Posts Tagged ‘appetizer’
Baked Crispy Parmesan Potato Rounds
June 12th, 2013 | 
Author: I love that they get really crispy in the oven with minimal oil. Traditionally I’ve made these in the skillet with a ton of oil. Sure fried foods rock but I kinda like the fact that my thighs are smaller and besides.. if I ate fried foods all the time I’d have to walk around nekkid as I REFUSE to buy bigger clothes! And trust me folks… me nekkid… scary thought! *wink*
These go with just about any dish – burger, steak, slider, pulled pork/chicken/beef, fish…
Now if you would excuse me, I need to go eat some more of these 
| Baked Crispy Parmesan Potato Rounds |
- 4 large russet baking potatoes cut into 1/2” slices
- 1 medium onion, rough chopped
- 2 tsp kosher salt plus additional for final seasoning
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
- 4 Tbl olive oil
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Place a large baking sheet (if you can fit 2 in, use 2 though it’ll depend on how big your potatoes are) in the oven while it’s heating up.
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, add potatoes and enough water to cover potatoes.
- Bring to a boil and add 1 tsp salt.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. The edges should start to feel a tad soft but the insides will be firm.
- Drain the potatoes and dump into a large bowl.
- Add in the onions and gently stir.
- Drizzle the olive oil on top and using a rubber spatula, stir around to coat the potatoes and onions.
- In a small bowl mix together the remaining salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle the seasoning on top and mix to coat all sides. You want to see almost a potato starch paste form.
- Carefully take the hot baking sheet out of the oven and place the potato slices in a single layer
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bottoms of the potatoes turn golden brown.
- Using tongs or a metal spatula, flip the potatoes over (along with the onions) and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from the oven plate.
- Garnish with shredded parmesan.
- Add additional salt if needed.
Posted in Appetizers, Main Dishes, Recipes, Side Dishes, Snacks n'at, Vegetable | 
Tags: appetizer, Baked Crispy Parmesan Potato Rounds, Crispy taters, side dish | 
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Panko Crusted Baked Italian Mozzarella Sticks
After I posted the Pepperoni Pizza Egg Roll ones a few of you said you were having difficulty finding Egg Roll Wrappers. For me I’ve seen them in a few places in my store(s) – Asian aisle, cold produce aisle and the pasta aisle. If all else fails, you can get them online or in your local specialty store. But I felt bad and didn’t want people to go without (and okay this gave me yet another excuse to make some more) I wanted to share how to bake these to make them more healthier while keeping all that amazing taste we all love!
Just LOOK how glorious they are! Just BEGGING to be given to me… er I meant eaten by you. Yeah, I really meant that <blink blink blink> LOL
| Panko Crusted Baked Italian Mozzarella Sticks |
- 12 sticks low fat mozzarella string cheese
- 3 Tbl egg whites, beaten (or 1 large egg)
- 2 Tbl flour
- 1/2 cup Panko
- 1/4 cup Italian Seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tsp Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp oregano
- Olive Oil Spray
- Marinara Sauce for dipping, warmed
- Unwrap the string cheese and lay on a parchment lined baking pan.
- Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours, uncovered. The cheese must be frozen solid.
- When the cheese is frozen, in a small bowl whisk the egg whites until frothy.
- In a 2nd bowl, place the flour.
- In a 3rd bowl mix together the Panko, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oregano.
- Set up an assembly line working where it goes flour bowl, egg bowl, bread crumb bowl, baking pan.
- Dip the frozen cheese sticks into the egg whites, then the flour to coat, then back in the egg whites.
- Remove from the egg whites (2nd dip) and place in the crumbs to coat evenly. You want all sides and the ends covered.
- Place on a pan covered with parchment.
- Repeat steps 8-10 until all the sticks are done.
- Place the coated cheese sticks in the freezer until frozen. If you don’t and try to bake, they will melt before browning.
- Line a baking with aluminum foil and spray with olive oil.
- After at least 30 minutes or you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400F with the rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Place the coated frozen cheese sticks on the foil leaving a 1” space in between.
- Spray each stick with olive oil.
- Bake for 4-5 minutes or until the tops are starting to crisp.
- Turn over gently, re-spray and bake an additional 4-5 minutes or just until crispy and barely starting to ooze.
Cocoa Crusted Chocolate Chip Bacon – Man Candy III
Well as those 2 recipes went global I got requests for a dessert-y bacon. Now everyone and their mother makes chocolate dipped bacon (with peanut butter/caramel/nuts/etc) but I wanted something different. Why? I like to be different and push the envelope. Hmmm… wonder exactly what that means. I mean where is this proverbial ‘envelope’ they speak of anyway? *shrugs* this is how my mind works… scary, I know!
I’m not really sure how this came about as literally I was in the kitchen putzing around (yes, that’s a technical kitchen term for standing there staring into space pretending to be working but not really getting anything done) and I was moving the container of cocoa powder. For some reason I went to put it in the fridge (which again, I don’t normally do but like I said I was putzing around and not really paying attention) when I saw the package of bacon there. Inspiration hit me! Cocoa and Bacon! However have you ever dipped your finger in cocoa powder, expected it to taste just like chocolate only to realize that it soooooooooooo doesn’t taste like powdered chocolate but something butt nasty?! Yeah… so cruel! I knew I had to add sweetness to it. From that point on I was a machine. I love it when stuff just falls into place.
Yeah, I’m thinking it fell into place quite nicely! Now I’m not going to fool you. This isn’t pretty and it looks burnt BUT it’s not. That ‘burnt’/char look is PURE CHOCOLATE people! I mean seriously.. this stuff is crusted with cocoa and chocolate and so much love I can’t stand it!
This took that envelope and not only pushed it but it done sealed it shut, put a stamp on it and mailed it to Timbuktu!
THAT’S how incredible this Man Candy III is!
Go on, stare it some more. Trust me it was pure torture waiting for these to cool down as the smell of warm chocolate was incredible!
| Cocoa Crusted Chocolate Chip Bacon – Man Candy III |
|
- 1 lb thick cut bacon
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used double dark chocolate)
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder
- 1 tsp chocolate extract (or water will work but the extract makes it)
- 1-2 tsp water
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Combine brown sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder and extract in a bowl. You want not quite to a paste consistency (very slightly moist). If it’s too dry add a teensy bit of water.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place a wire cooling rack on top.
- Spray the rack with cooking spray.
- Place the pieces of bacon on top of the rack trying not to overlap.
- Lay the cocoa mixture on a plate and press each strip of bacon down into it coating the bottom.
- Flip over and coat the other side. You want a pretty good coating on this (no exposed bacon).
- Place in oven and cook for 13 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and flip the bacon.
- If you want, add some more of the cocoa mixture on top of each strip.
- Return to the oven and cook for 13 minutes.
- If you want crispier bacon you can broil for 1 minute each side but watch as this will burn but keep in mind that this bacon will crisp/firm up while it’s cooling so broil at your discretion.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool 1 minute on the rack and then using cooking tongs, remove the bacon from the rack and plate.
- Carefully adorn each strip with mini chips (side facing up).
- While it looks charred and deep dark crusty (okay, not pretty) it’s unbelievably delicious.
To help simplify clean up, as these are cooling, fill your sink up with hot soapy water. Remove the bacon from the racks and immediately put your cooling racks in the water. Let soak for 5-10 minutes and clean up is a breeze! *Note – make sure your cooling racks can be submerged in water first!
Garlicy Smashed Cauliflower Prosciutto Jarlsberg Pizza
♥ Jarlsberg Avocado Breakfast Pizza with Hollandaise Sauce
♥ Pulled BBQ Chicken Caramelized Onion Jarlsberg Pizza
♥ Tomato Capresse Pizza
♥ Grilled Flatbread Breakfast Pizzas
♥ Grilled Flatbread Pizza
♥ Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Bread
♥ French Bread Pizza
♥ Simple Pizza Dough Recipe
This time I wanted to push the limits again. I wanted ‘odd’ if you will. I wanted one of those eye-brow raising reactions. That unsure-if-you-wanna-try-it-but-it’s-intriguing-you-none-the-less faces.
You’re gonna try it annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd you’re gonna love it. It just ‘works’. It’s a sauceless pizza but the garlicy smashed cauliflower takes this pie beyond ordinary and into the land of fantabulousness.
| Garlicy Smashed Cauliflower Prosciutto Jarlsberg Pizza |
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 2 Grilled Flatbread Pizza Shells (10” round)
- 2 1/2 Tbl butter
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8-10 thin slices prosciutto
- ½ cup Jarlsberg, shredded
- 1 cup Jarlsberg, shaved
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Fill a 5 qt pot half way with water.
- Add in the cauliflower ensuring that they are floating with at least 1” of water beneath them.
- Bring to a boil, add 1/2 tsp of salt and cover.
- Boil for 10 minutes or until a knife pierces them easily.
- Empty into a colander and strain for, removing all excess water.
- Place the cauliflower in a bowl, add in the butter, minced garlic, garlic powder , black pepper and oregano.
- Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the cauliflower to very small pieces. You can mash completely but I prefer little chunks with this.
- Add in the 1/2 cup shredded Jarlsberg and mix well.
- Place 4-5 pieces of Prosciutto down on each flatbread.
- Evenly divide the smashed cauliflower mixture and spread over top the prosciutto.
- Divide the 1 cup shaved Jarlsberg and place on top of the pizza.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and flatbreads are crisp.
- Garnish with black pepper and oregano.
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with a Bacon Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
I ♥ Potatoes…
I ♥ Honey Dijon…
I ♥ BACON…
I ♥ THIS DISH…
Like literally this was my dinner one night.
| Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with a Bacon Honey Dijon Vinaigrette |
|
- 4 cups fingerling potatoes cut in half length-wise
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 cup plus 3 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 Tbl Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 Tbl apple cider vinegar
- 6 slices thick cut bacon, crispy and cut into 1” pieces plus reserved bacon drippings
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Lay the potatoes on a cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 tsp smoked paprika.
- Drizzle 3 Tbl oil on top.
- Using your clean hands, mix this together and spread out in a single layer.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning once.
- While the potatoes are cooking, place the honey, Dijon mustard, vinegar and 1/2 tsp paprika in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- While whisking add in the remaining olive oil to form a combined sauce.
- Add in the bacon drippings and bacon pieces, whisking well. If the vinaigrette is too thick, add in a Tbl more olive oil.
- Adjust seasonings per liking.
- When the potatoes are done, place in a large bowl and drizzle the vinaigrette on top.
- Using tongs, gently combine infusing the vinaigrette with the potatoes and bacon pieces.
