Homemade Tater Tots

Homemade Tater Tots

Recently I saw this post with a challenge to make a homemade, healthier version of tater tots.   Since I had planned on making baked potato skins for our Super Bowl menu, I figured this was a great opportunity to try to create a new recipe.  I thought if I used my favorite method of oven-"frying" in place of pan-frying, it just might work out.  And so it did.  I think an empty plate at the end of dinner speaks for itself.

Homemade Tater Tots

8 baking potatoes
olive oil
salt

Bake the potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour, or until soft.  Allow the potatoes to cool to the touch.  Slice the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon.  The skins can be saved for baked potato skins.  Allow the potato flesh to cool completely.  With the shredding/grating blade on a food processor or a box grater, shred the potatoes.  Be sure not to pulse/process too long or you will end up with mashed potatoes.

Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.  Heat the oven back to 400 degrees.  Using a small cookie scoop, gather up enough potato to fill the scoop making sure to pack it slightly before placing the scoop on the baking sheet.  Continue making potato mounds.  Drizzle a small amount of oil on top of each scoop and sprinkle with salt before placing in the oven.   Bake for about 10 - 15 minutes.  Remove pan from oven.  Carefully flip each "tot" over and gently press down a bit.  Bake another 10 - 15 minutes until crispy and brown. 

Avocado Chicken Salad

Avocado Chicken Salad

Avocado Chicken Salad -

This recipe is an adaptation from the South Beach Diet Book
I found it in the first book (2003), but wasn't able to find a version online.  I adapted it a bit, omitting pistachio nuts, and making it a bit more like a Cobb salad.

Salad:
cooked chicken or turkey breast (about  8 oz.), sliced
mixed salad greens, 3 or 4 nice handfuls 
2-4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
tomato, sliced or about 15-20 cherry tomatoes
3 slices turkey bacon or a one-inch slice or bologna, diced and cooked crisp 
Optional: any other salad toppings (cucumbers,  onion, etc.)

Avocado Dressing:
1 avocado, ripe
1 tsp. diced onion
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbs. olive oil
1+ Tbs. water
salt and pepper, to taste

On a large platter, layer the salad ingredients: mixed greens, tomatoes, and any other vegetables, chicken, sliced egg, and sprinkle with crisp turkey bacon or bologna.

To prepare the dressing, add all ingredients, except salt and pepper to a food processor.  Pulse until smooth, adding additional water as needed.  Add seasonings to taste.  Dressing may be served on the side or on top of salad.

Menu Plan Monday - 1/24/11

Menu Plan Monday

New week.  What happened to last week?  Visitors, no school and a nice head cold sums the week up, I suppose.  No new recipes planned for the week, but I do have a few to share.  I hope to get some new posts up soon.

Sunday - Salisbury steaks, oven fries, veggies

Monday - Avocado Chicken Salad - not a new recipe, but would like to type it out and share with you sometime. 

Tuesday - Pizza

Wednesday - Turkey Tacos (using some frozen shredded turkey meat)

Thursday - Leftover Salisbury steak, sweet potato fries

Friday - Roasted Chicken, rutabega/carrot puree, challah

Saturday - ??

Caramel Sauce with Sea Salt

Caramel Sauce with Sea Salt -

adapted from Zoe Nathan's recipe for Salted Caramel Sauce.  I saw this recipe  Food & Wine and knew it would be perfect for gift-giving.  I quadrupled the recipe to make it easier for mass gift production that goes on around here early December.  I used the 8-ounce jelly jars (three cases plus more).  I sterilized the jars in the dishwasher through the sani-rinse cycle.  I didn't "put up" the jars through water bath canning, but instead kept them in the fridge.   I suppose if I tried it in warmer months of summer, I probably would try to "can" them.

 
Ingredients  - Makes 7 - 8 cups


4 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup corn syrup

3 cups heavy cream

2 sticks butter

scant 2 Tbs. sea salt


Directions

In a large pot (6-8 quarts) add the sugar, water and corn syrup. Begin on a medium heat, swirling the pan (not stirring) gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil.  At this point, place the lid of the pot on for 2-3 minutes.  The condensation from the steam will wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan.  Remove the lid and increase the heat to high.  

Boil over high heat until a deep amber caramel forms.  This will only take a few minutes - do not walk away from the pot.  A good way to know the pot is getting close to the temperature (+300 degrees F, by the way) is when the steam stops and the bubbles seem to get "softer" in sound.  The color will go from light amber to dark pretty quickly (and then to burnt).   

At this point, remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully whisk in the cream, butter and salt. If there seems to be a lot of solidified caramel at the bottom, don't worry just keep stirring until it is smooth.   Carefully fill the jelly jars using a ladle and canning funnel.  Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean towel and add the lids to seal.    Allow the caramel cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator.

Menu Plan Monday - 1/10/11

Menu Plan Monday - 1/10/11

The big snowstorm has hit the South and there is no school today (and perhaps even tomorrow).




Sunday - Spaghetti and turkey meatballs, homemade french bread

Monday - Asian Citrus Chicken Salad

Tuesday - Leftover Spag. and meatballs

Wednesday - ??  veggie chili maybe?

Thursday - Turkey Burgers, oven fries

Friday - Homemade pizza, spinach-artichoke dip (hope to post recipe later this week)

more ideas for menus at MPM

Roasted Asian Salmon Recipe

Roasted Asian Salmon

Roasted Asian Salmon - adapted Eli's Asian Salmon from Barefoot Contessa

I tried this recipe last night for our Shabbat dinner.  It was a huge hit.  I made a few changes to the recipe to suit our tastes better.  First, I substituted the fish sauce and oyster sauce in the original recipe with hoisin sauce ( a family favorite).  I also reduced the amount of soy sauce, chili paste, garlic and ginger in the recipe to make it less salty and spicy.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• about 2 pounds salmon fillet (1 1/2 inches thick)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce (I used a combination of soy and Ponzu sauce instead and omitted the lemon juice)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoons chili paste
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions (2 scallions)
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Directions

Line an 8 by 12-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Place the salmon in the pan. If using a piece of salmon with the thinner tail end, fold under part of the tail to make the thickness approximately even.

In a mixing cup, combine the soy sauce and lemon juice (or ponzu sauce), rice vinegar, hoisin  sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Pour 1/3 of soy sauce mixture over the salmon. Sprinkle the panko evenly over the fillet. Pour the rest of the soy sauce mixture evenly over the panko. Be sure to soak the panko completely and if any runs off, spoon back onto the salmon. Set aside for 15 minutes, leaving all the sauce in the pan.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Roast the salmon for 18 to 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven, wrap tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Menu Plan Monday - 1/3/11

Menu Plan Monday -

Happy New Year!  It's been a while since I've posted here.  The craziness of the holidays/travels/school breaks and illnesses are hopefully behind us (for this week).  It's time to get back to schedules and meal plans.  My husband's very generous (and much needed) anniversary gift was a second refrigerator.  Somehow I've already filled it.  Not sure exactly how we managed before.  It's really nice to know that I'm not going to run out of bagels or eggs or juice (at least not today).  I'm hoping to do more freezer cooking this year and always, my fair share of baking.  I also plan on sharing more recipes, including some great new ones from the past few months.

Okay, on to the menu:

Sunday:  Oven-roast Beef, Garlic rosemary potatoes

Monday:  Leftovers from NYE, Lemon Capellini, Spinach-Artichoke Dip, Leftover (can you believe such a thing?) Sushi

Tuesday:  Open-faced roast beef sandwiches

Wednesday: Fajitas, probably chicken?

Thursday:  Shake-and-Bake Chicken strips, salad

Friday:  Eli's Asian Salmon (new recipe I'm trying from the Barefoot Contessa), Challah, green beans

Saturday:  ??

Want more ideas..visit  MPM on orgjunkie.com