Thursday, January 29, 2015

Super Potato Bowls (Bites) with Salsa, Black Beans and Avocado


The Super Bowl... what does it mean to you?  Football?  Shopping?  Commercials?

For me Super Sunday has evolved over the years.  As I find myself ever so slightly older than the Super Bowl itself, I don't have many childhood memories of the event, but entering my 20's the Super Bowl stood for one thing... Joe.  Montana that is.

You may remember him... handsome, young guy who could do no wrong (in my eyes) with a football in his hands.  Total calm under pressure, Joe led the 49ers to 31 fourth quarter comeback wins in addition to 4 Super Bowl Championships.  Nicknamed "Joe Cool", Montana remained a vision of calmness in the midst of chaos and simply marched his team down the field to earn those final few points necessary for the expected win.

ESPN's Larry Schwartz describes it best:

"Take the 1989 Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals. The San Francisco 49ers were down by three points with 3:20 left when Montana spotted -- no, not an open receiver -- but a personality. "There, in the stands, standing near the exit ramp," Montana said to tackle Harris Barton. "Isn't that John Candy?" And then he led the 49ers 92 yards, throwing for the winning touchdown with 34 seconds left."

Cool and calm under pressure, that's how I'd like to think of myself handling the appetizers at one of our Super Bowl Extravaganzas, and these Super Potato Bowls, much like Dwight Clark or Jerry Rice, make my job easy.


Roasted Potato Bowls

Roasted until tender, potato bowls are filled with either homemade or store bought salsa with added black beans.  These super potato bowls are then topped with diced avocado (did you know that Super Sunday sees the consumption of more than 158 million avocados?) and chopped cilantro... add a squeeze of lime if you like, then sit back and watch these bites disappear faster than Joe could have turned around a score in the last few minutes of a game.




Super Potato Bowls (Bites) with Salsa, Black Beans and Avocado
Small Idaho Potatoes are cut in half, scooped into bowls and then roasted to tender perfection.  Filled with fresh Black Bean Salsa and diced avocado then topped with cilantro and an optional squeeze of lime, these bites are the epitome of Super Sunday Appetizers and just happen to be healthy too.  Easy to put together these beauties will leave you appearing calm in the midst of chaos and lead to a winning finish.  Score!

Small gold or red potatoes (we look for Idaho Potatoes)
Salt
about 2 Tbs oil (we like avocado oil)
Black Bean Salsa - recipe below (or your favorite store bought brand)
diced avocado
chopped cilantro
lime slices for squeezing (if desired)


Super Potato Bowls with Salsa, Black Beans and Avocado
Black Bean Salsa
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped scallions (optional... but we love them!)
1/4 - 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 Tbs minced jalapeño (more or less based on spiciness of pepper!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice (more or less as desired)
salt to taste
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Scrub potatoes and then slice in half horizontally.  Using a rounded spoon tip, a round measuring spoon or a melon baller, scoop out the center of the potato - creating a bowl.  (See Liv Life note below)
Place the potatoes into a large bowl and drizzle with oil.  Toss with your hands, then place potatoes cut side up on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Sprinkle with salt if desired.
Place into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.  Flip potatoes and continue baking until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife (5-10 minutes longer).  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
While potatoes are baking make the Black Bean Salsa - Simply place all ingredients into a bowl and mix together.  Taste and adjust to your preference.
Alternatively, use store bought Black Bean Salsa, or use store bought salsa and add 1/2 can of drained and rinsed black beans.
Potatoes may be cooled completely, or filled with cool enough to handle (I actually prefer them slightly warm).  Place cooled potatoes onto a serving platter and fill with a spoonful of salsa.  Top with diced avocado then sprinkle with chopped cilantro.  Serve with freshly cut wedges of lime.
Liv Life Note:  Save the scooped potato for another use.  For example... toss into Chicken Noodle Soup or roast with rosemary for a nice breakfast potato dish.

12 comments:

  1. Kim, these look terrific. Stopped me in my scrolling tracks. Pinned!

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  2. What a creative idea Kim! These are so cute and look amazing!

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  3. I'm in love with these potato bowls, I especially love the filling!

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  4. Gosh, Joe Montana, Dwight Clark and Jerry Rice were the 49ers I knew growing up. Football season was huge in my home, thanks to my dad, even with three girls. :)

    Ah, these potato bowls look all kinds of awesome, Kim. So many things I love in one bite!

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  5. Simply adorable and obviously tasty. I know what I'm making this weekend.

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  6. Kim,
    I can always remember how many Superbowls there have been because I was under 2 months for the first one--that knowledge didn't help me with a trivia question last night, about the first half time show--which was a couple of years into the Superbowl FYI.
    These bites look so tasty--I have a feeling my family would be plucking them off the tray as fast as I was finishing them! They even look very customizable for whatever flavors float your boat that day (or what you've got on hand). Thanks!

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  7. Yum! I love this lightened up version of potato skins. Super Bowl is definitely about the food in our house!

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  8. I could eat a ton of these! Good thing you lightened them up!

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  9. Yum, I want to come to your party Kim, these sound wonderful!

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  10. Those look so flavorful and delicious, Kim. :-)

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  11. Kim -- you had me at potato ... and avocado. These look wonderful.

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  12. This is when we feel so out of it in Paris. No Super Bowl and not much of an excuse to have these really. Except, no ... hang on, we've started the 6 Nations' Rugby. Love the look of these, the flavours and that they're from the good old humble spud! Delicious, Kim! Ready to dance the salsa...?

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