Just before I started writing this post, I got a mail from a fellow blogger, who asked me for a few low cal recipes. But I was already in the mood to share some of our not so calorie conscious recipes with all of you, so I guess, that request has to wait for some time. Lets face it, Pig Fat wins hands down in our kitchen. No hard feelings. Low cal recipes will surely come by, once we figure out a healthier way of eating. Our motto seems to be eating what our heart desires,(which is never low cal), and then sweating it out in the gym. Love the gym bonding we have. Touch wood.
Now its an established fact that we love to party and we love to socialize. Being foodies is another factor which binds us. And when it comes to serving our guests, we both agree that we should try and not repeat dishes we have already served the group coming over. So every time before a sit down dinner with relatives, or a super casual get together with friends or co workers, its always a brainstorming for what to serve new. And more often than not, it leads to a lot of arguments over the final decision. But as I always say, the couple which cooks together, stays together. My Mashi-Mesho(Aunty and Uncle) were due for dinner, along with a set of our friends. While the dinner menu was decided, without much culinary banter, it was the choice of appetizers which got me and hubby talking. He is usually the Iron Chef at home,while I whip up the normal mundane stuff. He wanted to serve Chorizo in twice baked small Red Potatoes. I was a bit wary of that,as these potatoes were so small, and stuffing them, seemed like a task to me. Moreover Mashi and the other lady coming over were not pork eaters, so that meant another set of appetizers for them both. I decided the easier route. To serve some store bought pot stickers. But as usual, hubby knew how to win an argument in style After cooking his share for the main course,he got going with his Twice Baked Potato with Stuffed Chorizo.
The lovely aroma form the kitchen kept drawing me, in between my last minute sprucing up of the living room. Yes, the man was up to magic again. Let me share a lil secret with you'll. In a bid to give a taste test, I gobbled down one of the potatoes, before the guests were even anywhere close. I ain't complaining. I was almost in potato heaven, I can safely say. Although two of the guests, were not pork eaters, Hubby had made enough for everyone, and also a few extras, in case anyone wanted to sample.That was just being safe he said, as he got dressed for the party.
There is only one thing I remember when I served the two sets of appetizers:Twice Baked Potato with Stuffed Chorizo and the store bought chicken pot stickers with sriracha sauce. The baked potatoes were gone almost in a jiffy while the pot stickers got cold, as the adda(chit-chat) rolled on with the evening. It was diificult to understand who was a pork eater and who was not, as everyone was munching on and showering praises over my Iron Chef. Hubby's Appetizers were a huge hit, while the pot stickers found their friend in a cling film, and went to the refrigerator, to rest for the next day's breakfast.
Twice Baked Potato with Stuffed Chorizo:
Ingredients:
Red Potatoes: 14-15
Pork Chorizo: 10 oz
Onion: 1 small
Jalapeno: 1/2 de-seeded
Colby Jack Cheese: Grated to top the potatoes
Butter spray
Canola Oil
Salt
Sharp Knife
Tooth Picks
Procedure:
Wash the red potatoes very well, to remove all traces of dirt. Do not peel them.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Pre-heat the own to 350C. Take a fork and poke into the potatoes, so that they cook evenly. Toss the potatoes in the lined baking dish, and bake for around 10 minutes. Take them out and cool.
Meanwhile, heat up some canola oil in a pan. Chop the onions very finely and toss them once the oil gets hot. Fry them till the onions get translucent. Add the chopped jalapenos in it, and fry for a minute or two. Add the defrosted chorizo and cook well. When the chorizo starts releasing oil, you know that the chorizo is getting cooked through.The chorizo already has spices and some salt in it, so add salt according to taste, and keep stirring frequently. Once its done, keep it aside.
Take the cooled potatoes, and with a very sharp knife, halve them very carefully. If the knife isn't sharp, then the baked potatoes might crumble. With a teaspoon scoop out the insides of the baked potatoes, to create a hollow to hold the stuffing. Once all the potatoes are done, scoop in the cooked chorizo and secure the two halves of the potatoes with a toothpick. Arrange all the stuffed potatoes in the lined baking dish. Coat all of the potatoes with butter spray to give them some crunch.
Take grated Colby jack cheese and pile on over the potatoes, where its cut through. We used Colby Jack, as that was available at home. You can use any cheese you like. Improvise according to whats there in the pantry.
Put the stuffed potatoes once more in the oven at 350C for around 5 minutes, only till the cheese melts. Serve hot.
Bon appetit !
Now its an established fact that we love to party and we love to socialize. Being foodies is another factor which binds us. And when it comes to serving our guests, we both agree that we should try and not repeat dishes we have already served the group coming over. So every time before a sit down dinner with relatives, or a super casual get together with friends or co workers, its always a brainstorming for what to serve new. And more often than not, it leads to a lot of arguments over the final decision. But as I always say, the couple which cooks together, stays together. My Mashi-Mesho(Aunty and Uncle) were due for dinner, along with a set of our friends. While the dinner menu was decided, without much culinary banter, it was the choice of appetizers which got me and hubby talking. He is usually the Iron Chef at home,while I whip up the normal mundane stuff. He wanted to serve Chorizo in twice baked small Red Potatoes. I was a bit wary of that,as these potatoes were so small, and stuffing them, seemed like a task to me. Moreover Mashi and the other lady coming over were not pork eaters, so that meant another set of appetizers for them both. I decided the easier route. To serve some store bought pot stickers. But as usual, hubby knew how to win an argument in style After cooking his share for the main course,he got going with his Twice Baked Potato with Stuffed Chorizo.
There is only one thing I remember when I served the two sets of appetizers:Twice Baked Potato with Stuffed Chorizo and the store bought chicken pot stickers with sriracha sauce. The baked potatoes were gone almost in a jiffy while the pot stickers got cold, as the adda(chit-chat) rolled on with the evening. It was diificult to understand who was a pork eater and who was not, as everyone was munching on and showering praises over my Iron Chef. Hubby's Appetizers were a huge hit, while the pot stickers found their friend in a cling film, and went to the refrigerator, to rest for the next day's breakfast.
Twice Baked Potato with Stuffed Chorizo:
Ingredients:
Red Potatoes: 14-15
Pork Chorizo: 10 oz
Onion: 1 small
Jalapeno: 1/2 de-seeded
Colby Jack Cheese: Grated to top the potatoes
Butter spray
Canola Oil
Salt
Sharp Knife
Tooth Picks
Procedure:
Wash the red potatoes very well, to remove all traces of dirt. Do not peel them.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Pre-heat the own to 350C. Take a fork and poke into the potatoes, so that they cook evenly. Toss the potatoes in the lined baking dish, and bake for around 10 minutes. Take them out and cool.
Meanwhile, heat up some canola oil in a pan. Chop the onions very finely and toss them once the oil gets hot. Fry them till the onions get translucent. Add the chopped jalapenos in it, and fry for a minute or two. Add the defrosted chorizo and cook well. When the chorizo starts releasing oil, you know that the chorizo is getting cooked through.The chorizo already has spices and some salt in it, so add salt according to taste, and keep stirring frequently. Once its done, keep it aside.
Take the cooled potatoes, and with a very sharp knife, halve them very carefully. If the knife isn't sharp, then the baked potatoes might crumble. With a teaspoon scoop out the insides of the baked potatoes, to create a hollow to hold the stuffing. Once all the potatoes are done, scoop in the cooked chorizo and secure the two halves of the potatoes with a toothpick. Arrange all the stuffed potatoes in the lined baking dish. Coat all of the potatoes with butter spray to give them some crunch.
Take grated Colby jack cheese and pile on over the potatoes, where its cut through. We used Colby Jack, as that was available at home. You can use any cheese you like. Improvise according to whats there in the pantry.
Put the stuffed potatoes once more in the oven at 350C for around 5 minutes, only till the cheese melts. Serve hot.
Bon appetit !
