Baked Potato Puppies with Yuzu Kosho Honey Butter Recipe Based on Chef Joe Kindred’s Recipe

I came across Chef Joe Kindred’s recipe for Fluffy Hush Puppies with Yuzu Kosho Honey Butter in my Food & Wine Magazine recently……I’m not the biggest fan of any fried hush puppy but I thought that Yuzu Kosho Honey Butter sounded like something I wanted to try……Soooooooooo I played around with the hush puppy recipe and figured out on how to add potatoes and to bake them instead of frying them. For me this made 27 small potato puppies…..They are meatball sized so depending on your appetite you will want to eat 2, 3, or 4……..I’ll round the servings to about 2 each figure a few extra here or there.

Ingredients for around 10 servings

Yuzu Kosho Honey Butter

4 oz unsalted butter – room temperature

1 Tablespoon yuzu koshu

1 Tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon gochugaru (incase you don’t know..this should be kept in your freezer or it goes moldy)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Potato Puppies

1 pound potatoes – peeled and shredded

3 oz unsalted butter – melted

1 medium sized onion – fine chopped (I slice them extra thin on a mandolin and chop)

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons course sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/4 teaspoon granulated onion

3 eggs – lightly beaten

non stick spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray baking sheet(s) with non stick spray.

In a large mixing bowl add the potatoes, butter, onion, cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, sea salt, peppers, garlic, onion, and eggs. Mix well.

This gets scooped out like meatballs (about 1 + 1/2 ounces each) on sprayed baking sheet(s) or pans.

This stays in the oven till lightly browned. (about 60 minutes…but could be slightly less…I say that because I know my last oven baked faster)

While the potato puppies are baking whip up the Yuzu Kosho Honey Butter.

The soft butter,yuzu kosho, honey, gochugaru, and salt go in a small mixing bowl and get mixed together with a fork.

Baked Potato Puppies with Yuzu Kosho Honey Butter

These are tasty and different!

A Special THANKS!!!! To Chef Joe Kindred and Food & Wine Magazine so I could come up with what I got here.

The Forking Truth

What to do with Leftover Pasta Scraps and Filling Idea.

I made the Cook’s Country Potato & Cheddar Pierogis again. (2+1/2 C. bread flour, 1 t. baking powder, 1 C. sour cream, 1 egg, 1 yolk, salt (in a mixer on medium/high 8 minutes and rest in the fridge) The filling is 1 pound boiled potatoes smashed with 4 ounces of cheddar, 2 T. butter, salt, pepper.

I did all that. Dough mixture in 3 balls to roll out. (below is one of the 3) Then I put like a 1/2 meatball size of filling in each.

Fold them up starting in the middle.

Pinch them shut.

Boiled them in salted water till they float.

Then I fried them in butter with some canola oil added.

They came out nice.

I tried to re-roll my scrapes but the dough was too tough for me to roll. I also had some leftover filling so I got the idea for gnocchi.

At first it seemed impossible to combine the too so I took a break.

After about 30 minutes it was like magic and I could mix them together.

I added more cheddar.

Then I added flour…(but I din’t use all the flour I added)…I used just enough till it felt right.

I rolled around 4 logs that I cut up like this.

Boiled them in salted water.

Tasted one……..They have multiple textures…..like a noodle wrapped around a gnocchi, wrapped around mashed potato……If you look real close you can see they are almost jellyroll-like…….For my taste they need a little roasting SO I added butter and put them on the top rack of a 350F oven for around 45 minutes.

Cheddar Potato Pierogi Gnocchi

Something you can do if you have Pasta Scraps and filling. More can be done at this point. Since they are buttery and cheesy I think I’ll serve them mixed with vegetables. I think they’d be a good dumpling in a tomato or broccoli soup. Another idea can be baking them in a casserole.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Salted Lime Mexican Restaurant at Aliante – North Las Vegas NV

Salted Lime is the Mexican Restaurant at Aliante Casino/Hotel in North Las Vegas Nevada. I was planning to dine at Bistro 57 also in Aliante but came across this sign.

No mention of the closure was mentioned on the website. Only specials were mentioned and they appear to be taking reservations…….

ANYWAYS……We decided to try The Salted Lime.

I noticed three dining rooms. The hostess said that we had to be seated in the bar.

The middle of the bar has hundreds of tequila bottles hanging from the ceiling.

We try a Cadillac Margarita and a Da House Margarita…….They come in two sizes small and 18 oz that cost $4. more. Both were made with an extra sour mix.

Our server asked us if we wanted the chips and salsa……I said yes because I wanted to try them.

The salsa was made with roasted vegetables and maybe smoked chilies.

The fresh catch was swai today so I went with a chicken taco salad.

They brought it out and forgot to top my salad with chicken so I had to flag someone down to get it. The salad was tasty with the black beans instead of refried beans. I thought it was odd that all three dressings they offer are ranch. (ranch, chipotle ranch, jalapeño ranch) It turned out to be a good thing to have the chicken on the side. It’s moist but a little over seasoned for me and is too salty.

My husband did better with the carnitas burrito combo and the Chile relleno.

Kinda average.

Then I see a robot flying by running food.

It zooms back.

That was my trip to Salted Lime at Aliante Casino Hotel.

7300 Aliante Parkway North Las Vegas Nevada – 702-692-7777

www.AlianteBoydGaming.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Shish Kabob House Las Vegas NV – Worth a Fork!

Shish Kabob House is a Mediterranean Restaurant located relatively close to the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. They offer some delicious dishes that you don’t find at most other Mediterranean Restaurants. Here you will find most of your usual Mediterranean favorites but you will also find foods like borscht, eggplant caviar, Armenian salad, lamb lula kabob, veal pelmeni dumplings, chicken tabaka, quail, and beef short ribs.

It isn’t a fancy place inside. It almost looks like a banquet hall.

We started out by sharing hummus, eggplant caviar, Armenian salad, and Greek salad.

The eggplant caviar is so tasty. It’s a little garlicky, a little spicy, it taste just right!

The hummus is very smooth. It’s mildly seasoned. It’s probably has more chickpeas in it than most other hummus out there.

Both the Armenian salad and the Greek Salads are very fresh and crisp. The Armenian Salad is especially very refreshing with fresh herbs of mostly dill.

On another visit we tried the grilled veggie salad.

WOW! It’s delicious and really different…..It made of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, eggplant, and is topped with sliced red onions and is served with flat breads.

We also got to try the falafels.

We got the smaller order of four falafels. The falafels are very large here with herby moist interiors and crispy exteriors.

They come topped with a flat bread and come with something that taste similar to yogurt on the side.

A FANTABULOUS dish here is the chicken lula.

This platter is extra generous in size. Here’s a better look.

The Chicken Lula is FANTABULOUS! It’s so magically moist and tasty. If you eat chicken you will love this….The plate also comes with flat bread, a nicely seasoned fresh salad, blistered tomato and a blistered jalapeño, and a big mound of rice.

The beef kabob and beef lula platter is also very good and is set up the same way.

On another visit my husband got a lula platter one chicken and one beef.

Today he said both Lulas were good but the chicken one was better.

This next one was so darn great…..it might be hard to move to try other things on the menu.

This one is called European Seabass. You have your choice of fried or grilled. The server suggested grilled. To me it seems like fried so I think instead deep-frying maybe this fried on the grill? I never eat fish skin…but here is the exseption because it is amazing. Shattering crisp and not fishy tasting but delicious tasting. The flesh is extra mild and almost sweet and just melts in the mouth…..It’s one of the best fish that I’ve had out (and this was only $22. ) It came with an enormous amount of slaw, a lot of fluffy rice, a flatbread, and a roasted tomato.

They do offer delicious sounding desserts but I doubt I’ll ever have the room to try one.

Shish Kabob House is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Shish Kabob House

6620 W Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV

702-643-5454

www.ShishKabobHouseLV.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

A Taste of Yummy Rice Las Vegas NV – Chinese Claypot Dishes – Worth a Try!

Yummy Rice is a Chinese Restaurant that specializes in serving Chinese Claypot dishes. They are located in Las Vegas Nevada’s Chinatown. Besides offering 22 claypots they also offer appetizers, soups, and porridges. Soft beverages are served. This is a small restaurant that fills up quickly.

We started out by sharing the salted boiled peanuts.

They are almost the same as beans……

We also tried the vegetable spring rolls that were fried nicely and came with a fruit forward sauce that wasn’t too sweet.

We both tried claypots.

Steamed eggs with pickled vegetables come out before the claypots.

This was the smoothest steamed egg I’ve ever had anywhere. It’s laced with their amazing house made soy sauce. The vegetables are very crisp.

I had the claypot called spicy chicken. (Our server said it was her favorite).

It’s very tender dark chicken chunks in a mild Asian Sauce with a little bit of heat. The dish also includes tiny fresh baby bok choy, onions, peppers, jalapeños, rice, and house made soy sauce on the side. This stays VERY HOT for a long time. Also the rice gets a nice crispy bottom. Surprisingly the chicken never gets overcooked.

My husband tries the Three Preserved Meats claypot (Chinese bacon, sausage, duck).

It’s plainer than the spicy chicken clay pot. You only have the meats or you have to add soy sauce for flavor.

That was a little taste of Yummy Rice! – Worth a Try!

4266 Spring Mountain Rd Las Vegas NV – 702-331-3789

www.YummyRiceLasVegas.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Walnut Crumble Top Treat Recipe based on Food & Wine Magazine Sbrisolana (Italian Almond Tart)

A Sbrisolana is a “crumble cake” It’s crunchy and very rustic. It is traditional to just break pieces off to eat. It is also usually made with almonds or hazelnuts mixed with almonds. I didn’t have almonds or oranges that I needed to do the Food and Wine recipe so I changed mine to lemons and walnuts. I also doubled up on the vanilla flavor instead of adding almond flavor. For me this comes out delicious but more crumbly than I would make for anyone should so you need to be aware of that……….But my husband kept saying that, “THIS IS REALLY GOOD!” He didn’t mind how crumbly it was….Anyways it truly does come out delicious. I called it a crumble top treat because I think a better use can be to top an apple pie with these crumbs….YES!!!!! BIG FAT YES..or on top of ice cream YES or even a topping for Pots De Creme YES YES YES!!!!!! (according to F&W this is 6 servings but if you use it as a topping like I suggest it will be more like 16 portions because I think it’s enough to top two 9 inch pies.

Ingredients for 8 servings

7 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter – grated

1 cup broken walnuts

1 egg – slightly beaten

1 Tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilia extract

1 cup flour

6 Tablespoons yellow cornmeal

3/4 teaspoon course sea salt

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

non stick spray

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a springform pan with non stick spray. (I always put a lined baking sheet under springform pans because sometimes they leak)

In a large bowl mix with a fork the butter, walnuts, egg, zest, vanilla, flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugars till it looks like lumpy moist sand.

pour this evenly into your sprayed springform pan.

This goes on the middle rack till it feels done. 25-35 minutes. Mine took 35.

Walnut Crumble Top Treat

It is FORKING DELICIOUS but it is crumbly…I recommend to use as an amazing topping.

A special THANKS!!!!!! to Food and Wine Magazine so I could come up with what I got here.

The Forking Truth

WTFork happened to Milk Chocolate M&M’s? They’re Smaller

I haven’t bought a bag of plain M&M’s in a long time until today…..I tried a few and instantly I noticed a difference………They don’t feel or taste the same in my mouth……..I know they are smaller…….I noticed less chocolate when I suck the shells off. Also the ratio is different………Less chocolate makes them seem more sweet and less chocolatey. Then I let my husband try some. He said, “are these the tiny ones?”…..WTFork! Then I went to the internet and found this from wwwFasioncoached.com.

I also found this.

In May 2014 I noticed a few changes in Peanut M&M’s and so far 16 wrote to me and agreed.

This is my May 2014 photo of Peanut M&M’s (above and below)

I happened to pick of some peanut M&M’s recently. Let’s see if they are similar to the 2014 ones. (the photo below)

You know…I think they are even slightly smaller than before……

BAH!

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Jasmine Express – North Las Vegas NV

Jasmine Express is a small casual Asian, Boba, and Milk Tea restaurant located in North Las Vegas Nevada. They offer American Chinese Food, some Vietnamese foods, Thai dishes too!

You order and pay at the counter and someone runs out your order as it’s ready.

Today I tried the Szechuan Chicken with steamed rice.

The chicken is moist and tender and the dish is filled with lots of fresh vegetables. This dish is spicy from red pepper flakes…….The sauce is mainly soy sauce and is far too salty for my taste…….To me even the rice is too salty but your taste may differ.

My husband tried the grilled pork rice plate.

It’s a generous amount of nicely prepared pork that comes with fish sauce. It gets an A-OK from my husband.

That was my trip to Jasmine Express

5546 Camino Ave NORTH LAS VEGAS NV – 702-399-8525

www.JasmineLV.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

A Little Taste of Viva Zapata’s in North Las Vegas NV – Worth a Try!

Viva Zapata’s is a Mexican Bar, Restaurant, and Gaming place in North Las Vegas Nevada.

The bar is in the middle of the restaurant and on both sides of the bar are tables and booths.

Whatever you order they start you off with complimentary chips, salsa, and bean dip.

Most meals include a cup of fideo soup.

I tried a chipotle caesar salad with added chicken.

The chipotle Caesar Dressing is actually very good. It taste like real Caesar but with some extra smoked chile. The chicken breast meat is nice and tender and developed with flavor. The salad is also generous in size. I got two meals out of it. For my taste the sweet moist corn cake is good but for me doesn’t work with the salad but you can eat it afterwards like dessert.

My husband tried the steak picado (ribeye). It comes in New York or for an upgrade to Ribeye. It’s cut into cubes and sautéed with onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, and what they call Spanish sauce. It’s served with rice, refried beans, choice of house made tortillas and a little guacamole.

The beef was very tender but this is a very mildly flavored dish.

I noticed a WHOLE PAGE of seafood on their menu so I wanted to go back and try some.

I tried the Pescado Estilo Las Comadres (Whitefish in Spanish sauce topped with Monterey Jack cheese and served with rice and beans (no beans at my request)

It’s a VERY LARGE portion (for $20.95 subject to change) It came with a chip with guacamole. The fish is extra mild so it seems fresh. The sauce is mainly a rich tomato sauce. The cheese has more flavor than the fish. It’s not bad but I’ll try a different fish dish next time. BTW I got two meals out of this.

The Shrimp Chilies Rellenos (called Chilies Rellenos De Cameron Рshrimp saut̩ed in olive oil with white wine, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalape̱os stuffed into pasilla chilies with cheese served with rice and beans with a guacamole topped chip garnish)

This was just a little taste of Viva Zapata’s…..

Worth a Try!

3826 E. Craig Rd North Las Vegas NV – 702-643-8888

www.VivaZapatas.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Oh La La French Bistro – Las Vegas NV – 3 Course Lunch Special – Worth a Fork!

Oh La La French Bistro is located in the Summerlin part of Las Vegas Nevada. They bake breads in house and I was told that nearly everything is made by scratch. It’s a smaller restaurant with a wine bar and they offer a comfortable mix of tables. They are open for lunch, brunch, and dinner. For our first visit I thought we’d try the weekday 3 course lunch special ($32. subject to change) to try a variety of things.

They started us off with a crisp baguette that was lightly salted with quality salt and butter.

My husband tried the escargot.

They came in a very garlic-ee butter-ee sauce adorned with parsley.

I tried the beet salad.

It was very generous in size. The beets were dressed with French goat cheese, some orange, and a vinaigrette.

My husband tried the hachis parmentier (basically the French version of Shepard’s Pie). Ground beef, onions, tomatoes, carrots, topped with mashed potatoes and gruyere cheese.

He thought it was seasoned very nicely and thought it was good.

I tried the salmon croissant. The made in house croissant is impressive. This is the airiest one I’ve ever had anywhere…..It’s like biting into a crunchy cloud.

Inside the sandwich is smoked salmon, creme fraiche, dill, and lemon juice…..On the side is a pile of arugula with a few onion slices and some vinaigrette.

We share the two desserts.

First we dig into the lemon meringue tart.

The lemon curd is very good. It has a rich lemon taste and isn’t too sweet. The crust is good and thin. To me the meringue taste like a marshmallow………

Now for the chocolate mousse.

It taste like real cream on the top with a little caramel drizzle. The mousse is very chocolatey and extra rich with chunks of chocolate in it……….It’s really different but very good.

The 3 course lunch special at Oh La La French Bistro is –

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Oh La La French Bistro – 2120 N Rampart Blvd Las Vegas NV – 702-222-3522

www.OhLaLaFrenchBistro.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth