Grilled Baby Red Potatoes with Garlic

I lived in Idaho for a brief period of time as a child, and the one thing I remember is that we truly did eat potatoes often. Our favorites were the baby red potatoes, and they are still a favorite today. This recipe is great because it is simple, delicious and easy to clean up!

Grilled Baby Red Potatoes with Garlic

2 TB olive oil

1 1/2 lbs redskin potatoes (or substitute Yukon Gold)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat grill to medium heat (375 F). Tear off a sheet of foil about 2 feet long; rub a bit of olive oil on the foil to prevent sticking. Wash potatoes and cut into 3/4" cubes. In a medium bowl, toss potatoes, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to the foil sheet. Wrap the foil around the potatoes and crimp edges together across top and then sides. Place on a plate to carry to grill. Place packet on the preheated grill and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from grill to plate and carefully open packet (watch out for steam!) Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve.

Serves 4

Grilled Asparagus with Shrimp Vinaigrette

I'm not usually much of a seafood fan unless I am on the coast because I like my seafood FRESH. I can handle shrimp, though. 

In Utah, it is recommended to buy it frozen, since the shrimp at the deli counter has most likely been frozen before being thawed for sale - so the frozen shrimp is probably fresher. Also, if it is available, choose shrimp that has not been peeled or deveined because cleaning before freezing can cause a loss of texture and flavor. If you are worried about the source of your shrimp, look for shrimp from North America that has been certified by an independent agency or that carries the Best Aquaculture Practices label. This will ensure that your shrimp is healthy both for the environment and for you!

One of the most well-known restaurants to get fresh seafood in Utah is Market Street Grill & Broiler. They share several recipes on their website and in their restaurants. One that is great for this time of year is their Grilled Asparagus and Shrimp Vinaigrette.

Pick up some fresh asparagus from All Seasons and try a new dish today!

Italian Wedge Salad

I LOVE the wedge salad at Johnny Carino's, so I was disappointed when the Carino's near us in Sandy closed. Disappointed may be too mild a word. I howled "Nooooo!" And acted like a drama queen which I usually try not to be.
Then I went home and tried to find a knock-off recipe that I could duplicate. There are a few out there, but none that had all the ingredients AND the dressing recipe. So, here for your eating enjoyment, are the closest recipes that I could find for the salad AND the dressing.

• 
  
• Italian Wedge Salad
• 1/6 of a wedge of crisp iceberg lettuce
• Top with:
• bacon crumbles (save yourself some time and get the pre-cooked bacon, it is so very worth it)
• candied pecans (NOT sugared pecans- there is a difference!)
• Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• diced Granny Smith apples
• diced roma tomatoes

Top with GARLIC RANCH dressing from allrecipes.com

This guy even has instructions on how to make candied pecans should you not be able to find them at a store.

Sweet Potato Fries

I love sweet potato fries. I really love them. I could eat an entire large dish of them all on my own. Did I mention I really like them?

So, I was really excited to find out how easy they are to make at home WITHOUT deep frying, so they are healthier too! We tried this recipe last week and it worked perfectly.



Cut your sweet potatoes until they are fry sized. Let potatoes soak in water for an hour – half the day. (optional, but it does make them better) Preheat oven to 425°.

Sprinkle baking sheet with corn starch. Drain water from fries. Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil in a plastic bag and place a handful of fries inside. Shake to coat fries with oil. Place on baking sheet. Repeat until all fries have been coated with oil. Spread fries out on cooking sheet so that air can circulate. If fries are too close together, they will not get crispy. Sprinkle the top of fries lightly with more corn starch.

Cook for 15 minutes or until crispy.

Hasselback Potatoes

My husband likes to watch the Food Network and experimenting to make interesting new dishes. Me, not so much. So, the other day, after he and my daughter saw a show featuring these Swedish potatoes, and my daughter wanted to make them the next day, I was not so excited. However, I looked up the recipe online, and they turned out to be super-easy, which is important. I simplified the recipe a bit more to make clean up simple. And, even more importantly, they were super-yummy too!



4 medium potatoes, scrubbed (leave skin on)
olive oil
salt
garlic salt
grated Parmesan cheese
chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220ºC).
Slice each potato crosswise at 1/8-inch intervals, cutting to within 1/4 inch of the bottom.
Be careful not to slice all the way through. The potato will fan out a bit as it bakes.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Brush with oil, making sure to brush in between each slice of the potato. Sprinkle with salt, garlic salt and parmesan, again making sure to sprinkle between each slice.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes. The inside should be cooked thoroughly and the skin of the potato will be a bit crispy.
Garnish with additional parmesan and chives, if desired.