Category: “GUY” FOOD

IRISH PUB STYLE POTATO NACHOS serves 4

I had these recently at an Irish Pub and they were SOOO good!.  They are like regular nachos but instead of tortilla chips, they use crispy fried potato slices!

3-4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped bacon
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 large tomato chopped and drained
scant 1/4 cup avocado oil
sour cream

POTATO preparation

• Slice potatoes in half.
• Slice each half into 1/4″ thick slices.
• Place potato slices in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes.
• Drain WELL and dry potatoes with paper towel.
• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Toss potatoes with avocado oil.
• Place on a parchment lined pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until browned and crispy.
• Season with FRESH ground sea salt immediately.
Drain on paper towels.
• While potatoes are baking, cook bacon and render fat.
• Drain bacon on paper towels.

NACHOS preparation

• Increase oven to 475°.
In a bowl, combine cheese, most of the bacon and half of the green onions.
• Layer half of the potatoes in an oven proof skillet or the same baking tray.
• Top with half of the cheese mixture.
• Top with another layer of potatoes.
• Top with remaining cheese mixture.

• Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted through.
• Remove from oven and top with remaining green onions, bacon and dollops of sour cream.

BACON WRAPPED SPAM BITES

PREP & COOK TIME 30 MINUTES – yields 32 bites

1 pound bacon (16 strips, cut in half)
12 ounce can SPAM, cut into 32 pieces
1/3 cup mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
32 Heavy toothpicks

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Cook bacon until a good deal of the fat is rendered, but bacon is NOT crisp and is still pliable. Drain on paper toweling until cool enough to work with.
• Wrap a bacon strip around each spam cube, securing with a toothpick. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Whisk together the mustard, maple syrup and garlic.
• Drizzle over baked cubes and return to the oven for another 10 minutes until bacon is crisp.

NOTE: If you’re not a SPAM fan, cubes of country ham can easily be substituted.

BUFFALO MAC & CHEESE NESTS
2 cups elbow pasta
2 cups small chopped rotisserie chicken pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/3 cup BBQ sauce or Frank’s Original hot sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Wondra flour
3/4 cup milk
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
slices thin provolone cheese
finely chopped red onion for garnish (optional)
finely minced crumbled crisp bacon for garnish (optional)

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Cook pasta al dente’ per package directions.
• Spray mini-muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.

 

• In a saucepan melt butter.
• Add Wondra and combine until golden.
• Whisk in milk until smooth.
• Add Colby Jack cheese and stir until smooth.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add pasta and stir to coat.
• Press 2 tablespoons into each muffin tin.

 

• In a mixing bowl combine chicken, garlic, shallot and BBQ sauce.
• Spoon a small amount over each pasta mound.
• Add a small thin slice of provolone over each mound.
• Bake until golden, 12-15 minutes.

SAUCE
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce or Frank’s original Hot sauce
1 cup bleu cheese dressing
2 tablespoons half and half

• Blend all together a dribble over each prepared nest.

NOTE: When using a soft cheese like Mozzarella in a recipe of this type there is a secret to keep it from just melting into a GLOB of gooey mess in your pasta.  The secret?  Cut it into very small pieces and freeze it for 30 minutes before adding it to your sauce.  It will incorporate into your pasta perfectly after that.

I have MANY MANY versions of mac & cheese.  One for every mood 😀

ALTERNATIVE FLAVORS for the MAC & CHEESE:

CAJUN MAC & CHEESE slow cooker version – serves 8
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs*
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (I like Slap your MAMA)
1/2 teaspoon Frank’s original hot sauce
1/2 pound andouille sausage, halved and sliced into half moons
1 small red pepper, seeded, stemmed and diced
1 LARGE shallot, diced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 1/2 cups bowtie pasta
1/2 cup shredded gouda cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
+/- 1/3 cup milk

• Combine chicken, Cajun seasoning and hot sauce in slow cooker, tossing to coat chicken well.
• Add sausage, red pepper, shallot and broth, stirring to combine.
• Cover and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours.
• Stir in pasta Cover and cook 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
• Turn off slow cooker and remove insert from heat.
• Top with cheeses (DO NOT STIR IT IN), recover and let sit 5 minutes until melted.
• Add milk and stir to desired consistency.

NOTE:

• 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken can easily be substituted for the chicken thighs. If using rotisserie chicken, add pieces at the same time as the pasta.

BUFFALO RANCH MAC & CHEESE #2 SLOW COOKER version
1 pound rotini pasta
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 cup Frank’s original hot sauce
1 ounce Hidden Valley Ranch dressing powder
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
milk

• Combine the pasta, celery, carrots, onions, hot sauce and ranch dressing mix in the slow cooker.
• Stir in broth, cover and cook on high 1 1/2-2 hours or until liquid is absorbed.
• Remove from heat.
• Top with cheese DO NOT STIR IT IN)and let sit until melted, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in cheese, adding enough milk to reach desired consistency.

NOTE: Rotisserie chicken makes a nice protein for this dish. Add it during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

TEX MEX MAC & CHEESE serves 4
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 small green pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon avocado oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 pound ground beef
2 cusp beef broth
2 cups tomato sauce
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can Green Giant shoepeg corn
FRESH ground sea salt & black pepper
2 cups shredded Jack cheese or Mexican blend
2 tablespoons FRESH cilantro

• Heat oil in large skillet/saute’ pan.
• Add onion and bell pepper, stirring occasionally and cooking until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and chili powder, cooking until fragrant.
• Crumble beef into pan, cooking until pink is gone.
• Add beef broth, tomato sauce and pasta, simmering over medium heat 9-12 minutes until pasta is tender.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in corn, chiles and half the cheese.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese, cover and let sit 3-5 minutes until melted.
• Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

CHILI MAC & CHEESE
1 pound ground beef
16 ounces penne or bowtie pasta
2 tablespoons Wondra flour
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground sea salt
4 cups beef broth
2 cups salsa
1-2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

• In a large skillet brown beef over medium high heat.
• Drain off fat.
• Add beef to slow cooker.
• Sprinkle flour, salt and chili powder over beef and toss to coat.
• Add pasta.
• Stir in beef broth, cover and cook 1 1/2-2 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally.
• Stir in salsa.
• Top with cheese (DO NOT STIR IT IN) cover and let sit until cheese is melted.
• Stir cheese in gently.

BUTTERMILK RANCH DIP adapted from Christina Tosi
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup dried chives
3 tablespoons FRESH ground Himalayan Pink sea salt
1 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons Colman’s mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 limes, zested
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk

• In a small bowlmix together all the dry ingredients.
• Add lime zest.
• Whisk together the sour cream and buttermilk in a medium bowl.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients until well blended.
• Chill at least 4 hours to meld flavors together.

NOTE: DO NOT USE lowfat anything in this recipe!!