Grilled Potato Packs

My husband forwarded me an email he got from Betty Crocker for some grilled potatoes.  He never searches for recipes, or pays that much attention to them.  So when he sent me this email, I took it as a hint.   I figured the next time we grilled, I would make these potatoes!  As luck would have it we had friends over for dinner just a couple days later.  They were bringing chicken to grill, so I had to come up with the side dishes and desserts.  These grilled potatoes were loved by everyone!  

This recipe would also be a great camping recipe.  You could add ground beef and green peppers, and have a complete meal.  If I camped, I would remember that for later.   But since, I don’t, I will just make them at home!  The original recipe calls for grilling them from start to finish.  I didn’t want to deal with that.  An hour on the grill when the chicken was going to take 15 minutes?  Not for me.  I par-cooked the potatoes ahead of time, so they just had to spend the last 20 minutes on the grill.  It worked great, you still got the crispy ones on the bottom where the foil was hitting the grill, but done so much quicker!   I will post the recipe the way I did it, but you can omit my step and just go straight for the grill if you prefer.

Grilled Smokey Cheddar Potato Packs

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Printable Recipe

4 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks

½ tsp salt

1 Tbls butter

1 Tbls Olive Oil

1 cup cheddar cheese

4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

¼ cup sliced green onions

In a large microwave safe dish heat the diced potatoes for 10 minutes, stirring after 5.  Place the potatoes a large sheet of heavy duty foil.  Toss them with the olive oil.  Sprinkle over the salt and bacon.  Dot with butter.  

Wrap the foil securely around potatoes.  Place over a hot grill for about 20 minutes, flipping half way.  Open up the foil, and top with cheese and onions.  Stir around to melt the cheese.   Serve straight from the foil pack.  Enjoy!

“Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.”

Zucchini Fritters

I struggle on a daily basis to get my family to eat vegetables.  Corn on the cob (which is borderline a vegetable) is about the only thing that flies.  Sometimes I get sneaky and put them in muffins and other things, so they can't be identified.  And I refuse to deep fry veggies to get them eaten, talk about defeating the point.  So I continue to put them out there, in hopes that one day they will get eaten.  In the mean time I will try recipes like this to see if they work.  It kind of did. 

So I refuse to deep fry, but put breadcrumbs on it and bake it is fair game.  And provide a dipping sauce....bonus!  I enjoyed these very much, but I like vegetables.  My husband who has taken probably one bite of zucchini in his life, actually ate the equivalent of half of a zucchini prepared this way.  My son......he had 2 before he decided he didn't like it.  But that was 2 more than ever before!   Last time I got him to try zucchini, it touched his tongue and it was an immediate this is gross, drinking milk to get it down, disaster.  So I am going to count this one as a win for me. 

Zucchini Fritters
Adapted from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking
Printable Recipe

1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbls Taco seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic salt
2 small zucchini

Sauce
1/4 cup sour cream (fat free)
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 ranch dressing (low fat)

In a bowl combine the buttermilk and egg substitute.  In another bowl combine breadcrumbs, panko, cheese, taco seasoning, and garlic salt.  I didn't realize this, but you can buy a tiny carton of buttermilk at the store for like $.39.  I was hesitant at first, because I didn't want a huge thing of buttermilk around that wouldn't get used.  But then I saw it was only $.39 - score!



Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch thick slices.



Dip zucchini into buttermilk, and then into breadcrumbs.  Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Spray the zucchini with cooking spray as well.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, turning half way.


For the sauce combine everything in a small bowl, and mix it together. 

Serve the fritters with the sauce for a great appetizer or a side dish with dinner. 

Summer Slaw and a Slew of Awards! Take Two

With blogger going down for awhile on Thursday this post was lost in cyberspace.  I did have the bulk of it stored elsewhere, so I can repost most of it.  The rest I will have to try to piece together. 

Summer is a busy time of year for everyone.  I always go into summer thinking we don't have that much planned, then the next thing I know summer is over, and almost every weekend was full!  Not sure how it happens, it just does.  With only 11 days left of school (oh my, not sure if I am ready for that), summer is almost here.  This has been a crazy week for weather here in Iowa.  It feels like July 4th weekend with the heat and humidity, not the spring weather that makes living in Iowa acceptable.  Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come!

This slaw recipe is a good one.  It is lighter, and just more summer friendly.  It is a vinegar and oil slaw - no mayo!  I think I have mentioned before how picky my family is.  This is one of very few veggies I can get my husband to eat.  And boy does he eat this!  And it takes about 2 minutes to put together, so you can't really go wrong.  It is great for summer BBQ's, and potlucks where food will be sitting out for awhile.  You don't have to worry about the mayo going bad.

Summer Slaw
Printable Recipe

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbls sugar
2 Tbls Canola Oil
1 bag coleslaw mix
1 tsp salt
Pepper

Mix the vinegar and the sugar together.



Whisk in the oil.



Add the coleslaw mix, salt, and a little pepper.



Toss to combine.




Let sit for about 20 minutes, for the flavors to combine before you serve.  Store any leftovers in the fridge, just as good the next day.

 

 

 

Next Up......The Awards 

This was not backed up - so I have to try to piece together who I gave the awards to.  If I missed adding you to this post, but I notified you - just let me know and I will go back and add your link.  I really don't want to shortchange anyone here - sorry!

I want to say a huge Thank You to Whiski Business who gave me these awards in the first place.  She is a relatively new blogger like myself, and has an amazing site.  She has already made the Top 9 - something I aspire to make....someday!  If you have not checked out her blog, you should!

If you received this award, you then need to pass it on to a few other worthy bloggers.  I think it was 10 people I was supposed to pass it on to. Link back to who gave it to you, saying something nice about them!  

The Baker Chick

Notes of a Foodie

Apron Strings Baking

Savour the Senses

The Country Cook

Four Points Foodie

Farrah

Apron Appeal

Kate From Scratch