Kid-Tested Recipes
Taco Tater Rockets
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time : 55 min
Ingredients
4 large Wisconsin potatoes (9 to 10 oz. each)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
Salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced lettuce
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup coarsely chopped tomato
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
Directions
Heat oven to 425˚. Prick potatoes with fork; bake 40 to 55 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook and stir beef, onion, chiles, and garlic over medium heat until beef is browned; pour off drippings.
Stir in tomato paste; cook 2 minutes. Season with salt if desired.
To serve, split and fluff hot potatoes. Spoon 1/4 of beef mixture onto each potato. Top with lettuce, cheese, and tomato. Garnish with olives.
Makes 4 servings
Hot Dog Casserole
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 1-1/2 Hours
5 medium Wisconsin potatoes, peeled and sliced
6 hot dogs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can of water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter a medium-sized casserole dish. In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, hot dogs, pepper, and onion. Transfer to the casserole. Mix soup and water and add to casserole.
Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 45 minutes or until potatoes are done.
Makes 6-8 servings
Note: For a spicier dish, replace hot dogs with any spicy sausage.
Homemade French Fries
Directions
Peel and cut raw potatoes into strips about 1-1/4 inch thick. Toss strips into a bowl of ice and water to keep crisp and white while cutting the remainder. Don’t soak. This lets the potato absorb water and prolongs the cooking time that may make the potatoes oily and soggy.
Pat the strips dry with paper towels. Heat about 4 inches of salad oil to 390˚ in a deep fat fryer or large heavy saucepan. Place a layer of potato strips in a wire basket and immerse basket in hot fat — or place strips, a few at a time — directly into the hot oil. Cook about 5 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Drain well on paper towels; salt lightly and keep warm in 300˚ oven until ready to serve.
Double fry technique will ensure crisp and hot French fries. In this instance repeat as above except cook until soft at 350˚. Place on drain pan and then brown and crisp in oil at 400˚ just before serving.
Important: Move center potatoes to outside edge of dish halfway through cooking to promote even cooking.
