Twice baked and smothered; now that's a potato!

Potatoes are a versatile root vegetable; they can be eaten alone and in so many ways: mashed, boiled, fried, steamed, baked, au gratin, scalloped...you get the idea. They can also be combined with other vegetables for a medley or with a protein (beef, chicken, pork) in a stew or casserole. Twice baked potatoes (baked potatoes, insides scooped out, combined with other ingredients, returned to the skins and baked again) usually have some mixture of cheese, sometimes bacon, in them.

I have never tried making twice baked potatoes from scratch before. I have tried the ones sold in the freezer section of the supermarket, and they are usually pretty disgusting; no matter the brand. The skins are tough and the insides are dry and tasteless. I gave myself the challenge and believe I have won with this recipe.

Twice Baked Smothered Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes

2 Tbsp butter

¼ cup each diced green and red bell peppers, diced onions

1 Tbsp minced garlic

3 Tbsp each sour cream and warmed milk

1 cup cheese mixture (equal parts shredded cheddar and Swiss and crumbled goat cheese)

 ½ tsp each salt and ground black pepper

¼ cup crumbled bacon

Pinch of ground cayenne pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450F.  Wash potatoes; make ¼” deep incision down center length of each potato, wrap in aluminum foil and bake in oven for one hour.  Remove potatoes and let cool until they can be easily handled, but are still warm.  

While potatoes are cooling, melt butter, on medium heat, in small skillet; sauté bell peppers, onion and garlic until just beginning to soften; set aside.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise (use ¼” incision as a guide); scoop out insides, but leave a ¼” layer against the skin.  Place potato insides in a large bowl; add in sautéed vegetables and other ingredients.  Mix together thoroughly; mixture will be chunky; if a smoother filling is desired, mash the insides with the sour cream and warmed milk first, then add remaining ingredients.

Fill the potato skins and place in a 3 qt rectangular baking dish; place back in 450F oven for 15-20 minutes; until tops are browned. **

Makes 8 servings.

**Option: instead of filling potato skins, spoon mixture into buttered 2 qt baking dish, bake as instructed and serve as a side dish.

Mary Cokenour              

You don't deserve this break, so stay away.

McDonald's

Hwy 160
PO Box 1470
Kayenta, AZ 86033

(928) 697-8169

Website: www.mcdonalds.com

This review is short and definitely not sweet.

Unfortunately, if you're traveling from Utah to the Grand Canyon on a Sunday morning, and looking for a little breakfast to tide you over; Kayenta gives you a choice of this place or another fast food place. We chose McDonald's and it is definitely set up to trap "tourists".

The prices are much higher here and the food is actually smaller in size than usual; so getting your money's worth is not their policy. Service was very slow; and while clean inside, the exterior had a pest problem.

When entering or exiting the building, or just standing by your vehicle, don't be surprised to be approached by males, obviously intoxicated, panhandling. We were approached and we watched as it happened to many others. We were there almost an hour and no employee from McDonald's asked these men to leave the premises. Not a safe environment.

Mary Cokenour

Update your own recipes to keep it new.

Basically, anyone who cooks has their own "recipe book", whether it's kept in an actual book, on a computer, recipe cards, or just scraps of paper, we like to know what we've cooked and how to repeat it. Many cooks use the same recipe always and never think to alter it in any way; and sometimes that's the way it should be depending on the recipe. Some recipes are meant to be played with; they invite our imagination and creativity.

Back on January 31st, I posted my Basic Meatloaf recipe, and even gave ideas on how to alter it. Well, this weekend I played with it once again, and hubby and I both swear that it's the best I've ever come up with. Totally simple, totally awesome in texture and taste.

So, into a very large mixing bowl, I first put in my 4 lbs of lean ground beef (for 2 loaves). Now chunky salsa (medium heat) was on sale at the local market and I picked up a couple of jars; I added one jar (15.5 oz) to the mixing bowl. I opened up the cabinet door to get the dried Italian seasoned bread crumbs, but sitting next to it was a bag of seasoned bread cubes to make stuffing. There was only 2 cups left in the bag and I figured....why not? So into the bowl that went with 1 cup of milk; and a good thorough hand mixing; covered the bowl with plastic wrap and waited 15 minutes.

Preheating the oven at 375F, I sprayed 2 - 1 and 1/2 qt baking dishes with nonstick cooking spray; uncovered the bowl and divided the mixture evenly in half. When taking out each portion, I noticed that the mixture stayed together well, didn't try to come apart and I formed the loaves easily in the baking dishes. I then gave each loaf a good coating of ketchup, popped them in the oven for 30 minutes; I gave each loaf another coating of ketchup before letting the loaves cook for another 45 minutes. Removing each loaf from the dish was an easier task than usual; they usually crack and break apart even if using two large spatulas, but not this time.

Then came the cutting and tasting; the slicing was so easy; again, no cracking, breaking or crumbling. The taste...the sweetness from the ketchup glaze, a little heat from the salsa, but you could really taste the peppers and onion. Here and there a bread cube was visible, but the meat was moist...it was addictive and hard to stop eating it. Amazing, simply amazing meatloaf.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next altered recipe was to a one pan meal I make with Ramen noodles,
Oriental Chicken, Vegetables and Noodles which I originally posted on April 15th.

I basically used the same recipe, but made these changes:

Instead of stir fry vegetables, I used 1 bag (12oz) thawed peas and carrot and 1 can (15 oz) baby corn. At the end of cooking, I quickly stirred in 2 beaten eggs to give the dish richness and shine. Absolutely delicious!

So there you go, a little alteration to two separate recipes which creates something a little more awesome for the dinner plate. Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

A One Pan Meal when projects overwhelm.

Currently I am trying to sort through years of digital photographs...pets, people, vacations, neighborhoods and miscellaneous.  Roy took all the photos off my hard drive, put them on to DVDs, but without sorting them into folders with names that made any sense.  So, I need to upload each DVD one at a time, copy the photos back onto my computer, name or delete photos, put in properly named folders and try not to go insane.  When this is all done, they will be downloaded onto new DVDs and stored for safe keeping.

"Honey, what's for dinner?"  Seriously....I mean seriously!!!!

So the options are, "whatever you want to make", "go get take out", "starve!!!" or "fine, I'll make something".  I made life easier for myself and made a one pan dinner that is easy and delicious....Smothered Chicken.  I used only a bit of cayenne in the dish, so while the heat could still be felt in the back of the throat, it was mild and comforting. 

Smothered Chicken

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2 inch pieces
4 Tbsp butter, divided in half
¼ tsp each of ground black pepper and paprika
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 cup each chopped yellow bell pepper, onion and tomatoes
2 cups long grain rice
4 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp turmeric
2 Tbsp crushed dried parsley

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium-high heat, brown chicken in 2 Tbsp of butter; season with black pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. Remove from skillet; add in 2 remaining Tbsp of butter and sauté bell pepper and onion until just beginning to soften.

Add in rice and stir to coat with buttered peppers and onion; mix in broth, soy sauce, turmeric and parsley; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add in tomatoes and return chicken to skillet. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Elk Burgers, Sirloin Steak and Fish...oh my!!!

This 4th of July weekend was one of quality time - adventures away for the home, barbecuing food up for the family, and doing something I have put off for way too long - cleaning out the garden shed.

Saturday was a day out to Durango, Colorado; a relaxing drive through the mountains, a visit to an Italian eatery (see yesterday's review of Guido's) and just strolling along the streets of historic Durango.

Sunday was a very long day for us both; a 4 1/2 hour drive to Flagstaff, Arizona for lunch before heading off on scenic Route 180 to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Yes, I said the Grand Canyon, and folks around here are amazed, for some strange reason, that it is only a 4 hour drive from our area if you travel directly there. This was the second time we'd visited in a year, the first time was cool and sunny; this time it rained a bit, so it was cold, yet exhilarating.  I took over 200 photos on this little trip (we traveled through Monument Valley also - Doctor Who alert - this was the area the Doctor started this season's first show in), and I'll be posting a few of those at a later date.

Monday, for us Americans, was the 4th of July holiday; the day we celebrate our declaration of independence from the British realm.  It was a quiet day in the neighborhood and likewise in the evening; very few fireworks were set off.  I spent the morning doing a task I'd  promised myself would get done, no matter what...cleaning out the garden shed.  Actually, it only took me about 3 hours to accomplish; not as much junk as I'd originally thought was inside; it became more of an organization task.

Then the cooking began of much of the food I'd prepped on Saturday evening.

Elk Burgers

1 lb ground Elk

1 lb 80% lean ground beef

1 tsp each ground black pepper and onion powder

3 Tbsp Worchestshire sauce

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl; form patties (1/2 inch thick) and keep separated with squares of wax paper.  Place in refrigerator.

When ready to barbeque; set heat of grill to 300F.  Grill burgers for 5 minutes on each side.

Makes 5 burgers.

Sirloin Steaks

All I did for these beauties is rub both sides of the steaks with a no-salt seasoning mixture, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to grill.  I used the same temperature as the Elk burgers (300F); 7 minutes on each side.  There were 4 steaks, each a 1/2 inch thick.

Steamed Fish

I had a 2 lb package of frozen Swai filets, so I simply seasoned them with a sprinkle of salt and crushed dill; dashed lemon juice over all.  Then I placed them inside an aluminum foil grilling bag, placed it on the top rack of the barbeque and let them cook for 20 minutes.  Perfect.

Roy enjoys a good grilled hotdog, so a package of 8 Ball Park Angus Beef hotdogs went on the grill for his snacking pleasure.

All that protein!!!  But I did veggies too.

Grilled Root Veggies

Take one pound each of butternut squash and sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed), 1 lb of fingerling potatoes, a large onion chopped, thinly sliced garlic (4 cloves), 1 cup olive oil and 1 Tbsp sea salt; mix together and place in aluminum foil grilling bag.  Now this has to go on the top rack of the barbeque, set at 300F, for one hour; so plan your grilling to accomodate the cooking time.

Grilled Mixed Veggies

3 each of baby green zucchini and yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch slices; 1 lb of large mushrooms (quartered), 2 packages of sweet mini bell peppers (tops removed and cut in half lengthwise), 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning mix. 

Mix all ingredients together and place in aluminum grilling bag.  Place on top rack of barbeque and let cook for 20 minutes.

....and there you go, the Cokenour 4th of July Family BBQ Feast.

Mary Cokenour

Guido's is Upscale Italian in Durango.

Guido's

1201 Main Avenue (corner 12th St and Main Ave)
Durango, CO, 81301

(970)259-5028
Fax: (970) 259-5029

Website: www.guidosfavoritefoods.com/

Guido's is located in the Historic section of Durango, Colorado; the main floor of a modern building of apartments. There is a patio section outside, but we opted to sit inside, so we could get a good look at the deli area, and shelves of food stuffs for sale.

We were able to find tubs of mascarpone cheese (17.5 oz for $12.98), dried pastas and many other specialties. However, this was very far from the typical deli/restaurant one would expect in the Little Italy section of New York City or Philadelphia. It reminded me more of an upper East side restaurant where more posh clientele would dine; not folks like ourselves who were dressed in jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. So, if you're looking for a more upscale Italian restaurant, Guido's is for you.

Since we were there, we decided to sit in the dining area anyway, and try out a couple of menu items. I opted for the Italian Meatball sandwich; the meatballs were most definitely real and delicious; not the typical frozen rubbery type many places use. The sauce was awesome, and I used the toasted bread to sop it all up. The corn salad contained cut up cherry tomatoes, onions and chunks of Gorgonzola cheese (a much stronger version of bleu cheese).

Hubby had the Guido's Specialty Panini with Italian meats and cheese; freshly sliced meats, rich cheese and the bread was toasted perfectly and buttery. He had the pasta salad as his side; bow tie pasta with spicy pepperoni.

While the food was very good, the prices ($11.95 per entree) were a bit steep for a sandwich plus one side; making Guido's definitely a more upscale restaurant.

Mary Cokenour

Ponderosa is no Bonanza.

Ponderosa Restaurant

108 S. 8^th Street and Hwy 145

Dolores, CO, 81323

(970) 882-7910

Website: N/A

A year ago we tried the Ponderosa Restaurant; it was a typical small town diner, friendly service, decent food.  Funny how things can change in just a year, and last night was a perfect example.  We arrived around 5pm and found only one other table being occupied; the hostess told us to sit anywhere we liked and brought us menus.  I’d heard a commercial on the radio about the Country Fried Steak (salad, mashed potatoes with cream pepper gravy), so had already decided beforehand to order that; however, when we arrived we were told that the night’s special was Spaghetti and Meatballs.   My hubby ordered the Sirloin Steak with salad and mashed potatoes with brown gravy; the vegetable of the day was whole kernel corn. 

The Salad bar is small, but adequate if having a side salad with a meal; if ordering the salad bar as a meal though, it is rather lacking with choices.

Our meals came out quickly; we were only half way through our salads, so hurriedly finished them, so we could eat our meals while still hot.  The mashed potatoes were smooth, but utterly tasteless and we could tell they were from an instant, not homemade.  The cream gravy was either from a packet or a jar, very thick and was already congealing on top of the potatoes when served.  The corn was canned and overcooked; at least the roll was warm and soft.  The country fried steak was very thin and tender, and while the crust was nicely crisped, the meat itself did not taste fresh.

The sirloin steak was cooked properly and tender, but there was very little grill flavor; nothing to brag about.  The brown gravy was similar to a thin beef stock with no seasoning.  Mashed potatoes and corn were the same as those served with my meal.

Considering only one other couple came in after us, the waitress was very quick to remove our plates as soon as the utensils were put down.  We were given our bill and not even asked if we’d like anything else.  We asked for another cup of coffee though and it was the hostess who served us, not our waitress.

Now we overheard the waitress speaking with the other couple; twice the gentleman asked how many meatballs came with the special.  All the waitress would tell him was, “Quite a few”.  Now that is certainly not a proper answer, especially if on a portion restricted diet, or a person who cannot eat a big meal.  Then again, the word “few” refers to three or more, so what “few” means to one person may not be the same to another.  Later on the cook himself came out to chat with the couple who turned out to be locals.  He was relating to them how he had been working in the kitchen for 30 days straight without a day off.    Perhaps this would explain the substandard food; was he suffering from burnout?

On another note, the women’s restroom was not in a clean state; debris on the floor, black mold on the wall behind the sinks and no locks on the stalls.  Considering it was only 5pm and they close at 9pm, one would think the bathrooms would be checked regularly and maintained.

Our basic decision was, maybe we’ll go back in a year again, and see what has changed, if anything, or maybe not.

Mary Cokenour