Mexican Style Twice Baked Potatoes

I've already shared my love of the old school twice baked potato. Today I wanted to jazz it up a bit, so I decided to try a Mexican version. I added chorizo, cilantro, and pepper jack cheese and voila! A spicy twice baked potato is born. It's a slightly spicy version of the original that we really like. here's what you'll need:

  • 8 russet potatoes
  • 1/2 and 1/2 (at least 1/4 C, maybe more)
  • 1 stick butter
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • cooked chorizo (1/4 to 1/2 cup) 
  • chopped fresh cilantro
  • pepper jack cheese

Follow the directions for twice baked potatoes. After you've added the 1/2 and 1/2 and gotten creamy potatoes, stir in about 1/2 cup of cooked chorizo and stir to combine.

Stir in a tablespoon or so of cilantro. 

Add the filling to the potato skins. 

mexican twice baked potatoes

Top with pepper jack cheese and bake until hot and yummy. 

Once again I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. This is the only sad potato left, but I think you can still get the idea. 

Enjoy! 

Lynn

Scalloped Potatoes

This is Mom's recipe, although it's not really a recipe as much as it is an assembly. The ingredients are basic and you probably have them on hand any day of the week, although I will confess to having to go to the store for milk today. Total bummer, but worth it in the end. When we were kids, scalloped potatoes and ham were a favorite meal. This is basically that dish without the ham and served as a side. They are creamy, buttery and wonderful. I'm partial to the top layer that has a little bit of a crispy bite. The is the most basic variety, but it's easy to change it up by adding in some veggies or cheese or meat. It's good with roasted poblanos and fontina, or cheddar and ham, or proscuitto and mozzarella and fresh basil. Once you master the basic recipe, the sky is the limit on the different varieties you can make.  Here's what you'll need:

  • Yukon gold potatoes
  • butter
  • flour
  • milk
  • salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

One of the most important things about making theses potatoes is to try to make all the slices the same thickness so that they cook evenly. I use a mandolin which cuts them exactly the thickness I set it for and it's about ten times faster than doing it by hand. Just be really careful about your hand while you're using it. It's not a time saver if you cut yourself and have to go to the hospital... 

After you've sliced all your potatoes, it's time to start layering. Spray your casserole with nonstick spray and arrange your first layer of potatoes. You'll want them to overlap and if your potatoes are really thin like these, go ahead and do 2 layers.  

Next, season that layer with salt and pepper. It's important to season each layer as you go. 

Now sprinkle with flour. You want to have a light layer of flour covering the potatoes. 

Now dot with butter. I cut about a teaspoon off of the stick, then pinch little pieces off and drop on the flour. 

Just keep repeating those layers until you've used all the potato slices. 

Now pour on the milk. You want enough milk so that you can see it just below the top layer of potatoes. 

Place the casserole on a foil lined baking sheet. Don't skip this step. Almost every time I make these, some of it boils over and you don't want that mess in your oven. Place the pan in the oven, uncovered, for about an hour. I say about because it's going to depend on how thick your slices are and how many layers you have. You can check for doneness by sticking a fork in them like you would a baked potato. 

When they are fork tender and golden on the top, take them out of the oven. At this point, you basically have a pot full of molten hot lava, so be very careful. Wait at least 15 minutes before you serve them.  

Enjoy! 

Lynn

Champagne Vinaigrette Potato Salad

wanted to serve potato salad with my beer brined grilled chicken, but I wanted it to be a little different. I decide to cook the potatoes on the grill and then I used a champagne vinaigrette dressing instead of mayonnaise. I couldn't stop eating it. Here's what you'll need:

  • mall red potatoes (I use 4 per person)
  • champagne vinaigrette
  • 2 TBL fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Wash the potatoes and add them to the top shelf of a preheated grill. Let them cook (325 degrees) for about an hour or until cooked through. Remove the potatoes from the grill and cut them into bite sized pieces. Depending on the size, you should get 4-6 pieces per potato. Put them in a bowl and drizzle with the champagne vinaigrette until all the potatoes are well coated. Add chopped fresh parsley and rosemary, then salt and pepper to taste.​

The potatoes have a nice smoky flavor from the grill and the skins are almost a little crunchy. All I can say is that I should have made more. I will be making them again...​

Enjoy,​

Lynn