One potato, two potato, three potato, four....

I might have an appetizer dinner some night for the 2nd shift -- some chicken wings from The Selwyn Pub, homemade Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (still need to learn how to make them and Chef Jeff said he'd help me), and these beautiful potato skins. So many times whatever I set out to make does not come without effort, but these potato skins were super easy.  And they will taste better than those you'll get at a restaurant. Seriously! Thanks to The Pioneer Woman for another great recipe.

Potato Skins
Adapted from this recipe 

Ingredients

• 8 whole Russet Potatoes
• 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil (I didn't have Canola Oil on-hand, so I used Lite Olive Oil)
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• Salt to taste
• 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cup grated Cheddar Cheese (I used the Kraft finely shredded cheddar in the bag)  And whatever you do...pleeease DON'T use low-fat or fat-free cheese....it just won't melt right. :(
• 8-10 slices thick cut Peppered Bacon, fried until almost crisp and chopped (I used leftover bacon from the 1st shift breakfast the day before, and peppered it when it was reheating in the skillet)
• 2-4 whole Green Onions, Sliced
• 1 cup Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub potatoes clean and allow to dry. With a paper towel or use your hands, rub the skin of the potatoes with 2 tablespoons canola oil (or lite olive oil) so that they're moist.  You can't hardly help but get the oil on your hands, so I just used my hands. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you have it. I use parchment paper for almost anything that goes on a baking sheet now - I love it! Place potatoes on baking sheet and bake until skin is crisp and potatoes are tender, about 60 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow potatoes to cool just enough so you can handle them.  

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides (while potato is still hot), leaving a little bit of potato in the skins. Put the skins back onto the baking sheet (skin side down). Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons canola oil (or lite olive oil) and brush the inside of each skin. Flip over (bottoms now up) and brush the outside of skin with butter/oil mix. Sprinkle the skin side w/ course salt while it's still on the baking sheet. Place potato halves face-down and return to the oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn the potatoes over and continue to bake until the edges of the potatoes start to turn golden brown.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle the insides of the potato skins with cheddar, and then the chopped bacon. Return to the oven long enough for the cheese to melt, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve immediately with sour cream and green onions.

Enjoy!

AHOP has a new look!

No, you’re not seeing things – AHOP's blog has a new look.  With my 2-year anniversary (proudly serving my CMPD breakfast bunch for 2 years and 2-1/2 years cooking dinner for 2^nd shift), I thought it was time she had a new doo or a facelift.  I think it’s laid out better, not so busy, and easier to read.  I hope you like it.  ♥

Happy Anniversary to AHOP!

Two years ago today I cooked my first breakfast for a bunch of CMPD 1^st shifters that I had never met before. They didn't know me...and I didn't know them.  On that very first Saturday, for fear of oversleeping, I hardly slept at all.  I woke up at 3:00 am and decided to get up and fry the sausage for the sausage gravy, and I finished setting the table.  I can still remember how I felt when the first blue & white pulled up.  I met each officer at the door to introduce myself and welcome them to my home. Eleven officers came that first morning.  There were so many patrol cars coming and going that a TV news truck pulled up and asked an officer what was going on. 

Rain or shine, every other Saturday, my alarm has gone off at 4:30 am.  If I've done my math right, since June 26, 2010, AHOP has cracked approx 1,248 eggs, poured 52 gallons of orange juice, baked 156 packs of bacon and flipped approx 936 pancakes.

To my boys and girls and blue....thank you for filling that empty place in my heart. I'm so proud to know you all.
  

(click on picture to enlarge)

I enjoy designing and wrapping Hershey candy bars for special
occasions and I thought today deserved a special candy bar 
too – to commemorate AHOP. 

Update 6/24/12:  I redesigned my blog just TODAY (with the red).
This wrapper was designed using the colors from the old blog. 

Update: November 2020: To commemorate my 12 years of cooking for
my friends, my humble blog was redesigned  again to what you see today.

Perfectly imperfect....

For those of you who know me and think I always have my act together, I have news for you -- I don't! When I'm cooking breakfast or dinner, these poor guys suffer gladly sometimes because it’s not always perfect, and it's not always ready. I’m not a professional cook. I’m just an average working girl who loves fussing over a bunch of big-hearted police officers who work harder than anyone I know. But they never complain, and they genuinely seem happy to be here. They eat whatever I make and enjoy the conversation with the other officers, and with me. When I'm busy in the kitchen and my table is full, their laughter and chatter brings a smile to my face as I'm loading the dishwasher. Truly, it is music to my ears. I can sometimes hear that chatter when I close my eyes at night, just before I fall asleep.  

And it all goes by so fast. Dinner might take me all day to prepare, then poof...it's all over -- they're back on the streets, chasing down the bad guys and keeping our community safe.
  

When I hug my officers good-bye, I pat them on the back (my secret way of checking to see if they have their bullet proof vest on...and they do), and I jokingly say "don't be late for the school bus and play nice with the other children." Then I tell them to BE SAFE. I miss them all the minute they walk out the door and I start planning (in my head) for the next event.

In the end, it always comes together in the last five minutes, but it’s not always perfect. It is perfectly imperfect, and I think that's OK.
     

This is why I do this....

Tonight was an AHOP dinner night.  Chicken Parmesan over angel hair pasta, salad, and garlic toast.  I never quite know what to make for dessert, so I always make too much, but at least it gives them a choice. Tonight it was homemade NY Cheesecake, Banana pudding, and Root Beer floats. 

I received a few compliments tonight that made my heart happy.  It made me stop and say….. 'this is why I do this.'  I think not only do my officers enjoy (not) having to eat in the car or on the run, but they enjoy the conversation among the other officers – all together – at one table.  

It’s simply something special.  ♥

My beautiful cheesecake

Thank you Harris Teeter!

My sincere thanks to a few Harris Teeter stores located in the CMPD South Division for their generosity that extends far beyond their grocery store walls.  They have big hearts for the community and have so graciously contributed towards a special July 4th dinner I’m having for my CMPD 2nd shift.  I'm cooking up some Smithfield Baby Back Ribs (but don't let them know....it's a secret.)  I will do a follow-up story after the dinner w/ pictures, and will share my fool-proof recipe for amazing ribs, but I couldn't wait to share my special blessing. The following stores have said "we'd love to help", and I still have a few more stores to visit. :) 

www.harristeeter.com

• Store #11 – Ballantyne Commons
• Store #204 – Quail Corners
• Store #66 – Stonecrest
• Store #294 – Old Towne
• Store #30  –  Arboretum
• Store #27  – The Shops at Blakeney

Thank you Harris Teeter!

French Toast Casserole

Saturday’s breakfast was fun. Always great conversation, and these guys can make me laugh like nobody else. Guys are just plain funny!  Period!  

A few officers were off with family high school graduations (it’s that time of year), and the Sgt. had just left for a much needed vacation. 

Thank you to my long-time friend, Diane, for sending me this recipe. I love it when my friends send me breakfast recipes with my officers in mind. It's their way of contributing and I know they're thinking of me. This is always a big hit at an AHOP breakfast and a change-up from the applesauce pancakes that I usually make. It takes a little prep work the night before, but it's all easy.  It kind of has the texture of a bread pudding. Like pancakes, it is best when served hot. Microwaves nicely too.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Taste of Home Recipe
12 Servings  (more like only 8 servings for hungry men)

Ingredients

• 1 loaf (10 ounces) french bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (10 cups)
  Note:  This bread can usually be found in your grocery store's bakery section.  I used the Harris Teeter French bread loaf – only $1.67/loaf!  It’s a 13 oz. loaf and I used almost all of it.  Discard the ends.  I cut the bread into approx. ¾” slices, then cut those slices into thirds (width wise) and then cut into cubes.  Stack 2-3 slices when you cut - goes quicker that way. 
• 8 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, optional (I didn't add salt)
• Pecan chips, optional 

Topping

• 2 tablespoons butter – I used more like a half a stick of  butter, and once you start slicing the butter for your casserole, you'll see why.  2 tablespoons doesn't go far in a 13 x 9 pan.  
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Maple syrup, optional -- Optional ?? Yeah, right....this is not optional!
• Mixing the cinnamon and sugar is just one of the little things you can do the night before. Keep it in
  a small air tight container.  

Directions

• Place bread cubes in a greased 13" x 9" baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt if desired. Pour over bread.
  I took a fork and lightly pressed all the bread cubes into the egg mixture so each piece got saturated pretty good. 
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.
• Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with maple syrup if desired.