Kicking off “Potato Week” in my little attempt to create some January enthusiasm, here we have crispy and fluffy Sea Salt + Vinegar Smashed Potatoes. Yeah, sure — first you have to boil the mini-potatoes and then bake them and THEN finally, spritz them with a bit of malt vinegar, but OMG are these good. If you aren’t a malt vinegar type of person, you can skip that part, but don’t skimp on the sea salt. I didn’t make any dipping sauces (ketchup worked just fine), but I could see a sour-cream and chive, a curry ketchup or ranch-mayo deal. Find the smallest potatoes possible — these were a little smaller than a ping pong ball. Little red or yellows both work. Yum Yum!
veggies
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.
Yes, I know that I am sometimes known for my unique flavor combinations, but hear me out because these are great, if you can find the ingredients. Pumpkin Butter Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Crumble Bars definitely need to be part of your autumn dessert or snack repertoire. Pumpkin butter can be bought (seasonally) at Trader Joe’s (online as well, and I have seen in some other specialty shops) and cinnamon chips are made by Hershey’s and I have found them (also in autumn) at Stop and Shop, Walmart and some other regular food shops where you normally would find the chocolate chips. They are a great little alternative to making a whole pumpkin pie and would also great on a cookie or snack platter. I was skeptical of the pumpkin butter, but it’s surprisingly good.
I seem to be on a little bit of a “side-dish” tangent these days. There is such an abundance of yummy veg at the farmers market. These here are just your run of the mill green beans , but I made this “bacon panko crunch” that make it both textually different and bacony. And what’s not to love about bacony, right?