More spuds! And what’s not to like about putting carbs in carbs! Yea, a potato pie with carbs nestled in more carbs and nope, I don’t regret a thing. This is delicious. A little sweet from the caramelized onions, salty from the machego cheese, hearty from the potatoes. Can be served on it’s own as a brunch dish or an appetizer, or as your carbohydrate along with meat and a salad.
(PS: don’t have manchego cheese? Asiago or Parmesan will serve you just fine too!)
Have you ever seen those Mini Brie Bites in the store (most regular stores seem to to carry them now, as does Trader Joes) and wondered what to do with them — I mean, besides just eating them in two bites? Well, this is one idea — Mini-brie Puffs. Absolutely phenomenal warm appetizer. If you keep caramelized onions at the ready (which I do), these come together in under an hour and make a lasting impression. Even if you can’t find mini-bries, you can just cut a wedge to pieces and use those instead. Definitely keeping these ingredients at the ready in case anyone pops in.
Hand pies or Pasties are one of my favorite things — Quite easy to make, delicious fresh, but also freeze well. One is great as a snack, two is great for lunch. I often have a number of different kinds in the freezer, but these potato leek and cheddar ones are pretty close to being my favorite. Make sure to seal them well, otherwise the filling goes everywhere but staying inside.
Sometimes when I am in Maine, I can be found in the woods, foraging for things, be it blackberries or mushrooms. I have been foraging for chanterelle mushrooms since I was a young child, so please don’t follow my lead on doing this activity unless you know what you are doing. Then again, making these turnovers is highly recommended. They are delicious with all sorts of mushrooms, including ones that you find at the shops or farmers markets. I made them with the intent to be appetizers, but they’d also be great as lunch, a light dinner, or even a breakfast or brunch item. They are buttery and savory and a little bit bacony — all good things for me!
Sometimes you just need to pull something together for a BBQ, potluck or having friends over to watch a game or movie. Enter this Pantry-Friendly Nacho Skillet Dip. I’m guessing many of you may already have some, if not all, of these ingredients in the house, and many of them are canned so shelf-stable and easy to keep on hand. Simple, and I mean super-simple, to pull together and stays hot for quite a while in the cast iron skillet. If you have leftover, they heat up really well in the oven as well.