Pepper Fries with Ranch Dip

This was inspired by a Rachel Ray episode I saw on the Food Network. She served fried jalapenos with mole chile and homemade ranch dip. For my version, I used sweet bell peppers and to make the mole chili simple; I took canned cheese chili and added brown sugar, ketchup and chocolate baking coco powder - letting it simmer.  It was so delicious with the pepper fries and ranch dip. A meal to definitely make again!

  Pepper Fries

• 6 Bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, green)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons spicy mustard
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the seeds from all of the peppers and cut into 1/2-inch lengthwise strips.

Set up a breading station: 1 pan of 1 cup of flour, 1 pan of eggs beaten with milk, 2 tablespoons of flour and mustard, and 1 pan of bread crumbs seasoned with cheese, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Coat the peppers in the flour, then in the egg mixture and then in the bread crumbs. Arrange the chili fries on a nonstick baking sheet and roast for 18 minutes, turning once. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter.

Ranch Dipper

• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped, then mashed into paste with salt
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix together in bowl and serve.