the fridge- let the potatoes soak for at least one hour.  This is helping wash away all the starch on the potatoes so they will fry correctly.  You really don't want to skip this step- this is how the professionals do it.

Prep: After the soaking drain and pat dry all the fries.  While they air dry a bit, get your frying station set up.  You will need a dutch oven or large sauce pan.  Fill it with oil but LEAVE AT LEAST THREE INCHES from the top of the pot, when stuff goes into the fryer it will bubble up and you DO NOT want a hot oil spill/fire.  Set your thermometer on the pot and turn the heat on high.  We are looking for 350-375 degrees F.




See how it bubbles up?

  Drying Area: You will also need to set up a drying area- I used a large sheet pan with a couple paper towels. 

First Fry: When the oil gets hot enough take a large handful and carefully add to the oil.  Stir so they aren't stuck together and fry for 5-6 minutes.  This is the first fry- they shouldn't look done.  Let them all cool and then we can start round two.  Important note: when you add food to the oil this is going to drop the temperature of the oil- do not add too much or the oil will get too cold, adjust your heat source accordingly to try and keep the oil around 350 degrees as much as you can. 

Second Fry: You will do the same thing but only fry them for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown- don't let them get too brown- they will continue to brown and crisp after you pull them out of the oil.  When you pull them out put them on the drying area and sprinkle them with salt.

We do the double fry method because the first one is blanching and cooking the inside, then the second is to crisp up the outside without the fry becoming oil-logged and mushy.

Boneless Buffalo Wings

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breasts- diced into small bite sized pieces
• 1 1/2 cup of flour
• 2 eggs- mixed with a splash of milk
• 1 tablespoon of paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper
• 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
• Buffalo wing sauce (if you have to make your own- its 1/2 cup of hot sauce to 1/4 cup of butter)
• same oil we used for the fries (I like to do the fries first because I feel they don't dirty the oil as much)

Directions

Now the chicken also needs time to set up- we do the double dredge plus let it rest in the fridge uncovered to set up.

1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces
2. Add the spices to the flour and combine in one bowl
3. Beat the eggs with the milk in another bowl
4. Dip the chicken in the egg, then the flour, then the egg, then the flour again.





5. Put on a dish or plate and continue with the rest of the chicken
6. When all done dredging put the plate in the fridge (away from everything else-it is still raw chicken) and let sit for at least 15 minutes
7. Take out of the fridge and fry at 375 degrees F a couple at a time for 6-8 minutes or until crisp and golden brown
8. Take out of the oil and let drain on paper towels
9. Try and mix them with the buffalo sauce when still warm

Enjoy!!!! We sure did!!

Chicken Nuggets and French Fries

(Right off the bat I must apologize for the pictures, it was late and we were hungry, and I burnt the french fries, so obviously I didn't take any pictures of those.  But the nuggets tasted awesome and were super easy to make too)

So we never eat fast food. Well not never, but rarely.  Just because we don't eat it, doesn't mean that I wouldn't want to eat it.  Who doesn't love those delicious hot crunchy greasy salty french fries? ::drool::  Anyway, having it once in a while is ok, but not all the time.  So that's why you can do it at home and know EXACTLY what parts of the chicken are becoming a "nugget" and save yourself from about a days worth of fat and calories.

I've heard so many moms say "Oh, my kids will only eat chicken nuggets".  First of all, I am not a mother, so I can imagine that nothing with kids is as easy as it seems, but I would like to think that if your child(ren) got involved in the cooking process then maybe they would be interested in eating other things and broadening their pallet horizons.  Believe me, my mom had to do the "yea, it's chicken" thing for everything that wasn't chicken for us, but that's because the pork chops were like chewing on a leather shoe, and veggies were boring (and gross).  So you have to make food interesting and fun for kids- why do you think they love nuggets and food on sticks?

Anyway, regardless of your child's eating habits, I think everyone loves chicken nuggets and french fries! This recipe will make it easier for you to let them to have seconds and the sauces to go with them are endless.  Anything on your fridge door- ketchup, honey mustard (honey + Dijon mustard), BBQ sauce, hot sauce, ranch dressing etc.  You can also add veggies into the chicken nugget mix- just make sure they are neutral color so the inside still looks white like chicken.

Also, these are perfect for freezing too.  Make 2 batches and eat one tonight for dinner and freeze the other for the next time- just gotta pop in the oven!

Ingredients 
(This will make around 21 nuggets)

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• couple grinds of fresh black pepper
• 1 egg
• panko bread crumbs (1-3 cups)
• non stick spray

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Combine first five ingredients in a food processor along with a handful of breadcrumbs. Cut chicken into chunks to make it easier to grind.
3. Blend until it is all ground up and incorporated.
4. Remove from food processor and put in a bowl.  If the mixture is too wet just add more breadcrumbs and mix together in the bowl. (This is why I can't tell you exactly how much breadcrumbs your going to need- it varies)
5. Take the remaining bread crumbs and pour into a separate bowl.
6. Time to form nuggets.  I'm pretty sure we all know what a nugget looks like so shape into little disks and coat with bread crumbs and lay on a sheet tray or baking rack.
7. When all are done, spray with non-stick spray and cook in the oven until golden brown and crispy. 
8. Cooking time will vary, but I think I cooked mine for about 20-30 mins.
9. To freeze left overs, just put into a ziplock and pop in the freezer.  Just be gently, you don't want all the breadcrumbs to fall off.

 

FRENCH FRIES
Which should more appropriately be named oven fries, but just be careful not to burn them like I did.  Making your own fries is awesome too, because you can flavor them anyway you want.  Any spice that you like- garlic, onion, cayenne, chili, rosemary, etc - can be added to this recipe.

Ingredients

• About 2-3 large Russet baking potatoes
• Oil, salt and pepper

Directions

1. First clean your potatoes.  I like to leave the skins on, but you can most certainly peel yours.
2. I used a mandoline with the french fry cutting blade, but if you don't have one you can always just cut them into french fries with a knife. 
3. Spray the baking sheet with non stick spray and lay all your fries down in a single layer.
4. Coat in oil, salt and pepper (and any other spice you like). Toss to coat everything.
5. Put in the oven along with your nuggets.  Check on them, because honestly every time I cook them it's different.  30 minutes is the about time they will cook.  (So figure the nuggets and fries will be done around the same time) I've also tried flipping them half way, if they come off the sheet pan easy- flip them, if not let them cook a bit longer then try again.  Otherwise they will break and smear and be a big mess and burn on the pan.  But there has been times when I didn't flip them and they came out fine too.

Pommes Anna (aka Huge Layered Potato Cake)

Pommes Anna is another classic French dish.  Now of course there is a "right" way to make this recipe (which is only potatoes and butter), but I've changed and added a couple things that I liked from a couple different recipes.  The only thing I suggest is using a mandoline because your job will go so much quicker, but if you don't you can always slice these by hand.  This came out so awesome with such little effort- just a little time.  Seriously, next time I have guests over I will definitely be making this.  If you like potato chips- you're going to love this. I served as part of a meal (so I definitely had leftovers- but no worries you could even eat this for breakfast!) or you can make it a whole meal by layering some meat or veggies inside, or along side something else of course.

Special equipment: mandoline and a cast iron pan

(These are not necessary but makes things easier)

http://www.saucyandsweet.com/

• The mandoline is definitely a favorite of mine, I'm so excited when I get to use it!  If I were to just slice the potatoes and fry them in oil- wha-la! potato chips! So if you don't have one just cut the potatoes as thin as you can. Be careful either way you slice it though (No pun intended)
• Cast Iron Skillets: If you don't have one- I'm sure grandma has one that she might hand down to you one day- that's where I got mine anyway.  They aren't too pricey and have many uses.  I'm pretty sure mine is a 10 inch skillet- so this recipe makes for about 4-6 people.  If you want to make it smaller, obviously go for a smaller pan.  The difference of a cast iron skillet (besides being extremely heavy) is the retention and distribution of heat.  Basically it can get really hot and stay really hot for a while and the whole pan gets real hot evenly (even the handle so watch out!) which equals even cooking. And in this case the potatoes get real crispy.

Ingredients

(Remember: bigger the pan, more potatoes you are going to need)

• 5 medium sized potatoes (I used Russet)
• oil, salt, pepper, cooking spray
• a cheese of your choice (I used a mixture of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°
2. Wash the potatoes (I leave the skin on, you can always peel if you want to). Slice them into coins using your mandoline or a knife. I would say the thicker they are the longer you will want to cook for.
3. Coat the whole skillet with some oil- sides and bottom- I used a basting brush to help me.
4. You need to work fast because you don't want the potatoes to discolor.  You might also know a trick where you soak the potatoes in water with some lemon or vinegar- but don't do this- it will wash off the starch and the cake wont stick together as well. Start by layering the coins in a circular fashion- taking into account that the bottom layer will become the top of the cake- so make it pretty!
5. After each layer spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
6. I did two layers of potato and then a layer of cheese- and repeat.
7. As you go-try and push down and compact the cake as much as possible.
8. When you are all done layering, put it on the stove top for about 7 mins over med-high flame.  We want to just help it start to get crispy.
9. Slide into the oven and bake for 25 mins
10. After 25 mins, take it out and use a lid or dish to help you cover and pour out any excess oil- because we need to flip this cake over and we don't want to be burned by the oil.
11. After the oil is out flip over (I had to flip out onto a cutting board and then slide back into the pan because the cast iron is super heavy) and put back into the oven for another 15 mins.
12. Then just slice and I served with some sour cream!

Almost looks like a pepperoni pizza!

Remember:  You can pick any cheese you like- or omit it all together!

You could also do this with sweet potatoes! I am definitely going to try that next!