Monkey Taters Recipes

COPYCAT BIG MARY CHICKEN SANDWICH WITH TATERS

Steps:

• Pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness; about a half inch. Lightly season them with salt.
• Mix all of the ingredients in the flour dredge together well. I like to use a whisk in a round bottom bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed. A food processor also will mix them up well.
• Make an egg wash by whisking together the eggs and water.
• One at a time dip the breast pieces in the flour and spice mixture, then dip quickly into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix firmly into the meat to get good contact.
• Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4½ out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. (You can, of course, use a deep fryer for the chicken if you prefer. Keep the heat at 350 degrees until they are golden brown. About 8 -10 minutes)
• Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before making the sandwiches. Use plain mayo or the spicy mayo on both the un-toasted top and bottom buns, adding just fresh lettuce to the sandwich and a pickle slice on top. A club sandwich version adding bacon and tomato is also excellent!
• Toss the potato wedges in the1/4 cup milk and drain the milk off.
• Toss the wedges in the remaining flour and spice mix and deep fry for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and fully cooked. Alternatively, you can lightly oil a cookie sheet and place the taters on it, drizzling a little extra oil over the top.
• Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about a half hour. Turn them half way through the cooking time.

MICHAEL'S GRANNY'S SOUR CREAM TATERS

Steps:

• Mix the package of Original Ranch mix into the sour cream. (If this is made a day ahead, it gets even better!).
• Wash the potatoes, and cut them into halves if they are very large new potatoes.
• Boil the potatoes in salted water, until soft (about 10-15 minutes).
• When potatoes are soft, drain them in a colander.
• Put the potatoes back in the pot after draining, add the butter, the evaporated milk, salt and pepper to your taste, and stir together.
• Add in the sour cream mixture, and the chopped green onions.
• Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
• Heat over a medium-low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until all is hot again.
• Serve.

HOMEMADE TATER TOTS

Steps:

• In a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough canola oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 375 degrees F.
• Finely shred potatoes on a fine box grater. Season the potatoes with 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Put the potatoes into a kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess liquid. Put the potatoes into a medium-sized bowl along with the egg and mix well. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir in the cayenne, smoked paprika garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste. The mixture should be workable but dry. Form the potatoes into balls or tots and fry, in batches, until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from fryer and drain on a paper towel lined tray. Immediately season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

MONKEY TATERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Mix together diced onion, sour cream and cream of chicken soup.
• Add partially thawed tater tots and mix well.
• Top with cheese.
• If tater tots are still frozen, cover with foil before baking. Check after 60 minutes and adjust the remainder of the cooking time as needed.
• Bake for approximately 45 minutes.
• Top with green onion before serving.