Home Made Jo Jo Potatoes (Fries)

Home Made Jo Jo Potatoes (Fries)

Yea, I know these aren't really very healthy or frugal, but I have been literally trying to figure out how to make these for the last 25 years or so!  I ran into a recipe while looking for something else and decided I would give it a go.  My version is considerably different than the original, so I wrote it down.  They turned out great!  So, here's my take on 

Home Made Jo Jo Potatoes (Fries)
Makes 4 servings

Start with 4 good-sized, clean, un-peeled potatoes.  Cut them in half long-ways, then cut each half into wedges.  Lay the skin side of the potato down on the cutting board and slice off wedges from the center of the cut-side of the potato.

Soak the potato wedges in ice water for about 30 minutes.  After soaking, drain the potatoes.  While they are draining, prepare the breading.  

Combine the following:

1 cup flour (gluten free could be used here)
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 tablespoon Sharron's Everything Seasoning or seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Place the potato wedges, a few at a time, into the seasoned flour and shake the bowl, so they get coated well with the flour.  Continue the process until they are well coated.  Allow the potatoes to rest, coated, for about 20 minutes, giving them another good shake in the coating at the 10 minute point.  Meanwhile, prepare a pan with oil about 3" deep for deep frying.  Heat the oil, (I prefer peanut oil), over medium-high heat until it is hot.

Shake them one more time in the flour mixture before frying them so they are well coated. 

Drop the potato wedges a few at a time into the hot oil.  Cook covered, over medium-high heat until they are golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Be very careful when removing the lid -- open it facing away, not towards -- as it will have accumulated a lot of moisture and could cause a nasty splatter burn!

Repeat the process for each successive batch of potatoes.  Serve them hot with Ranch dressing.  Enjoy!

How to keep a cucumber from being bitter

How to keep a cucumber from being bitter

How to keep a cucumber from being bitter

How does one keep a cucumber from being bitter?

It seems like most folks I come across, when the topic comes up, don't know how to get the "bitter" out of a cucumber.  Perhaps it is my family's French ancestry, but it's something that my mother taught me as a child.  

It's really rather simple.  Just slice off the end of the cucumber as pictured above.  Using the cut off end, rub the end and the cut part of the cucumber together in circles until foam comes out.  Not all cucumbers will get foamy, but many will.  Wipe or rinse off the foam and keep doing the circles with the cut end until foam no longer comes out of the body of the cucumber.  Slice off the other end and repeat the process.  Most of the time, the other end won't foam, but every once in a while; one will!  

Continue processing the cucumber as usual.  Enjoy a sweet, non-bitter cucumber!

Ground Beef Taco Meat Seasonings

Ground Beef Taco Meat Seasonings

Ground Beef Taco Meat Seasonings
Makes 4 servings

This one is so easy!

Cook and crumble approximately 1 1/3 pounds ground beef.

Add the following seasonings to the meat and stir well:

1 1/2 teaspoons Sharron's Everything Seasoning or Adobo seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon oregano leaf
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt

This makes a mildly seasoned beef taco filling.  Use for tacos, burritos, etc.  It is perfect for Taco Salad in a Crispy Baked Shell, pictured below:

Note:  The meat itself is low carb, while the shell it is pictured in is not.

Taco Salad in a Crispy Baked Shell

Taco Salad in a Crispy Baked Shell

Taco Salad in a Crispy Baked Shell

This is a wonderful recipe.  It is actually pretty simple, but it looks impressive.  It's always a hit with guests at our home!

First, make the Crispy Baked Taco Salad Shell Bowl and Ground Beef Taco Meat.  If refried beans are desired, I have a recipe here or canned ones can be used.

Toppings for Taco Salad can be as varied as one's imagination, however, these are our favorites in order from bottom to top:

Refried Beans
Ground Beef Taco Meat or Taco Meat (from my other blog)
Shredded cheese
Veggies of various sorts!  Radishes, cucumbers (see my article on how to keep a cucumber from being bitter, here), olives, tomatoes.  Some folks like onions, peppers, jalapenos.
Sauces like guacamole , sour cream and salsa

Pile it on and eat it with a fork.  The fun part is at the end, when the salad is all gone, the bowl can now be eaten!  Yummy :)

Enjoy!

Crispy Baked Taco Salad Shell Bowl

Crispy Baked Taco Salad Shell Bowl

This is a photo of the finished Taco Salad in a Crispy Baked Shell.

I love taco salad.  I think I know of at least three different ways to make it.  This is part of the recipe is for the baked shell bowl version of taco salad.  

Crispy Baked Taco Salad Shell Bowl

Items required for this recipe:

Burrito sized tortillas -- the largest available, but at least 8" across
Olive or coconut oil cooking oil spray
2 fairly large bowls, one of which needs to be oven safe

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.  

Place a bowl that is large enough for the tortilla to drape over the edges upside down on the work surface.  Spray both sides of a tortilla with olive oil cooking oil spray and place it on the bottom (top) of the upside- down bowl.

While the bowl is upside down with the tortilla draped over it, place the 2nd bowl atop the first one and gently press down.  The goal is to form the "bowl" with the tortilla without tearing or breaking the tortilla in the process.


Carefully turn the bowls over and remove the 1st bowl, leaving the formed tortilla inside the 2nd bowl right-side-up.

Place the bowl with the formed tortilla into the 400F oven for about 15 minutes, or until it is just becoming golden and crispy.  (If it is uncertain how hot the bowl can withstand, bake it at 350 for 20 minutes.)  Be careful -- the difference between perfection and scorch is only a minute or two.  Keep a close eye on them at the end!  I can bake 3 or 4 of these salad shells at a time in my oven.

When the shell is done baking, carefully remove it from its bowl and place it upside-down on the plate upon which it will be served.

Allow the taco salad shell bowl to cool enough to handle easily, about 5 minutes, then fill as desired.  

Baked Crispy Taco Salad Shell Bowl cooling on a plate.

This is a photo of the finished Taco Salad in a Crispy Baked Shell.

Sharron’s Everything Seasoning Salt Blend

Sharron’s "Everything" Seasoning

Sharron’s "Everything" Seasoning

This seasoning is comparable to Lawry's or Johnny's seasoning salt. It's pretty strong, so go easy on it at first! I often give this as Christmas gifts, and many folks come back asking for more.  As the name implies, it's terrific on just about everything -- except ice cream.  Don't put it on ice cream :)

Why would I want to make my own seasoning salt blend when there are so many on the market?  It is so difficult to find blends that don't have MSG, soy, sugar, preservatives and even regular table salt in them.  I don't want to put those things into my and my families' bodies.  It only takes a few minutes to make, and I feel a lot better about serving food with this on it!

Makes about 1 1/4 cups seasoning salt blend.

1 cup sea salt

2 teaspoon pepper

4 packets Truvia-type sweetener

2 1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Measure the ingredients into a container.  I think the layers look pretty cool!

Give the container a good shake and the seasoning salt is ready to use.  It's great on just about everything, but my children especially like it on eggs, chicken and pork.  Use anywhere a seasoning salt would be used.  Fantastic on French fries!

Note:  Please remember this is a copyrighted recipe.  Make it!  Share it!  Just please be sure you give proper credit.

Blessings!

Sharron

Homemade Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper

Homemade Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper

Adobo Seasoning without pepper is a staple of mine.  It is a Hispanic seasoning used in Mexican and Puerto Rican dishes, plus others. Many of my recipes call for it.  

Homemade Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper

This makes about 2 cups of Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper

In a bowl combine:

1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup garlic granules**
1/3 cup ground oregano*
1 1/2 tablespoons turmeric

Mix well and store in a tightly covered container.  Use in recipes calling for seasoning salt or Adobo seasoning.

*Note:  I couldn't find any ground oregano in my local store, so I bought whole oregano and ground it myself in my blender.  About 1/2 cup whole oregano ground down to 1/3 cup ground oregano.
**Note for SCD:  Know your manufacturer or make your own garlic granules.

Enjoy!

(This post was originally published on my other blog here.)