Twiced Baked Potatoes

Sometimes it's great to enjoy a feel good comfort food for a Sunday dinner. Most of the time, as with most Sundays, I have to get ready for the work week. I always like to enjoy a great Sunday dinner with either a steak, chicken or pork loin.

Well, this recipe, I actually learned from a close friend of mine. Ever since I learned to make this, I make a big batch of it and everyone seems to enjoy it. Hope you enjoy this simple recipe as well!

Ingredients:

6 large baking potatoes
vegetable oil
1 lb bacon
2 cups butter
1 cup cheddar
1 cup monterrey jack
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cheddar & monterrey jack
salt and pepper to taste

Before you start, preheat the oven at 375. While that is preheating, start washing the potatoes. I tend to just use my hands and rub my fingers around each potato.

 

With the vegetable oil, coat each potato and make sure that they are covered well.

Place the potatoes into the oven. Notice that I am not covering them with the foil like I normally would. This is a trick I actually learned from MC's mom. If you bake potatoes this way, you end up with a crispy skin around the potato. Allow this to bake for about 1 hour. Check to make sure its soft to the touch. I normally place a fork into the potato. Flip the potatoes and allow to cook another 30 minutes to an hour (or allow to cook until rather tender).

 

While the potatoes are baking, start prepping the other items. Dice the bacon and place into a well heated pan. Cook the bacon until crispy. Make sure you place the cooked bacon onto a paper towel covered plate allowing it to drain.

 

Take out the potatoes and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Slice each potato in halves. Notice it will be steaming hot. Allow to cool for an additional 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, place the butter. Start to scoop out the meat of each potato and place into the bowl. Make sure you have the skin intact. Mash the potatoes and butter until creamy.

 

 

Add the other ingredients to the potato and butter mixture. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place the mixture into each potato skin resembling a "potato boat".

 

 

 

Place the potatoes back into the oven and allow to bake for an additional 30 minutes at 375. At the last 10 minutes, place the cheese mixture on top of the potatoes and allow for it to melt.

 

This is a great side dish that can actually be frozen. Note that you will have plenty of leftovers, unless you have a large amount of friends who you are entertaining. We have a food saver and place into the freezer and enjoy it anytime. A decadent, but truly wonderful side!

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puff)

MC's Parental Units were invited over to the new house for dinner yesterday. I wanted to impress them with something that they might not have had before. MC's dad is more of a meat and potatoes type of guy. Mom on the other hand likes to try new things.

Well I opted to make fresh chinese food (Broccoli Beef and Happy Family). Of course, you need additional items to go with the main entrees. Rice and eggrolls are the standards, but Crab Rangoon is something that they have never really had (at least home-made).

This recipe is something that I have done a couple of times. Normally, this appetizer is more sweet adding sugar to the filling. I personally prefer my Crab Rangoon (or Crab Puff) more savory, hence adding additional ingredients to make it that...very very good. Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 16 oz cream cheese
8 oz imitation crab meat
1 tbsp Worcestershire 
salt and pepper to taste

First, start by taking out the cream cheese and make sure it is softened to room temperature. Cream the cream cheese. Notice it should be soft enough that you can use a spoon.

Add the crab meat to the cream cheese assuring that the crab meat is broken apart. You can dice it before adding it to the cream cheese.

Add the salt and pepper to taste. Add the worcestershire to the cream cheese.

 

Now you are ready to stuff the wonton sheets. You can find the wonton sheets in the produce aisle (next to the tofu). Get a small spoonful and place in the middle of the wonton. Use water to seal the sides of the wonton. You can pinch them one side, then the other OR pinch it together. Either way, it should seal well.

We are using a fry daddy. You can use a deep pot in order to fry the crab rangoon. Make sure that the oil is heated well. To test it, add a piece of the wonton wrap. If it cooks quickly, then the oil is well heated.

Start to cook the crab rangoon until golden brown, cooking a handful (about 4 or 5) at a time. Like most things that you might fry, you overcrowd the pot, the items will not fry/cook all the way through. This should cook for about no more than 2 -3 minutes. Allow to drain once you have taken out of the fry daddy/pot.

You can have this with orange sauce. I like to have a little kick (add some chili paste). This is really an easy dish to make. Try it at home!

Making some French Bread

Who doesn't like to have great, fresh bread with their meal? I know I do. I never would grew up making fresh bread (or had bread period) with my meals. Again, being from a Mexican American household, we would normally have tortillas (either corn or flour...fresh) and possibly corn bread. I didn't learn how to make bread until I moved away to Houston. I always entertained family and friends with fresh made bread (this was ALWAYS gone...never a leftover).

For this recipe, I am making it according to a bread maker that we were given by my sister V. She has been great with always getting us stuff for the kitchen. I can always count on my family in getting me some great tools for my cooking efforts.

Ingredients:

1 package rapid rise yeast
1 cup warm water
3/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

If you want to be ambitious, you can do the following....

In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast and salt. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour a little at a time until the dough is stiff and ready to knead. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic for about a good 5 minutes. Place the dough on a greased bowl and cover it. Let this rise until it has doubled (after about 30 minutes). Keep in mind, we are in a region that is below sea level, so it might take longer or less time for the dough to rise.  Form dough into a French-style loaves and place onto a greased baking sheet (i like to grease with butter). Some people may like to use a little cornmeal, but its all per what a person is used to.

You are going to set the oven at 375 degrees, but at the same time place the bread in the unpreheated oven. I find that the bread will rise as the oven is heating up. Allow to bake for about 30 - 45 minutes. Again, its all up to the area you are living in. I find that where I live it might be about 45 minutes. The higher the elevation, the more time it might take and vice versa. All depends.

But if you are like me, you might want to decide to work with the breadmaker:

Follow the directions per your breadmaker machine. Normally, you place the water first into the breadmaker.

Mix the flour and salt. Add the flour to the machine. Once the flour is placed, add the yeast on top. Again, I am following what my bread machine requires.

I know its the easy way out, but the bread machine does a great job with kneading the dough. I don't like to lift the lid to the bread machine especially if you want the dough to rise. I am just lifting this in order

Allow the bread to rest for a good 15 minutes before cutting. I personally, enjoy it with a pat of butter, but you can have this with many other dishes. I also like to use this with the Bourbon Bread Pudding. So, you are going to need to make AT LEAST 3 to 4 loaves for the bread pudding recipe.