The Hassle Of Hasslebacks

 Hasselback potatoes have become one of stars of this crazy year. They look easy to make and all the sites say they're delicious. I thought I 'd give them a try.

I bought  a Hasselback grid from Gia's Kitchen on Amazon. It's a two piece affair with spiked wooden block and a grid on top of it.

It takes a sharp knife to cut into raw  russet potato which is like cutting into wood. 

It was hard to do even slices. You're supposed to cut almost all the way through, leaving about a quarter of an inch untouched. This is supposed to produce an accordion effect when cooked. All the online recipes have a variety of flavorings, from herbed melted butter to olive oil.I just brushed the slits and skins with olive oil and sprinkled on dried parsley.

They're supposed to be baked for half an hour in an air fryer at 350 degrees. This is what they looked like halfway through. a bit browned and promising.

Half an hour later they weren't. They were still raw so I gave them an extra ten minutes at 400 degrees F.

Most of it was OK, They didn't fan out and there were very few crispy bits. They did not look like golden accordions. Making Hasselback potatoes takes practice and making adjustments to the recipe.

Hasselback potatoes are a great side . Keep in mind you have to make them a few times to get those golden accordion slices. It's worth it knowing what the result could be.

Step Away From The Grill

By now everyone has had at least one cookout or has been invited to one. As much as we all love barbecued meats and even veggies, we  are putting ourselves at risk by eating them. Surprisingly many don't know the dangers of that charred hot dog or well done hamburger. There are alternatives however that can be subbed in.

Grilling requires two ingredients - flame and meat. The flame or what causes charcoal briquettes to ignite and smolder come from lighter fluid which is a petro chemical. Petro chemicals can be carcinegenic on any level. Cosmetics, lotions , and even baby products are made with them. Lighter fluid is another scary byproduct that has serious  consequences if used frequently..When it heats up and converts to smoke it engulfs the meat with cancerous particles. Of course the meat doesn't help . The juice drips down onto the briquette and reacts with what's known as PAH or polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons. This can. lead to colon and rectal cancers later on.

What to do for all those grilled meat lovers? There are alternatives such as a chimney starter. This method doesn't rely on harmful petrochemicals but instead on newspaper lighted over coals. You can also just use newspaper as well. Also  drizzling olive oil or vegetable oil on the papers before lighting makes for an adequate enough flame.You can also use wood chips too or even splintered firewood. Experiment with  different woods such as hickory or maple along with apple to give your meats a truly delicious flavor without the fear of illness.

Grilling is the all American past time. Yet it can be dangerous and hazardous to your health. Try to cut down on outdoor cooking or switch to the healthier wood version. You'll be doing your body a favor.