SANDRA’S BACON-WRAPPED FINGERLING POTATOES with a SRIRACHA DIPPING SAUCE

I just pulled this appetizer 
out of the oven for our weekly 
get-together at my father in laws home
 where the family gathers most 
every Friday after work ~ 
The rosemary adds the perfect twist...


Found my photograph featured on 
Yummly on 6-25-12,
but she revised the recipe quite a bit ;(
@ http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Bacon-Wrapped-
Potato-Bites-With-Spicy-Sauce-Recipezaar 

Yields: (About 50 bites)

Prep: 15 Mins. |
Bake 30 Mins.

Posted: by Sandra 

INGREDIENTS

***Bacon-Wrapped Fingerling Potatoes:

1 lb. organic fingerling potatoes (or red, or Yukon potatoes cut into 1” cubes)
½ teaspoon organic dried rosemary
½ teaspoon organic garlic powder
½ teaspoon organic onion powder
1 tablespoon organic olive oil
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ lb. quality bacon

Organic Fingerling
Potatoes

***Sriracha Dipping Sauce
1 cup sour cream

¼ teaspoon organic garlic powder
¼ teaspoon organic onion powder
½ teaspoon sriracha (Asian hot sauce), or more if you like it spicier
1 teaspoon organic fresh lime zest
1 tablespoon organic chopped fresh parsley
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, and top it with a sprayed baking rack on top, and set aside. 

Whisk the Spicy Creamy Dipping Sauce ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside for flavors to meld.

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Season the water with sea salt. Once the water begins to boil, par-cook potatoes for about 5 minutes.  Drain the potatoes, and place them in a large Ziploc bag. Add the rosemary, olive oil, and freshly ground pepper, and toss until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Skewers hot out of the oven

Cut the strips of bacon in half lengthwise, and then in half crosswise.  Wrap each piece of potato in a strip of the cut bacon, securing them on metal skewers (or toothpicks/wooden skewers that have been soaked for 30 minutes), leaving a bit of space in between pieces.

Place skewered potatoes on the prepared baking sheet/rack, and bake for 30 minutes, turning half way, until the bacon is cooked through and crisp. Place the potato bites on a serving platter, along with the dipping sauce. – Enjoy!

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Tip:  I made these ahead and removed them from the skewers, and will reheat in the microwave prior to serving, which makes for easier transporting.

SANDRA'S STUFFED BACON-WRAPPED JALAPENO POPPERS

Oh my, these are so very sinfully delicious...

Yields: (10 Poppers)
Prep: 10 mins. |
Roast: 10 to 15 mins.

Posted: by Sandra @

INGREDIENTS

***20 toothpicks, soaked for 30 minutes***
***Latex gloves for preparing jalapenos***

10 medium jalapeno peppers
--(All of similar size, about 3 inches)
1 (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, at room temp.
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 slices of quality bacon
--(I use Jerry's Meats double-smoked peppered bacon)

Dipping options:
--Store-bought ranch dressing;
----(Or, Sandra's Homemade Ranch Dressing); or
--Sour cream

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet lined with foil, with a baking rack on top, and set aside.

Butterfly one side of the jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds, ribs, and stems (without cutting through other side of jalapeno flesh - leave some seeds/stems in if you like them spicier).  Cut each piece of bacon in half crosswise. Mix cheeses together in a small bowl. Fill each jalapeno pepper half with cheese mixture. Wrap each jalapeno half with bacon and secure with soaked toothpicks, and place them cheese-filled side up on rack.

Roast poppers in the oven until the bacon is fully cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes (depending on how crispy you like your bacon, and how thick it is to begin with).  Let poppers cool slightly before serving, about 5 minutes.

Note:  You can serve the poppers with a ranch dressing or sour cream, although they're also great as is.

[Don't forget to wash your hands after handling hot peppers even if you used gloves.]

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Tip: Cooking these on the grill is a great way to add even more smokiness to your poppers.