Avotatchos!

When I lived in the Northwest, I quickly learned that tatchos were the standard Portland bar food when you're 4 drinks in, despite them never appearing on any real  menu ever. I had never heard of putting tater tots in your nachos before, because why fix something that ain't broken? But listen. This is the best idea you will make the entire year of the snake (happy holidays, by the by).

So I've had a hankering for some tatchos ever since I've moved back to Kentucky - where literally no one has ever had the thought to cover tater tots in cheese. Also every time I drink more than 2 beers, I think it might be a good idea to fry up some tots and slather them with fixins. I was going to throw some together for the Super Duper Bowl, but I took a nap instead and also my friends are too hip to own TVs. So I finally said ENOUGH and made some tonight.

These are made with blue corn tortilla chips, diced avocado, sauteed mushrooms, mango salsa, tempeh crumbles, Isa's cheese sauce from Veganomicon, sriracha, Tofutti sour cream and ---- wait.... AVOTOTS.

What's an avotot? It's a tater tot made with potatoes AND avocado. Inspired by my compulsion to throw avocado into whatever I damn well please. Here's how you make them:

3 russet potatoes
2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 avocado
3 T flour
1/2 T chili garlic sauce

Boil the potatoes until easily pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash up an avocado with the seasonings and chili garlic sauce. When the taters are done cooking, drain them, then grate them into the avocado bowl while they're still hot. Mix well, then add the flour.

In a small skillet, heat about 1/4 an inch of vegetable oil on medium heat. When you can start to see the current in the oil, ball up your avotater mixture into precious little tot-balls. Toss them into the skillet and turn once golden on one side. I shouldn't have to explain how to fry stuff, right? We're adults, right?

That said, let those drain on a paper towel when they're finished.

Not pictured: amaretto rum cocktail that will surely help me pass this food baby.

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

In autumn, I could eat squash like ice cream.

Wait, that’s false. Squash is not like ice cream. It’s squash. Acorn squash, actually, is a winter squash, closely related to zucchini and yellow crookneck squash (RIGHT?!). But it is, indeed, buttery and delicious on its own.

Let me also preface this recipe by mentioning that I made this curried kale and quinoa dish to enjoy while watching the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES kick some Oklahoma City ass this past week. That’s right ladies. My old boys from the dirty south are tops in the league right now, and Memphians are geeking out like their 3rd-chair-trombone boyfriend just won homecoming king. “FINALLY THE WORLD UNDERSTANDS!”

So first preheat your oven to 350. Then work on your curry. Here’s what you’ll need:

1 acorn squash
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 an onion, chopped
1 tsp green curry paste
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 can coconut milk
1 cup chopped kale (or however much your body needs, depending upon your level of hangover. I mean what.)
1 cup cooked quinoa
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cumin
sriracha to taste (we’ll call this one “optional” though we know it’s not really “optional”)

Begin by sauteing the onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes.

OH, but first you need to stick your squash in the oven, once its preheated. Slice the top off first, and save it for a rainy day. Scoop out any stringy parts or seeds in the cavity and stick that sucker in. If you are scared of squash, it being so vegetable-y and all, feel free to coat the inside with a thin layer of Earth Balance. But this really shouldn’t be necessary. Remember: ice cream.

Back to the curry. Once the onions/garlic are ready, add the spices - the paste and the curry powder, along with the cumin. Cook for a minute or so, until the paste gets bubbly. Add the chopped kale and cook 5 minutes. Finally, add the coconut milk and let simmer for 10 minutes, covered.

Once your squash is ready (it should roast for about 20 minutes total), remove it from the oven and scoop out a copious amount of the flesh, in order to fashion a bowl. Use this squash for a topping to your curry (or eat it NOW). Fill your bowl with the quinoa curry, dot with sriracha, and watch your homeboy Tony Allen do what he do.

Check here for daily updates on the Grizz - Three Shades of Blue is one of my favorite Grizzlies blogs!

Quinoa Stuffed Avocado

I will make any excuse to include avocados to my cooking. In this dish, however, they are the star of the show. Rejoice!

To make the filling: cook quinoa with veggie broth. Sauté chopped mushrooms in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add chopped spinach and grated carrot, and cook another 2 minutes. Add quinoa and mix all together. Voila!

To prepare the avocado, half the avo and scoop out a hefty dent (you can then use this flesh to… I don’t know, snack on? What else would you do with perfectly ripe avocado right in front of you?!). Stuff with quinoa filling, top with sriracha and broil for 5 minutes.