Hello Darlings,
Today I am sharing with you my “Easy” & “Easier” Versions of My 1 Bag Prep Dinner. I have included directions and recipes for Buffalo Burgers & Savory Baked Potato Wedges Recipe.
I love this recipe because it is by far one of the easiest to make in a hurry, and to clean up! The quantities in this recipe are based on feeding 2 people, but you can easily crank up with scale with ease.
I’ll give you my two variations, the “easy” version, and the even “easier” version!
Easy version:
1 package of ground buffalo meat
3 fresh organic potatoes; cut into wedges
Easier version:
1 package of whatever you have on hand. You could easily substitute whatever type of ground meat you wanted to use. Chicken could probably work too if you are feeling adventurous.
1 bag of frozen prewashed/cut/cooked basic potato wedges.
Seasoning:
1 large scoop of minced garlic (several gloves, or a big spoons worth if you have the pre-cut garlic in oil)
3-4 strong shakes of basil
1 large pinch of dried rosemary
1 shake of dill
2-3 good shakes of parsley
1 shake of garlic powder
1 shake of dried onion flakes
1 shake of Adobe seasoning
2 shakes of Bacon Salt ***
1/4 cup or so of Extra virgin olive oil
Pepper, as you like it
1 shake of Adobe seasoning
2 shakes of Bacon Salt ***
1/4 cup or so of Extra virgin olive oil
Pepper, as you like it
**mostly because I hate adding salt without some other flavor enhancers, but you could use a standard burger seasoning if you wanted or any of the premixed spices
Obviously with herbs, if you have fresh stuff, use it!
Preheat oven to about 450 degrees.
Get a big gallon Ziploc baggies, toss in potatoes of choice followed by herbs. I tend to put the oil in last so you can see how its coating. You want there to be just a little gathering at the bottom so you have enough to pour out onto the tops of the potatoes once they are on your sheet for extra browning. Seal it up, shake it up well, and use your fingers on the OUTSIDE of the bag to move around some of the more stubborn piles of herbs that don’t want to mix nicely. If time is of the essence, you can put the potatoes straight onto the pan when you are ready to cook. HOWEVER. You CAN prepare these up to a day or so ahead of time and let them marinate in the fridge overnight for extra flavor.
Grab whatever cookie sheet/pan you are planning on sticking in the oven. To make for easy clean up, I try to do a light layer of aluminum foil, a quick shot of non-stick spray before I put anything on it. Make sure when choosing what pan to use, you take into account that you want your potatoes to be single layer. No stacking of the potatoes! This helps them cook and brown more evenly.
Put the potatoes in and set a timer for about 20 minutes. They will take longer to cook than that, but at that point you want to get a spatula or something and shake them up a little so they don’t stick or get too brown on one side. I always do a taste test at this point to see how far along they are (mostly because they smell DELECIOUS!) but it is good reference. I crank the temperature down to about 400 degrees at this point, because they are already pretty far along, but you don’t want them to crisp too much too soon. Reset the time for another 20 minutes.
I like my things more crispy; others aren’t crazy about the browning and mostly just want just roasted wedges. This is up to you (and how much time you have!) So do what YOU like to eat!
In the meantime, you may have noticed all of the extra spices and seasonings left over in that bag. Seems like a waste to me! That’s why I started putting in my ground beef after I got the potatoes started. For us, there worked out to be plenty of seasoning left over for some really yummy burgers. Don’t worry about the oil. If you are using an outdoor grill, or a George Foreman Grill like us, they will easily drip off as soon as they get on that hot surface.
Just slide in the ground beef of your choosing into the bag, add any additional spices to your liking. Reseal it (make sure to get as much air out as you can), and squish around the meat to really get all of the excess herbs. You’ll notice that the herbs are pulling off the bag and really getting mixed into your ground beef. I really like this method, with or without cooking potatoes beforehand, just because it saves your hands from getting so messy.
A little tip: While the meat is in the bag, you can easily form your burger patties without having to get your hands messy! Obviously if you are trying to make 15 burgers, this is not going to work, but for us making only a few patties, it worked very well!
Depending on how quick you move, and how far along your potatoes are, you can start preheating your grill of choice. As with most meats, you want it up to a pretty high temperature to really sear it and lock in those flavors!
When you are getting ready to start cooking your burgers, I suggest turning off your oven (if it isn’t already) to allow the wedges to start cooling, so by the time the burgers are ready, the wedges are easier to handle and eat!
If you do have some time between starting the potatoes and the burgers are all ready to cook, prep any burger toppings you may want. I love making a light dip for my wedges that is just part ranch dressing and part low fat sour cream! It’s just nice and lite and really great little addition!
“OH but I don’t have counter top oven!” you may say. I have done this is both a full sized oven, and one of the mini counter top ovens. Works great both ways, just depends on how many you need to feed. And potentially how hot it is outside.
This is a great starting point for anyone looking to try something new, and always comes out great! I encourage you to try your own variations with spice combinations YOU and your family like. This concept can really be adapted to so many things, and in so many different quantities, the possibilities are endless!
I sincerely hope you try this out! I can’t wait to hear what you make and how it turns out!
Love,
The Sparkle Queen
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