Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

• Oil, for frying
• 4 green tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch rings
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs (found in the chinese food section)
• Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• Pinch paprika (optional)
• Buttermilk Dipping Sauce, recipe follows

Directions,

First make the buttermilk dipping sauce and refrigerate.

Next, In a deep-fryer, preheat oil to 350 degrees F.

Season tomatoes, on both sides, with salt and pepper. Place flour and garlic powder in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, beat eggs with the milk. In another dish, mix bread crumbs with cayenne and paprika. Dredge tomatoes through the flour, then the eggs, and then through the bread crumbs. Add only a few pieces to the fryer at a time, so they can cook evenly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with Buttermilk Dipping Sauce:

Buttermilk Dipping Sauce:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 
  
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
• 1 lime, juiced
• 4 scallions, sliced thin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the apple cider and brown sugar. Allow to reduce until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, add buttermilk, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce and lime juice and whisk well. Add in the scallions and the apple cider mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with Fried Green Tomatoes.

Saucy Smokies

For a small crockpot

2 pkg. Little Smokies

equal ammounts of

your favorite BBQ sauce and grape jelly

Thow in your crockpot, mix and heat through

Dill Dip

3/4 C. mayo

3/4 C. sour cream

2 T. minced onion flakes

2 tsp. Beau Monde (Spice Island brand Seasonings)

2 tsp. dill weed

Mix together. Chill 2 hours. Serve with veggies

Fruit dip

This is the quickerst fruit dip ever

1 small carton cool whip, thawed

1 6- 8 oz. container fo your favorite flavor yougert. I like blueberry or raspberry

Mix together thoroughly. Serve with your favorite fruits. Pineapple chunks, banana chunks, strawberries, apple slices, orange segments, melon chunks,grapes etc..

Pesto Bruschetta on Toasted Garlic Crostini

Make these for your next party. Or for your midnight indulgence. Don't be afraid. You will thank me. Your guests will thank me....err...you. And when you invite me over, I'll give you a hug and a kiss. Really I will. Just make sure everyone eats one (or inevitably several of them!) so that you can all have garlic breath together. Stephanie, I will forever be grateful to you for introducing me to such divine yumminess! Mmmmmmmm.....

Pesto Bruschetta on Toasted Garlic Crostini

Pesto Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil leaves

2 large minced garlic cloves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 T freshly grated Pecorio Romano Cheese (Or I just used the Kraft Parmesan/Romano mix in the green container for both of these....so sue me. It was still delish!)

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

Additional Ingredients

1-2 baguette sliced at a 45-degree angle about 1/2 inch thick (I'd say 2...there's enough pesto and once your guests figure out how fabulous they are, you'll be glad you did!)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, sliced lengthwise

1 basket grape tomatoes

Preparation:

Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan, Pecorio, and pine nuts in food processor or blender. Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil until fully incorporated. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Prepartion:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bread on rimmed baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and rub with cut side of garlic. Bake until beginning to crisp, about 8 minutes.

While bread crisps, make pesto and half cherry tomatoes lengthwise.

Top crostini with pesto spread and cherry tomato slice.

Easy Cheesy Cheese Ball (thanks to DeAnn Jeppson)

Original Cheese Ball

1 Package of Cream cheese

1 tablespoon of chives

1 tablespoon of Bon Appetit seasoning

Mix these things together and roll in almonds, and you have a delicious cheese ball. 

   

chris' cheese ball

1 package of cream cheese

1 tablespoon of chives

1 tablespoon of dry ranch mix

1/2 cup of smoked cheddar cheese

and he added just a dash of Bon Appetit seasoning

Mix all together and roll in almonds. Chris loves almonds that are

flavored with garlic. 

this makes the perfect holiday treat!! 

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

I had Jalapenos in my garden this year for salsa and ended up with quite a crop. The Pioneer Woman posted this recipe not to long ago and I've been dying to try them. My DH has a real thing for not liking anything hot or spicy and so I finally made a few of these just for me. They were delish!!! I must admit I did use turkey bacon as I have a thing against real bacon, but they were still super yummy and probably saved on a few calories. Try 'em! Yum!

Fresh jalapenos 2-3 inches in size
Cream cheese (softened)
Thin, regular bacon, sliced into thirds.

Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane. Smear softened cream cheese into each half. Wrap with bacon and secure with toothpick (At this point you can freeze them, uncooked, in a ziploc bag for later use).

Bake on a pan with a rack in 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don't want the bacon to shrink so much it starts to squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn't look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when the jalapeno still has a bit of a bite to it. Yum!

Easy Meatballs

O.K. folks, these are my super- easy -look- like -you -took- all- day- meatballs. I've used these in a meatball buffet when Kelsey was baptized. Whenever I'm entertaining for a crowd, I write down the entire menu, from drinks to dessert. This helps me to remember everything when it comes time to serve.

Cranberry Meatballs
1/2 package of frozen meatballs from Costco (Italian Style)
1 jar of "Homemade" brand chili sauce. This can be found by the ketchup, it's in a glass bottle which is kinda in the shape of an apple. It distinctly says Homemade on the lid.
1 can of jellied cranberry sauce.

You put the chili sauce and cranberry sauce in a crockpot and stir it up. Double the sauce if you're serving it with rice. Then add the meatballs. Cover and cook 4-6 hours or until hot. Stir before serving. Can serve with rice or use as an appetizer.

Swedish Meatballs
1/2 package frozen meatballs from Costco (Italian Style)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can sliced mushrooms in water
milk to thin

Again, mix the sauce up in the crockpot. Use the mushroom water too, it has lots of flavor. Add the meatballs and heat through till hot, 4-6 hours in the crockpot. Stir before serving. Definately good with rice. This is my signature dish whenever I have to bring dinner to someone. I bring them my little crockpot filled with these meatballs, my rice cooker full of hot steamed rice and a salad or green peas. Usually it's cupcakes for dessert. Everyone always wants the recipe. Gotta love that!

Oriental meatballs
1/2 package of those Costco meatballs
Yoshida sauce to fill the crockpot 2/3 full.

Add the meatballs FIRST, then put the Yoshida sauce in. Heat and serve with rice.

Well, I hope these recipes keep you on the "ball" ha, ha, ha!