The ultimate decontructed baked potato

Let's talk stuffed baked potatoes.  They are good but are they really that good? All of the goodness lays on top and once you get to the middle and the bottom of the spud it is usually dry and tasteless unless of course if you are making a twice baked potato and that is a whole different recipe.  Back to the baked potato...I find the skin to be tough if cooked too long and it just falls flat in flavor.  So how to make it better?  I know how to make it better - deconstruct it and layer the flavors.  Oven roasted, crispy potatoes topped with meat and cheese and more cheese. A nice twist on an old classic and my version is so worth it and can be made as a main dish, an appetizer or a picky food at a party...fantastic food for Super Bowl XLIX!

T's Deconstructed Baked Potato

1 lb. ground beef
8 red bliss potatoes (sliced evenly)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for potatoes
1 large onion (diced)
Salt/pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 bottle beer (I used Yuengling beer)
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon jalapeno flakes
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15.5 oz.) can small white beans (rinsed and drained)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Liberally season sliced potatoes with salt/pepper and garlic powder
Coat with olive oil and toss
Lay seasoned potatoes in a single layer on a sheet pan
Bake for 1 hour

Meanwhile heat a medium pan over medium heat
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and onions
Season with salt / pepper
Add 1/4 of the beer to onions and cook for 6-8 minutes
Add the ground beef
Season with cumin and jalapeno flakes
Add additional 1/4 cup of beer
Cook till meat is no longer pink about 10 minutes
Add tomatoes and beans
Re-season with salt/pepper
Toss all ingredients over heat to medium/low heat
Cover to cook for 10 minutes
Stir occasionally
Remove from heat and stir in desired amount of cheese

Remove potatoes from oven
Allow to cool for 2 minutes
Place potatoes in a single layer on an oven proof serving dish
Top with cheese (if desired)
Top with meat mixture
Top with additional desired amount of cheese
Place in oven for 8 minutes or until cheese is melted
Serve hot

1000 Lentils For Good Luck

Well here we are again walking around saying Happy New Year to one another and can you believe it is the year 2015 - was it not just Y2K  or Prince's 1999?  
What did you do to celebrate this year...we had a quiet one at home with some Sushi and Sake, it is a little tradition my honey and I share on New Year's Eve.  We love it and have been doing it for quite sometime now.  The other tradition we like to partake in it is making a whole LOT and I mean a LOT of lentil soup, this year 30 cups, and taking half and sharing it!  I read a long time ago that eating something round resembling a coin is good luck for the new year and eating pork was also a symbol of good luck so I decided to make lentil soup with sausage each year to combine both for extra good luck and what better way to share the wealth than to share.  Each year I get so excited to make it and deliver it to someone in my inner circle of family and friends.  I usually make enough soup for a 1000 people regardless and this year was my biggest pot ever!  I loved making it and I hope that my friends did too...

Happy New Year everyone  - I hope it is one filled with much love, joy, happiness, health, wealth and good food!

1000 Lentils Soup

7 sweet sausage links

7 hot sausage links

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 large onions (diced)
1 16 oz. bag of celery (chopped)
1 16 oz. bag carrots (diced)
Salt/Pepper
1 90 oz. (yes that says ninety ounces) of San Marzano Tomatoes
***24 oz. dried lentils (rinsed and drained)
64 oz. low sodium chicken stock

In a very large stock pot slightly warmed over medium heat
Add olive oil
Remove the sausage from the casing
Add sausage meat to the olive oil and cook over medium heat
Break up the sausage meat into crumbles as it cooks
Cook till no longer pink about 10-15 minutes
While the sausage is cooking remove the whole tomatoes from the sauce and crush with
your hand into a bowl and set aside, reserve remaining sauce
Remove sausage from pot with a slotted spoon reserving the fat
Add onions and season with salt/pepper
Cook for 5 minutes
Add celery and carrots and re-season with salt/pepper
Cook for 5-8 minutes
Add the lentils
Stir to incorporate lentils and vegetables
Add in the crushed tomatoes and the reserved tomato sauce
Stir, stir, stir to incorporate
Re-season with salt/pepper
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil
Cover and reduce heat and cook on medium/low for 1 hour and 15 minutes
Stir occasionally
After the 1 hour and 15 minutes taste to ensure lentils are tender and adjust seasoning to taste
Remove from heat and serve hot
Refrigerate remaining soup