Napoleon's Tater Tots

If you are a Napoleon Dynamite fan like me then you know that Napoleon loves tater tots. Napoleon would swoon over these homemade tater tots!

Napoleon's Tater Tots
Serves 2 
Recipe adapted from: Homemade Tater Tots recipe from Andie at Canyoustayfordinner.com


Ingredients:
4 medium red potatoes, peeled, shredded, and dried
1/2 c. all purpose flour
 2 tsp. salt, plus more for serving
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. canola oil

 Directions:
1. Peel potatoes, shred potatoes using a food processor.
2. Drain all excess liquid from potatoes by pressing them in a large mesh strainer.
3.Mix the potatoes with the flour, salt, and pepper. Form into 1” logs.
4. Heat oil in a large pot(I used a large non-stick wok pan) until it is so hot that it sizzles when you put a tiny bit of potato in it. Add tots (6 at a time) and turn over once golden brown and fry until both sides are golden brown.
5. Serve hot, sprinkled with salt, and with plenty of ketchup.

Note: Use a large spoon and fork to turn tots and a slotted metal spoon to remove the tots from the oil once done. Drain excess oil from tots by placing on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Broccoli Poppers

We tried some of these as take-out at my Sister-in-law's house and they were so delicious. When I came across this recipe I had to try it. The kids love Broccoli.

Recipe adapted from superhealthykids.com

Ingredients:

• 4 c. broccoli florets
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 c. bread crumbs, dry & plain
• 1/2 c. Panko  (Japanese bread crumbs)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Steam your broccoli for 2-3 minutes until tender.
3. Chop broccoli into tiny pieces with a knife
4. Squeeze out the excess water by pressing on the broccoli with a towel.  Transfer to a bowl.
5. Add the rest of your ingredients to a large bowl except for  the Panko, and mix.
6. Scoop out tablespoon size balls of the mixture and roll in Panko.  Place on lined cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 10 minutes then turn them over and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden and crispy.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• cajun seasoning (optional) (I used Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500°F. Position oven rack in the middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss sweet potato wedges with olive oil to coat. Spread the wedges out on the cookie sheet so that they are not touching one another. Sprinkle with kosher salt and cajun seasoning if you like them with a little kick. Bake for 9 minutes, then take fries out from oven and turn them over using a fork and spoon. Return fries to oven and bake for 9 more minutes. Fries should be tender and lightly browned.

Stuffed Peppers

Ready to eat

Bell Peppers ready for stuffing

Filling

Stuffed Peppers

Sprinkled with cheese

Leftover filling baked

 Ingredients:

• 1 T. salt
• 4-6 large green bell peppers - tops, seeds,and membranes removed (slice each pepper in half and reserve pepper tops to chop up for filling)
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
• 2 c. cooked brown rice
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 c. frozen corn, rinsed/drained in warm water
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 c. shredded Mozzarella (or cheese of your choice)

 Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil; cook green bell peppers in the boiling water until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onions, chopped pepper tops, jalapeno and garlic in the hot oil until onion are softened and transparent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add chili powder,cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir until evenly mixed. Add rice, black beans, corn and tomatoes to cooked onion mixture. Remove from heat. Fold 1 1/2 cups of cheese into rice mixture. Spoon rice mixture onto each bell pepper half; arrange peppers on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle peppers with remaining cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Note: If any filling remains, put it in an oven safe dish and sprinkle with cheese and either bake it with peppers or save to cook for later as a burrito filling.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Makes about 20 tortillas
Ingredients:

• 4 c. Maseca
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 c. water

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Dough should be pliable kind of like play dough. Form the dough into 1 inch balls. Use a tortilla press to make  circles. Line tortilla press with parchment paper. Cook tortillas on skillet over medium-high heat.  Barely cook the 1st side, turn and cook about 1 minute, then turn again to the 1st side to finish cooking, that way tortillas will cook nice and soft.

Potato Latkes

recipe is from the How to Make Potato Latkes video on allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Russet potatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of pepper
• 1/4 c. olive oil (for frying)

Directions:

Use a food processor to finely chop onion, squeeze liquid out and place in a large bowl. Peel potatoes and cut into small pieces. Shred potatoes using a food processor. Squeeze liquid out of potatoes and then add potatoes to onions in bowl.Coat potato mixture with flour. Add egg and mix well. Add salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan. Once pan is hot, add 2-3 T. of potato mixture to pan per pancake. Let cook until golden brown on each side. Place latkes on a plate covered with a few paper towels to drain any excess oil.
Enjoy! Traditionally served with applesauce and/or sour cream.

Groot Soup in a Bread Bowl

Say What?? A delicious bread bowl filled with the goodness that is Groot Soup... COUNT ME IN!! What is Groot Soup, you ask? Well it is a soup made with root vegetables and broccoli. My hubby named it after the Groot character in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy. Recipe for bread bowl is beneath recipe for Groot Soup.

Groot Soup

Ingredients:

• 4-5 small and medium Russet potatoes, rinsed, peeled and chopped
• 5-6 medium carrots, rinsed, peeled and chopped
• 5-6 Hakurei turnips, rinsed, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium broccoli bunch, rinsed and chopped
• 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can of cream of celery soup
• 1 pint of heavy cream
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 1/2 c. shredded cheese of your choice (cheddar or mozzarella work fine)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a stock pot melt butter over medium-high heat. Turn heat down to medium and add in all vegetables. stirring to coat with butter. Let vegetables cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients (except cheese, salt and pepper). Bring to a boil then let simmer on medium-low heat for 1-2 hours until veggies are fully cooked, stirring every 10 minutes. Add 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper before serving. Use reserve cheese to sprinkle on top.

Quick & Easy Bread Bowls
Makes 3 big bowls
This recipe is adapted from Yammie's Noshery

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. warm water (Between 105ºF and 115ºF, hot enough to keep your finger in comfortably)
• 2 T. instant dry yeast
• 1 T. white sugar
• 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour + 1 c. white-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• pastry brush and small dish of water

Directions:
Combine the water and yeast. Let sit for a couple minutes. Add the sugar and flour and knead for 10 minutes by hand or with stand mixer with dough hook attachment. Add the salt.
Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about half and hour.
Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Divide the dough into three lumps. Stretch each one into a tight ball, pinching the bottom with your fingers and sealing it off by twisting it on the counter.
Place on a greased baking sheet. Score the top and sprinkle with some salt. Brush with water using pastry brush and allow to rise 15 more minutes.
Place in the oven. After 2 minutes, open the oven, brush the bread bowls with water and turn the heat down to 425ºF. Continue to bake 18 more minutes or until done.
To cut the bread bowls, use a knife to cut a circle directly downwards, then pull it out.