Bacon Hasselback Potatoes

Well this recipe had me at Potatoes, bacon and garlic! These Bacon Hasselback Potatoes were so good, everyone loved them! My husband said that they would serve something like this in a fancy restaurant.

I was looking through my latest issue of the Food Network magazine, when I came across this recipe. I changed it up just slightly, I used Russet potatoes instead of Yukon Gold, and I only made 6 instead of 12. Which gave my potatoes more bacon and garlic butter topping per potato. I’m going to give you the recipe like it was written in the magazine but just know that it is versatile.

The ingredients are:

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, each cut crosswise into 9 pieces
• Kosher salt
• 12 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
• 1 stick unsalted butter (I used regular salted butter)
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (I didn’t have, so I didn’t use)
• 1 clove garlic. finely chopped

1. Lay the bacon pieces on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Using a sharp knife, make crosswise cuts in each potato, about 1/8 inch apart, stopping about 1/4 inch from the bottom.
3. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and carefully transfer to a baking sheet (I used a round stoneware baking dish); let cool slightly. Pat the potatoes dry, then insert 3 pieces of the frozen bacon into the cuts of each potato, spacing the bacon evenly and letting it poke out of the top. Melt 5 tablespoons butter and brush generously over the potatoes and in the cuts. Reserve any excess butter for basting. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and bake until the outsides are browned and crisp, about 2 hours, basting halfway through with the reserved melted butter.
5. When the potatoes are almost done, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and mix with the scallions, parsley and garlic. Spoon over the potatoes and roast 5 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and season with salt and pepper (if needed).

Total time needed to make this is 3 hours so plan ahead!

 

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

 

This recipe is a Barefoot Contessa recipe that was featured in the Food Network Magazine back in December 2011. The whole family loves shrimp cocktail but I had never seen it prepared this way. So I decided to give it a try (plus I love Ina, the Barefoot Contessa). This Roasted Shrimp Cocktail was great! The pepper and the fresh lemon zest gave the shrimp great flavor. The homemade cocktail sauce was good and gave the shrimp a big kick (and I didn’t even use all of the horseradish and Tabasco sauce that it called for). This makes the perfect appetizer for any party or get-together!

The ingredients are:

For the Shrimp

• 2 pounds (12 to 15 count) shrimp
• 1 Tablespoon good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce

• 1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce
• 1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (I used 2 T)
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus lemon zest for topping
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (I used about half this)

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them in one layer. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, just until pink, firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
3. For the sauce, mix the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Top the shrimp with lemon zest and serve with the sauce.

 

Grilled Shrimp And Sausage Skewers With Smoky Paprika Glaze

We had a summer kick-off BBQ with the family last Sunday. Of course sun, swimming, and lots of yummy food was involved. I made these Grilled Shrimp And Sausage Skewers With Smoky Paprika Glaze. I found the recipe in an old Bon Appetit magazine (June 2010). Shrimp and sausage are great right? Well this smoky paprika glaze just threw it over the top. You could really taste the smokiness from the paprika and the fresh thyme and garlic. Not your typical kabob, so much flavor. Everyone loved this!

I adapted the ingredients slightly to our taste.

The ingredients are:

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 5 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 12 uncooked extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 12 1-inch long pieces kielbasa sausage
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 12 2-layer sections of red onion wedges

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Special equipment

6 long metal skewers or 3 long bendable ones

1. Whisk oil, garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in medium bowl to blend for glaze. Transfer half of glaze to small bowl and reserve for serving.
2. Alternately thread shrimp, sausage pieces, cherry tomatoes, and sections of onion wedges on each of 6 long metal skewers. Arrange skewers on large rimmed baking sheet. (Do Ahead: Can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill skewers and bowls of glaze separately.)
3. Coat grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush skewers on both sides with glaze from 1 bowl. Grill until shrimp are opaque in center, turning and brushing occasionally with more glaze, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Arrange skewers on platter. Serve with remaining bowl of glaze.

Lemon Herbed Salmon

Our family loves fish, especially Salmon! Normally my husband grills it and it is delicious but he was at work so I decided to try this recipe for Lemon Herbed Salmon. I really enjoyed this recipe! The crumb topping with the herbs and lemon zest gave the fish such great flavor and texture. I will definitely be making this many more times to come. I found the recipe in my cookbook Taste of Home 30-Minute Cookbook. I changed it up just a tad.

The ingredients are:

• 2-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 6 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons butter, divided, melted
• 1 salmon fillet (3 to 4 pounds)

1. In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and salt; mix well. Add 4 Tablespoons melted butter and toss lightly to coat; set aside.
2. Pat Salmon dry. Place it in a greased baking dish. Brush with remaining butter, cover with crumb mixture.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

6 servings

*Note: I made fresh bread crumbs in seconds with my food processor. It took about 4 pieces of bread to yield 2-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs. I love my food processor, It was given to me by my grandma and grandpa who had to have had it for at least 50 years! It still works great and I think of them every time I use it.

Along with the Salmon I served a medley of colorful fingerling potatoes and green beans. I was at Costco (like I often am) and I came across this bag of fingerling potatoes. When I saw that there was purple potatoes in the mix I knew that I had to have it. I knew they would make a beautiful side dish. Here is what I did to make this dish:

I washed and cut the potatoes and green beans and chopped up some onion and garlic. Then I saute the onion and garlic first and then added the potatoes and green beans. Cook until the veggies are tender and the potatoes have a nice seer on them. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I have to say my not so health conscious side of me wanted to fry up some bacon and then cook the veggies in the bacon grease and top it off with the bacon, but my health conscious side thought it would be much better for us if I just used olive oil. I have to say that my healthy side won and it did still taste very good but next time I might try the bacon.

Mango-Onion Relish

I don’t know about everyone else but I have definitely been trying to eat much lighter lately (still trying to shed the holiday pounds). So when I came across this recipe for Mango-Onion Relish I instantly thought how yummy this would be on a nice fillet of fish. My family loves fish! The fish with the Mango-Onion Relish was light, fresh, slightly sweet but with the onion and lime juice still very savory. I really enjoyed this! This is another good recipe out of the cookbook How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.The ingredients are:

• 2 Mangoes
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 Tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Peel and pit the mangoes. Chop their flesh and combine it with the onion, lime juice, and cilantro; season with salt and pepper.
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a day or two and serve at room temperature.

This Mango Relish can also be served on chicken. I was also thinking if you added a little fresh minced jalapeno then you would have a yummy Mango Salsa. I haven’t tried that yet but it was just a thought.

Shrimp, My Way

 

Here is another recipe out of my cookbook, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. We all really enjoyed this shrimp recipe. The Cumin in this gave the shrimp a southwestern flare and I loved the chunks of garlic in it. The ingredients are:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 or 4 big cloves garlic, cut into slivers (I used 4, YUM!)
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds shrimp, in the 20 to 30 per pound range, peeled, rinsed, and dried
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh spicy paprika (I had regular paprika so I used that)
• Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

1. Preheat the broiler and adjust the rack so that it is as close to the heat source as possible.
2. Very gently, in a large, broad ovenproof skillet or baking pan, warm the olive oil over low heat. There should be enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan; don’t skimp. Put the garlic in the oil and cook for a few minutes, still over low heat, until it turns golden.
3. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Stir to blend and immediately place under the broiler. Cook, shaking the pan once or twice and stirring if necessary, but generally leaving the shrimp undisturbed, until they are pink all over and the mixture is bubbly. This will take from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the heat of your broiler. Garnish and serve immediately.