Zesty Cook » comfort food

Baked Potato Skins w/Bacon And The Mo Is Growing

zesty — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:00:32 +0000

A Friday treat is hear for all! Well not all but everyone who loves potatoes, cheese and bacon. Heck even if you don’t love bacon, I am pretty sure you will still love these little bits of comfort. Some days when you get home from work or are sitting on the couch taking a breather, comfort food is all you need. Whether it is your favorite fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, some chocolate cake or baked potato skins and bacon – food can definitely change your mood.

Despite these skins taking a little bit of effort – the end results are well worth the effort.

Ingredients

6 Large baking potatoes
1/4 Tsp.salt
1/4 Tsp. pepper
1 Cup Cheddar cheese, Swiss or Asiago cheese
6 slices slices bacon, cooked
3 Green onions, chopped

Method

Scrub potatoes; prick several times with fork. Bake in 450°F (230°C) oven until tender, about 1 hour. Let stand until cool enough to handle. (Make-ahead: Let cool completely; refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 days.)
Cut lengthwise in half; scoop out flesh, leaving 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick walls (reserve flesh for another use, such as soup or mashed potatoes).
Arrange, cut side up, on baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cheese.
Bake in 450°F (230°C) oven until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
Top with bacon and green onions and serve immediately.
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For an extra kick, you can add some crushed red pepper flakes or chili powder to give it a little heat or you can have sour cream on the side spiked with hot sauce.

I don’t mean to cut this short but let me tell you these potato skins are pretty darn yummy and I would like for you to try them… ok? Let me know what you think of them after you make them.

Movember Update – Week 2

The Mo is growing… slowly but surely.

I have to go get down to the conference for the final day. I hope you have a great Friday and a fun weekend. I will catch up with you on Monday!

Take care

zesty

Total Comfort Food: Potatoes and Bacon

zesty — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:05:45 +0000

Happy Friday! Welcome to the land of comfort food today. Do you ever just look outside and it is cold, rainy and all you want to do is stay in your pajamas ( underwear) and eat comfort food? What is comfort food to you? For me it is usually something warm and that requires a fork or spoon.

This dish below which is pan fried potatoes with bacon mixed throughout is something I love to eat. Whether by itself, beside two eggs, sausages and toast, or sitting beside some homemade meatloaf – I LOVE this dish.

Ingredients

4-6 Potatoes, diced
4 slices of bacon
1/2 Cup onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. butter
Handful of chopped chives
Salt and pepper

Method

In a large pan of boiling water, drop the potatoes in and blanch for 5-7 minutes; drain
Using another large pan over medium heat, start to cook off the bacon. Cook until almost crispy and then remove from heat. Do not clean the entire pan but remove some of the grease if there seems to be too much.
Add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until it becomes translucent.
Add the drained potatoes and the butter and begin to saute them over low heat. The potatoes will begin to brown from the bacon fat and butter. Let them cook until they are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Break the bacon up and add back in to the potatoes, stirring often
Toss in the chives at the end
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When frying the bacon, I save some of the fat to cook the potatoes in and I do not clean the pan before I add the blanched potatoes. This allows the potatoes to pick up all the bacon flavor and make this dish one to remember.

Alright, the weekend is almost upon us. Big weekend at the zesty’s. As I type this post, the garden is being tilled, tomorrow is some tree planting, and I am doing some door and window prep for the new shed that is starting on Monday. No rest for the weary, I just hope the sun stays out and keeps me happy. I will talk to you on Monday. Have a super weekend!

Take care

zesty

A Smashed Potato

zesty — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:00:26 +0000

Scrambling with work and Disney preparations – I decided to recycle one of my new found favorite ways to serve potatoes… Let me know if you like them.

Growing up on PEI, potatoes are everywhere, and I have grown to love them. Whether they are mashed, baked, french fries, scalloped, pan fried, boiled, microwaved ( umm a bit sketchy) I eat them all. Over the years I have tested many techniques and added different flavoring to potatoes to kick it up a notch. When looking for a comfort side dish I tend to lean towards the method seen below.

Now do not dismiss the fact I truly adore mashed potatoes with butter and cream but lately I have been all over SMASHED potatoes. It is a two step process to make it happen but will never disappoint.

Ingredients

Potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Method

Start off by boiling the potatoes until almost fork tender.
Preheat oven to 400 F
Once the potatoes are finished boiling remove them from the water and let stand for a minute.
Prepare a cookie sheet or roasting pan
Using a heavy bottomed pot, smash the potatoes gently to just break the skin and press the potatoes down.
Once flat, add a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven until golden brown and slightly crispy. About 25-35 minutes.
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: In the boiling stage, be careful not too overcook the potatoes. You just want them softened slightly so you can “smash” them with the back of a pot.

Well I hope you enjoyed the potato talk. Do note that they are potatoes and very versatile. Switch it up and keep it fresh. Another great alternative is the beloved sweet potato. All the techniques stay true to a regular potato. As I am typing this, I think someday I should talk about all the different types of potatoes and why some are good for baking versus boiling etc. Maybe another time!

I am scheduling some guest posts while I am on vacation next week and not bringing my laptop… can you believe it?

Take care

zesty