Loaded Potato Scrolls

I asked my fellas what we should fix for POTATO & CHIVES month. I got one request for Irish Stir-fry, and one down on his knees begging that we make Irish Nachos again. ("MOM! Aren't chives just skinny green onions?!") When I tried explaining chives are what's in the dip for Claim Jumper's Loaded Skins®, I then had a request for loaded skins. THAT was when I decided to bake bread -- loaded bread.  So, the Loaded Potato Scroll* was born.

We started with some baked, then mashed Butter Golds. How I managed to save a cup from being devoured by the crew, I have no idea.  But I did have to hide it in the fridge until I was ready to try the recipe!

The chives proved to be the tougher part of this assignment -- I'd planted some in hopes I could have a little harvest in time for the recipe, but our little 90° heatwave proved my undoing. I had to resort to a grocery package... :( 

But the filling... oh the filling!!!!! You can never have too much bacon! This is what we used:

The dough is pretty easy, and so is spreading the filling. If you've used GF flour, the making of the roll & slicing can be a little awkward...

Also, GF flour idiosyncrasies make the rising a little ambiguous.

Since flours brown differently when baked, I decided to use a thermometer to determine when the scrolls were finished.

Because it was such a lovely spring afternoon (in the shade!) we decided to make a little picnic & eat our loaded scrolls (in the shade!)

They were delicious! (...if you can close your eyes & imagine the bread part as tasty, light, fluffy gluten-filled dough!)

I think the filling could take some more bacon, though...

Here's the recipe:

(This recipe is gluten & processed sugar free. It will work using wheat flour, but please adapt the rising & baking times as appropriate.)


*Read why the fellas refer to these as "scrolls" here.

If you're interested in joining our monthly #ImprovCookingChallenge you can find that info here. In the meantime, enjoy these recipes by some of our members:

An InLinkz Link-up

Mici with Lemon Pistachio Pilaf

March’s Improv Cooking Challenge ingredients are lamb & rice. I must confess, I’ve never cooked lamb & the only time I ever tasted it was when we ate at Fogo de Chão some time ago… I didn’t even know where to shop for lamb meat in our town!But I did know which recipe I wanted to make. A few years ago our oldest had the opportunity to travel to Romania with a ministry team from our church. Despite the wonderful people he met, the incredible crusade they participated in, the historical sites they visited – what our boy talked about the most was the food he ate there!And the food that impressed him the most was mici. This is a traditional Romanian sausage (pronounced “meech”) that every family or geographical group seems to have a slightly different recipe from their “bunica”. The variables seemed to be types of ground meat(s), spice palate, and “resting” time – non-negotiable items were they 1) had to be grilled over charcoal, 2) must be served with potato fries or wedges,  3) must be served with prepared mustard, and 4) beer must be consumed along with the eating thereof…(Since I don’t “appreciate” beer; hard apple cider was appropriately substituted. )

The lamb meat I found at our favorite Asian/International market, along with various spices. I grabbed a combination from the ones I found in several recipes, then passed them under Zach’s nose to see if they should go in the mix. He approved the ones listed in my recipe.I’ve fixed pilaf in my oven many times; never before have I used my cast-iron skillet. And never again will I prepare it without said skillet! Cooking was a breeze!I figured I’d have a ton of leftovers to serve another meal. I was wrong. Only two fellas at this address had another meal of our lamb & rice.

Check out the links below to see how my fellow Improvers prepared their March ingredients:

An InLinkz Link-up

Irish Nachos

Living in the great Southwest means growing up loving certain flavors. When my boys have to fend for themselves, they make cheese crisps (quesadillas) or nachos. Sometimes they come up with some interesting combos! For instance, my eldest concocted this with Wasabi Doritos.

Most times our nachos come out looking something like this:

Kristin's Improv Challenge for this month utilized potatoes & cheese for our base ingredients. This gave opportunity to add another bit of international flair to our nacho repertoire. And how appropriate for St. Patty's day!

We started with a base of oven-fried potatoes. (Recipes all over the internet! Here's a simple one, if you need it.)

We like to pile on the feather shred. (The boys are partial to medium cheddar.) 

I stuck the plate back into the oven so it could get good & melty...

... & a dollop of sour cream topped that.

Next came some slivers of corned beef.  You could use bacon crumbles, if you'd rather...

Sprinkle on a bit of green onion...

...and garnish with finely shredded (raw) cabbage.

Forget the forks! 

Dive in with both hands!

It is that good!

(Now I'm just being mean...)

And here's where I'm partying...