Santa Was Early

Actually, Amazon was early. And didn't feel the need to put my Christmas present from Scott in a brown cardboard box, so when I answered the door yesterday afternoon, there was the UPS guy with my gift. (Thank goodness it wasn't one of the kids' presents, AMAZON.)

I'll miss having something to open on Christmas, but I'll dry my tears while I get started on Christmas baking:



What do you like to make with your mixer?

Vote Fer Mah Man

C'mon, look at that food.

Photo courtesy of Pillsbury.com.

S@MOSA T@QUITOS WITH @PRICOT CHUTNEY S@UCE (Dairy Free!)
by Scott H@tfield for the 2008 Pill$bury B@ke Off

(I attracted all kinds of unwanted visitors when I wrote about this before. Trying to be a bit more careful.--Nowheymama)

For taquitos

• 3 tablespoons Crisco Pure Canola Oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 bag (30-ounce size) frozen country-style shredded hash brown potatoes (4 1/2 cups)
• 1 box (9 ounces) Green Giant frozen spinach
• 1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso chopped green chiles
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 package (10.5 ounces) Old El Paso flour tortillas for soft tacos and fajitas (12 tortillas)

For sauce

• 1 jar (12 ounces) Smucker's Apricot Preserves
• Remaining Old El Paso chopped green chiles
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and potatoes; cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are thoroughly cooked and slightly browned.

Meanwhile, cook spinach in microwave as directed on box. Drain spinach; cool 5 minutes. Carefully squeeze with paper towels to drain. Pull spinach apart into smaller pieces. Measure 4 teaspoons of the chiles; reserve remaining chiles for sauce.

Stir spinach, 4 teaspoons chiles, the salt, coriander, 1 teaspoon garam masala and 1/2 teaspoon ginger into potato mixture. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixed and thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; gently stir in lemon juice.

Place about 1/4 cup potato filling on each tortilla, 1/2 inch from one side. Starting at side with filling, tightly roll up each tortilla around filling; place seam side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush taquitos with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir sauce ingredients until well mixed. Serve warm taquitos with sauce for dipping.

Serves 12.

Look at that guy with the crappy kitchen. Clearly he needs a better cooking environment.


Photo by Rebecca Droke, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


You can vote for his recipe here--and by voting you enter yourself for a chance to win one million! The Post-Gazette article is here. Bon Appetit!

Edited to add: The person whose recipe gets the most online votes will win $5000. Scott goes to compete for the $1 million in mid-April. Dude, I'm just excited about the free microwave he gets.