Simply Sides 3 - Smashed Red Potatoes

Smashed red potatoes... Are you thinking mashed potatoes?  No, these beauties are a simple, delicious side dish that incorporates a twice cooked method for little round red potatoes.  They are soft and crisp at the same time, and are a great addition to a pork, beef, or chicken dinner.  I got the original recipe at Pioneer Woman - Crash Hot Potatoes and then doctored it up just a bit.  Btw, I love the Pioneer Woman, a food blogger turned famous who now has her own show on the Food Network (you can find out more about her show here Pioneer Woman on Food TV).  
In the spirit of my recent roasting obsession, these potatoes are both boiled and roasted.  They do take a bit of time to prepare, but are worth it.

Smashed Roasted Red Taters

Ingredients:
12 small to medium red potatoes, scrubbed
3 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
*you can also add 1/2 tsp of cayenne

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450.
Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and boil for 25-30 mins.  Remove potatoes one at a time from water with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
Spread one tbs of olive oil onto a sheet pan.  Mix 1 tbs of olive oil with remaining ingredients.  Gently toss potatoes in oil mix then place potatoes on pan.  Smash down (some people use a potato masher, I just used a heavy drinking glass and it worked perfectly).  Drizzle with remaining olive oil, then sprinkle with more salt and pepper.
Roast potatoes for 25 minutes, or until the perfect golden brown.  Outsides should be crisp, insides should be soft and fluffy.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 8 - Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

I believe I've mentioned my obsession with Pinterest before, and this recipe I'm giving you today comes directly from a Pin I found on Pinterest.  It is super decadent, not an everyday treat, but one that once you try, you'll want again and again.  Peanut butter and chocolate are an amazing combination, and I'm more than likely to pick that as my dessert of choice.
You can find the original post here Inside BruCrew Life.

Ingredients:

For the Cookie Dough

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips

1 cup Hershey's baking melts

For the Cheesecake

1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup peanut butter

For the topping

1/4 cup Reese's peanut butter chips

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and cream again. Sift together the baking soda and flour. Slowly add to the butter mixture until incorporated. Stir in the peanut butter chips and baking melts by hand. Press half the dough into the bottom of an 8" pan. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and peanut butter and beat until smooth. Pour on top of the cookie dough.
3. Press small pieces of cookie dough onto the top of the cream cheese layer. Continue until all the dough has been used and the cheesecake has been covered. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. Cut into 16 bars.
4. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter chips and 1/2 teaspoon shortening. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir until melted and smooth. Spoon into a plastic bag that has one corner cut off. Drizzle over bars. Repeat with chocolate chips. Keep refrigerated. Makes 16 bars.

***The only change I made was with the topping, I combined both the peanut butter and chocolate chips with the shortening for the drizzle, and then sprinkled some peanut butter chips on to finish.

Enojy!!!

Cookie Dough

Base of Bars

Cream Cheese Filling

Middle of Bars

Third Layer

Baked Bars

Topping

Finished Product!

Simply Sides 2 - Lemon Parmesan Orzo

This week I wanted to bring you another side dish recipe for our new sublabel.  As I stated in the last post about side dishes, I think the sides to a meal are a crucial part of making your meal delicious, and special, and often side dishes can be used as a main meal.  This week the recipe is for Lemon Parmesan Orzo, and it is a pasta side that can brighten up your chicken or fish dinner.

Finished Orzo

Lemon Parmesan Orzo

Ingredients:
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup grated parmesan
2 tbs butter
salt and pepper
3 cups broth (whatever variety you like, I used chicken broth, you can also use water)
1 1/2 cups orzo

Directions:

Orzo Toasting

Melt butter in the bottom of a saucepan.  Add in orzo and lightly saute until slightly toasted.  Add broth, bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes (make sure ALL broth is absorbed in to the pasta). Remove from heat, stir in salt and pepper, lemon, and parmesan.  You can serve this as a hot OR cold side dish.  Enjoy!