Lindsey's Fried Pickles on a Stick

Carnival food at it's finest! Oh how I love fried pickles, but boy are they hot when they come out of the fryer. One day I thought how much more convenient it would be to have them on a stick! And of course fry them whole. This was a hit with my kids! I had a quick vision that I had a food truck business called "Pickles on a Stick" It was fun to dream for a minute. I'm sure this will become an instant hit on Pinterest - but remember, you saw it here first! :)

•  Canola oil (enough to fill your deep fryer) 
• 1 jar of crisp whole dill pickles
• 1 cup flour
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups of seasoned Panko crumbs 
• Wooden skewer sticks

Insert wooden sticks into pickles and set on a tray. Set up three soup plates - one with eggs, one with flour and the other with crumbs (you can also use freezer bags for less of a mess).When oil is hot and ready (it will bubble and pop when you drop something in) dip pickles back in pickle juice one at a time, roll into flour, roll into egg mixture, roll back in flour, roll again in eggs, and roll in crumbs. Place in deep fryer. Fry about 2-3 minutes per pickle or until golden and crisp. Place on baking sheet and keep warm in oven (do not cover).

Serve hot with cool Ranch dip. Enjoy!

Bacon Parmesan Artichoke Dip

In the back, left

I created this on a whim and it did not disappoint.

Bacon Parmesan Artichoke Dip

• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 cup crumbled bacon
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Whip artichokes, cream cheese, lemon juice, salt, 1/2 cup bacon and Parmesan together. Place on a platter and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of bacon over the top. Serve with crackers.

Apricot Curry Dip

On the left

One day these flavors came into my mind and I couldn't stop thinking about how they would taste in a cream cheese dip. So, I made it and can I just say, it's phenomenal!

Apricot Curry Cheese Dip

• 1 jar of apricot preserves
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp curry (based on your liking)
• 1 block of cream cheese (8 oz)

Whip 1/4 cup of apricot preserves together with cream cheese and curry. Spoon onto platter and pour 1/2 cup of apricot preserves over the top; serve with crackers.

Holiday Dip

on the right

Tis the season! This dip is delicious and pretty. I made this with sweet red pepper jelly, but you can also use a jalapeno mint jelly for a festive green color. Place them side by side for red and green.

Now most dips that are similar are usually just a block of cream cheese with jelly or sauce on top. When the top is all gone, you are left with just a block of boring cream cheese. I like to mix the topping into the cheese and then still add some on top for appeal.

Holiday Dip

• 1 jar of red pepper jelly
• 1 block of cream cheese (8 oz)

Whip 1/4 cup of jelly into the cream cheese. Place on platter, pour remaining jelly over the top and serve with crackers or toast.

Cheesy Cheddar Twists

I got this idea from the Pizza Factory. I hate to say it but I have no special recipe for this. I just followed the Cheddar Breadsticks recipe in my Cuisine Art bread maker cookbook. When the dough was finished, I separated it into balls and rolled the balls out into snakes. You can also cut flat strips as in the directions below. From there I wrapped them around chopsticks and baked them.

The paprika is what turns the dough orange (I used smoked paprika).They taste so good and are fun to eat!

Cheesy Cheddar Twists

• ¾ cup water, room temperature
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2-1/4 teaspoon yeast, active dry, instant or bread machine
  

Place ingredients, in the order listed, into the bread pan fitted with the kneading paddle and secure the bread pan in the Cuisinart Bread Maker. Press the menu button to select the dough program. Press start to mix, knead and rise. For best mixing results, scrape the pan 10 to 15 minutes after the program has started.

When cycle is completed, remove dough from machine and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Punch down to deflate. Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick, 10 inches long and 22 inches wide. Roll the rectangle so that its width runs from left to right. With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut strips that are each ½- inch wide. Twist each strip around chopstick. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic and allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Once breadsticks have rested brush with olive oil and bake until golden about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and serve.

Cheese Pull-A-Part (From the Pie)

We have a restaurant here in Utah called The Pie Pizzeria. Located near two universities, it's a popular college hang out. As long as I can remember my favorite dish they serve is the cheese pull-a-part. It's gooey cheese stuffed breadsticks topped with Parmesan and herbs. It comes with ranch and marinara dipping sauce. My husband and I used to eat there all the time back in our college days, but it has been years since I have been there because we are not close to any of the locations.

I hate to say it but I used my bread maker to make the dough so if you have a bread maker just make the pizza or bread stick dough listed in your bread maker recipe book. Make enough dough to make two pizzas. You can also use your favorite recipe for pizza dough. (Avoid whole-wheat dough as this recipe is not meant to have that wheat flavor. It would be like making sour dough with wheat flour).

Cheese Pull-A-Part (From the Pie)

• Your favorite pizza dough (enough for 2 pizzas)
• 4-6 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese (you could slice it if you like) 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Set the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out your pizza dough on floured surface and place on a pizza pan. Cover with mozzarella cheese. Roll out second dough and place on top like a sandwich. Brush oil and melted butter over the top. Sprinkle, Parmesan, Romano, oregano and garlic over the top. Lightly score the dough with a pizza cutter into bread stick slices, however don't cut all the way or cheese will run out during baking. This makes it easy to just pull the bread sticks off with your fingers without tearing when it comes right out of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with homemade marinara and ranch. Enjoy!  

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. 

Sweet Apple Bacon Meatball Skewers

Mmmm! I saw a picture of something similar in a German cookbook. Here's my version! I love the sweet crispy coating on the bacon and the way those baked apples taste - they create a nice aroma in your oven. The meatballs soak in the sweet flavors and it's delicious!

I served mine with mini yellow potatoes and salad.

Sweet Apple Bacon Meatball Skewers

• 1 bag frozen meatballs (not Italian kind)
• 1 pkg of bacon
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 4 crisp gala apples, cut into wedges

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange bacon, apples and meatballs on skewers in a pattern. Place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar over skewers. Bake for twenty minutes or until bacon is crisp. Enjoy!.

Bacon Crepe Rolls

These are so easy to make and so yummy! Really you can take any topping combination and make these fabulous. I created this recipe with bacon and it was amazing!

Bacon Crepe Rolls

• 8 crepes
• 1 pkg cream cheese
• 2 cups crumbled bacon
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder 

Crepes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 eggs 
• 1/2 cup milk  
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. 

Mix cream cheese and garlic together. Spread 2 Tbsp onto each crepe. Sprinkle bacon and green onions over the top. Roll up into a burrito. Cut into one inch slices. Serve while warm.

Mozzarella Bites

Crispy, cheesy yumminess is what these are!

Mozzarella Bites

• 1 package of fresh mozzarella (packaged in liquid) cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon of water for egg wash
• 15 fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
• 30 sheets fresh wonton wrappers
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup of spaghetti sauce

Whisk the egg and water together with a fork. Wash and dry the basil leaves and then stack 5 together, roll them together into a little parcel, cut them length wise into little strips. On top of one a wontons, place a mozzarella cube and sprinkle a bit of the basil on top. Brush the outside of the wonton with the egg wash. Press ends together and tuck the ends underneath. Let rest for about a minute.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Place wontons in the pan and cook about 8 or 10 minutes until golden brown on each side. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve immediately with warm spaghetti sauce. Enjoy!

Pizza Biscuits

This is so easy and so delicious! Perfect for when you are in the mood for homemade pizza but not in the mood to do all the work. Also, it's the perfect size for kids so they don't waste anything AND it's perfect for dipping!

Pizza Biscuits

• 2 cans of refrigerated buttermilk buscuit dough
• 4 cups shredded cheese - pizza blend
•  Pepperoni or (I used sliced hot dogs) 
• 1 jar of pizza sauce

Slice biscuit dough circles in half and place each half in a muffin tin. Spoon over sauce, hotdogs and cheese. bake according to directions on biscuit can. You can also lay full biscuits on a cookie sheet for bigger pizzas. Dip in your favorite sauce. Enjoy!

Golabki (The Polish Burritto)

My friend made this for me last week and it was quiet delicious! It's a dish from Poland and my husband calls it the "Polish Burrito".  She served it with a sauce made from ketchup and beef stock - it was really tasty!

Gołąbki

• 1 whole head cabbage, about 4 pounds
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup beef stock
• Sour cream for garnish (optional)

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove core from cabbage. Place whole head in a large pot filled with boiling, salted water. Cover and cook 3 minutes, or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. You will need about 18 leaves.

When leaves are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf, without cutting all the way through. Chop the remaining cabbage and place it in the bottom of a casserole dish or Dutch oven. 

Saute the chopped onion in butter in a large frying pan until tender, and let it cool. Mix cooled onions with beef, pork, rice, garlic, salt and black pepper until well combined. Don't overmix or the meat will become tough. 

Place about 1/2 cup of meat on each cabbage leaf. Roll away from you to encase the meat. Flip the right side of the leaf to the middle, then flip the left side. You will have something that looks like an envelope. Once again, roll away from you to create a neat little roll. 

Place the cabbage rolls on top of the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish or Dutch oven, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Pour beef stock over rolls, cover and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour or until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked. 

Serve with pan juices and a drizzle of sour cream, or mix the pan juices with sour cream and ladle it over the cabbage rolls. Cabbage rolls freeze well before or after cooking, and can be made in a slow cooker. 

Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)

I made these for St. Patty's day. They are so good that I think I'll make them more often. I added garlic powder to mine and served them with sour cream dip. Yum!!

Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)

• 2 pounds (3 to 4 large) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt, plus more for seasoning the potatoes before cooking
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Chop half of the potatoes and boil in salted water until tender.

 

Meanwhile, grate the remaining potatoes on the large holes of a large cheese grater. Toss with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and place in a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Remove all water and set aside.
 

When the boiled potatoes are ready, drain them, return them to the pot, add 1/4 cup of the milk, and mash until the potatoes are smooth.With a plastic spatula, press the grated potatoes against the sides and bottom of the strainer to remove any liquid. Add the grated potatoes to the mashed potatoes (no need to stir though).
 

Place the egg, remaining 1/2 cup milk, flour, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the potatoes and stir until evenly incorporated.
Heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Test to see if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling a couple of drops of cold water in it: If the water bounces and sputters, the pan is ready to use; if it evaporates instantly, the pan is too hot.
 

Once the pan is ready, add enough butter to lightly coat the bottom when melted. Drop 3 dollops (about 1/4 cup each) of the batter into the pan and spread each to about 1/4 inch thick. Cook until the pancake bottoms are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes more. Place on a baking sheet and set in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter. Serve warm.

Veggie Bars

There are the perfect h'orderves. They are creamy and refreshing - a hit for your party!

Veggie Bars

• 2 cans crescent rolls
• 1 cucumber, cut in thin slices
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 small tub sour cream
• 1/2 tsp dill
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• dash of salt & pepper

Roll out crescent roll dough onto cookie sheet. Bake according to directions on can. Cool and set aside. Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, dill, garlic, salt & pepper. Spread over cooled dough. Cut a slit into the sides of cucumber slices and fold for the fancy look above. You can also top with cherry tomatoes and broccoli florets. Sprinkle dill on top. Refrigerate for 2 hours and cut into bars. Serve cold.

Berry Best Dip

This was easy and another great way to help your children eat more fruit!

Berry Best Dip

• 7 oz marshmallow creme
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup crushed strawberries

Blend together in mixer until smooth and silky. Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Dip

This is so delicious! My family could not stop eating it. It's the perfect way to get your kids to eat more fruit!

Coconut Cream Dip

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 (15oz) can Cream of Coconut (Not coconut milk! Find this in the aisle with the margarita mix & other mixers.)
• 1/2 (8oz) tub Cool Whip

 Mix all ingredients together until lumps are gone.

Green Goddess Dip

Green Goddess Dip

• 1 medium ripe avocado
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried or fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• pinch salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients and process in your food processor until smooth. Or use a mixer and blend everything. Serve with taco chips. Enjoy!

Polenta

So what is polenta? Well, I asked myself that very question when I picked it up on the pasta isle at Walmart. It looked very interesting indeed. It was packaged like a tube of ground hamburger but it's yellow as it's made from corn meal. It's a substitute for pasta and very popular in certain parts of Italy. At our house we like to try new things.

I put together this fun polenta dish that was very tasty! I used my own homemade bottled sweet spaghetti sauce from garden grown tomatoes. Here is quick version of it.

Polenta

• 1 pkg of Polenta
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1cup tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella

Heat a skillet to medium high. Add oil. Slice polenta and add to hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Add a pinch of salt. Remove from heat.

In a separate frying pan add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, salt, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and cinnamon. Stir and let simmer on medium high until it becomes a thick sauce.

Arrange polenta slices on a platter and top with sauce. Sprinkle cheese and parsley over top. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Crust Pizzas

Another Pinterest delight! I was skeptical at first but in the end it exceeded my expectations big time! You wonder how in the world does grated cauliflower turn into or taste like pizza crust. Then when you put it in the oven you worry it will come out mushy or soggy. Nope! It really was a delicious, crisp, thin pizza crust! In fact we wished we would have doubled the recipe because 4 just wasn't enough.

I love that I can now enjoy pizza without feeling bloated from all the carbs. I felt perfectly satisfied after eating this! I think it's great for people with gluten allergies too. So worth making!

Cauliflower Crust Pizzas

Cauliflower Crust (Makes 4 individual pizzas)

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups riced cauliflower (grate the cauliflower on a cheese grater)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh julienned basil

Pizza Toppings

• 1 cup marinara sauce (1/4 cup per pizza)
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
• Basil Ricotta (recipe below)

Note - I used mozzarella slices, shredded pizza blend cheese, onions, baby spinach leaves, and salami for my toppings.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, combine riced cauliflower, basil, eggs and mozzarella. Divide into 4 amounts and press evenly into a pizza crust shape on the baking sheet. (At first you will wonder how this messy crust will turn into pizza crust. I was worried. Trust me - after it comes out of the oven it's really like a thin pizza crust! Not mushy at all)

Bake crust for 15 minutes. Add sauce and toppings and bake another 5 minutes. Carefully use a thin  spatula to remove pizzas from pan. Enjoy!

This is super delicious!! My husband is not a fan of cranberries but he loved this! I don't know what it is about berries and cheese but this is a perfect marriage!

Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce

• 3/4 cup cranberry sauce
• 1 16-ounce brie round
• Zest of one orange
• 2/3 cup walnut pieces
• Crackers for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the top of the rind from the cheese using a serrated knife, and discard the rind. Place the cheese, cut side up on an oven safe plate or bowl. Just make sure to use a larger plate or a bowl so your cheese doesn’t start oozing off the plate like mine is in the above photo. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the cranberry sauce. Bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is soft and warm. Sprinkle the top with orange zest and walnuts. Serve immediately with crackers.