Home Fries and Crispy Potato Skins

Cooking with potatoes is pretty easy. But let's face it, it can be boring if I don't cook it right. I mean, cooking crunchy potatoes is pretty tricky. I personally don't like to make French fries in the oven or deep-fryer. It's a challenge to make then crunchy. They also have to be eating right away, or they would get soaky.

My solution? Home fries. The potatoes are cubed. Cooking them is super easy. Just like my hash brown recipe, don't add any salt while cooking the home fries. They'd brown faster. Adding the salt or any other spices at the end of the cooking is best.

Since I read that potatoes are one of the dirty dozen, I've started using organic potatoes in all of my recipes. We don't eat that many potatoes here. So I'd buy maybe 3-4 potatoes per week. I like to make them as breakfast's side dish.

 

I usually peel the potatoes before cooking them. After reading that potato skins have to most fibers, I decided to wash and dry the skins and pan fry them. Whoa!!! Addictive. Plus, my kids luv them.

Home Fries and Crispy Potato Skins
serving 2-3

1-2 large potatoes, washed and peeled
safflower oil
salt to taste

1. Set the wiring rack on a baking pan. Place a clean towel or napkin on a plate. Set them aside.
2. Wash and dry the potatoes.
3. Peel them and set the potato skins aside.
4. Cut the potatoes into cubes, making sure they are the same size.
5. Heat the frying pan at a medium-low heat.
6. Add the oil just enough to cover the pan.
7. When the oil is hot, add all of the potato skins.
8. Pan fry them until crispy, one minute per side.
9. Take them out to the prepared wiring rack and sprinkle with salt to taste.
10. In the same pan, add the cubed potatoes.
11. Cook the potatoes for 3-4 minutes. Flip over and cook 3-4 minutes more.
12. Drain the home fries on the prepared plate and sprinkle with salt to taste. Enjoy them as a side dish.

STORING: If there is any left over home fries, store them in a container in a fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the heated frying pan until they are warm and crispy again.

Allergy Info: These home fries and crispy potato skins are free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts, and fish.

Apple Orange Cranberry Sauce

Every year, my husband reminds me that Thanksgiving turkey is not tasty if it doesn't have cranberry sauce on the side. Of course, back when, he only bought the canned cranberry sauce. It came out of a can, looking rather suspicious to me. I never ate it and definitely never will.

I found the apple orange cranberry sauce from Martha Stewart's magazine which featured all things Thanksgiving feasts. It has been my go-to cranberry sauce every Thanksgiving ever since I tested the recipe... which was... hmm... many moons ago. Boy, I'm getting old. Can't remember too far back.

Anyway, the sauce tasted like cranberries with a hint of oranges. The apples helped with thickening. I made a few short cuts to her recipe. Quick and super easy. So you will definitely have more time "happy feasting!!!"

Apple Orange Cranberry Sauce
adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine
makes 4 cups

1/2 cup (4 oz) orange juice, freshly squeezed or bottled
1 granny smith apple, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cup (12 oz) cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 1/4 cup (9 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Place all of the ingredients into a heavy bottom pot.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Then simmer until the cranberries pop, about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Let the sauce cool in the pot until thickening. Enjoy it warm or at a room temperature!!!

STORING: Keep the apple orange cranberry sauce in an air tight container in a fridge for up to a week. Freeze it for up to 3 months.

Allergy Info: This apple orange cranberry sauce is free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, nuts, wheat, legumes (soy), or fish.

Hash Browns



I want to devote this month to blog about breakfast recipes. My kids and I ate brunch every mid morning this summer. Super easy for me because I only had to cook one big meal for breakfast and lunch. Now that school has started, why not do something quick and easy for breakfast. Plus, breakfast for dinner is affordable and... let me say it again "EASY!!!"

The one breakfast side I luv is hash browns. How do you make hash browns? Yeah, my thought exactly. I had no idea that hash browns is one of the easy side dish to make. Before I was on Camden's allergy free diet, I would make them from frozen prepackaged hash browns which have the listed ingredients of potatoes, dextrose, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate. No ideas what those ingredients are. But really, hash browns should be nothing but... are you ready?... potatoes, oil, and salt. Yup, three ingredients.

 

The few techniques for making crispy hash browns are (1) make sure the shredded potatoes are dry, (2) no salt added while pan frying, and (3) lotsa oil. First, the water is the enemy to crispy hash browns. Just think of it this way. Water is for steaming foods. In order for the hash browns to have that deep dark crispy appearance, do not salt the potatoes until the hash browns are fully cooked though. The salt will just sweat the potatoes, causing the shredded potatoes to steam. The "lotsa oil" technique is making sure the potatoes are crispy.

 

I usually make hash browns using one big potato or two medium size ones. I use a big frying pan, about 12 inches wide. Two options for deep frying the hash browns: making them one BIG one like a pie or a few small little ones like patties. The cooking technique is the same. Be sure to buy organic potatoes as they are much cleaner tubers than the conventional ones.

Hash Browns
serves 2

1 - 2 potatoes
a lot of safflower oil
sea salt

1. Heat the 12 inch round frying pan on a medium low heat.
2. Add the oil to coat the pan.
3. While the pan is heating up, peel then grate the potatoes.
4. As soon as the oil is hot, grab a fistful of shredded potatoes and squeeze out the water.
5. Then spread the potatoes on the frying pan.
6. Continue with the rest of the shredded potatoes until the frying is covered with the potatoes.
7. Using a spatula, flatten the potatoes.
8. Drizzle more oil around the edges of the potatoes.
9. Cook the potatoes for 4 minutes.
10. Drizzle the oil over the potatoes.
11. Flip the potatoes with a spatula.
12. Cook the other side for another 4 minutes.
13. Sprinkle the hash browns with sea salt.
14. Remove the hash browns on to a cutting board.
15. Cut into desired shape. TIP: For easy finger food, cut them into a bite size.
16. Enjoy them as a side dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 

Allergy Info: These hash browns are free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts, or fish.

Spinach Pancakes

One of my fun activities is to look for recipes that incorporated any type of veggies in my cooking. Let's face it. My kids just don't like vegetables. Sure, they eat raw carrots and cucumber slices. But that's pretty much it.

While I was looking for recipes to make for the Chinese New Year's blog post, I came across chives pancakes recipe. I knew right away that my kids would not go for the chives. The strong onion taste and aroma would winkle their noses. They'd definitely look cute but nothing accomplish. Then I remember how I tried to add spinach into their diets, and they would eat it IF and only if the spinach was cooked softly with no taste. Talk about a challenge, right?

I decided to use my flour tortilla recipe but with the Chinese pancake style cooking method. The verdict??? The spinach pancakes are much thicker than the flour tortilla. But the crispy of the outer layer is the best part of the pancake. What did my kids think? They asked me, "what's that green thing?" See what I mean? But they ate them and asked for more. Serve them with any type of proteins, just like I would with flour tortilla. My kids actually have them for snacks too.

When finely chopped the spinach, make sure to remove the ribs. Only use the spinach leaves and save the ribs for fresh salad or other means of cooking. I choose to light brush the dough with oil then cook it on the griddle. Another option is to pan fry the pancakes. The pancakes are crispier when pan fry but they are also more oily.

Spinach Pancakes
makes 8 six-inch round

1 flour tortilla dough (click for recipe)
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves, ribbed and finely chopped
1/4 cup of safflower oil, for brushing

1. Prepare the flour tortilla dough as directed. TIP: Adding the ground flax seeds to the dough is optional. I add them in for the omega-3. If the ground flax seeds are omit to the recipe, the dough maybe wet. Add a little bit of all purpose flour between kneading. The dough is ready when it is no longer sticky and has a smooth texture.
2. Heat the flat griddle on a medium low heat.
3. Place the oil in a small bowl, and have a pastry brush nearby. TIP: Use a silicone pastry brush so it can tolerate heat when brush the dough with oil in step-13.)
4. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
5. Flat the dough using a rolling pin.
6. Spread chopped spinach leaves, about 1 teaspoon, and press them into the dough. (picture 1)
7. Roll up the dough into a log. (picture 2 and 3)
8. Coil the dough log into a spiral shape. (picture 4)
9. With the rolling pin, roll the dough out again into a 6-inch disk. (Guesstimate this. Remember that these are homemade so the shape doesn't have to be perfect. Be sure the rolled out dough is on the thick side, not thin like the flour tortilla.)
10. Brush the dough with oil.
11. Place the oil side down on to the griddle.
12. Cook until the pancake is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
13. Brush the top side, flip the dough, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
14. Cut the spinach pancakes into wedges and enjoy.

Allergy Info: These spinach pancakes are free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), nuts, and fish.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce and Italian Salad Dressing

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in any bottle of salad dressing? I did and still do. And guess what? I can't find any salad dressing without one or more questionable ingredients like xanthan gum, citric acid, ascorbic acid or caramel color. These are the ingredients I've tried so hard to avoid in prepackaged foods ever since Camden outgrew his food intolerance.

When I make chicken nuggets or have a mixed salad, I have to come up with my own version of a dipping sauce or a salad dressing. Brek prefers to have his chicken nuggets with honey mustard. I thought about it and figured out that I could maybe make my own. And I did. Super easy ingredients to put together. The difference is that I prefer using agave than honey. So testing out my honey mustard sauce with agave or honey and see which one you prefer best. My honey mustard dipping sauce is a bonus as a salad dressing.

For a salad dressing? That one was easy too. I luv Italian flavor. I couldn't figure out what was in the salad dressing that I had at the local Mediterranean restaurant. After I reviewed several Italian salad dressing recipes, I realized that they had pretty much the same ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and salt. I tested and mixed my own version, and it turned out really tangy (my favorite flavor). 

To make a tasty dipping sauce or salad dressing, I do use good brand of products. For mayo, I luv Sir Kensington's classic mayonnaise. I've used their classic ketchup for awhile, which is perfect for a pizza sauce. When I saw their mayo on the shelf, I gave it a try and really loved the creaminess. Keep in mind that their mayonnaise has egg and white vinegar (from corn).

My attempt of making yellow mustard was a big fail. So I was overjoy (yes, my heart skipped a beat) when I found Eden Foods yellow mustard. Their mustard is made from apple cider vinegar. This is a big plus for me because that means it is corn free. So I've used their yellow mustard since Camden was still super sensitive to corn. When it comes to red wine vinegar, I'm not much of an expert. Well, not at all actually. Since I luv Eden Foods products so much, I decide to try their red wine vinegar. For one good reason, it only contains two ingredient. And you know what? It's organic and isn't that expensive from other non-organic brands.

Ok, let's make some sauce and dressing. Oh yeah, feel free to make changes to my recipes and add your own twist of flavor. Remember, I luv my savory foods on the sour side.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce (or Salad Dressing)
serve 2

2 Tablespoons (0.8 oz) mayo
1-2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
agave (or honey) to taste

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Italian Salad Dressing
serve 4 - 6

1/4 cup (2 oz) extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (2 oz) red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Whisk all ingredients together. Keep in it a pretty bottle at a room temperature for up to 14 days. NOTE: Vigorously shake the Italian salad dressing before pouring it over the mix salad.

Allergy Info: These dipping sauce and salad dressing are free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), nuts, wheat, and fish.

Baked Sweet Plantains

Last year, I noticed that my legs were really sored. The muscles just felt tight that I felt like a good message would help. But it didn't.

One night, I was clicking through Netflix instant played movies and came across a documentary called Forks Over Knives. While I was watching it, I noticed many peopled in the movie who changed their diet to plant based were saying how their arthritis just disappeared.

When I grocery shopped after watching that movie, I decided to start buying more vegetables and more fruits, including bananas. I stated to eat a banana at least one per day. Well, my legs felt better... felt normal. I realized that I was lacking potassium.

Honestly, I just don't like bananas, unless they are in a cake or a muffin. I started to look for other alternatives for potassium. I spotted some banana chips and ripped plantains. I hadn't baked plantains in ages, so I decided to buy a few to bake them for a side dish. While I was slicing them, I thought "wonder what they will taste like if they are coated with sugar." Gave that a test drive. Wow!!! Super addictive!!! My kids loved them too.

Once in a while, I'd bake the plantains as an afternoon snack but usually as a side dish. Make sure the plantains are really ripen. They keep well in the closed container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Warm them up in a microwave for 30 seconds. They are tas-tee!!!

Baked Sweet Plantains
serve 4-6 people

3-4 ripped large plantains
1/2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1-2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Line the (17 inch) baking sheet with nonstick mat or parchment paper.
2. Peel and slice the plantains, making sure they are the same size. So they will bake at the same time.
3. Place the sliced plantains in a large bowl.
4. Add the vegetable oil.
5. Using your hand, coat the sliced plantains in oil.
6. Sprinkle the sugar over the sliced plantains.
7. Using your hand, coat the sliced plantains in sugar.
8. Place the sliced plantains on to the prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake the plantains for 15 minutes.
10. Turn each slice over and bake another 15 minutes more.
11. Take out the tray and place it on top of the wire rack to cool. As the plantains cool down, the sugar should caramelize them. Enjoy them as snack or as a side dish.

Allergy Info: These baked sweet plantains are free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts and fish.

Cheese Chips

I discovered making the cheese chips by accident. When I made a dairy free pizza, I used manchego cheese. I know that the manchego cheese is still dairy from sheep's milk, but my kids were dairy intolerance to cow's milk. So the pizza I've been making for them is made with manchego cheese with or without the buffalo mozzarella cheese.

After the pizza baked, I noticed the crispy cheeses that was on the parchment paper and some on the pizza crust. That got me thinking. What if I just baked the manchego cheese by itself. Wonder how that would taste. Oh, to die for!!! The cheese chips tasted nutty and super addicting. Perfect healthy snack for my kids.

I usually make cheese chips after I turn off the oven from baking something sweeter. By using the oven while it's still hot, it is my way of saving money on electric bill. So let me write up two versions on how to make cheese chips.

When buying manchego cheese, I usually pick up the 3-months old. It is half the price per pound to a 6-month or a year old cheese. Ask for the manchego cheese at Whole Foods.

Cheese Chips
serves 2 to 4, depending on how much chips are made

1 small wedge of 3-months manchego cheese

Heated Oven Version
1. Slice the manchego cheese into the same desired shapes, using a peeler.
2. Place them apart on the baking tray lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake in the heated oven until golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Turn the manchego cheese over and continue to let the cheese bake until golden grown, about 5 to 7 minutes more.
Note: If the cheese slices don't seem to bake quickly enough, preheat the oven to 350°F degree. Once the oven is preheated, turn it off and let the cheese slices bake. Keep an eye out as the heat will bake the cheese faster.

Preheated Oven Version
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F degree.
2. Slice the manchego cheese into the same desired shapes, using a peeler.
3. Place them apart on the baking tray line with parchment paper.
4. Bake the cheese slices until golden brown, about 7 minutes.
5. Turn the manchego cheese slices over and continue to bake until the cheese slices are golden brown, about 5 - 7 minutes more.

Keep the cheese chips in a container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds.

Allergy Info: These cheese chips are free from dairy (not sheep's milk), eggs, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts, and fish.

Candied Bacons

When Camden turned one year old, his weight plateaued. When he had his two year old checkup, his weight didn't change. So his pediatrician suggested that I visit with a nutritionist. During the visit, I was very proud to show her Camden's food journal. After all, they were healthy homemade allergy free diet. BUT she said that the food I gave him was very high in carb. She suggested that I adjusted his diet with more protein food. That was when I started to think about what high protein meals I could make. He loved to snack so what about snacks?

I made a lot of changes to his diet, from making beef broth to adding quinoa to jasmine rice. Making high protein snacks was a challenge. I remember the nutritionist suggested giving him bacons, ham, etc. But the corn free ones were hard to find. When I found out that Whole Foods 365 bacons was corn free, I was thrilled. Their bacons, as it turned out, weren't salty or anything special. Tasted like cooked fatty meat. Pretty boring!!!

While I was watching Unique Sweet (as I always do to be inspired), there was an episode that showed candied bacon cupcakes. Ouuu... sounded interesting. There was no recipes, just a quick description that the bacons were sprinkled with brown sugar then cooked in the oven. The sugar caramelized the bacons to crisp and to have that candied texture.

I decided to test it out, and the bacons were super addictive. They were sweet and crisp. Just like candy. Of course, I didn't write down my method of cooking the candied bacons. I just winged it every time. I burned about five batches along the way. After reading a few cookbooks on candied bacons and watching cooking shows on how to cook bacons, I came up with my own simple steps. Give my recipe a try and don't blame me if you eat the whole batch of candied bacons all by yourself. They really are addicting.

Candied Bacons

1 lb bacon slices
6 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F degree. Place a baking rack over a baking tray. Set aside.
2. Spread the light brown sugar on a plate.
3. Coat each bacon slice with light brown sugar.
4. Arrange it on the baking rack.
5. Repeat step 3 and 4. Note: Cooked bacons do shrink. Arrange them as close together as possible but not overlapping them. If I don't have enough room for the last 4 to 6 slices, I just add them after the first 10 minutes of cooking.
6. Cook the bacons in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, turning each bacon slices every 10 minutes. Note: If the bacons are thin slices, they will cook faster, about 20 minutes. Keep an eye out on the bacons, so they don't burn.
7. Once cooked, remove the bacons to a plate to cool. Do not leave them on the rack to cool or they will be difficult to remove. Enjoy them or keep the candy bacon in a tight container in a refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cooking Note: In a hurry, cook the bacons under a broiler on HIGH or LOW setting. Whatever setting the broiler is on, keep an eye on the bacons. Every 2-3 minutes, you must check on them, or they will burn. I burned too many batches with this cooking method, but they cooked faster. I prefer to cook them as noted on my recipe above when I have more time (like while I'm having dinner or doing dishes).

Microwave bacon slices is another method of cooking candied bacons in a hurry. Placed bacons slices on top of microwavable plate lined with paper towel. Generously sprinkle light brown sugar on top of bacon slices. Place another paper towel on top of the bacons and microwave until crisp, 2 - 3 minutes. The bacons will be crispy after they are cool.

Keep in mind that the bacons will taste crispy the day they are cooked. I usually heat them up in the microwave for a few seconds. Not as crispy but chewy candied bacons.

Allergy Info: My candy bacon recipe is free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, , legumes (soy), wheat, nuts, and fish.