Easy Halloween Batdogs Appetizer Recipe

Holy Batdogs! I know the kids are just going to go crazy over these Batdogs I created for them.  For six of the kids this will be their first Halloween party over here, that's how crazy things have been in our family, six more babies in last 2 years alone.  One of my nephews is a huge Batman fan coupled with the fact Ms. Katty from Kattyskitchen posted a Batdad video on my FB wall the other day, I just couldn't Batman get out of my head.   

I was in Trader Joe's with the biggest kid around here (Hot Dog Dude) and when he spotted mini hot dogs he threw them in the cart faster than I don't know what.  They sat in the fridge for a least a week, all the while he kept reminding me I needed to do something with those hot dogs.  That is when it occurred to me they would fit in perfectly on my diabolical Halloween menu.  

First thing you need to do is heat up the bat oven to 350 degrees F.

Secondly, open a roll of crescent roll dough and unroll the whole thing in one sheet on your cutting board. Cut the dough into 2-inch strips and then in 2-inch squares and then cut the squares in half on the diagonal. Lay the hot dog on the triangle as pictured and wrap up the cape and pinch it securely. Place the hot dogs with the small side of the cape down on the baking tray lined with parchment paper or sprayed with no-stick spray.  Wrap the rest of the hot dogs the same way. Bake for 5 minutes, turn them over and bake 5 more minutes until the cape is browned.

While the Batdogs are in the oven make the caped crusaders masks. Cut 1/4-inch or so off of a large sized pitted black olive, the side without the large opening.  Then stand the olive on the cutting board and cut a slit down the side.  Then turn the olive so the slit is towards the backside and cut a v-shaped notch in the front of the olive.  Place the olive masks on the Batdogs and pipe mustard eyes on with a little mustard placed in a piping bag.

My two kids disposed of those Batdogs faster than Batman rids Gotham of crime.  I'm sure the kids are going to love them too on Saturday.  Sometime I wonder who likes these parties more, the kids or me.

I just wanted to thank you guys for your continued support of this little hobby of mine and to let you know I'm having some major technical difficulties with the site and just short on time and energy all the way around in life and probably won't be posting anymore or at least not until after the holidays are over or my clone is ready. 

Happy Halloween,

Gina 

Parsley Butter Potatoes with a little luck of the Irish

With St. Patrick's Day only 6 days away I figured maybe I could help you out with a few recipe ideas.  I had to go grocery shopping yesterday even though I don't like to do it on the weekend.  Hot Dog Dude was home and wanted to join me.  Look I like him and everything, but not when it comes to grocery shopping.  It never fails that I come home with way more than I went in the store for and a bill that is way more than usual.  I asked him to go pick out some meat that he wanted for dinner that night.  That was mistake number one for the record.  He came back from the meat counter proudly waving around the corned beef he wanted for dinner.

I said, "Fine I'll make you that corned beef, but there is no way I'm eating an all boiled dinner."  He grumbled the whole rest of the trip that without the boiled potatoes and cabbage that dinner would be ruined.  I should have known going shopping with him was like crossing paths with a black cat and now I was going to have bad luck the rest of the day instead of being favored by the luck of the Irish.

I got home, unloaded the groceries and figured I better get that corned beef on since I knew it would take a couple of hours to cook.  I cut open the package it was in, placed the beef in the pot, grabbed the package which I thought was right side up, but it wasn't and I received a corned beef blood bath straight out of a horror flick. Shirt, pants, shoes, floor and even the inside of my cabinet was filled with corned beef blood and pickling spices.  I'm standing there dripping in blood and trying not to gag and Hot Dog Dude announces he has to go look at a job, runs off and leaves me there.  After a whole roll of paper towels, a clothes change, mopping and a few (okay, a whole lot) of foul words.  I decided I had to shake it off and make my own luck (or at least something I wanted to eat besides that cursed corned beef).

Parsley Butter Potatoes
3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
Salt

Parsley Butter:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a food processor combine butter, parsley and salt and pulse until combined.  Place the butter on a piece of parchment and roll into a log and twist the ends.  Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Cover the potato pieces with cold water by a few inches and bring to a boil uncovered.  Let boil until tender about 15-20 minutes.  Drain the potatoes, add the 6 tablespoons of butter and mash the two together with a potato masher.  Add the milk and salt and whisk the potatoes until smooth, add a little more milk if necessary until smooth.

Cut the parsley butter into rounds and place on top of the warm potatoes.  You can use as much or as little of the parsley butter as you'd like.

Celery Root Slaw with Cherries and Pistachios
1 celery root, outer skin removed and julienned
1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped

Dressing:
1/3 cup shelled pistachios
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
Juice from one lemon
Salt

Combine the pistachios, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt in a food processor and combine until semi-smooth.

Julienne the celery root and toss in the cherries.  Toss the whole salad together with the dressing.  Mine held very well in the fridge for an hour and still was nice and crunchy.

My bad luck continued when I went to grab my Mandoline that was stored in an upper cabinet and cut my thumb on the blade.  That is when I realized, I have a julienne peeler and I don't have to risk any further injuries. Whoops.

My biggest critic declared at dinner, "He was skeptical of my side dish choices, but he really liked them."

My luck was turning around after all.  So much so that Lisa posted Chocolate Buttermilk Doughnuts with Salted Caramel Sauce she just made and I knew I was going to have a doughnut for dessert one way or another.  I seriously considered showing up on her doorstep but thought perhaps that was maybe a bit too much stalkerish.

I'll post the recipe for these cuties really soon.

Enjoy,

Gina