[1] Heart-shaped potato chips tinted pink with beet juice (photo © In Erika’s Kitchen | Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] Idaho® russet potatoes. Here’s more about russets (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

[3] While any size cookie cutter can cut a heart from dough, you need a cookie cutter that’s narrow enough to cut a slice of potato (photo © SXC | Free Images).

Make heart-shaped potato chips for Valentine’s Day, or any other romantic occasion. Beet juice makes them pink-ish.

This fun recipe is from Erika Penzer Kerekes, food blogger of In Erika’s Kitchen. Thanks to the Idaho Potato Commission for sharing it with us.

The recipe must be prepped the night before. Also:

 
 
RECIPE: HEART-SHAPED POTATO CHIPS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. USE a mandoline to thinly slice the potatoes. Punch a heart shape out of each slice with the cookie cutter.

2. PLACE all the heart-shaped pieces in a colander, add the salt and toss. Let the heart-shaped pieces sit about 30 minutes. (This brings some of the water out of the potatoes so they can better absorb the color from the beets.)

3. PUT the beets with their liquid into a blender. Process until you have a smooth purée.

4. RINSE the potato slices and pat dry very thoroughly with paper towels. Put the potato slices into a bowl or plastic container, pour the beet purée over them, and stir gently to make sure every slice of potato is in contact with the beets. Refrigerate overnight. The next day…

5. REMOVE the potato slices from the container. Rinse in a colander and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

6. POUR 3 inches of oil into a heavy pot or saucepan. Heat the oil to about 350°F. Drop in a few chips at a time and fry until golden around the edges and crisp. Remove the chips with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while still warm.
 
 
Consider making a pink dip, by coloring the mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt base of your favorite dip with beet juice or food color.

Here’s a spicy pink dip recipe.
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF POTATO CHIPS
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE’S DAY
 
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF POTATOES

We recently received information from Chef David Shamy of Salt Lake City, about his garlic butter (photo #2).

Ways to use garlic butter follows; but first, some words about Chef Shamy’s products.
 
 
CHEF SHAMY GOURMET BUTTERS

Chef Shamy’s line of compound butters, that began as homemade garlic butter, which he gave as gifts to friends and family each holiday season.

The popularity of the garlic butter led him to create a commercial operation, and to expand the line to add sweet and savory flavors to his repertoire.

The line of gourmet butters, Chef Shamy continues to grow.

Flavors “coming soon” including Honey Butter, Blueberry Honey Butter, White Truffle Butter and Steakhouse Butter (which is usually garlic butter with added Worcestershire or other flavor).

The line is gluten-free, kosher and halal; the milk used to churn the butter is RBST-free.
 
 
BUTTER STORAGE TIPS

 
 
USES FOR GARLIC BUTTER

Garlic butter may be the most popular compound butter.

The list of foods on which both garlic and butter belong on is very long. That’s why this compound butter belongs in your refrigerator, for frequent use.
 
Breakfast

 
Lunch & Dinner

 
Snacks

 
 
RECIPE: GARLIC HERB BUTTER

Herbs add an extra hit of flavor to garlic butter (photo #7). You can use chives, flat-leaf parsley or an herb that pairs with your recipe.

You can also add a hit of heat with chili flakes or minced jalapeño, or personalize your butter with other spices.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PULSE all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. To melt for a recipe, place it in a microwave-safe dish or small pitcher and melt, stirring every 30 seconds. Otherwise…

2. COVER tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.
 
 
> HOW TO MAKE COMPOUND BUTTER

> THE HISTORY OF BUTTER

> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUTTER
 
 
RECIPES WITH GARLIC BUTTER

[1] So pretty, so tasty: different compound butter flavors (photo © She Knows).

[2] Chef Shamy’s garlic butter (photo © Chef Shamy).

[3] Crostini with garlic butter: simple, crunchy, delicious (photo © DeLallo).

[4] Shrimp Scampi, cooked in garlic butter, atop polenta (photo © Good Eggs).

[5] Steamed mussels in melted garlic butter (photo © Mackenzie Ltd).

[6] Roasted sea bass with a pat of garlic butter (photo © WKNO-FM).

[7] Garlic herb butter (photo © Brown Eyed Baker).

[1] Sweet potato tots with spinach. The recipe is below (photo © Bucket List Tummy | North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission.

[2] Tasty and nutritious: sweet potatoes from North Carolina (photo © North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission.

[3] The featured recipe adds spinach to the potato tots (photo © Stephen Ausmus | U.S. Agricultural Research Service).

[4] Another better-for-you recipe: Baked Potato Tots (photo © Potato Goodness).

[5] Gourmet potato tots with pickled mustard seeds and green pea purée. Check out these ideas (photo © The Eddy | NYC).

February 2nd is National Tater Tot Day, and we’ve got a yummy, better-for-you recipe for today as well as for the upcoming Super Bowl Sunday.

Plus, we have more tater tot recipes below.

Before we get to today’s recipe, The Nibble’s Legal Department (tongue in cheek) would like you to know that, although the term is used generically, Tater Tots® is a trademark of Ore-Ida, which invented the little potato bites in 1953 (here’s the history of Tater Tots).

Everyone else should legally call them “potato tots.”

These days, chefs are putting their own spin on the original recipe of seasoned, shredded potatoes with dehydrated onion and salt.

In today’s recipe, Sarah Schlichter, a Registered Dietitian and author of the Bucket List Tummy blog, makes Tater Tots more nutritious by adding equal amounts of spinach and sweet potatoes.

It’s a fun way to “sneak” two nutrient-dense vegetables into a palate-pleaser for kids and adults alike.

Thanks to the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission for sending us the recipe.
 

SWEET POTATO VS. WHITE POTATO NUTRITION

Are sweet potatoes more nutritious than white potatoes?

Sweet and white potatoes are comparable in their calorie, protein and carbohydrate content: around 90 calories, 2 grams of protein and 21 grams of carbs per spud*.

 
 
RECIPE: SWEET POTATO TATER TOTS WITH SPINACH

Prep time is 15 minutes; cook time is 30 minutes.

Ingredients For 30-35 Tots

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. While the oven is preheating, microwave the sweet potatoes for 5-6 minutes, or until softened. Let them cool.bOnce sweet potatoes have cooled, separate the pulp from the skin. You can discard skin or save it for another recipe, e.g. roasted and/or stuffed sweet potato skins.

2. PLACE the spinach in a blender or food processor and process until it has a coarse, shredded texture. Mix the sweet potato pulp with the shredded spinach.

3. PREPARE the breading: Mix the bread crumbs, egg, shredded cheese and spices. Add the breading mixture to sweet potato mixture.

4. COVER a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Shape the batter into Tater Tot shapes (cylinders) and spread over the parchment, spacing about ½-1 inch apart. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until slightly browned on the edges.

5. SERVE with your favorite condiments.
 

MORE TATER TOT RECIPES

 
 
> THE HISTORY OF TATER TOTS
 
 
________________

*The name “spud,” slang for potato, comes from the digging of soil (creating holes) prior to the planting of potatoes. The word comes from New Zealand English. Around 1845, the name transferred to the tuber itself.

†You can make your own Italian seasoning by combining equal parts basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Store in an airtight jar.