Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Snow, Bowling, Minions, A to Z.

Sorry about all the grousing in my last post.
Everyone is complaining about the weather and joking about the old fashioned Canadian winter. It certainly is that. It’s not so much the cold as the wind which has been really bad lately. As I said to someone by email, it’s a lazy wind, it goes KW roadsstraight through you instead of around. Today, Monday, everywhere looks pristine white after the weekend although there is an abandoned snowman on our way to bowling and one half of him became whiter, but the front is still dirty grey coloured. Pity. The piles of snow are so high along the roadsides and in parking lots that it becomes difficult when edging out into traffic to make sure nothing is coming. And still, we get people driving as fast as though there were dry roads and it was a summer’s day. They couldn’t stop for love nor money if they had to in a hurry. One of our bowling friends was away for a couple of days and today couldn’t find her car because it was buried. She isn’t very tall either so would have had trouble sweeping it off the roof. The picture was taken a day ago.

Matt bowled really well by the way. Enough said. It is our Travel League bowling on Thursday and as it’s out of town, the weather may prove an adversary. In that case, we certainly won’t go. Not that enthusiastic about going this week anyway, not sure why.

Not much to write about today. Having been snowed in all weekend. MinionsAll the hosts have been touting the A to Z Challenge for this April  and offering links for one to sign up. I am No. 58. I am also going to be a minion for Tina of Life is Good so I need to get cracking on my own posts. Time seems to be slipping away from me lately, I will have to haul some of it back and use it. This year’s hosts will be calling for minions any time soon – not very arduous so if you can join the fun they will be grateful.

This recipe is intended, by Cooking.com, to be eaten at the Superbowl on Sunday. However, it seems to me they are an excellent party food at any time. I won't be watching the Superbowl of course, but I might try and catch the ads at half time.

Baked Potato Bites


Contributed By: Patricia, 
12 servings
Rec Image
Comforting and filling for game day, yet elegant enough for the dressiest dinner party.

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes (cut in half)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 slices of bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 small green onions, trimmed, sliced thin
1 tablesoon minced shallot
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf Italian parsley

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
1. Toss potatoes, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
2. Cook bacon to desired crispness; chop into small pieces. Set aside.
3. Blend sour cream, mayonnaise, half of the sliced green onions, shallot, parsley, bacon and cheese in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Place roasted potato halves on a large platter. Top each potato half with a large dollop of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle each with chopped bacon and sliced green onion.
5. Leave remainder of sour cream mixture in a small serving bowl for extra toppings.

Have a great day

Jo

15 comments:

  1. Last year I had about half my posts written, then the day before the challenge began, I decided to scrap all that and do something else. It was a nightmare.

    Those potato bites look so good. Potatoes are really hard to mess up. I like them raw, baked, fried, mashed.... boiled, in soups, as a side, as a meal.... they are oh so good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, don't think I'd want to do that. I had a kind of system last year and will follow the same this year I think.

      I thought I was the only person who likes raw potatoes. I am not a potato fanatic, I prefer European or UK potatoes. Maltese potatoes are the best I have ever tasted.

      Delete
    2. I'm not sure I even know what European potatoes are. I did stay in the Ukraine for the better part of a month some time ago, and had some version of a potato at every meal. It was amazing. But again, not sure of the type. I think South America is where the real potato snobbery is though, if I'm not mistaken, they've got so many breeds there that it would fill a grocery store to the brim here if they tried to import them all.

      And yes, I love them raw. We grew them when I was a kid and I'd pull them out of the ground, peel them and much away. Yum.

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    3. Er, that's supposed to read, *munch* away.

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    4. I have never found the potatoes in North America tasted as good as those from "over 'ome". What were you doing in the Ukraine? My computer guy comes from there.

      Delete
  2. I remember drifts like that when I lived in the Midwest.
    Glad you are a Minion again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I even remember huge drifts in England when I was a youngster.

      Thanks.

      Delete
  3. Good to see you are acting as Minion for someone.

    People used to drive like that in NM. Didn't matter what the roads were like. And if they had 4WD, they thought they were invincible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tina assured me you wouldn't be needing minions this year.

      Oh yes, nothing can happen if your in a 4WD.

      Delete
  4. Great recipe for the Super Bowl here. And, when my Russian relatives visited here, what did they take back in their suitcase? Potatoes! to grow in their Dacha garden outside the city.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Never been to Russia of course, so I don't know. I am talking about European countries and the UK and definitely Malta as I said.

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  5. I am so using that Superbowl recipe as well as watching! My team, The Broncos! are playing!!!
    Thanks for the advertising not just for the A-Z, but my blog and for other minions. I know some of the new co-hosts are scrambling...they didn't hunt early and in secret like I did...
    Tina @ Life is Good
    A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014
    @TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope they win then Tina.

      You are very welcome. I'm looking forward to being on your team.

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  6. Hi Jo .. minions together, not watching the bowl together!, but I love the sound of these baked potato bites ... a thick bowl of soup is what we need too ... hope that snow is less inconvenient now ..

    Cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi fellow minion. I saw you were on the list. A thick bowl of soup is always acceptable.

      It's been snowing all morning today. Luckily we don't have to go anywhere.

      Delete