Parmesan Ranch Chicken Wings

One of the ideas I had for a recipe to enter in the Hidden Valley Ranch^TM Ranchify Recipe Challenge was ranch dressing paired with chicken wings.  Ranch dressing is often served as a dip for carrot sticks served with buffalo wings.  I wanted to take that flavour one step further, right on the wings!  We usually visit Hooter's for wings each trip to our vacation home,  My husband loves their garlic Parmesan wings.  These wings are rich, gooey, messy and delightfully yummy.  I decided to go with that type wing using ranch dressing.

Hidden Valley Ranch^TM dressing is available in three yummy flavours - original, cheesy and spicy.  I tried all three combinations for the contest creation stage recipes.  Hands down the Hidden Valley Ranch^TM Ranchify spicy dressing was a sure fire taste winner when paired with chicken wings!  Although I did not submit this recipe as my entry, it is tantalizingly delicious and ever so easy to make.  They are rich, gooey and messy but oh so good!  I'm sure your family will enjoy them for your next wing night!


Parmesan Ranch Chicken Wings
recipe by:  Garden Gnome

Note:  I used 16 large wings, tips removed and cut at the joint to form 32 pieces.   The parmesan ranch sauce is enough to comfortably coat 8 to 10 large chicken wings.

chicken coating
1 c organic unbleached flour
½ c homemade breadcrumbs
1 tbsp garlic pepper

Mix well in large container.

Parmesan ranch sauce




½ c Hidden Valley Ranch^TM cheesy ranch dressing
1/3 c fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Reserve 2 tbsp of the grated cheese.  Mix the remaining cheese with the dressing in a bowl large enough to accommodate the chicken wings.

Prepare the desired number of wings.  Place in the flour mixture.  Shake to coat.  Let sit 5 minutes.  Leave the wings in the flour mixture until ready to deep fry.  Heat the deep fryer to 356°F.  Fry the chicken wings in small batches of 8 to 10 wings at a time until golden brown, about 7 minutes.  Remove from deep fryer and drain.  Place the wings into the sauce then use a flipping motion to coat the wings.  Remove wings to serving plate with tongs.  Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top of the wings.

Have a Wing Night

Chicken wings have been a long time favourite pub grub fare.  Traditionally, cheap wing night was held on Tuesday nights but that varied from pub to pub.  The going price was 10¢ per wing several years ago but now that has more than tripled to 35¢ per wing.  Still, even at the higher price it is still a cheap at only $3.50 for 10 wings.  Wings tend to come naked (no coating) or breaded, sauced or sauce on the side and a choice of usually mild, hot or suicide sauce although new and exciting sauces like chili lime and honey garlic are quickly becoming popular.  We love chicken wings so get together with the guys quite often on Tuesday nights to enjoy wings at one of our favourite bars.  Wing nights are fun because the focus is on the wings, with wings making up most or all of the meal.  It's quite common to order a big plate of wings and a drink.  That's it!  The price of drinks greatly increases the cost of the meal as does ordering a side salad as I like to do.  The biggest complaint I have with this particular bar and their wings is the lack of consistency.  One week the wings will be large and nicely cooked, the next week the wings will be small and over cooked.  The sauces are never the same!  Seriously, how difficult can it be to make the same honey garlic sauce the same way so it tastes the same from week to week?  At any rate, the place remains popular with the guys because it is the only place in town with a wing night.

I decided to experiment with chicken wings as a potential candidate recipe for my Hidden Valley Ranch^TM Ranchify Recipe Challenge. I've tried naked and coated wings.  Coating in the pubs tends to be more on the thicker breaded side.  Quite frankly, I am not a huge fan of anything breaded but when it comes to wings, some type of coating helps make the sauce stick better.

I started with 16 large chicken wings then removed the tips and cut at the joint for 32 pieces.  I used a light breading mixture consisting of 1 c organic unbleached flour, ½ c homemade breadcrumbs and seasonings.  I placed this in a large container, mixed well then added the wings to coat.  The easiest way to coat the wings I found is to lightly shake the container then let sit for five minutes and shake again.

I left the coated wings in the container until ready for frying.  I heated the deep fryer to 356°F then fried the chicken wings in small batches until golden brow, about 7 minutes.  It took three batches to fry the 32 wings.  Once the wings were fried, I drained them then set aside for the various sauces I was testing.

I used  ½ c of each sauce in separate bowls then divided the cooked wings into four equal amounts (8 pieces per sauce).  I added each portion of the cooked wings to the respective sauces then used a slight flipping motion to coat the wings well with the sauce.  I used tongs to remove the wings to be plated for serving.

I made four varieties of chicken wings.  Three were ranch based creation stage recipes for the contest, the last was Sweet Baby Ray's.  Of the four versions, bottom left with garnish and the Sweet Baby Ray's were definite keepers.  Watch for the creation stage recipe to be posted.

The beauty of using the light breading method for homemade chicken wings is virtually any sauce desired can be used.  They are good left without sauce then sauce on the side for dipping as well.  You can experiment with the seasonings added to the flour and breadcrumb mixture as well so the possibilities are endless! 

The homemade chicken wings came in at 37¢ each but the wings were quite large.  Chicken wings seldom go on sale here so that price likely won't change much.  However, drinks and salad were a lot cheaper at home.  This is really a quick and easy meal as the sides can be kept quite simple.  It is a sure to please meal as well since each family member can choose their own sauce or just mix and match.  Having a wing night is a fun activity the whole family will enjoy!

Frugal Kitchens 101 - 'Tis the Season

Today is November 25 aka Black Monday which really ushers in the holiday season.  All the stores put on the best possible sales hoping to get you to part with your hard earned money in lieu of wonderful gifts to bless your family and friends with.  The Home Hardware and Canadian Tire sales flyers came out last week and oh my gosh, it is time to do a bit of power shopping for kitchen inspired gifts.  This week's Frugal Kitchens 101 discusses how to make frugal choices when buying kitchen gifts.

• know the home cook's cooking style - If you don't know how a person cooks then don't buy a kitchen gadget or small appliance for them. Back when my husband brought me home a bread machine courtesy of the Christmas sales he knew I would use it.  Sadly many rather expensive bread machines ended up in the garbage or second had stores because their owners were gifted with an appliance the neither wanted or would use.
• know the person - It is far easier to gift a person with the perfect gift if you know them.  Those who are elderly or who have health problems may need specialized kitchen equipment.  Ask to see what they need.  It can be something as simple as an ergonomically designed paring knife, easy lid remover, grip extender and even a kitchen step stool.  Seriously, if I were gifted with a bag of unbleached flour, I would be elated!  It's all about know who the gift is going to.
• avoid the gimmicks - Most home cooks will not use a lot of the gimmick small appliances like cotton candy machines, chocolate fountains, individual pie makers and that type of thing.  My rule of thumb when buying someone a small kitchen appliance is to ask what they need.  I honestly have the fondue set that our kids were gifted with as a wedding present that I have yet to use but it has moved with us twice.  These types of things tend to add kitchen clutter.
• don't buy knives - Knives are a very personal choice that are best left to the individual person rather than gifting unless you know that person well.  The knife must meet the hand feel for the user.  My husband and I both love cooking but the knives that work well for him are too bulky for me.  I particularly have a knife requirement that it must be one solid piece tip to handle end but that is because of a horrid family event.  
• choose neutral - If buying kitchen textiles or serving ware go neutral so it will match if the person receiving the gift decides to change their kitchen decor.  Classic white or black always works with most decor as does clear glass.
• collectables - I collect antique kitchenware, canning jars and glassware so I am alway very appreciative when someone gifts me with that.  The problem is if that person does not know what they are buying they can easily get burned.  This is the time to definitely ask.
• gift certificates - These are my personal favourite.  Whenever I'm in doubt I give a kitchen/food gift certificate but only to a place where I know that person shops.  If someone gave me a gift certificate to the Bulk Barn I would be in seventh heaven!
• culinary classes - One year for Christmas a couple of our kids were gifted with enrollment to culinary classes. 
• brand name - Some including myself are very much brand name oriented when it comes to small kitchen appliances.  Be observant or ask.  If a person has all Hamilton-Beach small kitchen appliances that is a good sign you should buy them Hamilton-Beach if buying a small kitchen appliance.  If however, they have a hodge podge of brands for small kitchen appliances choose the best fitted appliance for their needs.
• gifts from the kitchen - Homemade gifts from the kitchen (eg. jams, preserves, bread, mixes, cookies in a jar, cookies and etc.) are always welcomed.  I like to include the recipe as well in case the recipient would like to duplicate it.

Parmesan Peppered Chicken Wings

Good quality Parmesan cheese is one of those wonderful ingredients that add a lot of flavour without having to add much.   Fresh grated Parmesan cheese is just a delight!  When we were at our vacation home we discovered Parmesan chicken wings then my husband found a restaurant that serves them here on Tuesday nights.  My first attempt at  peppered Parmesan chicken was modifying homemade shake & bake coating mix.  The results were quite tasty with an extra crunch but it was not the wings my husband was after. 

At one time chicken wings were rather inexpensive but cheap wing night has driven their price up.  I bought a little over two pounds of chicken wings, tips attached for $9.78.  This was enough for two nice sized servings for two adults.  My husband and I decided to try duplicating the peppered Parmesan chicken wings at the local restaurant.  The real problem with this plan is this particular restaurant makes them different each time and that includes all of their wings so one night you might get a really nice batch and the next one not.  From a restaurant standpoint this is not good practice.  They have also switched from fresh grated Parmesan cheese to powdered which is more cost effective for a restaurant but lacks the flavour and texture of fresh grated.

Dissecting is common in science labs but if you want to duplicate a restaurant dish at home you have to play detective and do a bit of dissecting.  The chicken wings at this restaurant are coated so we decided to coat the wings.  The Parmesan cheese and pepper are added after frying.  Getting the cheese and pepper to stick to the wings was the question but we came up with a tasty one.  These wings were absolutely amazing with a wonderful flavour, just a bit of crunch and nice tender meat.  They are a real keeper!

Parmesan Peppered Chicken Wings

2 lb chicken wings, tips attached
1 c flour
1 c fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp fresh ground pepper
¼ c melted butter

Dredge the chicken wings in the flour to lightly coat.  Deep fry the wings at 375ºF until golden brown.  Drain slightly.  Place the chicken wings in a deep mixing bowl.  Drizzle the melted butter over the wings.  Toss to distribute.  Add cheese and pepper.  Toss to distribute.  Cover mixing bowl with tinfoil to lightly melt cheese.  Serve hot.

Battered Mushrooms

An appetizer is the first impression of is to come in the meal.  Eye appeal is a must with appetizers also known as hors d'oeuvres or starters.  In general the heavier the meal the lighter the appetizer and the appetizer should provide a contrast to the main course.  Appetizers may be hot or cold, simple or elegant providing the home cook a great creative opportunity.

Battered or breaded mushrooms are a popular appetizer in many restaurants.  Like many restaurant appetizers they tend to be a bit on the expensive side usually costing about $6 for six battered mushrooms or $1 each.  Battered mushrooms have a lighter, crispier coating than breaded mushrooms.  Both are usually served with some type of dip, quite often ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Whether battered or breaded, deep fried mushrooms are very easy and inexpensive to make at home.   There are a variety of batters that can be used for battered mushrooms including pancake mix.   Once coated with the batter, the mushooms can be rolled in fine bread crumbs before frying if desired.  We used the seafood breader mix from our last trip to our vacation home foodie finds for the batter.  We did not roll the coated mushrooms in bread crumb.  The mushrooms were deep fried at 375ºF (190ºC) until golden brown then drained and served with René's caesar dressing.  These mouthwatering morsels were absolutely delightful!

Theme Park Funnel Cake Presentation

I recently wrote about making a popular country fair snack, the funnel cake, at home.   This sure to please, tasty snack is quite easy to make at home.  Pouring the batter into the deep fryer using a squeeze bottle or funnel takes a little practice but the technique is easily mastered.  For best flavour serve warm with desired toppings.

Funnel cakes at some fairs tend to be on the plainer side simply sprinkled with icing sugar.  I ordered a funnel cake at a theme park where there were several additional toppings available.  Toppings included icing sugar, banana slices, chocolate sprinkles, apple pie filling, and glazed strawberries.   Just look at the beautiful presentation! 

The glazed strawberries are easy to duplicate at home as well using instant Clear Jel®.  [Note that this is not the cooking Clear Jel® used in canning pie filling.]  Instant Clear Jel® and similar glazing products can be found in the produce aisle of most grocery stores.

Ugly Fries

Poutine is a truly Canadian dish, uniquely French-Canadian cuisine.  There are three key ingredients to good poutine.  They are white cheese curds, real gravy not packaged* or from a tin and fresh-cut fries.  When I first wrote about poutine I mentioned that some call this wonderful side dish ugly fries.  In reality ugly fries while they resemble poutine are quite a bit different.

The only thing poutine and ugly fries have in common is the basic concept of topping French fried potatoes with cheese and gravy.  In a flavour comparison poutine wins hands down.  The reason is three fold.  Fresh-cut fries form the base and if you've ever had fry truck fries you will know how much better they taste than the anemic, thin fast food fries.  The potatoes must be fried in pure lard for an authentic taste.  French-Canadian gravy is very dark and thick with the consistency of molasses.  True poutine uses fresh white, cheddar cheese curds.


In comparison, ugly fries (pictured) are closer to American Gravy Cheese Fries.  The fries are cooked from frozen.  The gravy quite often comes from a tin can or a powdered mix.  The cheese is usually shredded mozzarella rather than cheddar but in this case the cheese was a mixture of shredded mozzarella and cheddar.  While the taste is not authentic poutine, ugly fries are quite popular.

*Some in Quebec use a packaged vegan gravy by Warwick.  It is one of the best poutine gravy mixes available.

Funnel Cake

One of the best parts about going to county fairs and tourist areas is being able to sample a lovely array of somewhat naughty foods.  They are naughty simply because they would never fit into the health food category but at the same time make you feel good by indulging.  Who can resist piping hot soft pretzels, elephant ears, funnel cake or even just the heavenly smell of cotton candy not to mention the glistening red candy apples and delectable caramel corn?

Funnel cake is often available at county fairs.  This light, donut confection gets it's unique appearance by the way the batter is put in the deep frier.  Rather than adding the batter in a clump as you would a dough the batter is poured into a squeeze bottle then squirted into the hot oil while moving the bottle in different directions to create a lacy design.  Alternately the batter can be poured through a funnel into the hot oil.  Like a snowflake, no two funnel cakes are the same.  Funnel cakes are usually made when you order them so they a nice and hot, perfect for snacking!

Funnel Cake

3 c unbleached flour
2 c milk
½ tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼c sugar
topping of choice: sugar/cinnamon, icing sugar, chocolate sprinkles, and etc.

Heat oil to 190ºC/375ºF.  Beat the eggs and milk together.  Stir in vanilla.  Mix the flour, baking poser, salt and sugar together in a separate bowl.  Mix into the egg mixture beating well so there are no lumps.  Pour the batter into a squeeze bottle.  Squeeze batter while moving the bottle in different directions to form a somewhat lacy pattern.  Fry until golden brown, turn and fry other side.  Drain on paper towel lined cooling rack.  Sprinkle with topping of choice if desired.

How to Make a Restaurant Style Deep Fried Mexican Crispy Taco Salad Bowl

I've talked about taco salad presentation before where the salad is served in deep fried tortilla bowls.  I love this presentation!  It really is a bit unique as the prepared tortilla bowls aren't readily available in the stores so you really have to make them yourselves or enjoy them prepared for you at a restaurant.  Your family and/or dinner guests will be impressed to be served taco salad in these bowls at home!

Here is a short video clip that demonstrates the method I used for making the taco salad bowls.  The video is illustrative only but easy to follow the method without a commentary.  

 

Making taco salad bowls is not difficult but will increase your meal prep time by about 2 minutes per bowl plus the oil heating time.  I made thtee taco salad bowls to serve taco salad for dinner.  I set the deep fryer to 190ºC (375°F), frying one bowl at a time.  I modified the method to use a silicone ladle to form the bowl shape as I was using the smaller 6 - inch tortilla shells.  I drained the bowls upside down on wire racks.  Once cooled the bowls were ready for filling.  The bowls could be prepared the day before or earlier in the day then placed in an airtight container if making enough for 6 or 8 servings.  I would think they will keep their crispy texture for a day or two.

I was quite pleased with my first attempt making taco salad bowls.  While you can fill these bowls with any arrangement of the normal taco salad toppings, quite often the base layer is refried beans that helps to protect the bottom of the bowl from getting soggy too fast.  I used my standard taco salad toppings - seasoned ground beef, lettuce, homemade salsa, homemade taco hot sauce, chopped vegetables (tomatoes, green peppers, onion, black olives, lettuce), sour cream and cheddar cheese.  Tortilla shells come in three different sizes here - small (6"), medium (8") and large (10").  The larger the tortilla shell the more pronounced the bowl shape and the more the bowl will hold.  I found the small tortillas just perfect in comparison to many restaurant taco salads that are simply too much for one person to eat.  The limiting factor as to how big of a tortilla shell that can be fried for a taco salad bowl at home is the size of the deep fryer.   I can go as large as the medium sized tortilla shell.

Pan Fried Cod with Deep Fried Potatoes

As mentioned in the past few posts we were on vacation so managed to bring back several interesting foodie finds.  One of our foodie finds was Weisenberger's Fish Batter Mix from the  Old Town Amish Store in Berea, Kentucky.  This mix is from Weisenberger Mill, the historic water powered flour mill on the South Elkhorn Creek in southern Scott County, Kentucky.  It is the oldest commercial mill in Kentucky.  We plan on making a side trip to visit this mill during our next vacation.  I think it will be a rather interesting stop!

Homemade fish batter is quite easy to make using flour, corn meal or corn flour and seasonings of choice.  Everyone has their own favourite combinations and so it is with companies that make fish batter.  It is interesting to try different commercial fish batters as well as the slight variations in application.

The Weisenberger fish batter can be used wet or dry.  We dipped the fish in an egg wash then coated with the dry fish batter mix and pan fried until golden brown.  Deep fried potatoes and home canned wax beans completed the meal.  It was a lovely meal.  The fish was tender and flakey while the lightly seasoned coating was crispy.  This would be a fish batter I would use again. 

We discovered deep fried potatoes at a local eatery quite some time ago.  This is a fancier presentation usually served with prime rib or roast beef.  The inside is creamy while the outside has a golden crust.  Deep fried potatoes can be garnished with parsley if desired.  They are very easy to make at home. 

Deep Fried Potatoes

Wash and peel desired number of small potatoes.  Steam the potatoes until al dente.  Do not boil the potatoes as the texture will not be correct.  Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 190ºC (375ºF).  Transfer the potatoes from the steamer basket to the deep fryer basket.  Fry until golden brown.  Remove from deep fryer.  Serve hot.

Pan Fried Atlantic Cod Loins

I grew up in a very small, rural town that had 2 small grocery stores.  The grocery stores were quaint especially by today's standards.  The selection was rather limited but both had a meat counter that would cut cheeses and meat for you, somewhat like a butcher shop.  Most of the produce was either seasonal or canned.  My Mom didn't drive so we had no need for a car which restricted most of our activities to town.  Twice a year we would board the bus to go into the city.  My gosh that was aways exciting but other than indulging in a sandwich and drink at the lunch counter in the Metropolitan store, food was not on our shopping agenda.

My Mom bought meat in bulk and our farm fresh eggs were delivered to our door every week like clockwork.  The ladies in the neighbourhood held canning sessions using produce that was either home grown or bartered for.  Most of the fish I ate growing up came in a box already breaded or was from generous gifts from family and friends.  My Mom regularly bought from Watkins and shopped through catalogues.  Local farmers used to go door to door selling their extra produce.  They knew my Mom would always buy so our house was a sure stop!  It's funny thinking about the way we did things that my Mom used to say if someone came to your door selling you could always get it cheaper elsewhere and yet a vast amount of food was delivered directly to our door!

In some ways I have kept some of the tradition of having certain foods delivered right to my door.  Online shopping has allowed me to be able to get certain foods not locally available shipped right to me.  I can even get Ontario cheeses and Digby scallops delivered from the source directly to my door via overnight delivery!  Local schools and organizations have taken to selling certain types of foods (eg. gourmet popcorn) for fund raisers. 

Elite Gourmet Food Service delivers gourmet foods to your door throughout all of southern Ontario.  Their prices are a bit higher than the butcher shop or M&M Meat Shops but in terms of quality the food is top notch.  I can't recall how we first learned about this company.  I know their representatives will contact you but it is based on recommendation by a friend or relative not door to door sales or telemarketing.  The representative leaves a small flyer with your purchase along with their phone number for placing another order if you choose.  It is very low keyed selling which rather nice.  Unless they are out the food is available right from their vehicle so there's no shipping costs or waiting for the food to arrive.

Our area representative was at our neighbour's so dropped by to see if there was anything I needed.  I bought a 5 lb box of Atlantic cod loins.  The cod came in at $12 per lb for a 5 lb box.  There were 17 pieces of cod in the box, vacuum seal 2 or 3 to a pack.  Cod tails go for $9.99 lb on sale at the butcher's shop and $14.99 for 2 lb at M & M Meat Shops.  However, the cod from Elite Gourmet Food Service is cod loin which is a thicker cut of cod, over an inch thick.  It definitely is worth the extra cost! 

We used a light fish coating on the cod for pan frying.  I served the tender, flakey cod with homemade French fries and marketmore cucumber freshly picked from my garden. The French fries were topped with French fry dip.

The cod did not disappoint!  It was tender and flakey with a wonderful fresh flavour and texture.  Each piece was thick enough that two each were enough for a meal.  In terms of price this is still expensive for meat coming in at about $7 per 2 piece cod serving however it is cheaper than eating out at our favourite English style pub where we pay $12.95 for a 2 piece cod dinner plus drinks, tip and transportation cost to get there and back.  Our tab there for 2 usually comes out to about $45 plus gas but the homemade version for 2 was only about $17 total including fish, coating, potatoes, cucumber and electricity for cooking.  In that perspective getting this gorgeous fish delivered directly to our door becomes a rather frugal choice.

Deep Fried Frog Legs

Earlier this year I posted about an  all you can eat perch and frog legs dinner.  I have been on a quest to secure a local source for frog legs so I can cook them at home.  After a bit of finagling our local butcher shop is now carrying them.  They are not quite as big and they are frozen but I suspect in most areas here in Ontario the frog legs will be frozen unless you catch and prepare them yourself.  DH paid $5.49 for 4 nice sized frog legs so in terms of cost they are in the low to mid-range of other seafood.

Frog legs come in pairs cut just above the hips of the frog.  The meat should look clean, glistening and tenuous (1).  There should be very little prep other than coating them as desired then deep frying.  I used Cabela's Down Home Fish Fry Cajun as a dry coating for the frog legs (2).  I fried the frog legs at 180ºC (350ºF) until golden brown.

Friday nights tend to be red meat free here.  When the kids were younger it was either fish & chips or homemade pizza.  Now we are empty nesters it tends to be seafood usually as date night but sometimes cooked at home.  The frog legs were part of a seafood dinner cooked at home last Friday.  The frog legs and homemade French fries were deep fried while the lightly coated cod was pan fried.  Accompanying the meal was a fresh tossed garden salad with homemade vinaigrette dressing and fresh picked raspberries with vanilla yogurt.

The frog legs did not disappoint!  The coating was not exactly the same as the coating used on the all-you-can-eat meal but it was good.  The nice thing is the frog legs are not really expensive so I can do a bit of experimenting to get the coating just the way I want it.  I like the little bite the Cajun coating gave but next time I think I will try a wet coating to see how that turns out.  All in all I'm quite pleased with my first attempt at cooking frog legs at home.

Sweet Potato Fries

I'm a firm believer that if you can buy a food item pre-made chances are very good you can make it yourself. Oh, there are exceptions to this but for the most part it rings true. Over the holiday season I noticed a certain food company advertising their frozen sweet potato fries. Well this was just something I had to try, not their product but a homemade version of it. We don't buy frozen French fries as it is preferring fresh cut to frozen so I picked up a couple of sweet potatoes for this appetizer.

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are a deep orange fleshed vegetable that actually differs from Yams of which they are often confused with. Yams are of African origin with a dark skin, lighter flesh and somewhat smaller than sweet potatoes sold in North America. While the two species are not related the terms sweet potatoes and yams are used interchangeably in North America even though they are sweet potatoes not true yams.

The sweet potato fries served with pure maple syrup were quite delightful! They made a great appetizer. Deep frying does concentrate the sugar content in the sweet potatoes which plays off nicely with the crispy, caramelized skin. Pure maple syrup was the perfect dip to accompany the sweet potato fries.

Method: Wash and cut the sweet potato fries using a French fry cutter. Deep fried the fries at 180ºC/350ºF until golden brown. Remove from deep fryer. Drain then serve with a dipping bowl of pure maple syrup.

Scandinavian Rosette Cookies

It's that time of year where I'm looking for a few new things to add to my gift baskets for gifts from the kitchen. As promised here is one of the cookie recipes I tried out. Now I do have to point out these are one of the most frugal cookies I have come across. They are made from 5 low cost ingredients and despite this they look quite fancy. I really like foods that look like they took a lot of time to prepare when they really didn't!

Getting Ready

These cookies are not baked in the oven but rather fried in oil. Don't let that turn you off though as the are light and fluffy. They are also very versatile as to what topping you want to use and depending which orientation you want the cookies. Bottoms up and the cookies can be filled. Tops up and the cookies are nice simply topped.

Materials needed: deep fryer, rosette mold set, wooden skewer, paper towel lined cake cooling rack.

Scandinavian Rosette Cookies

1 c unbleached flour
1 c skim milk
½ tsp sea salt
3 tsp organic sugar
1 egg

Combine dry ingredients and mix in KitchenAid® stand mixer bowl. In a separate measuring cup combine the egg with the milk. Slowly mix into the dried ingredients then using the whisk attachment whisk until you have a smooth mixture. Heat the mold then dip into the batter into hot oil. Fry just to the point you can pop the cookie off the mold with a skewer. Fry until golden brown then turn to cook on the other side. Using your skewer, remove the cookie onto a paper towel lined cooling rack.

The Steps

When I first looked at all the steps to making these cookies I thought they were just too complicated but really they aren't once you get into a rhythm. First the mold is attached to the handle then the mold is heated for 15 seconds (1). Once the mold is heated it is dipped into the batter (2). I noticed there is always a sizzle sound when the properly heated mold hits the batter. The batter cannot come above the lip of the mold but a little jiggle helps coat the mold well. The coated mold is then placed into the hot oil (3). New molds will need a bit of encouragement to get the cookie to pop off but I really didn't find this to be a huge problem. After using the mold (4) for three or four times the cookie dropped off into the hot oil allowing a reload so I was able to get 3 to 4 cookies cooking at one time. The hot cookies went from the fryer to a paper towel lined cooling rack.

Cooling

There were 3 molds included with the kit I bought - a flower, a butterfly and poker oriented. I had to try all three. The flower one mold worked like a charm once I got the hang of it! The butterfly mold worked just as good but I simply could not get the poker mold to work. The mold was different in that there was more mold if that make sense. It was designed to create small cups shaped in spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds. Now this is really the one I wanted to work because it would fit in so well with our larger get togethers. Apparently I still have to practice!

Despite essentially frying one cookie at a time it took little time to get a nice plateful of rosette cookies. In the end with a little co-ordination I was able to get a nice rhythm going so there were 4 rosettes at a time in the fryer. I thought they looked rather pretty

Scandinavian Rosettes

When making Scandinavian rosette cookies you are supposed to give up a prayer to the Norse Gods dedicating the first batch to them. I tend to be on the frugal side so any mess-ups would get eaten anyway. At any rate and despite being my first attempt at making Scandinavian rosettes the Norse Gods would have got very little.

What is really a neat feature about the Scandinavian rosettes is you can really use them two ways. Turn them over and sprinkle with icing sugar and a chocolate/sugar/cinnamon mix (pictured) and well you just can't get much better! The shells are rich and crispy. However, reducing the amount of sugar added to the batter turns it into nice shells that could be paired with meat or savoury fillings. The shells when turned upside down hold a lot more so work nicely for dips as well.

The rosette cookies will keep at least 2 months frozen. Simply thaw then top or fill as desired. When it comes to gift baskets these cookies look amazing yet cost you very little to make.

Onion Rings & Chicken Wings Version 2

The kids were home last weekend so we decided to have a deep fryer feast. One of the easiest ways to give deep fried foods a different flavour and texture is to modify the coating used. There are so many ways to modify the coating! If using a dry coating simply changing the seasonings will give different results. Adding coarsely ground cornmeal to the coating mix will change the texture and flavour while adding finely ground cornmeal will change just the flavour. Changing the liquid used to make the dry coating adhere to the food will also give different results. If using a batter the liquid can be club soda, beer, water or milk. Each gives a slightly different result. Another way to get different results is to use a coating where you normally wouldn't or omit the coating where you normally use one.

Onion Rings

A few months ago I posted about making homemade onion rings. There are two things to making great homemade onions - the onions and the batter. Start with nice, firm Spanish onions. Slice them about ¼ - inch thick. Separate into individual rings. Once you have the rings then you have the basis for making homemade onion rings.

Instead of using a baking mix made into a batter for the coating, I used seasoned flour and buttermilk. The seasonings were Old Bay, salt and pepper. The rings were dipped in the flour, then buttermilk and into the flour again. They were fried at 180ºC (356ºF) until golden brown. The result was a lighter coated onion rings than onion rings made using a batter. They were nice and crunchy on the outside with the onion cooked perfectly. The thinner coating allowed the flavour of the onion to shine. The thinner coating also made these onion rings less filling than batter coated onion rings.

The biggest complaint about deep fried foods is they are greasy. To avoid this problem use clean oil heated to the proper temperature. If your oil is not at the correct temperature, the food will soak up more oil. Deep fried food needs to be drained to allow any excess oil to drip off.

Chicken Wings

Deep fried chicken wings are a family favourite. Several years ago I think just about every local restaurant held a wing night with a going price of 10¢ a wing. Those days are long gone! A couple of the pizzerias still offer wings in the $6 per lb range and at least one restaurant has a weekly wing night ($5 per lb). We like making them at home.

Hot wings can be thin coated, breaded or simply left uncoated. Thin coating will give a crispy texture while breading will give a bit doughier texture that can be greasier if not fried properly. Wings coated in breading will soak up the sauce giving a soggy texture as well so always serve the sauce separately. The reason for using a coating aside of texture is to boost the flavour by adding seasonings to the coating. Common additions are paprika and cayenne pepper for added heat to hot wings or garlic powder to enhance honey garlic wings. However, chicken wings are quite delicious without a coating. When deep fried at 180ºC (356ºF) they are crispy on the outside with moist, tender meat on the inside perfect for dipping!

Deep Fried Perch

Monday night we deep fried perch for dinner. This is fresh perch a friend of ours recently caught. Perch is a a smaller fish with a mild taste. Normally I pan fry perch because the small size of the fillets cook quickly. It's very important to not overcook perch!

Deep Fried Perch

Have you ever wondered why some fish coating appears crunchy and flaky while others appear smooth? One reason for this is the way the fish is coated before frying. If you want a crunchy, flaky coating dip the fish first in the liquid you are using then dredge in the dry coating. If you are pan frying omit dipping in the liquid and simply dredge in your dry coating. If you want a smoother coating dredge your fish in the dry coating first then dip into the liquid. Most smooth coatings also have a bit of baking powder it it to make them rise a little.

Pictured is the deep fried perch sitting in the microwave oven to stay warm while the rest cooked. Perch really lends its self well to using the smooth coating style when deep fried. I used Krusto Fish Batter which is a lightly seasoned fish coating I wanted to try from the abattoir's. The liquid was a thin solution of the batter mix in water. The fish was then dredged in the dry batter mix. The fish was deep fried at 190ºC (356ºF) until golden.

Hot Wings

The problem with a new kitchen toy is it tends to get a lot of use in the first week or so. That can be a good thing though. Let me tell you, the new deep fryer is getting a lot of use. My husband seems to "think" that 50 lb bag of potatoes needs to be used up making fresh cut fries! I'm sure the novelty of the new fryer will wear off shortly!

Hot Wings

I decided to make hot wings for Sunday's dinner. There are a few ways to prepare chicken wings for deep frying. Surprisingly just patting dry and frying with no coating works nicely. I've also had good results by coating lightly with unbleached flour and seasonings. The kids made buttermilk fried chicken the last time we were there so I decided to use that method. I used a lightly seasoned unbleached flour mixture consisting of unbleached flour, fresh ground pepper and sea salt but other herbs and spices can be added depending on what kind of wings you want. The buttermilk results in a flakier crispy type of coating. Individual dipping bowls of traditional hot sauce (recipe follows) and fresh cut fries completed the meal. When you make chicken wings plan on about 8 to 10 pieces per adult. Use 1 to 2 large potatoes per person for the fresh cut fries.

Method: Prepare chicken wings by cutting at the joint to form drumettes and winglets. Remove the thin tips from the winglets (reserve for making chicken stock). Pat the chicken pieces dry. Dip into buttermilk then seasoned flour. Deep fry at 180ºC (356ºF) until golden brown.

Traditional Hot Sauce

1 part Frank's® RedHot Original*
1 part butter**

Place equal amounts of the hot sauce and butter in a heat proof bowl. Microwave until butter is melted. Stir well and place into individual dipping bowls for serving. I used this method but it one of my kids said a better way to make the sauce is to melt the butter in a small sauce pan then whisk in the hot sauce. This method prevents separation so I will be using it next time.

*Frank's® RedHot Original is medium hot cayenne pepper sauce. You can substitute but will get different results.
**Butter is a must because of the flavour. This is one recipe where margarine does not work well.

A New Toy!

A deep fryer is a must for safely deep frying certain foods such as yeast doughnuts, fresh cut fries and English style beer battered fish. Sure you can use a pot of oil on the stove but this really is not the safe way to deep fry. One of the kitchen appliances we received as a wedding gift was a deep fryer. It was avocado green with a removable basket and glass lid that looked very much like the old style slow cookers. I quickly learned that deep fryers are a pain to clean and despite cleaning they tend to get gunky. Over the years the deep fryers were improved to use filters to help reduce odours. At the same time they still were a pain to clean and still got gunky. Fast forward to more recent times and if I recall correctly my fourth deep fryer, a nice Moulinex that served me well for almost 8 years. Despite all the changes in deep fryers, it was still a pain to clean, the oil still needed straining and it got gunky around the top.

A few weeks ago I found a 1 - inch long tan coloured threaded connector by the counter kick plate. I set it aside figuring it was important and we would soon find out which appliance it belonged to. It turns out it was too the deep fryer. The part would no longer stay on either causing the inner fryer compartment to be quite loose. My husband declared the fryer unsafe so it was time to look for a new fryer. This time I really knew what I didn't want in a fryer!

T-FAL® Deep Fryer

Last Christmas we gifted parents of oldest grandbaby with a T-FAL® deep fryer. They had done the research and were very specific that was the fryer they wanted. They were telling us how pleased they were with the fryer. They made buttermilk fried chicken using the fryer when we visited last. I saw how the fryer worked and asked a lot of questions. My mind was made up, so it was just a matter of waiting for a sale. In the end, Canadian Tire had the fryer on sale so we sacrificed all of our Canadian Tire money so actual money spent was $22 CDN. Pictured is my new T-FAL® Ultimate EZ Clean Deep Fryer.

The fryer has a lot of nice features. It has a large capacity (1.2 kg) two position basket. The lid contains a permanent odor filter and viewing window for splatter free cooking. The adjustable thermostat is graded in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. Unlike other deep fryers the 1700 W ultra quick heating element is immersed directly into the oil. Cost to operate at our electric rates is 20¢ per hour. The frying bowl, lid and fryer basket are dishwasher safe for easy washing after each use so there should be no gunky build-up. The real selling feature was the automatic oil filtration system that drains the oil through a filter once it is cool enough into a storage oil box. The oil box can be stored in the fryer or refrigerator.

Fresh Cut Fries

When testing out a new small kitchen appliance always test it against something you know what the outcome should be. We decided to test out the new fryer by making fresh cut fries. The fryer came with a bonus French fry cutter but we already had one so put the bonus one away as a spare. It took 3 L of 100% vegetable oil to get to the correct oil level. The oil was and still is on sale for $3.99 for the next week which is a $2 savings per jug so we will be stocking up.

I really like that this deep fryer has actual temperatures on the thermostat. The old deep fryer had pictures but no temperatures making it difficult to judge the frying temperature for other foods. True to its word there was no splattering. The fryer heated faster and the cook time was a couple minutes shorter than the old fryer as well. In terms of cost savings this is less than a penny but as part of the Every kW Counts it means we used less electricity to get the same results! As you can see the fryer did a lovely job of frying the fresh cut fries.

When we were finished frying, we set the fryer to auto-filter. I don't think it was a full 3 hours before the oil was filtered into the oil box. I dismantled the fryer and washed the parts by hand simply because I was already washing a few other things. I like the idea that the parts are dishwasher safe. Tonight's test will be ...!

Golden Puffs

When our kids were younger, the weekends became the time for hot breakfasts and special treats. One of the treats I used to make quite often were Golden Puffs. I wanted a breakfast type snack to take with us on the first leg of our vacation so turned to this tried and true family favourite.

These light, puffy, golden doughnut-like little treasures are sure to please. Fried to a crispy coating with soft insides then rolled in seasoned sugar, well it just doesn't get much better! They are quick and easy to make but just be sure to make extras as trust me on this one, there won't be any left behind!

Golden Puffs

2c unbleached flour
¼ c organic sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
¼ c vegetable oil
¾ c milk
1 egg

½ c organic sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Heat oil to 375ºF/190ºC in deep fryer. Mix dry ingredients together except for the last two ingredients. Mix wet ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients on speed 2 of KitchenAid stand mixer. Beat until smooth. Drop bater by teaspoonful* into hot fat. Fry four or five at a time about 3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Drain.

Stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Roll the warm puff in this mixture.

Yield: 2 dozen

* too large and the puffs will not cook through

Weekend Cooking

I was to host a baby shower for our soon to arrive second grandchild Saturday afternoon and my husband was hosting a poker game Saturday night so I began preparing foods on Friday. By early Saturday morning it was clear that the weather was not going to co-operate. The kids called just after 9 am to say they had spun the car out and while they were not injured the car was more than likely totaled. Being so close to the due date a trip to the hospital was necessary. So without the guest of honour and the worsening weather, I spent a bit of time calling all the guests to say we had cancelled the baby shower due to weather conditions. Meanwhile, a couple of our kids along with grandbaby arrived having travelled Friday night before the storm hit. The weather also resulted in a much smaller turn-out for the poker game.

The breakfast bar was lined with foods. There were 36 decorated cupcakes on the table and the refrigerator was threatening to burst at the seams. I had planned on making chili for dinner first thing Saturday morning but with the cancellations decided to make a change of plans since my husband had his heart set on roast beef. The white out conditions combined with the howling wind and rising snow drifts didn't seem so bad as the house filled with the tantalizing aroma of the roast. Now I'm left with a lot of extra food, some of which needs to be used up quickly.

Spinach Dip

Spinach dip in a hollowed out loaf of pumpernickel bread has become a classic party dish. It is quick and easy to make. This dip is inexpensive and travels well. However, the dip is also perfect for dipping vegetables. There are likely several variations of this spinach dip but I think most use a vegetable soup mix. I've modified the dip recipe from the original.

I made a large vegetable tray with spinach dip in the centre. The vegetables consisted of carrot sticks, celery sticks, red and green pepper slivers, broccoli, cauliflower and mushrooms. I used the remaining half of the spinach dip for a tray with pumpernickel bread slices cut into quarters.

Spinach Dip

198 g (7 oz) fresh spinach
1 - 8 oz package cream cheese
¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
1½ c sour cream
¼ c Miracle Whip
3 green onions
1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix

Steam the spinach and allow to drain. Roughly chop spinach. Finely chop the green onions. Grate the Parmesan cheese. Combine all of the ingredients in KitchenAid^® stand mixer bowl. Mix on setting 2 until creamy.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

My husband had declared roast done in the countertop roaster with mushroom gravy his new, must have meal. I'm very pleased with the performance of the roaster as well as the energy savings. My oven has a 2600 W element so costs 31¢ per hour whereas the roaster is 750 W that costs 9¢ per hour. Energy conservation is something that should be practiced in the kitchen wherever possible.

I decided to make mashed potatoes but wanted them fancied up just a little. There are many entries on this blog about the things I can, freeze and dry. I left the potatoes unpeeled then added roasted garlic and bacon pieces. You can find the method I use for roasting garlic here. I keep several vacuum sealed packages in the freezer to use for dishes like this. Each package is about 2 tbsp. I purposely made extra mashed potatoes for left-overs for tonight's dinner of roast beef pie. I'll post on that tomorrow.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

10 lb potatoes, washed and cubed
1 lb bacon
2 tbsp roasted garlic
1 small onion, finely chopped
milk

Cut bacon across the slices to form small pieces of bacon. Fry until almost crispy. Drain well on paper towel, dabbing to remove any excess grease. Set bacon aside. Bring the prepared unpeeled potatoes to a boil and cook until tender. Drain. Put the half the potatoes into KitchenAid^® stand mixer bowl. Slowly pour in enough milk to make potatoes somewhat smooth while beating using flat beater on speed 2. Note, the skin will make the potatoes a bit lumpy. Pour the first half of the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Repeat with the other half of the potatoes. Add the second half of the potatoes to the mixing bowl. Add the bacon pieces, onion and roasted garlic. Mix well with a large spoon.

Tortilla Chips

Tortilla and nacho chips are family favourites for dipping. With the cancellation of the baby shower and fewer guys coming I found myself with 48 corn tortillas. I was going to freeze them but one of my kids suggested deep frying them to make chips. I normally buy ready made tortilla chips so was interested in how the home made would compare. What a difference! I will definitely be making fresh tortilla chips again. They are so fresh tasting with a nice crunch. The nice thing with making your own is being able to adjust the seasoning or salt. I added home canned salsa for dipping.

Tortilla Chips

48 6-inch corn tortilla shells
oil for frying
sea salt

Cut the tortilla shells into quarters. Heat deep fryer to 365ºF or put deep fryer on French fry setting. Fry the tortilla quarters in small batches about 20 seconds. Drain. Season with sea salt or other seasoning if desired. Seal in an air tight container if storing.

Frittata

A frittata is simply an open-faced omelette with the extra ingredients mixed into the egg mixture. It is an ideal way to use up bits and pieces from the refrigerator. A previous entry on frittatas can be found here. I had extra chopped vegetables left-over from the vegetable pizza appetizer made for the guys. The recipe for making this appetizer can be found here. Sunday morning I decided to make a frittata for breakfast to use up a few of the vegetables and sliced mushrooms. I also added home canned ham. Home canned ham is a definite, must in my pantry. It is oh so easy to can and can be used for so many dishes!

This frittata differs in the cooking method. Normally I cook on the stove then finish in the oven in a cast iron fry pan. However, I started out thinking I would make fancied up scrambled eggs but ended up making a frittata cooked on the stovetop. The stovetop method worked nicely.

Method

Saute mushroom slices in butter until cooked in a deep sided, non-stick fry pan. Stir in chopped vegetables. I used red pepper, a small onion, broccoli, carrots and green onions. Continue cooking on medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Add home canned ham pieces (500 ml jar, meat only). Whisk one dozen eggs in a mixing bowl. Pour eggs over the vegetables. Stir lightly to mix the vegetables and ham into the eggs. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover the fry pan with tin foil. Continue cooking until eggs are set. Sprinkle about 1½ c shredded provolone cheese over the egg mixture. Cover and continue cooking until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Cut into wedges for serving.

Enjoy!

Garden Gnome
©2007