[1] Today’s feature recipe is Jumbo Potato Tops (recipe and photo © Gelson’s Markets).

[2] If you don’t want to fry them, you can bake potato tots. Here’s a recipe (photo © Potatoes USA).

[3] A different take: sweet potato tots. Here’s the recipe (photo © North Carolina Sweet Potatoes).

We always welcome February 2nd, National Tater Tot Day. Far beyond the original Tater Tots (created by Ore-Ida to use up leftover slivers from slicing French fries), there are so many creative Tater Tot recipes. In addition to our featured recipe for jumbo tots, there are more Tater Tot (i.e. tot) recipes below. Legal disclosure: Tater Tots® is the trademark of Ore-Ida. Everything else is a generic potato tot.

> The history of Tater Tots.

> The history of potatoes.
 
 
RECIPE: JUMBO TATER TOTS WITH JALAPEÑO, JACK CHEESE & CHIVES

This recipe is courtesy of Gelson’s Markets, a quality supermarket chain in Southern California. While they are deep-fat-fried, there’s no grating involved. Instead, frozen hash brown potatoes are tossed with jalapeños and fresh chives, with a center of Jack cheese. Resistance is futile!

Ketchup is a standard condiment, but you can use others, such as marinara sauce, ranch dressing, or salsa.

How big are these tots? Beyond jumbo, these tots are gargantuan.

Many people eat tots as a side dish. We like them as a snack with beer. With the added jalapeños and jack cheese, these are perfect “beer tots.”
 
Ingredients For 16 Gargantuan Tots

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the hash browns, eggs, flour, jalapeños, chives, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands.

2. PACK a 2-ounce scoop tightly with the potato mixture, transfer the portion to your hand, and squeeze out any excess moisture. Put a thumbprint-size indentation into the center of the portion, place a cube of cheese inside, close the hole, and roll it into a barrel shape. Repeat this step until all of the potato mixture is used.

3. HEAT the cooking oil to 350°F in a medium Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches and using a slotted spoon, gently place 6 tater tots in the oil, making sure not to splash any oil. Fry the tots for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are golden brown and floating.

4. TRANSFER the cooked tots to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat this step until all of the tater tots have been fried.

5. SERVE warm with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.
 
 
MORE TATER TOTS RECIPES

February is National Snack Month, a good time to reflect on your go-to snacks. If they’re potato chips, maybe it’s time to reconsider (whole-grain pretzels, veggie chips?). If you have a sweet tooth, maybe wean off of Oreos to a crunchy fruit snack, like these apple chips. Thanks to Envy Apples for the recipe.

Envy is a crossbreed of Braeburn and Royal Gala apples. The apples were first launched in North America in 2010, after years of extensive evaluation by New Zealand researchers and apple growers.

Using natural plant-breeding methods (no GMOs), the breeders’ goals were ”sweet, sophisticated flavor, uplifting, fresh aroma, delightfully satisfying crunch, beautiful appearance, and naturally white flesh.”

Discover more about them at EnvyApple.com.

> The history of apples.
 
 
RECIPE: APPLE CHIPS

It’s so easy to make apple chips You can switch the sugar for noncaloric Splenda Original Granulated Sweetener. It measures and pours just 1-to-1 like sugar.

You also can leave off the sweetener on some of the chips, to see how you like them unsweetened.

In addition to snacking, you can use apple chips as a garnish for ice cream and sorbet, a topper for green salads or vegetable side and soup purées, for dipping in a sweet yogurt dip…even as a base for sweet nachos.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 225°F. Line two large baking sheet trays with parchment paper and spread out the apple slices evenly, making sure they don’t touch each other.

2. STIR together cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the tops of the apples with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

3. BAKE for 30 minutes, flip, sprinkle the other side with cinnamon sugar, and then bake for another 30 minutes.

4. REMOVE the apple slices from the oven and then spread them out on a rack to cool completely. If you don’t have a rack, move the chips to a fresh piece of parchment on your countertop. The chips will harden and become more crunchy as they cool.

TIP: You can remove one slice from the oven and let them cool to see if it’s as crunchy as you would like. If not, bake the chips for a bit longer.

 
 
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*It’s important to slice the apples on a mandoline so they’re thin enough and uniform in thickness. This is hard to do with a knife—even the most skilled chefs use a mandoline. If you don’t have a mandoline, it’s worth getting one.

†Candied bacon recipe: To make candied bacon, preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange thick-cut bacon on a cooling rack placed on top of a baking sheet lined with foil. Season with the cinnamon-sugar mix and if desired, cracked pepper or a pinch of chili.

Bake until the edges are crisp and the center is caramelized. Allow the bacon to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a serving platter to cool completely.

For even sweeter, “candied” bacon, use straight brown sugar instead of cinnamon-sugar.

 
 
> CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] You can make these apple chips with sugar or Splenda Original Granulated Sweetener (photos #1 and #2 © Envy Apple).

[2] Envy is a cross between Braeburn and Gala apples.

[3] A mandoline is a great kitchen gadget for slicing fruits and vegetables (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[4] You can keep your own cinnamon-sugar (or cinnamon-Splenda) blend on hand for baked apples, baked goods, oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, even bacon† (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[1] Lovely packaging for your valentine (both photos © Smith Teamaker).

[2] A bouquet in a sachet.

Steven Smith Teamaker is one of our favorite brands of fine tea—superb tea in silky sachets (tea bags) instead of loose leaves. Steven Smith (1949-2015) was a co-founder of Stash Tea Company, then founded Tazo tea company. This venture was co-founded with his wife, Kim DeMent Smith. You can visit the brand’s tasting rooms in Portland, Oregon, and of course, you can treat yourself to the leafy riches on the SSmithTea.com website.

May we suggest some of the Valentine teas?

 
As an added treat, there are tea gifts that include chocolate bars from another Portland artisan company, Ritual Chocolate. The chocolatier has created a limited-edition Lover’s Leap chocolate bar: a marriage of 70% dark Madagascar and Peru chocolate blended with Lover’s Leap black tea blend.

In lovely pink and black packaging, we would be very happy to receive any of the Smith Teamaker gifts from our valentine.

Head to SmithTeamaker.com to explore.
 
> THE HISTORY OF TEA
 
> THE HISTORY OF TEA BAGS
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEA

For National Hot Chocolate Day, January 31st, a recipe for rum hot chocolate from Kōloa Rum Co., a premium rum brand from Hawaii. The recipe uses Kōloa Kauai Cacao Rum, which is chocolate-flavored (and chocolate-colored) rum. The chocolate gives the hot chocolate much more chocolate intensity than plain rum, and it’s worth buying a bottle—you can use it in so many cocktails. It’s also a nice gift for a chocolate lover.

If you can’t get hold of a bottle, you can substitute chocolate-flavored vodka.

For the marshmallows, look for better ones than the two big supermarket brands. Trader Joe’s has affordable “better” marshmallows.

If you don’t want marshmallows, substitute whipped cream.

> The history of rum.

> The different types of rum.

> More hot chocolate recipes.

> The difference between hot chocolate and cocoa.
 
 
RECIPE: RUM HOT CHOCOLATE
 
Ingredients FOr 1 Drink

[1] Chocolate rum makes this cup hot chocolate very special (both photos © Kōloa Rum).

[2] A bottle of chocolate rum will serve you well in other cocktails.

1. HEAT the milk to a low simmer, then stir in the dark chocolate and cinnamon until chocolate is melted and well blended.

2. ADD in the cocoa powder and brown sugar and stir. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Top with the marshmallows.

[1] Eating pretty: roast acorn squash stuffed with Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, sliced almonds and more. Here’s the recipe (photo © Chef Eric LeVine).

[2] How about a Brussels sprouts pizza or flatbread? Here’s the recipe (photo © DeLallo).

[3] We toss shaved brussels sprouts on our pizza, and also in salads and slaws. Check out this recipe for chicken, shaved Brussels sprouts and arugula salad (photo © Domesticate Me).

[4] If you purchase a stalk of Brussels sprouts, it may come with its top leaves intact. Don’t toss them; use them as serving dishes (photo © Matt Seymour | Unsplash).

[5] Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon jam. Here’s the recipe (photo © Pampered Chef).

First, a note from our editor: It’s Brussels sprouts, after the Belgian capital, not Brussel sprouts. Second, January 31st is National Brussels Sprouts Day. If Brussels sprouts look like tiny cabbages, it’s because both are members of the cruciferous family of vegetables. Other members include:

 
To celebrate National Brussels Sprouts Day, we’re making a Brussels sprouts pizza (photo #2), scattering shaved Brussels sprouts (photo #3), and diced bacon atop a white pie (it’s great with a red pie, too).

Check out the Brussels sprouts recipes below.

Few foods are more disagreeable than overcooked Brussels sprouts (the same is true with other cruciferous members like cabbage). Excessive heat releases an unpleasant-smelling and -tasting chemical compound. But cook them lightly, and they are bites of pleasure.

A tip: Bigger is not better with Brussels sprouts. The smaller they are, the more sweet and tender they are.

Similarly: Don’t store raw Brussels sprouts for more than a few days. The flavor gets stronger as they age.
 
 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS NUTRITION

Brussels sprouts are exceptionally rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including glucosinolate, a phytochemical and important cancer-fighting phytonutrient.

All cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, but Brussels sprouts are especially loaded.

They are also cholesterol-fighters. Steamed Brussels sprouts actually have a have better cholesterol-lowering effect than raw Brussels sprouts. The plant fibers do a better job of binding when they’ve been steamed.

The vitamin run-down:

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Is there a better reason to eat them often?

> Brussels sprouts history.
 
 
MORE BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPES

You can enjoy Brussels sprouts raw. Slice small Brussels sprouts and serve them as crudites or in salads. Separate the leaves and scatter them over green salads, grains, or on a dinner plate as a green garnish instead of parsley.

Consider a cruciferous salad of broccoli florets, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower florets in a Dijon dressing. Wrap them in bacon instead of dates or chicken livers.

Or, try one of these yummy recipes: