Twice Baked and Loaded

I've been craving that ever-so-famous, ooey, gooey spinach artichoke dip lately and decided to combine it with some lovely looking Russet potatoes I have also been craving. This was an experiment because I wasn't sure the two would work well together, and (confession here) I've never made a twice baked potato. So join me while I take you on my Sunday afternoon cooking adventure.

Roasted Garlic, Spinach, and Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes
serves 4 (1/2 stuffed potato per person)

2 medium to large Russet potatoes scrubbed
3 T butter
2-3 T half and half
pinch or two of kosher salt

Roasted Garlic
1 small head of garlic
1 T olive oil
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper


The Dip
4 oz neufchatel cheese (lower fat cream cheese) softened to room temp
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup reduced fat shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup lite sour cream
1/4 cup lite mayonnaise
1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach thawed or defrosted in the microwave, then squeezed dry to remove any liquid
4 whole artichoke hearts (from a can), drained and chopped
1 head of roasted garlic
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp hot sauce

To roast the garlic: Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Place a baking sheet in the oven as it pre heats. Remove some of the outer layers of the garlic skin if they are plentiful. Cut the top off the head of the garlic and place on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Seal the foil and place on pre-heated baking sheet. Roast 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and squeeze the roasted pulp into your mixing bowl (discard the skin).

While garlic is cooling, bake your scrubbed potatoes in the already preheated 400 degree oven for 1 hour. Before baking, I poke my potatoes with a fork to allow steam to escape, although I'm not sure if that is necessary. While potatoes are cooking, make the dip, and that's a pretty simple task. Combine all ingredients with a flexible spatula, taste and see if you need more hot sauce. I stuck with the 1 teaspoon, but was debating whether or not I wanted to add some chopped water chestnuts to the mix for a nice crunch, but opted against that as well.

Remove potatoes from oven and when they are cool enough to handle, slice them in half and carefully hollow out the pulp and place in small mixing bowl. I wasn't as careful as I should have been and ripped one. Lesson here: Next time I will make at least one extra potato. Also, leave about 1/4 inch of potato clinging to the skin. It makes for a sturdier package. Oh, now is a good time to set your oven to 350 degrees, getting ready for the second bake.

In mixing bowl add 3 T softened butter and 2 or 3 T half and half to the potato pulp. I added a pinch of salt as well, just because potatoes love to be salted.

I tried to get my mixture as smooth and silky as possible. Now take your artichoke dip and add it to the luxurious potatoes.

Combine well and fill your potato canoes. Top with a little extra mozzarella cheese and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Don't you just want to dig into this little bit of decadence? I went right for the middle one with the slightly browned cheese on top.

Savory, Sweet and Sassy

I'm having too much fun cooking, thank goodness it's legal. I keep reading recipes from my internet friends that go on my list of "to do's" and lately I've become enchanted (well maybe obsessed- you know how I get) with the savory and sweet combo. About a week ago I made sriracha and brown sugar bacon which was to die for, really!! I will post that little wowser another time, but tonight I want to share this weekend's sweet/savory successes. And I have to thank Helene for her Authentic Deli Mac, and Carol for sharing her Individual Meat Loaves with Sassy Sauce. Both to die for, and both super easy and quick. Let's get started with the meatloaf.

Carol's Individual Meat Loaves in Jumbo Muffin Cups
The beauty of this recipe is that it's quicker than cooking a whole meatloaf and it's portion controlled. The other beauty is the sassy sauce that acompanies it. Oh my, the combination of flavors will just about knock you off your feet. And did I say it's easy? Oh yeah, I did.

Meatloaf
Makes 4 servings

3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup fat free half and half (milk was in the original recipe)
1 large egg
1 jalapeno pepper chopped small
1 tsp Worstershire sauce
2 T dehydrated mince onion
salt and pepper
1 pound hamburger (I used the leanest I could find)
2 mozzarella sticks sliced into 12 pieces

Sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
3 T yellow mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 T Brown Sugar Splenda Blend (or 3 T brown sugar)

I started by making my own bread crumbs in my spice mill.

In large bowl combine all ingredients except the meat and cheese.

Now add the meat and combine. And pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Divide your meat mixture into 4 portions and spritz your muffin tin with cooking spray and get ready to stuff these gigunda meat balls with the cheese chunks. I first thought 2 per loaf would work, but came to the realization I could sneak another one in there. The more cheese the better, agreed?

Close the meat mixture up and place in prepared muffin tin.

Set the meat loaves aside while you make the yummy sauce. This will be quick. In medium size bowl combine all ingredients.

Now spoon some of this deliciousness over your mini meat loaves and bake in oven for 30 minutes.

While these are cooking, warm extra sauce on your stove top on low. You're going to want to pour a little more on top of these babies when they are done. Doesn't this look good?

Let's make the macaroni now. Simple, simple. And the perfect accompaniment to this meatloaf.

Helene's Authentic Deli Mac
This is a (no longer) secret family recipe from a New York deli, sure to bring on the old taste bud memories

1/2 pound elbow macaroni (I used Dreamfield's low carb)
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar (Helene uses white vinegar, I didn't have any)
1/2 cup Splenda no calorie (regular sugar works of course)
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/2 T celery salt (I didn't have any so left it out, cant wait to get some for the next time I make this)
1-1/2 gobs of low fat mayo (Helene's terminology, it works)

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Heat vinegar and sugar on stove top until sugar dissolves. Pour vinegar/sugar mixture over cooked macaroni and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about a half hour to let the sweet/savory flavor combo sink in. Now add the rest of the ingredients and toss. Don't you want to dive in? I did.

Yes I did. I dove in a few times before I made this beautiful little plate for myself.

Simply fabulous ladies. As always, thanks for your help in the kitchen.

Oven Fried Sweet Potatoes with Sriracha Dip

When I first started this blog I wrote about my obsession with PF Changs' creamy, spicy Sriracha dipping sauce. I've more or less gotten over my obsession but still crave this yummy mayonnaise mixture a few times a month. And lately I've been making it without dragging out the blender (I'm getting lazy in my old age). Anyway, here's a great little appetizer or side dish you might want to try. It's ready in under and hour, and the sauce is almost as good as the original posted three years ago. By the way, Sriracha sauce can be found in the International aisle of most supermarkets. The brand that I buy is from Huy Fong Foods.

Oven Fried Sweet Potatoes
serves two

2 sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced into 24 pieces. I like to cut the potatoes in half, then slice each half into six pieces
2 T canola oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 onion powder

Creamy Sriracha Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1-1/2 T Sriracha sauce
1 scallion chopped
1/2 tsp horseradish

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl combine canola oil with dry spices. Add the sliced potatoes to the bowl and coat with oil mixture. Place on baking sheet covered with foil or parchment paper. Bake 20 minutes. Turn potatoes over and cook another 15 minutes or until done.

While potatoes are cooking, make the dipping sauce. Combine all ingredients and when potatoes are done, dig in and dip away.

Saucy

I made a saucy little dinner last night with the help of Lidia Bastianich, one of my favorite celebrity chefs and cookbook authors. Her cooking is always simple and ever-so flavorful, and reminds me of the way my mom used to effortlessly cook. Haddock's been on sale this week, so that was my fish of choice, but any white fish will do. I changed Lidia's recipe slightly and added a yummy roasted red pepper and caper tarter sauce (aioli), which turned out to be a great complement to the garlic and lemon flavored fish. This recipe serves four and it's definately company fare. I give it five stars.

Savory Bread Crumb Topped Baked Haddock with
Roasted Red Pepper, Lemon and Caper Aioli
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich

Fish
1-1/2 pounds haddock
1 tsp kosher salt
4 T extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup white wine (I used chardonnay)
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with a big chef's knife
1/2 cup seasoned (store-bought) bread crumbs
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
Fresh lemon slices for garnish

Sauce
1/2 roasted red pepper (I use Pastene jarred) chopped fine
3 tsp capers chopped fine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp jarred white horseradish
1/2 cup light mayonnaise

To make the fish: Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly salt the fish on both sides, using about 1/2 tsp in all. Pour 2 T of the olive oil, the lemon juice, white wine and an additional 1/4 tsp salt into a baking dish (I used a glass Pyrex) and whisk together well. Drop in the crushed garlic cloves and stir with the dressing. Lay the fish filets in the dish, turn and swish them around in the olive oil mixture so both sides are thoroughly moistened. Arrange them skin side down, in one layer. I tucked the crushed garlic under the fish so it wouldn't burn while cookin in the high temp oven.

Toss bread crumbs in a bowl with the lemon zest, cayenne pepper and remaining salt. Drizzle with 2 T olive oil and toss crumb mixture well until evenly moistened. Spoon the seasoned bread crumbs on top of the filets in an even layer. Bake uncovered until the crumbs are crisp and golden and the fish is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

To make the sauce: Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk until combined.


If time permits, make the sauce ahead of time. Refrigerate and let the flavors get to know one another and thicken a bit. I think you'll be very happy. I know that while writing this post, I nibbled on some microwaved leftovers and aioli, and I'm very pleased with last night's dinner.