Tocha Taters

Tocha means Happy Tea

And I received 6 lovely canisters of very happy tea indeed.

The fact that Tocha Organic Tea is certified organic, pure, and blended to support a holistic lifestyle, is just the tip of the iceberg of reasons why I have fallen in love with this tea. Their philosophy not only encompasses your wellness, in mind and body (based on a belief that food and medicine come from the same source), but maintains a responsibility to mother nature and the earth as a whole.

Drinking tea is a very soothing experience in general, but after reading the story behind Tocha Tea, a sense of peace and wellness found it's way into my cup.

But I don't want to just tell you how good your cup of tea will be. Or how good you'll feel drinking it. That's your own personal experience to discover. I want to share an unusual tea experience,

Through food.

Through one of my favorite foods, to be more precise.

Let me introduce you to tea seasoned potatoes.

Yes, I used Tocha Green Defense Tea as a seasoning. Once ground up, the tea became a wonderful rub that added a subtle, slightly earthy flavor to my potatoes. I chose the Green Defense Tea based on its aroma. I wanted something that wasn't too floral or sweet. If I were using it in a dessert, such as cupcakes or something of that sort, floral would be perfect. What I needed was something more savory.

My recipe is lose in measurements and only uses a few ingredients, but I'll give you some guidelines. The rest is up to you, based on taste.

Tocha Taters

4 or 5 potatoes
2 or 3 bags of Tocha Green Defense Tea
1 or 2 tablespoons of oil (I used duck fat)
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375' F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. I roasted mine in a cast iron skillet.

Remove the tea from the bags and place in a small food processor or spice-designated coffee grinder. Pulse and grind until the tea becomes a fine powder.

Cut the potatoes into chunks and place in a medium bowl. Pour the oil over the potatoes and toss until coated. Sprinkle desired amount the ground tea, tossing to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roast for about 30 - 45 minutes, or until golden brown and tender. Serve hot.

 And there you have it. Delicious and unusual potatoes seasoned with a a tea that is just as beautiful inside as it is outside.

I was not compensated for this post,  All opinions are my own.

1 Potato, 2 Potato, 3 Potato, Crash!

Raise your hand if you've at least heard of these awesome babies....Crash Hot Potatoes

One....two...three...four....ya, quit a lot of you. Which doesn't surprise me since they are sooooo good! The first time I heard about them was a little over a year ago in one of the discussion forums over at BakeSpace. BobtheDude (actually, Bob is one of his cat's name...thats just the screen name he uses in BakeSpace) from CookingStuff was talking about them and how "wicked good" they are. He had heard about them from The Pioneer Woman / Cooking

Well...with that kind of review, I knew they were a must try!

And you know? I was not disappointed. In. The. Least! They are amazingly good... flexible in flavors and just way too much fun to make and eat.

I'm sure there are lots of posts about these potato wonders....but I have a fun, simple twist at the end...so stay tuned. I don't think you'll be sorry you did.

Get several potatoes....try and use ones that are about the same size

I usually use those yummy little red potatoes but this time I had some nice yukon golds that I found on sale.

Boil them in salted water until they are fork tender....how long? shoot, I didn't pay attention. Just keep an eye on them. But don't over do it. You don't want mush

Get out some goodies....olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic

Maybe even some bacon bits and onions

What ever you wanna see on your tater

Line them up on a well oiled cookie sheet

Then get out your potato masher or you can use the bottom of a glass and crash them taters

Oh ya....make a mess. A controlled mess cuz you wanna keep them as individual servings...but in a messy way

Now get out those goodies and season your crashed potatoes. Oil or butter, salt and pepper....etc

Btw...now is not the time to add sour cream. Cheese maybe but I didn't do that this time

Put them in a very hot 450' oven for about 20 or so minutes....until you have crispy edges and the taters are golden grown

And you end up with the loveliest, most tasty mess that just promises to satisfy any potato carb craving you could possibly have.

And when you make them I HIGHLY (I cannot stress "highly" enough) recommend that you make extra (and maybe hide them so they don't disappear) cuz you know what?

These Crash Hot Potatoes are awesome for breakfast

Reheated

With a scrambled egg tossed on top

Now thats a breakfast I really look forward to.

Although I have to apologize for the horrible color in this picture....I had the camera on the wrong setting.

That'll teach me to take pictures before my morning coffee.

Printable Version (as seen in BobtheDude's BakeSpace Kitchen): Crash Hot Potatoes

Potato Soup Through the Ages

Comfort.

Simple, tasty, and full of memories.

This is one of those recipes I've had since I moved out....long long ago. A recipe I called my Nana to get. Back in the day when there was no such thing as nationwide calling. You better believe I got charged for every minute I was on that phone. Tediously writing down the ingredients and directions and asking questions as we went along.

Nana was so patient and thorough. I just love my Nana. I think I'll give her a call tomorrow and tell her so.

Now, I have to admit, this isn't her exact recipe. Not that there is anything wrong with Nana's recipe...but you know how it is. We just can't leave well enough along. We have to play with it and tweak it and make it our own. And I'm not saying that my variation is by any means better. It's just different.

I don't have a recipe with exact measurements. Sorry....just wing it. You'll be fine. It's a very forgiving recipe. I'll try and guide you in the right direction though.

First off, I got about 6 slices of bacon, chopped 'em up and fried them in the pot I planned on using for the soup

Remove the bacon (set aside for garnishing later) and leave enough fat in the pan to saute a chopped onion and a chopped celery stalk. Towards the end of the sauteing, add in a minced garlic clove. Mean while, peel and dice several potatoes. About 5 or 6, depending on the size. Add the potatoes to the onions and celery. 

Add enough chicken stock to the pot to cover the potatoes by about an inch

Add some seasoning.....a bay leaf, a bit of salt....maybe 1/4 tsp. of cumin....a dash of worchestershire sauce. Allow to simmer until the potatoes are done....but not mushy.

While thats going on, get some other goodies ready.....some broccoli, dice up about 4 oz of cheese. I used sharp cheddar and some swiss. (ya...it's that lunch sandwich version of swiss which is NOTHING like "real" swiss which might be why I like it cuz I'm not a swiss fan.) My sister likes to use velveeta.

I know....thats cumin and a bay leaf there, which are already in the soup. Don't worry about it. I'm just not writing this in the order of my pictures. I got ahead of myself or something.

Ok...so the potatoes are tender (not mushy)....time to take some (not all) of them out and set aside

Remove the bay leaf

If you have one....get out your handy dandy immersion blender (or tater masher or pour it into a blender or something)

And blend away!! Cream those taters...mash em up baby!

Once that task is done to your liking....add some broccoli

And Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese

Stir it up...and cook until the broccoli is tender and the cheese is melted

Return the potatoes that you had set aside to the pot

Season with white pepper

Were you ever told that you should season soup with white pepper instead of black pepper? Anyone know why?

Now give it a taste. Season with some salt and more pepper if needed. Garnish with cheese, green onions, sour cream and the bacon you cooked earlier....

and enjoy a wonderful bowl of what my daughter describes as "a twice baked potato in a bowl"

Which is very filling and satisfying 

Although I was only able to eat half the bowl before I was extremely full. 

But there might have been a reason that is totally unrelated to soup. Other than I enjoyed it while i was cooking my soup. 

Have you ever had or seen that strawberry / banana juice that's sold in the market along side the orange juice? 

Well, I finally found the reason for its existence.

One must mix it with Malibu Coconut Rum prior to consumption. 

Eat, Drink and Be Happy!

One last thing, then I'll let you go. I've entered my Potato Soup in the Souper Sunday fun that goes on over at Debs from Kahakai Kitchen. Check out her blog this Sunday and see all the other yummies that she has going on.

Southwestern Stuffed Potatoes

The other day I called one of my closest friends to see if she wanted to go to Vallarta with me. (thats the name of my favorite Mexican market). Little did I know that she had never been!! Well...did we have fun! I've been there a gazillion times but this time was the most fun ever. I got to see it from the perspective of a newbie. She was in awe. We walked every isle and stopped and looked and saw and explored. It was a blast.

And both of us bought things that we've never bought before. Like this:

Salvadoran Chorizo....Aren't those babies beautiful?! Oh man and if you could smell them! The spices....UN  FRIGGIN REAL!!! Ya, next time I go...I buying lots more of them.

So, now what do I do with them? I searched the web. And hardly found anything. I looked on Food Network....natta! They didn't have anything on there with Salvadoran Chorizo. Hmmm.....think think think.

Well, I did find this cool little video of Aida (from Food Network) making Mexican Potato Skins. Looking back at the video, what she calls Mexican chorizo isn't. I think it was Salvadoran Chorizo and she didnt know it? Hmmm. Interesting. 

But her version wasn't really enough. I mean, it was potatoes, chorizo and cheese. 

The End.

Well heck...lets boost those babies up a notch or 2.

Ready?

I took a couple of potatoes, a tomato, avocado, onion, sour cream, cheese, cilantro and the star of the show....Salvadoran chorizo.

BTW....Salvadoran chorizo is very different from Spanish chorizo (which I have yet to find) and Mexican chorizo. Mexican chorizo crumbles into a fine... mush, when it's taken out of the skin. From what I understand, Spanish chorizo is hard....like salami or something (well, maybe not that hard, but I think it's like Portuguese sausage). Salvadoran chorizo crumbles more like....ground beef when it's taken out of the casing. And so far...I like it best. Someday when I find Spanish chorizo, I might change my mind...but until then, my verdict stands.

Sorry...I went a ramblin'.

This is a super easy recipe....scrub those potatoes. And don't forget to take a fork and prick them all over the place. Otherwise you will have an exploding potato in your oven....potato parts everywhere and the most horrid smell ever!! (been there, done that.). Drizzle some oil over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a 425 oven until done. The time frame will depend on the size of the potatoes. I used small potatoes cuz I wanted them to be appetizer size. So they cooked for about 30 minutes. Just grab a hot-pad and gently squeeze a potato to see if it's tender. If it is....then it's done.

Remove from the oven and slice in half... lengthwise

Be careful cuz those babies are hot. And you want to do this while they are still warm. Makes it easier to scoop. Yep...it's time to scoop. Get out your hot-pad, and place a paper towel on it. Because if your hot pads are anything like mine...they're kinda grundgie. Sure I wash them....but still. Who knows where they've been while I'm away. And those potatoes are gonna be touching that hot pad.

Anyways...get out a spoon and carefully scoop the potato out, leaving about 1/4" around the edges. Don't go too deep or the skin will tear.

You're left with a bunch of empty shells

Now the fun begins. Remove the chorizo from the casings

Dice up that onion and throw it into the pan...

Brown it all up until everything is well cooked and divide it between all your tater skins and sprinkle some cheese on top

Put them back into the oven for about 5 - 8 minutes to warm em up and melt the cheese

And decorate.....

All I did was mash the avocado and put a dollop of the avocado and sour cream over the meat / cheese and then sprinkled some diced tomatoes and chopped cilantro on top. Serve with a bowl of salsa verde or your favorite salsa and dig in.

You know what's fun about a dish like this? It's versatility. You can do anything. You can even make a breakfast version....use sausage or bacon with scrambled eggs. Or do an Italian version with Italian sausage, olives, mozzarella cheese or a Greek version with lamb and goat cheese and tzatziki.

 Oh ya....the possibilities are endless.

The Extreme Comfort of Shepherds Pie

You know...it's unfortunate that I didn't grow up on this incredibly tasty dish. I had heard "of" it but had no idea what it was really all about. I'm not even sure exactly what caused me to look into it, but I did.

And I'm glad!

It must've been about 5 years ago or more. I searched the web and found several recipes. I did print one recipe out and made so many changes and side notes that I re-wrote the whole recipe on the bottom half of the paper.

It's been a huge hit and a family favorite ever since. You should hear the phones ringing when word gets out that Shepherds Pie is on the menu! It's amazing how many teens I adopt on those nights. LOL

It can be a bit of a long process but it's very easy....and sooooo worth it!

Start off by making a big batch of mashed potatoes....any way you like them. Use about 8 decent sized potatoes.

If you look reeeeeal close, you'll notice that I tossed in a few cloves of garlic in there.

Add your favorite stuff....milk and / or cream, butter, salt and pepper etc., mash 'em up, set them aside and keep 'em warm.

For the rest...you'll need....

3 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

2 tablspoons butter

2 celery sticks, sliced

1 large onion diced (about a cup or to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

a few dashes of Maggi Seasoning or Bouquet Sauce

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

3 cups mixed veggies, cooked

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese (or to taste)

Saute the onions, celery and garlic until tender

Meanwhile, get your veggies cooking

Add the ground beef to the onion mixture and cook until brown

Theeeeeeen.....add your tomato paste, sugar, worcestershire sauce, beef broth, salt and pepper, and the rest of the seasonings....

Mix all that together real good and then toss in your veggies...

Ok...we're almost done....:)

Mix everything really well, then cover and cook for about 15 - 20 minutes over low heat. Remove the lid and continue cooking until liquid reduces. You don't want it to be soupy at all.

You'll probably want to preheat your oven to 350' F while this is going on.

Put the meat mixture into a 13 x 9 casserole dish. Now it's time to get out those mashed potatoes you mixed up earlier. Top the meat mixture with the potatoes. Just blob it on with a spoon in various parts and gently distribute.

You can't really "spread" the potatoes around cuz the meat mixture will start pulling around with the potatoes and get....I dunno....ugly?

Now take all that cheese you shredded and sprinkle that, liberally, over the potatoes.

Cook for 25 - 30 minutes. You might want to put a cookie sheet under it in case some grease over flows....depending on the fat content of your beef and also from the cheese.

When you take it out of the oven, if there is fat floating around the edges a little, you can absorb it carefully with some paper towel (careful not to let the melted cheese attach itself to the paper towels LOL...been there, done that). Or you can gently tilt the dish and let it drain off.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes and then serve!!

Don't you just love the Scottish?