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PERFECT Baked Potatoes in Your Oven

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Baked Potatoes with Sea Salt

Baked Potatoes with Sea Salt

I’ve always loved a great baked potato. In fact, when at a favorite steak house, I’ve been known to get every bit as excited about the baked potato as I am the steak.

Oddly enough, though, I’ve recently become an EVEN bigger potato fanatic. I have no explanations as to WHY but since I began eating Gluten Free, my cravings for baked potatoes are almost non-stop.  My daughter Emily (who also recently had to begin eating Gluten Free) has similar cravings – only her potato of choice is sweet potatoes.

Although I can’t explain the increased cravings, I can certainly take care of them. It just so happens I like my own baked potatoes as well as – and often better than – potatoes gotten at restaurants.

Although it’s different from most people, I don’t wrap my potatoes in foil before putting them in the oven. To me, doing so kind of  just “steams” the potato rather than “baking” it.  I like for the skin to have a slight crispiness to it when I cut into it. If it doesn’t’ have that slight little crunch sound when the knife cuts into the potato, I don’t get quite as excited.

Step By Step To Perfect Baked Potatoes

  1. Wash your potatoes well. I have a little scrub brush (Amazon link) that looks like a pig (I mean, who doesn’t??) that I like to use on my potatoes.
  2. After they’ve been washed well, oil them down with butter, vegetable oil, or olive oil.  It’s like you have a little spa for potatoes and you’re the masseuse.
  3. I roll my greased up potatoes in a little flaky sea salt (Amazon link). Trust me, this little extra step makes a world of difference. It doesn’t make them too salty… I promise.
  4. Pierce your potatoes about 4 or 5 times to allow steam to escape. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.  An exploding potato is a hideous thing.
  5. Bake your potatoes directly on a rack in a 400 degree preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes.  Place a cookie sheet on a lower rack to catch any drippings. The timing depends upon the size (density) of your potatoes.

How To Test For Done-ness:

There are several ways to check to make sure your baked potato is cooked thoroughly. Below are the most commonly used (with my own personal method listed first).

  • Use an oven mitt to give the potato a slight little squeeze. If there’s a bit of “give,” the potato is done. If there’s no “give,” return it to the oven.
  • You can also check for a potato’s done-ness by taking its temperature. The internal temperature should be 210 degrees F.
  • Some people check their baked potatoes by piercing them with a fork. If the fork doesn’t meet any resistance, they know it’s showtime.

 And showtime is a beautiful thing.


Edible Landscaping 101: Great Time to Start Planning Next Year’s Garden!

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Roasted Tomatoes with Pasolivo Rosemary Olive Oil

Roasted Tomatoes Straight from the Vine

Each year for as long as I can remember, I have planted herbs, tomatoes, and peppers. Sometimes I’ll also plant pumpkins or cucumbers (love both of these!). This year we went all out and planted tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, corn, pumpkins, squash, okra, peppers of every conceivable kind.

It has been an absolute joy to go outside and “grocery shop.” So much so that we’re planning on planting even more next year and have mapped out a few choice spots to have not one, but two gardens. We got an extra freezer to store our produce in and I have a strong feeling we’ll be thanking ourselves for our efforts all winter long.

Benefits of Growing Your Own Food

  • It’s healthier! Fruits and vegetables are outrageously healthy and growing them, yourself, means you control the pesticides used and know EXACTLY what all has been involved from getting them from the garden to your plate.
  • Convenient. Even when we weren’t living inside of a pandemic, the convenience of being able to step outside your back door and grab what you need to complete your meal was crazy convenient. These days, however, it’s even more so. Anything we can do to keep from having to go to the store is a win.
  • Economical. If you shop for fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices in stores I don’t have to explain this one to you at all! Growing your own produce and herbs saves you money during the summer as well as during the winter if you freeze or can your harvest.
  • Fun and Enriching Hobby! Any time we push ourselves out of our comfort zone and learn how to do new things, it’s SO good for our minds. Not only that, new hobbies are great for your emotional health as well. Gaining confidence through growing your own produce is a great payoff and one you won’t even realize has happened until you proudly walk into the kitchen with your colorful bounty.
  • Excellent Exercise, Sunshine, and Fresh Air. Having vegetables and herbs in addition to my beloved flower beds has given me more reasons than ever to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. The extra (enjoyable) work of watering, weeding, planting, picking, etc.. has been wonderful exercise, too.
  • Get the Kids Involved! My oldest grandbabies (3 and 1) have LOVED watching the veggies grow, watering them, picking them, and even tasting them! It’s a great way to get kids involved in a wonderful and useful hobby AND encourage them to eat more fruit and vegetables.
  • Perfect for Those with Restrictive Diets. I have to eat gluten-free and have to say, it’s always extra comforting to KNOW something is completely free from gluten or wheat and hasn’t been cross-contaminated. Anyone who has to avoid gluten, peanuts, soy, wheat, or other problematic ingredients will appreciate the full control growing your own food gives you.

Below is a wonderful infographic about “Edible Landscaping” from an outstanding article titled The 12 Best Edible Landscape Plants. After clicking on the infographic below and seeing the wonderful information, I hope you’ll click through the link above to learn more. If you live in here in the states, more likely than not you’re like me – looking at the end of the gardening season. But, truly, what better time to start planning than now?! Gather your information, arm yourself with facts, accumulate the tools and seeds you’ll need, and map out your garden.

Next year will be here before you know it… so get growing!

Edible Landscaping Infographic

Source


Bee K’onscious Raw Montana Clover Honey… Spectacular!

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Sunflowers and Bees

Sunflowers and Bee

Whenever I tell people I grow flowers primarily for the visitors they attract, “… hummingbirds, songbirds, butterflies, bees..,” they inevitably say, “Bees?! You WANT to attract bees?”

Absolutely! I love them with a passion. Not only do they serve a great purpose in life as we know it, they’re responsible for one of my favorite culinary loves in the world – honey!

I have been a honey fanatic since a very early age. Most kids would put syrup or jelly on their peanut butter sandwiches, but my favorite thing was honey. Honey and Peter Pan made a most excellent couple.

As an adult, I’ve found that cooking with honey makes just about everything tastes better. But here’s the thing… there’s almost always a thing, isn’t there??… not all honey is created equal. Some honey is so fantastic and out of this world that it makes other honey seem like sticky, slightly sweet thick water.

I have always, always known that, most of the time, you get what you pay for. The delightfully cheap honey in bear shaped plastic bottles will serve its purpose UNTIL you taste what honey is actually supposed to taste like. There’s truly no comparison and I was recently reminded of this.

Bee K'onscious Honey

Bee K’onscious Honey

I am often sent food, drinks, tea, coffee, and similar products to review on my food blog as well as my tea review blog, Crazy Tea Chick. Very often, the products I’m sent are so good, I regularly buy them as a result. I was recently sent a jar of Bee K’onscious Montana Raw Honey and will darn sure make certain I never run out of it!

Now, keep in mind, I am a lifelong devoted and fiercely dedicated honey lover. I’ve bought them all it seems – so when I tell you that this is the best honey I’ve ever had, you can rest assured it is extraordinary honey.

Here’s what Bee K’onscious Honey’s website says about the Montana Raw Clover Honey:

Montana Clover.  Many consider clover honey to be the standard by which all other honeys are measured. The mild, sweet flavor like a sugary treat with hints of cinnamon and vanilla makes this a top favorite for honey lovers and not. The color ranges from white to light amber. The texture is thick and creamy with a very pleasant aroma.  For any delicious treat add this to some yogurt or fresh bread with ricotta cheese. How about pancakes topped with berries and then lathered on top with a spoon full of honey? There are many folks that simply spread this on toast and say it tastes like a cinnamon roll.

Nailed it!

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Honey

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Bee K’onscious Montana Raw Honey

I’ve used the Montana Raw Clover Honey the following ways and have been completely blown away each time…

  • Drizzled on freshly fried chicken tenders. Tossing a little red pepper flakes onto the honey makes a delicacy.
  • In smoothies to add a little guilt-free sweetness.
  • On gluten-free toast – either with cream cheese, ghee, or butter, it is a knock-out.
  • In tea… this honey is now an addiction for excellent evening tea!
  • On sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes (all potatoes, if we’re being honest) are a great passion of mine. I’ve always baked them, then added butter and a combination of brown sugar and cinnamon. The most recent time I made them, I also added B’konscious Honey – phenomenal! By adding the honey, I was able to add less brown sugar than I normally do. The honey provides the sweetness naturally.
  • One of my favorite ways: Each night, after supper, my husband and I have a small “dessert” that I schemed up a while back. It’s a good way to get good fat (healthy) and daily dark chocolate (healthy, healthy) – We take a small square of dark chocolate and spread some ghee on top, then top that with a little pink Himalayan salt. Lately, we’ve been adding a touch of Montana Raw Clover Honey and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to go back to the other way! It adds so much extraordinary flavor that I look forward to the after-dinner treat pretty much all day.

Health Benefits of Honey

Honey has an impressive list of health benefits, but my favorite has to do with allergies. I suppose this is simply because I have the worst seasonal allergies in the world! I have noticed that, while I’ve been fiercely enjoying B’konscious honey, I have had to use my Benadryl (or as I call it, Liquid Zombie because it makes me feel like the walking dead!) far less often. Given that I use honey so often, something tells me that the benefits of honey are superior when the honey, itself, is superior.

Honey is also beneficial for great sleep as it promotes the release of serotonin.  The body converts serotonin to melatonin, which regulates quality and duration of sleep. Maybe that’s why I’ve been sleeping so soundly lately. I’ve been entering a deeper sleep because my dreams have been pretty darn entertaining. Seriously, nothing out of Hollywood could even hope to compare.

Other Health Benefits of Honey From B’konscious Honey’s Website:

  • Anti Microbial:  Honey is a natural antibiotic.  Honey has been used for centuries to remove bacteria from cuts and burns.
  • Superfood:  Honey contains many life sustaining substances – enzymes, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and water.
  • Boosts energy:  With 17 grams of carbohydrates per serving, its unprocessed sugars enter the bloodstream quickly giving extra energy.

You can buy this exceptional honey directly from the B’konscious Honey website. You’ll find all of their gorgeous products, recipes, health benefits, and more.

 

 

Southern Green Beans

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Southern Green Beans

Southern Green Beans

Southern green bean recipes differ from cook to cook – often in the same family. For example, if my grandmother or mom had known I’d one day grow up to put chicken broth in my green beans, they’d have passed out Old-Hollywood-style.

But, what can I say? Years ago, when I saw how much FLAVOR adding chicken broth to rice created, I began experimenting and, lo and behold, it adds a beautiful flavor to almost anything.

Including green beans.

Naturally, if you want to go with all water (as opposed to half water/half broth), go for it. They’re your beans, after all…. but, trust me, the chicken broth is extraordinary in these beans.

I love to add a little dash of red pepper flakes toward the end – if you go easy, the heat is barely noticeable. It adds a new level of flavor without setting your tongue on fire. I’ve never tried this recipe with canned beans, so I have no idea how they’d turn out. Buying fresh takes a little more time (since they don’t snip or snap themselves), but it is SO worth it.

Southern Green Beans

Bacon Sets Everything Right!


The Beauty of Buddha Bowls (Perfect for Meatless Mondays)

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Buddha Bowl

A Favorite Buddha Bowl

As someone who can’t eat bread (well, I can if they’re gluten-free, but usually they’re less than spectacular), I have fallen in love with “bowls” – simply putting food a bowl with various vegetables as costars, no need for pieces of bread, thank you very much. Sloppy Joes were no longer piled onto buns but were, rather, layered into bowls with onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and (when I’m feeling carb-tastic) fried potatoes.

Somewhere along the way “bowls” have become a really big deal nationwide – not just in my own kitchen.

One of the biggest stars in the world of bowls right now is the simple, humble, and outrageously delicious Buddha Bowl.

I’ve heard “Buddha bowls” also referred to as glory or hippie bowls, but I like the name Buddha Bowl best. It just seems to fit. Sometimes they’re also called protein bowls.

Buddha Bowls are healthy, beautiful, VERY filling dishes that are made up of your choice of vegetables, beans, and a healthy grain (rice, quinoa…). The vegetables can be roasted, boiled, sautéed, or even raw. My personal preference is to have a combination of both cooked and raw. I’m not sure why, but it’s absolute perfection.

When I first made Buddha Bowls for my husband and I, I told him beforehand, “If you get hungry later, I’ll make you some bacon and eggs…” I honestly wasn’t sure how filling they’d be. Suffice to say, not an egg was cracked and the bacon was undisturbed. When we slowly got up from the table, we both agreed… they’re VERY filling!

While I didn’t do it in the meal pictured here, topping your Buddha Bowl with pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or chia seeds ups the looks as well as the nutrition and taste.

Some of my favorite ingredients for Buddha Bowls:

Avocados

Obviously this will fall under the “uncooked vegetables” category. Simply (but carefully) cut your avocado(s) into wedges, drizzle with lime juice, and lightly salt. Please never cut the avocado while holding it in your hand. Put him on the cooking board and never put your hand or fingers (or any part of your anatomy!) near the blade of your knife. Better yet, find a safe avocado cutting tool on Amazon. You’ll make me feel a lot less stressed if you do!

Zucchini “Noodles”

Zucchini noodles (made, of course, by spiralizing zucchinis) are nutritious and delicious, but if we’re being totally honest, when it comes to Buddha Bowls… well….I love them for their looks! I toss mine in raw, with just a splash of salt and a little lemon juice. You could, of course, cook them briefly but I like the texture of uncooked zucchini noodles.

If you don’t have a spiralizer, be sure to check produce sections. Many stores are now selling zucchini noodles.

Rice, Brown Rice, Quinoa, or Cauliflower Rice

The pictures shown have cauliflower rice but I’m just as crazy about the other grains named above. If you’ve never cooked with quinoa before, you honestly have to. It’s delicious and FUN. And who isn’t up for a little more FUN in the kitchen?!

If you aren’t keen on the idea of ricing your own cauliflower (even though it is easy peasy in a food processor – simply place chunks into the food processor and process until the cauliflower is the consistency of rice), check grocery stores. I’ve seen Cauliflower Rice sold in the produce sections of Meijer and Kroger. Cauliflower rice cooks easier than the others, which makes it an easier as well as healthier option.

Carrots

I like for my carrots to have a bit of bite to them, so I just boil them until they’re “fork tender.” As with most vegetables, I keep a fork right beside the stove. When the fork can pierce the vegetable without any resistance, I know we’re good to go. Overcooking vegetables leads to smooshieness, which is never good to the taste or eyes.

Roasted Radishes

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
  2. Cut radishes into halves. 
  3. Toss radishes in olive oil (about 1 TBS per bunch).
  4. Spread radishes onto prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Be sure they aren’t touching one another. 
  5. Roast (tossing every 5 minutes) for 15 to 20 minutes.

Roasted Broccoli

I use the same approach for broccoli as I do for radishes when roasting. In fact, I often roast them together.


Cucumbers

Raw… never cooked. I mean, why would you???

Squash

I had used up all of my crookneck squash for a meal the night before (fried, along with green tomatoes – it doesn’t get any more Southern or delicious), so there was no squash in the meal shown here. It is, ironically, one of my favorite Buddha Bowl guests, however. I love the color as much as the taste.

Spaghetti Squash is also fantastic in these bowls. My oldest daughter, Emily, and I could eat spaghetti squash 7 days a week. Whatever it is that it’s got, we’re wild about it!

Corn

Whether it’s boiled, roasted on the cob, then scraped off or roasted frozen corn (SO EASY), like squash, corn adds great color and taste as well as texture to your Buddha Bowl.

Etc…

Chickpeas (raw, heated, or roasted), beets, shredded cabbage, black-eyed peas, black beans, wax beans, green peas (I like to use frozen peas for bowls and salads. I keep them in the freezer until right before I begin the meal. As we’ve established, however, I am uncommonly here for the crunch, so use your own preference as your guide.) The options are almost endless.

One tip, though, when using uncooked canned beans – drain them well and allow them to sit in the container before tossing them into the bowls. Same goes for cooked beans. Drain really, really well so they don’t bring their bath water with them!

As with most things, when it comes to cooking, it’s all about personalizing your meals to your family’s needs and likes. Make the bowls your own by adding your favorite vegetables and combinations. I read where a woman ALWAYS (not usually… ALWAYS) pairs frozen peas and beets in her Buddha Bowls. Me? I’d never go down that particular road… but it’s her vehicle, she’s free to drive it where she chooses.

When I first saw her pics, I thought, “Ummm…. not… sure… about… that…” but then I thought about it and I realized that she was to be commended. She was adding her own twist, creativity, and personality to her bowls and THAT is the whole idea.

One final tip: When it comes to planning your meals – whether they’re casseroles, salads, soups, side dishes, or bowls – do a little research into the health benefits of vegetables. Each one wields its own superpowers. If you combine several different “powers,” you’ll have yourself an especially powerful meal!

Buddha Bowl

Greek Fries, Using Frozen Fries (Because Who Wants to Complicate Things?)

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Quick and Easy Greek Fries

Greek Fries Using Frozen Fries

Before I had to give up gluten, I used to enjoy a lot of different restaurants and and an unlimited array of foods. Going gluten-free forces you to give up a lot of things… let’s go ahead and make that  A LOT OF THINGS.  Fortunately, I’ve found that things I once enjoyed can (with a little elbow grease and creativity) be recreated, in my own kitchen, and they’re just as delicious.

Actually, I suppose you could say they’re even more delicious (to me) because I’m able to add more of the ingredients that float my boat and less of the ones that do absolutely nothing for my boat.

One of our favorite restaurants is in the tiny town of Draffenville, Kentucky (they don’t even have a post office… that’ll tell you how small the community is). It’s called The Majestic and it’s extraordinary. They serve pizza, steak, chicken, burgers, have an awesome buffet, and one of the best salad bars I’ve ever trolled. As a salad fanatic, I am completely familiar with salad bars and this one is a perfect 10 out of 10.

Before I had to give up gluten, I would practically throw myself on their pizza as soon as it came to our table. I had to give that up, which totally sucked… but the thing that hurt me EVEN worse was giving up one of their wonderful appetizers, Greek Fries. I’ve found a way to recreate them at home, however, so I no longer have to grieve over them.

I have made Greek Fries using cut potatoes and frozen fries and… while I’m as fond of cooking from scratch as anyone… I honestly find the frozen fries to be just as good. It didn’t take long for my brain to process the ridiculousness of spending more time and effort on something that doesn’t taste better.

I had always used crinkle cut fries for Greek Fries but, this most recent time, I used regular fries.  I honestly don’t prefer one over the other – they both look beautiful and taste delicious. As a matter of fact, Greek Tots (using, obviously, Tater Tots) is also a lip-smacking possibility.

Quick and Easy Greek Fries

Greek Fries: Frozen Fries Make Them Quick AND Easy

This is one of those recipes that isn’t exactly a recipe – it’s more of a technique. Below are the steps – but, step carefully, it’s pretty complicated (sarcasm).

  • Bake fries as directed.
  • Sprinkle the baked fries liberally with Cavenders Greek Seasoning (Amazon link) or whatever Greek Seasoning blend you can get your hands on – I use Cavenders, pictured below. In fact, it’s so darn good, I refuse to run out of it. Seriously, it’s out of this world good.
  • Top with Crumbled Feta Cheese (trust me on this one.. even if you think you don’t like Feta, use Feta, because you’re going to love Feta in this role), salt, and chopped fresh parsley. The tastes go together beautifully. When the Feta starts to melt on the hot fries… it’s just a beautiful experience, y’all. The parsley is also a MUST – don’t dare think of leaving it out.
  • Optional: I’d say I do this every other time – sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice over the whole shebang. It brings the flavors all together while giving it a little extra kick.

These Greek Fries don’t even need a dip of any type, but feel free to dip them into ranch or even a “lemony mayo” (mayo with a little lemon juice and grated lemon peel).

P.S. Use the Feta….

Cavenders Greek Seasoning

Cavenders Greek Seasoning

 

 

EASY Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes (Using Canned Yams Makes it as Simple as Possible)

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Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

There are quite a few “staples” I keep in the kitchen at all times. Make that AT ALL TIMES – all caps because running out of them would make send me NERVOUS. Obviously salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice, miniature bell peppers, Italian herbs, bacon, white wine vinegar, eggs, butter, and honey make the list. But a few things may not seem quite as obvious: chipotle peppers in adobo, orange marmalade, Classico brand pesto, smoked gouda cheese, Tamari sauce, and Worcestershire Sauce to name a few. Each, in various situations, add depths of flavor that rock my world.

Take chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, for example – the smoky flavor is just addictive as far as I’m concerned. You have to, obviously, go easy with the peppers because they do pack a wallop.

But OH! How I love that wallop!

I’ve found that the adobo sauce can be paired with countless foods. It plays beautifully with just about anything you introduce it to, but one of my favorite ways to us it is with one of my favorite foods in the world – sweet potatoes. By the way, did you know that all so-called “yams” are in fact sweet potatoes? Whatever you choose to call them, they’re out of this world delicious.

Here’s the amazing thing, even if you aren’t as in love with sweet potatoes as I am, Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes will knock your socks off. Trust me.

The fact that this recipe uses canned yams makes it faster AND easier, and who doesn’t appreciate that?

{Recipe Below}

Yams and Chipotles in Adobo Sauce

There really isn’t enough to this dish to warrant calling it a recipe, so I’ll just walk you through the process.  If you think you’ll require more (or less) mashed sweet potatoes, adjust the number of cans and butter accordingly.

I use either two large cans of Bruce’s Yams (40 oz) or one large Bruce’s Yams can and two 15 oz yams cans. The exact measurements, here, isn’t terribly important. A few ounces here or there isn’t going to ruin your day.

One thing I’m a stickler about, however, is my Chipotles in Adobo Sauce. I always use the same brand – La Costena. I love it so much I wouldn’t even glance at another brand.

Place your cans of undrained sweet potatoes in a large pan. Add three of the chipotle peppers to the pan and simmer on low. You could, of course, crank up the heat and cut your time in half, but letting them simmer for about 30 minutes on low gives the chipotles time to flavor the sweet potatoes.

Smells pretty amazing, too.

When you’re ready to mash the potatoes, drain and remove the peppers. Place hot, drained sweet potatoes in a bowl and add 1-1/4 sticks of butter (if using unsalted butter, add a little Kosher salt at this point) and 2 TBS of the crazy delicious adobo sauce.

Note: Start with 1 TBS, then taste. Some people are more sensitive to heat than others and 1 TBS is about their limit. IF you can take the heat, go ahead and add the second TBS. If, after tasting it at this point, you want even more…. add more. Go for broke!

I also finely chop up a little bit of one of the chipotles to add to the bowl as well. Again, take it easy – these guys are spirited.

Use a potato masher and mash the potatoes until you achieve the consistency you love.

This makes an absolutely delicious and easy side dish for chicken, pork, steak… you name it. In fact, it has so much flavor and depth, it’s ideal for Meatless meals.

Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

Baked Potatoes with a Salty Crust Make PERFECT Loaded Baked Potatoes

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Loaded Salt Crusted Baked Potato
Loaded Baked Potato (Salt-Crusted)
True Story: I love baked potatoes so much you’d think I invented them. In fact, I love ALL potatoes so much you’d think I founded the beautiful state of Idaho.

I wish I had founded Idaho – what a cool story to tell your grandkids.

Potatoes are the very reason I lasted all of 25 minutes when testing the waters of the Paleo diet. It just kind of hit me, “No potatoes? No way. I’m out.” Never looked back.

Salt Crusted Baked Potatoes
Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes
While I don’t want to ruffle any feathers, I have to say that if you aren’t baking your potatoes in the oven, you’re short-changing yourself. Can you nuke them in a microwave? Yes. If you put enough butter and sour cream on top, are they passable? Absolutely. However, a baked potato straight from the oven is next level.

I can understand the argument of not wanting to heat up your kitchen. I can also see nuking them if time is an issue. If (at 4:30) you decide you want a baked potato with supper (at 5:00), you don’t have a choice… unless, of course, it’s the world’s skinniest and smallest potato – then you might have a shot.

Also See: Perfect Baked Potatoes in the Oven

Again, at the risk of ruffling feathers (What’s with me today? Girl, hands off people’s feathers.), if you wrap your potatoes in foil, you are actually “steaming” them more than you are “baking” them. If you prefer them that particular way – go for it! However, next time, try baking them (without wrapping them in foil blankets) and see what you think about the texture of a truly baked potato.

Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes

While a good old-fashioned baked potato (without a “salty’ attitude) is all kinds of delicious, adding a salty crust somehow makes it extraordinary. It looks fancy and high-brow  too, which never turns me off.

The following recipe (below the beauty on the St. Louis Cardinals red plate) is for “Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes with Kosher Salt.” This version of a salt-crusted potato calls for an all-over salty crust (trust me, it does not taste too salty – you just wouldn’t want to add any more to the top – unless you’re one of those rare birds that don’t eat the potato skin, that is). If you still (even after my multiple pleadings) think this is too much salt, simply only salt one part of the potato.

* Whispers in your ear: “It will not be too salty.”

I often use another means of coating the potato with salt which involves coarse Kosher salt (Amazon link – I use Morton Coarse Kosher Salt)- and trust me, it looks gorgeous. You don’t add as much salt to a sea salt-crusted baked potato. In fact, when making baked potatoes with coarse sea salt, I don’t rub them in the salt, I simply pat it on – pushing in very lightly.

Loaded Salt Crusted Baked Potato
When turning your baked potatoes into Loaded Baked Potatoes, the following toppings are, in my book, the way to go:

  • Real butter – always, always, always use real butter (in just about everything actually, but especially with a baked potato.. it deserves no less).
  • Sour Cream.
  • Shredded Cheddar (Gouda is also out of this world).
  • BACON. BAAAAY-CON! If you know you’re having baked potatoes for supper, make extra bacon at breakfast. Otherwise, just fry some up while the potatoes are cooking.
  • Chives or chopped green onions.
  • Sauteed mushrooms are also great on loaded baked potatoes. Saute’ sliced mushrooms in a little butter and add them with the other ingredients.
  • Briefly sauteed broccoli (in butter) is also great on a really cheesy baked potato.

One more tip from the potato fiend: Save any leftover baked potatoes for the next day. Leftover potatoes is main reason I only prepare (as in cut open and butter it to distraction) potatoes as they go right onto the plate. Others are left untouched on the stove. The following morning, a leftover baked potato can be warmed and topped with butter, a fried egg, and bacon for a fantastic breakfast or brunch. If several are leftover, scoop out the flesh and mash it with a little butter and sour cream. Fill the potato skin with the mixture, top with shredded cheddar and bake at 350 degrees until warm all the way through. Top as desired (bacon, green onions or chives, black pepper….)

One more idea and I promise I’m through – Sloppy Joes on an open baked potato. Trust me.

Okay, the potato fanatic is through.

For today…


Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping

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Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping
All of February is Heart Month and today, itself, is heart awareness day for women. I proudly wore my red today in honor of my mother who died from a heart-attack and as a means of raising awareness for heart disease. I hope and pray strides will be made in heart health for the sake of my three beautiful daughters (and everyone else’s beautiful daughters for that matter!)

In honor of Heart Month and today’s Heart Awareness Day, I want to tell you about a healthy breakfast that’s perfect for any time of day. I got the idea for roasted sweet potato pancakes from a tweet from Cooking Light. They made Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with just two ingredients: a roasted sweet potato and 2 eggs.

Intriguing!

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
I saw one willing sweet potato on the shelf and knew I had eggs ready at a moment’s notice in the fridge.

Since I’m “One of those gals” who is always looking for ways to “sneak” healthy food ingredients into as many meals as possible, I decided to also add 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds and 1 Tablespoon of Flaxseed to the mixture… but I’m getting ahead of myself. We have to roast the sweet potato first!

I cut my sweet potato (skin on) into four rounds and sat them in a small iron skillet. I drizzled 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Seed Oil (Amazon link) over the tops (but you could easily use Olive Oil). I made sure all sides of the rounds were coated, then sprinkled on a little paprika and a little cinnamon for good measure.

I roasted the sweet potato at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, then removed the skin and mashed them really good with a fork. I then added two eggs along with the chia seeds and flaxseed (1 TBS each).

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancake
I added some ghee to a non-stick pan (you could use butter, of course) and positioned a few pancake molds (not even remotely necessary – I was just trying to be cute). I poured some batter into the two molds and cooked my pancakes over medium heat for 6 minutes – I removed the molds when they looked “set.” After the six minutes, I flipped and cooked them for 4-5 minutes more.

They held together beautifully – which, I’m not lying, kind of surprised me.

Tip: Use the widest spatula you have – otherwise it may take two to flip them. If you aren’t using pancake molds, simply divide the dough into two pancakes. Again, a mold is not necessary.

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes
Topping:

For the topping, I beat 1 cup of whipping cream with 1/2 TBS sugar. Because I wanted to bring a little bit of apple flavor and goodness to the party, I grated nearly half of an apple and stirred it into the whipped topping, reserving some for the topping.

I topped the pancakes with the topping and sprinkled on some more chia seeds and grated apple.

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping
With experimentation, I discovered that these pancakes are also fantastic with maple syrup or honey. You could actually even drizzle a little honey on top of the whipped topping.

When you try these, go easy with the whipped topping at first – I actually added more than I needed. The pancakes, themselves, are so darn good, you don’t need much with them. These were a lot of fun to make and tasted fantastic.

And did I mention they were healthy?

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping

300 Best Potato Recipes: Cookbook Review from a Potato Fanatic….

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300 Best Potato Recipes Cookbook
300 Best Potato Recipes
This cookbook may as well have been written specifically for me. I love potatoes THAT much.  Fortunately for me (and other potato fanatics out there), potatoes have a lot going for them. They aren’t just delicious, they’re also economical, versatile, and healthy.

Health Benefits of Potatoes

  • No fat, sodium or cholesterol.
  • Excellent source of Vitamin C -one potato gives you nearly half of your daily requirement of this all-important vitamin.
  • One potato has more potassium than a banana.
  • Potatoes are  good sources of vitamin B6.
  • Potatoes also provide you with fiber, magnesium and healthy antioxidants.
  • I’ve often read potatoes mentioned in beauty magazines as being a great vegetable to add to your regular rotation.  Apparently they’re great for both skin and hair when it comes to anti-aging. For one thing, collagen requires Vitamin C to protect our skin from the aging effects of the sun. It also promotes collagen’s ability to smooth wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. Boom!

Read more health benefits of potatoes.

I was sent a copy of 300 Best Potato Recipes in exchange for telling you about the book and, given my history with potatoes, I’m only too happy to do so. This beautiful cookbook is packed with recipes you’ll use again and again. The author takes potatoes in a fun and sometimes even funky new direction and her creativity is nothing short of a joy ride.

The humble potato is a culinary powerhouse and inspires adventurous and tantalizing fare.

These are just some of the delicious possibilities that the humble potato offers in this wide and varied assortment of recipes:

  • Classic mash de luxe
  • Garlic roasties with rosemary
  • Real English chips
  • Gnocchi-roni and cheese
  • Saffron potato cakes
  • All-American potato pancakes
  • Sweet potato-crusted shrimp
  • East Coast chowder
  • Creole potato salad
  • French potato galette
  • Fennel, potato and white bean stew
  • Potato lasagna
  • Oyster pie with top mash
  • Sweet potato gnocchi
  • Mennonite country potato doughnuts
  • Potato fudge.

Appetizers and snacks, soups and salads, side dishes, main courses, hearty vegetarian main dishes, baked goods and desserts make up this vast and colorful collection of recipes. The author also includes a complete history and origins of potatoes as well as a comprehensive chapter that covers hundreds of potato varieties.

This is a wonderful cookbook and a must have for fellow potato lovers everywhere. See 300 Best Potato Recipes (Amazon link) for ordering information.

300 Best Potato Recipes Cookbook Pictures