Stuffed Olives - Part I

You're staring into your fridge at the leftovers, not thrilled.  Maybe just a cold cut sandwich... sometimes, I know I have to eat the food we already have on hand, but, I still want to cook something with some style, something to look forward to eating. BIG flavors, packs a punch.  Sausage Garlic Stuffed Fried Olives!  There are only a couple of words left in my vocabulary that would make that title sound more appealing.  Novice level prep... get pre-pitted olives, minced garlic in the tiny jar, red pepper flakes from your last pizza night, and some Jimmy Dean (or other favorite) non-linked sausage.  That cuts half the prep time.  Advanced prep... don't cut corners, an olive pitter is about 7 bucks (better taste if you pit them, and only higher quality olives get shipped with pits), get sausage from a place that makes their own, fresh garlic is cheap and well,... fresh.

Let's stuff some olives

 If you want to see how this story ends tune in for tomorrow's post where we'll display the finished product!

© Brand S.

Potato Polpettes - Finished Product

These is the finished product of the Potato Polpettes I posted about yesterday. These guys just look impressive.  Pan frying is very forgiving, in that even when something gets a little burned, it really doesn't seem to hurt the final product.  Polpettes are an italian style meatball traditionally.  This is just a potato spin on an old classic.  Surprisingly tangy, don't be afraid to use the salt in the uncooked mixture, you will need a good amount.

Delicious food doesn't have to be expensive

© Brand S.

Potato Polpettes - PART I

Well, lots of food for very little money...potatoes.  Potatoes carry their own set of problems.  Big, boring, bland...so much so, that if you have a broth or soup that is too salty, drop a potato in and it sucks up the salt! Potatoes actually make food have LESS flavor.  So, spuds require the presence of some other superstars to help them shine. 

Mixing the ingredients

Oil works wonders, strong cheeses, herbs and other root veggies all do a wonderful job of hiding the fact that potatoes are very plain.  If you are to take advantage of this nutrition packed super-food, don't think of it as a vast tasteless desert, instead think of it as a blank canvas!  Feta is a cheese that can hold its own.  Dill (my favorite secret ingredient), often paired with potato.  Lemon...Hmm?  its a Mediterranean thing.

Frying stage

If you want to see the FINISHED PRODUCT come back tomorrow.

© Brand S.