Food

Tacos Dorados de Papa (Crispy Potato Tacos)

Ingredients

• 3 Medium size red potatoes About 18 oz.*

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup Vegetable oil, more if needed to fry the tacos

• 12 Corn tortillas

For the Salsa:

• 1/2 cup white onion diced

• 1 cup tomato chopped and seeded

• 1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped

• 2 Serrano peppers diced

• 1 tbsp lime juice

• Salt to taste

Garnishes:

• 2 cups Cabbage finely shredded

• 1/3 cup Cotija cheese or crumbled Queso Fresco**

• Optional toppings:

• · 1 Avocado optional

• · ½ cup of Mexican cream

• · Red salsa

Directions

1. Place whole potatoes in a medium-size saucepan and cover with cold water. DO NOT peel or cut the potatoes. We don’t want the potatoes to absorb too much water because then that water will be released in the form of bubbles during the frying process and the oil will splatter. Turn heat to medium-high and cook until tender (about 20 to 25 minutes). Drain potatoes and move to a bowl. Wait until they’re cool enough to handle and discard their skins.

2. Season potatoes with salt and pepper, and mash until you have a smooth paste. It won’t look exactly like a puree, but more like a potato paste. Set aside.

3. Heat about ½ cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Adding the rest of the oil as needed.

4. While you are waiting for the oil to heat, slightly warm the tortillas one by one in a hot griddle, in order to make them more pliable. Cover them with a kitchen napkin.

5. Now, add about 2 tablespoons of the mashed potatoes over half of each tortilla and fold. Secure the sides of the tortilla with two toothpicks. Sometimes, I don’t use the toothpicks, but that requires some skill of firmly pressing down the edges while frying; if this is your first time making them, and to be on the safe side, use the toothpicks.

6. Place the folded taco into the hot oil, and cook for about one and half minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Since you will be working in batches to make your potato tacos, have a large plate ready and covered with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Repeat the process until you finish cooking all the tacos.

To Make the Salsa:

1. Mix the salsa ingredients in a medium-size bowl and season with salt. Set aside. You can have all the ingredients ready a day in advance and just combine before serving.

2. To serve, remove the toothpicks (very carefully to avoid breaking the tortillas) and garnish with the shredded cabbage, Cotija cheese, and Pico de Gallo salsa. Avocado and cream are also added as toppings.

French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled cut in half and sliced into 1/4-inch thick semi-circles

• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, plus more for buttering the bread

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 scant teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 heaping teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

• pinch of granulated sugar

• 3–4 tablespoons beef broth, beer, or white wine to deglaze the pan

• 1/2 cup finely shredded Gruyere cheese, please use more cheese to your own taste

• 4 slices bread, or more depending on how many sandwiches you’d like to make

Directions

1. Place a medium, heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil and stir until butter is melted. Add the sliced onions all at once. Stir to coat the onions in the fat. Allow onions to cook, undisturbed, for about 4 minutes. Add salt, thyme, and pepper and stir. Place lid on the pan and allow to onions to cook for about 4 minutes at a time. Lower the heat if the onions are browning too quickly. Remove the lid to stir the onions every so often. The onions will begin to brown, break down, and resemble an onion jam.

2. When onions are entirely browned and completely soft, add your liquid (beef broth, beer, wine, or water) to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any burned bits off the bottom of the pan as the liquid evaporates. This takes about 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and allow to rest while you assemble the sandwiches.

3. Butter one side of each slice of bread. On the unbuttered side add a good sprinkling of gruyere, top with warm onion mixture, top with more cheese and the final piece of sandwich bread. Repeat process in assembling the other sandwich.

4. Cook sandwiches over medium heat in a medium sauté pan. Flip and cook until golden on the outside and melty on the inside. Place sandwich on a cutting board. Allow the sandwiches to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing. Enjoy warm!

Pasta Chips

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bowtie pasta

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Marinara, for serving

Directions

FOR STOVETOP

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta.

• In a large, deep skillet, pour about ½” vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add about 1 cup al dente pasta in a single layer. Cook until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, then season immediately with Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and, pepper.

• Repeat, working in batches, with the rest of the pasta.

• Serve with warm marinara.

FOR AIR FRYER

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta and toss in a large bowl with Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

• Working in batches, place in basket of air fryer and cook at 400° until golden brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through. Spread onto a baking sheet to cool completely.

• Serve with warm marinara.

Danish Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 sticks salted butter, softened

• 3/4 c. granulated sugar

• 1 egg, room temperature

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 c. all-purpose flour

• White sparkling sugar

Directions

1. Place the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). With a hand mixer (or stand mixer with a paddle attachment) on medium-high speed, beat until very light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well to combine. Add the flour 1 cup at a time, mixing on low to combine completely in between each addition. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

2. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large, star tip (with a wide opening). Pipe the dough in a circle shape, about 2" in diameter, overlapping by about 1/2-inch at the edges. Sprinkle all over with sparkling sugar. Refrigerate the cookies for 30 minutes (or freeze for 15 minutes) in order to firm up and prevent spreading while baking.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden. Let cool on a sheet tray for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

4. Once cool, store in an air-tight container in a single layer, between layers of parchment paper, at room temperature for up to 1 week.