Potatoes, Bacon, and Cheese? Yes Please.

Potatoes, bacon, and cheese: three things that should always go together. Can’t beat it. The outside of the potatoes get a little crispy in the oven, but stay soft in the center. Yukon potatoes are slightly more flavorful than other baking potatoes, but you can feel free to substitute with any slightly waxy spud. That “slightly waxy” qualifier is kind of important, though, because otherwise your potatoes will fall apart before they make it to your plate. And that’s just upsetting.

And lastly, feel free to experiment with cheese. I suggest either Parmesan or cheddar (my personal favorite, but I’m told it’s a little more expensive in Montreal).

Note: this is in no way a “healthy” dish.

Baked Pork Egg Rolls

You can often get egg roll wrappers at the grocery store, and definitely at an Asian market. In Dublin, the closest markets are on S Great George St. and Drury Street; in Montreal, Chinatown is right next door on Rue Clark!

Coconut Lime Mussels

Mussels: delicious and easy to prepare. The best part is that no one ever thinks to make their own, so preparing this dish yourself is ultra-impressive! This recipe is fresh and a little tropical with the coconut and lime flavors. Grab a bunch from the Temple Bar Food Market or Marché Atwater. Dubliners, take a quick DART ride to Howth for the day and bring some mussels back with you!

Make sure to read our tips on dealing with mussels if you haven’t before.

Bruschetta: Easy Italian Beauteousness.

For how good it is, bruschetta is easier than it should be. Honestly. Bread, tomato, garlic, olive oil, basil, mozzarella if you can find it. Something magical happens when you toast the bread and assemble the ingredients. Coming back from two weeks in Italy over Spring Break, I lived on bruschetta. It’s cheap. It’s delicious. And it’s pretty good for you, as far as a light lunch or snacks go. It’s perfect for entertaining, and the best way to use up some slightly stale bread.

Italian 101: In Italian, “ch” is pronounced like a “k” sound: bru-SKET-ta.