Search Results for: fried

How to Make Fried Green Tomatoes

With a crispy flour and cornmeal crust, these easy-to-make, golden fried green tomatoes taste sweet and tender and totally addicting when dunked into my simple garlic aioli dipping sauce.

With a short growing season here in Utah, it feels like we just barely get our tomato harvest in full swing when it suddenly stops short.

Before you know it, those plump and juicy red tomatoes we’ve been carefully cultivating for summertime BLT’s and the best balsamic-drizzled caprese salads, are facing the frost of fall.

Why Jack Frost? WHYYY? #shakesfistatsky

Not to go to waste, now you’re left wondering what can you do with the bounty of green tomatoes from your garden?

Oh baby, fry those tomatoes up!

And if you’re like me, this easy southern classic just might have you plucking your green tomatoes well before the late summer harvest, too.

continue to the recipe… about How to Make Fried Green Tomatoes

How to Make a Healthy-ish Fried Fish Sandwich

If you think that making a healthier fish fillet sandwich at home is an impossible task, think again. This fried fish sandwich with homemade tartar sauce is golden brown and ready to serve in under 30 minutes, and it’s so good that it puts McDonald’s filet-o-fish to shame.

It’s wasn’t very often that I ate fast food as a kid so my first memory of eating at McDonald’s made quite the impression. Surprisingly, it was my grandma Mary Jane—who was a make-it-from-scratch kind of cook and always made sure I ate all my vegetables—who first introduced me to the fast food chain. Yes mom, she DID take me there!

But that day, and every trip to Mickey D’s after that, it wasn’t burgers that we ordered. It was always the filet-o-fish. Apparently I’m not alone.

Ever since, I’ve had a love for the simplicity of that fried fish sandwich: A simple fish patty with a dollop of tartar sauce and a slice of melty cheese sandwiched between soft and warmed top and bottom buns. Of course I always had to request extra pickles on mine because some things just never change.

So it wasn’t much of a surprise that while grazing through the gorgeously photographed and totally creative new cookbook Modern Comfort Cooking from my friend Lauren Grier of the food blog Climbing Grier Mountain, my perusing came immediately to a halt when I spied her recipe for Halibut Filet o’ Fish Sliders, a perfect recipe to serve for a crowd.

And that’s how Lauren helped cure my fish sandwich cravings by delivering a totally delicious recipe we’ll definitely be making time and time again.

How to Make a Fried Fish Sandwich That Feels Almost Healthy

Usually when I’m given the choice of going grilled, baked, or fried, 98% of the time the healthier baked and grilled routes are the ones I take. But just like every rule, there are exceptions, and that’s why I always prefer fried fish for my tacos and will once in a while splurge on fried chicken, Because hey, this girls still gotta live.

The methods Lauren provides in making this recipe make me feel totally okay that this fish is fried.

First, there’s no cloyingly heavy batter here. Instead, we use a lighter mixture of panko bread crumbs and finely crushed un-salted Saltine crackers. Un-salted Saltines? Now that’s an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one. The panko breading adheres to the fish thanks to a quick dip in buttermilk, tenderizing the fish while still keeping things light. And because breadcrumbs allow more evaporation to occur, the fish stays crispy longer, where battered foods that keep all the moisture in, get soggy faster.

The second method that keeps things healthy-ish is the fish is cooked quickly in 350°F oil. Each side of fish takes only 2-3 minutes to cook and spends less time in the oil so the fish doesn’t absorb that much of it. I use grapeseed oil due to it’s high smoke point, making it ideal for frying and a sandwich that takes just minutes to make. Be sure to test the internal temperature of your fish fillets for doneness at 145°F and the fish is flaky and opaque.

Once the fish is cooked, place it on a rack placed in a baking sheet rather than paper towels. This allows air to circulate all the way around, keeping your fish crispy on all sides.

The other key ingredients to make this fish sandwich swimmingly sublime are:

A super soft, buttery brioche bun that’s been warmed on a tray in the toaster oven so the top of the bun stays soft, or you could microwave it for 15-20 seconds instead. (*note: Lauren’s original recipe made these sandwiches as sliders, but I had a hard time finding brioche slider buns so I simply used the regular sized bun and made just three sandwiches instead of 4 sliders.)
A thin slice of American or cheddar cheese, melted on the bottom bun.
Tartar sauce made with sweet relish for that tangy zip. Use Greek yogurt instead of mayo and lighten the whole load even more.
Slices of sour dill pickles. Always more pickles. That’s my big twist on Lauren’s original recipe.
If you’re really trying to up your fish sandwich game, sliced tomato, red onion and shredded lettuce could certainly be added too.

Best Fish for a Fish Sandwich

Overall, any skinless, mild white fish will do. The halibut I used here is at the top of my price point and the quality proves why, but a more budget-friendly cod or grouper would definitely be my next choice.

halibut
grouper
cod
bass
snapper
tilapia

What Goes Well with a Fish Sandwich?

Anything you’d serve with burgers or at a barbecue will make this fish sandwich a whole meal, and of course, you can never rule out good old potato chips or french fries on the side.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

5 from 1 vote

Healthy-ish Fried Fish Sandwich

Finely ground unsalted Saltine crackers with panko bread crumbs provide the crunch for these easy to make fried fish fillets. The original recipe called for twice the amount of ingredients for the buttermilk and the saltine mixture and we had a lot left over so I've cut those amounts to what is listed here.To grind the crackers, place them in a zippered gallon bag, release all of the air, close, and use a rolling pin to gently crush the crumbs into a fine meal.

Servings 3 regular bun size sandwiches or 4 sliders

Ingredients

For the Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish or sweet onion relish
1 tablespoon minced onion yellow or green onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Fish Sandwiches
2 6-8- ounce skinless boneless halibut filets (if making sliders use 4 3-ounce halibut fillets)
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely-crushed unsalted, saltine crackers
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Grapeseed or canola oil for frying
3 brioche buns or 4 slider buns
Cheddar cheese slices
Dill pickle slices

Instructions

For the Tartar Sauce
In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet relish, onion, lemon juice, kosher salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for flavors to combine.
For the Fish Sandwiches
Cut the fish fillets into 3-4 ounce pieces. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish fillets. Combine the buttermilk, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. On a large plate, toss together the crushed saltine crackers, panko bread crumbs and Old Bay seasoning.
In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil until a deep-fry or candy thermometer reads 350°F. One at a time, dip a piece of fish in the buttermilk, shake off any excess and dip into the saltine mixture and set on another plate or small baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the fish pieces. Place a few of the fish pieces in the oil being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for 2 minutes, or if the fillets are taller than the oil, fry for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Use tongs to transfer the fish to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet or something similar to catch any dripping oil and quickly season with a sprinkling of kosher salt while the fish is still hot.
While the fish is cooking, preheat the broiler or a toaster oven. Place the tops and bottoms of the brioche buns on a baking sheet and place a slice of cheese on each of the bottom buns. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has slightly melted and the buns are warm and toasty.
To assemble the sandwiches, top the bottom bun with the melted cheese with pickle slices, the halibut, and spread the top bun with tartar sauce and top your sandwich.

Purchase your own copy of Modern Comfort Cooking for 80+ recipes loaded with international flavors like French Onion Udon Noodle Soup, Indian Spiced Fried Chicken Drumsticks with Ginger Honey, Banh Mi Breakfast Tacos and Korean Pulled Pork Lasagna.

Visit Lauren and her food blog at Climbing Grier Mountain.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.

Thanks for reading and subscribe to FoodieCrush to have each post delivered straight to your e-mail box.

Learn more about my printed day-planner Nourished Planner here, and sign up for free, emailed weekly meal plans.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.

Killer Garlic Fries with Rosemary

This copycat recipe of the famous Gordon-Biersch garlic fries couldn’t be easier to make at home, and because they can be baked in the oven or the air fryer, they’re a healthier version, too.

This recipe is brought to you by Alexia Foods

At first I didn’t even see them. I could just smell them. The punch to my olfactory sense with their intoxicating aroma literally had me twisting in my seat, cranking my head like Linda Blair in the Exorcist, searching for where that heavenly scent was coming from.

Ahhh, garlic. And loads of it. It was like the perfume of the food Gods.

This was many years ago at an L.A. Lakers game, and someone a row behind me and a few seats down was busy digging into what I soon discovered as the famous Gordon-Biersch garlic fries.

I’d never even heard of Gordon-Biersch before, but that certainly didn’t stop me from seeking out the concession stand where my husband and I joyfully purchased a few frosty beverages and our first batch of garlic fries that what would later become our Laker-game-going ritual.

But the best part of this story is that you don’t need to wait ’til game day to make this copycat recipe for Gordon-Biersch garlic fries at home. And even better, I’ve made them healthier by skipping the deep fat fryer and added even more flavor with a hint of fresh, herby rosemary, because that’s just the way I do.

continue to the recipe… about Killer Garlic Fries with Rosemary

Fried Avocado Tacos Recipe

Creamy Avocados from Mexico might just be one of my favorite fruits.

I eat them for breakfast in my egg white omelets with a little feta cheese. I love them on turkey sandwiches with a little cranberry sauce and a thin slather of mayo on fluffy white bread. And I absolutely crave them as a base for tostadas topped with a ton of lettuce and spicy hot sauce.

I really don’t need much else.

continue to the recipe… about Fried Avocado Tacos Recipe

Chicken and Waffles Sliders

An overnight brine of buttermilk and Cholula® Hot Sauce gives a juicy kick to these chicken and waffle slider sandwiches.

I’m pleased as punch to bring you this recipe sponsored by Cholula® Hot Sauce, because at our house, Cholula hot sauce is probably our most used condiment in the cupboard.

It’s a Southern thing. But it’s taking over mainstream. Chicken and waffles.

The best fried chicken I’ve ever had was from Gus’s Fried Chicken in Memphis, TN. I shared it with my friend Laura straight out of the paper bag on an old picnic table at The Shacks. She’d ordered it for us hot and spicy. Just the way I pretty much like everything.

Then last year, I took the whole dang family back to the South where we hit up more than one fried chicken joint and really went for the gusto with chicken and waffles at Hattie B’s—served only on Sunday.

These two meals are what food memories are made of.

Then we came home. My man couldn’t get that chicken and waffles breakfast out of his head. And ever since he’s been working on perfecting his version.

And today friends, this recipe is it.

continue to the recipe… about Chicken and Waffles Sliders

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe

A crunchy potato chip crust turns macaroni and cheese recipe into a hand held appetizer version of everyone’s favorite cheesy comfort food.

This post is in partnership with Kettle Brand Potato Chips

I know I’ve said it here on the blog before, but this recipe proves it bears repeating: My guy deserves a hand clap emoji 👏 👏 👏 or 372 for being my secret weapon in the kitchen.

You know how they say the way to a man’s heart is through his belly? My husband’s journey usually starts when I put a food challenge in his ear that leads to a craving in his belly, and he is off to the recipe-creating races. And that makes this lady’s heart beat-beat-beat-heart-beat with luuuuv.

We’re quite the team.

This recipe is no different. Fried Mac and Cheese Balls. Coated in potato chips? Yes sir. This is finger food at its best. continue to the recipe… about Fried Mac and Cheese Balls Recipe

How to Make Fried Pizza ala Pizza Fritta

These individual pillowy fried pizzas are perfect for entertaining. Lightly fry the dough in olive oil before melting some cheese, then have your guests add their own favorite toppings.

This recipe is one in my year long series of posts sponsored by DeLallo Foods, and just one more reason you’ll be craving pizza for your next meal.

This is the part where you look at the recipe title and question, “Fried pizza? Why would I need to fry pizza?”

You’re right. Nobody HAS to fry pizza. I mean, there are lots of foods that are just as good baked instead of fried. Chicken. Doughnuts. Onion rings and french fries. But when you think about it, I mean really speak truth that stems from your taste buds instead of your brain cells, you’ll probably admit that the fried version is the lip-smackingly favored version.

And guess what? Pizza is no different.

I hadn’t really ever thought about fried pizza until my recent trip to Pittsburgh to visit DeLallo Foods and their Italian Marketplace (read more about my trip here.)

One of the meals that stole the show was one of the simplest. Little pillowy pizzas called Pizza Fritta, or fried pizza to you and me.

continue to the recipe… about How to Make Fried Pizza ala Pizza Fritta

Spooky Fried Mozzarella Eyeballs Plus 5 Scary Recipes

Last Halloween I was beyond impressed with the number of creative and scary recipes I saw bounding about the blogosphere. How do people come up with this stuff?

I don’t remember this sort of thing happening when I was a kid. Or is it just because back then all that mattered to me was where Malibu Barbie, Francie, PJ and Skipper were going to head off to in the camper trailer and would they ever find Ken? Poor PJ, she never quite made the cut and always had to sit in the back.

This year I was inspired to throw my hat into the Halloween themed ring of fire and so I did what I always do when I need a creative consultation: I went to my partner in crime, G-Dawg—aka my husband who I think puts MacGyver to shame—and set him to task in scheming how we were going to create eyeballs out of cheeseballs.

After watching an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives a while back where I learned the secret to the perfect deep fried anything and everything I knew I wanted to create a recipe for deep fried mozzarella eyeballs. The secret dredge worked perfectly to form golden orbs of melty, bloodshot eyeballs.continue to the recipe… about Spooky Fried Mozzarella Eyeballs Plus 5 Scary Recipes

Beet, Avocado and Fried Goat Cheese Salad

Creamy avocado, earthy beets and crispy fried goat cheese make up this delicious, leafless salad that’s drizzled with a shallot and white balsamic dressing and topped with delicate micro greens.

If you’re a parent, you know the feeling when you hear someone else is having a baby.

Smiles. There’s always lots of smiles. And hugs. Hugs all around.

And then there’s that 10 second shock from nerve endings going on high alert with your own memories of nervousness, wonderment and anxiety about whether or not you’re ready—or capable—to bring a little bootied being into the world. If you’re a woman, there’s also the little nick in the back of your brain of whether you’ll be able to weather the delivery room drama.

Just as quickly, anxiety gives way to the feeling of excitement as the memories of the first time you nuzzled your own little munchkin in that spot of his or her neck, right behind the ear, breathing in that special scent that only newborns possess.

Love seeps its way into your bloodstream and, suddenly, whether you wanted it, craved it or were apathetic about it, you’re now a parent.

And this baby is all yours.

Today, this recipe is in celebration of a dear friend who is having her own baby. It’s a virtual baby shower for Erin, of Naturally Ella.

continue to the recipe… about Beet, Avocado and Fried Goat Cheese Salad

Fried Green Tomatoes Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I’ve had a hankering to post a fried green tomato recipe, for, oh, say, the past 2 1/2 years. And lucky Mrs. GreenJeans, the day has finally come.

You can thank my underabundance of ripe, red tomatoes that instead produced a lovely harvest of green tomatoes for this recipe.

I’d have to say after eating this grilled cheese sandwich, it was nearly worth forgoing another burrata caprese salad in place of the plethora of my under-ripened fruit. The sweetness of these tomatoes paired perfectly with the spiciness of the monterey jack cheese oozing out from it’s edges.

Green tomatoes are still stunners, afterall.

continue to the recipe… about Fried Green Tomatoes Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Crispy Parmesan Buttermilk Chicken Tenders (Baked and Air Fryer)

Totally healthy and surprisingly crispy, these juicy chicken tenders are crisped with a panko and Parmesan crunch with directions for baking or cooking in the air fryer.

I think my Smudge pretty much lived on Dino Nuggets from the day she began “choosing” her own solid food as she blossomed into a picky-eating toddler until the time she finally released her hold on those toaster oven chicks by the time she was 5 or 6 year old.

Whether you’ve had McDonald’s chicken nuggets, chicken tenders, chicken strips, or chicken fingers, the question has always been who has the best, and whether you can actually get a good and juicy, crispy piece of chicken without deep fat frying them in a tub of oil that only loads on the calories and the greasy bites. Because while there are times for enjoying a crunchy piece of finger lickin’ good fried chicken, weeknight dinners that need to be ready quick and with minimal mess isn’t exactly that time.

But unlike the deep fried variety, this buttermilk chicken tender recipe made with panko and a bit of Parmesan cheese delivers two wholesome methods to achieve that crispy, crunchy bite by simply baking or air frying for any fast weeknight meal. And they’re so good you just might break them out for the weekend too.continue to the recipe… about Crispy Parmesan Buttermilk Chicken Tenders (Baked and Air Fryer)

Market Street Grill Fried Calamari and Plate to Pixel Food Photography Workshop

What do you get when you take Utah’s gorgeous summer light, a room of aspiring food photographers itching to master their cameras plus an even more enlightening photography and food styling instructor?

For 13 lucky students it all added up to Tartelette’s Helene Dujardin‘s SLC Food Photography Workshop at the base of Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon—Market Street Grill Cottonwood.

FoodieCrush Magazine presents the SLC Plate to Pixel Food Photography Workshop

Jim of Fab Frugal Food, Sandra of Everyday Southwest and Radhika of Just Homemade wonder which one was shot with natural light and which with strobe? Only the photographer knows.

Market Street Grill Cottonwood

Helene lines up her shot—and scores

from left > Becky of Vintage Mixer, Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod, Annalise of Completely Delicious, Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks

Looks like Dara of Cookin’ Canuck ‘s food photo bible has been put to the test

The click-clack of computer keyboards and scribbling in notepads was swift and constant as attendees copiously took notes—getting hands-on answers from Helene herself to the questions every aspiring food photographer wants to know:

what ISO & F-stop do you shoot in? (she shoots mostly on Aperature priority but also manual in her studio since she knows the lighting conditions intimately. Do what feels right and you do best, nobody will be the wiser when they look at the shot so long as its exposed correctly)
how do you use fill cards and what the heck are they? (white foam core to reflect and bounce light into your subject, black to absorb light and take it away)
how do you style your pics to make them look so yummy? (hold back a few items/ingredients from the recipe to use as props in the shot, like a squeezed lemon or a couple of berries and sugar to tell a story through your propping and storyboards)
do you shoot with lights and if so what studio lighting kit do you use? (not much but when she does, it’s this one).

Reviewing shots while shooting tethered with Lightroom

Sasha of SashaTenorio and Radhika of Just Homemade soaking it all in

from left > Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod, Deborah of Taste and Tell, Misty of Sticks in the Mud , Lindsey of Cafe Johnsonia, Annelise of Completely Delicious and Shirley of Munchkins Are Us

Lightroom tips and tricks

Shooting from above? Shoot straight down. On the ground. Kinda like a rock…rock…rock…rock lobster.

Through a thoughtful presentation showcasing step by step examples of her own photo work plus the photo tips and styling tricks that have taken her from amateur foodie photog blogger to a sought after commercial entity, Helene brought her book Plate to Pixel to life for the studious crew.

When working with long tendrils of pasta, do the twist

The essentials: good lenses, clamps, reflectors, Plate to Pixel bible and pretty food

from left > Deborah of Taste and Tell, Becky of Vintage Mixer, Winter of The Redd Party, Annalise of Completely Delicious, Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks , and Misty of Sticks In the Mud

Market Street Grill’s Fresh Atlantic Salmon and creamy caesar dressed salad

After a tasty lunch it was time to roll up the sleeves and get to work—to get to the guts of the day, where the real teaching went into full metal jacket action.

As the photographers maneuvered their way through sets of 4-Layer Decadent Chocolate Cake to Fried Calamari to Cajun Fettucini, Helene shadowed each photographer and assisted in creating their own photos. She answered questions about composition, exposure and anything that came to the minds of these insatiable picture takers.

Radihka shoots Cajun Fettucine

Dara of Cookin’ Canuck and Aggie of Aggie’s Kitchen get coaching from Helene

Deborah of Taste and Tell takes on the 4 Layer Chocolate Cake

There was a bun in the oven, but whose was it?

Helene coaches lighting techniques—bounce and reflect

In addition to a gift certificate donated by Koo de Ker Boutique, some of the the su-weet swag in our goodie bags included Chocolat Artisnal Chocolates, Sweet Tooth Fairy Cake Bites, Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals makeup and a custom print and notebook to keep track of all those tips.

Sandra, Deborah and Misty work the reflectors; goodies from the goodie bags

Radhika of Just Homemade, was FoodieCrush’s contest winner and flew in from Houston TX to attend the conference. For just one day. Yes, she wanted it THAT bad!

and that bun in the oven is Maria’s soon to be pea

Wow. It was a seriously big day for everyone that attended, inspiring so many ideas, images and notebooks full of tips. Thank you Helene for letting FoodieCrush be a part of it, we loooove photography and influencing aspiring photographers in hopes to see more of it in the pages of our upcoming magazine and the blog.

To see more pics from the day, check out our facebook workshop album.

Huge thanks to Market Street Grill for hosting the event. And to give you a taste of the deliciousness we experienced, enjoy their recipe for Market Street Fried Calamari.

5 from 1 vote

All photos > foodiecrush

Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please subscribe to foodiecrush and follow me on twitter and facebook

Pumpkin and Fried Sage Flatbread plus 5 Savory Pumpkin Recipes

Sometimes you just don’t have time to create a complicated meal. And sometimes you have the time and just don’t want to.

Today was one of those days.

Last week Smudge and I picked up a few sugar pumpkins at the farmer’s market, both for decoration and to cook with. She isn’t so sure she’s ready to relinquish her babies—Bob, Harry and Babycakes—to me and my menu making plans just. quite. yet.

So I had to be stealthy and cagey to sacrifice the pumpkins to the oven gods to create a roasted, creamy, orange base for the simplest pizza I’ve ever made.continue to the recipe… about Pumpkin and Fried Sage Flatbread plus 5 Savory Pumpkin Recipes

Chorizo Queso Dip with Beer and Chiles (Try It Over Fries!)

This spiced up queso cheese dip skips the fake stuff and is made with real cheese instead. Chorizo and chiles add the heat that’s then cooled down with every football lovers favorite flavoring: BEER! Serve it with chips or even better, pile it on french fries for a riff on the classic poutine.

This post is brought to you by Kroger

Football season has it’s signature trigger words ending in -ING: Passing. Scoring. Tailgating.Watching. Cheering. Drinking and eating.

But for this foodie, my favorite action word ending in -ING has been and always will be GRAZING.

At this stage in life’s game I’m miles away from being an arm-chair quarterback when it comes to tailgate snacking. Listen guys, I’m a pro. For me, it’s all about getting in the game and grazing on a little bit of this and some more of that, and bites of all of the shareable eats game days are known for.

So whether it’s a high school play-off, college rivalry, or the Super Bowl, this girl is ready to go the distance.

One of the most popular recipes to make around game day is a cheesy queso dip, and while I typically like to eat healthy, when it comes to tailgating, all bets are off, but I still want to eat real food.

Too many of the recipes I’ve seen use pasteurized cheese to achieve that creamy texture so that’s why I set out to make one that’s creamy, but still real, and loaded with flavor.

continue to the recipe… about Chorizo Queso Dip with Beer and Chiles (Try It Over Fries!)

Fair for All: 25 Crazy Fair Foods You Can Make at Home

The weather’s getting cooler (let’s hope it stays that way), the kids are back in school (thank God!), and carnivals and state fairs have been in full swing where crazy food is the main attraction.

Where else can one make a meal of those giant medieval turkey legs that bring out the caveman in us, a side of deep-fried Oreos, and a caramel apple (because, balance?).

Some of us love the fair just for the food—particularly the melt-in-your-mouth, deep fried doughy goodness kind. Gimme all the funnel cakes!

That’s my go-to—the funnel cake, though we called them elephant ears, which is cute and also disturbing if elephants are your favorite animal. Doused, not dusted with a generous white cloud of powdered sugar, the doughy concoction with the upturned crispy edges never failed to put a smile on my face, or sate my wicked sweet tooth.

A Taste and Tell Fair for All

Last harvest season we followed one of our favorite food bloggers, Deb from Taste and Tell, around the Utah State Fair where she and her family romped with rubber duckies, got cotton candy stuck in their hair and enjoyed some good old fashioned fair food.

Afterward, Deb shared her favorite recipes for fair food in the summer issue of FoodieCrush magazine. And that inspired us to hunt around for even more crazy fair foods from food bloggers across the web.

continue to the recipe… about Fair for All: 25 Crazy Fair Foods You Can Make at Home

30 Easy Healthy Chicken Dinners Ideas

It’s the weeknight riddle that becomes less and less funny: What to make for dinner tonight? This list of 30 easy healthy chicken dinner recipes is the answer.

This time of year is ultra-busy for everyone – getting back in the swing of back-to-school, treasuring the memories of the last long weekend for a while, and soaking up those warm sunshiny days before Fall’s chill hits – so quick, easy dinner options are a must.

This list of 30 easy chicken dinner recipes makes cooking good healthy meals at home just as easy as picking up or ordering in. From whole roasted chickens better than any you’ll find at the grocery store check out, to the easiest ways to cook chicken breasts, this list of 30 dinner recipe ideas will satisfy every member of your family no matter how picky they may seem to be.

So break out your love of chicken and visit these chicken dinner ideas for tonight, starting now and lasting all year long. continue to the recipe… about 30 Easy Healthy Chicken Dinners Ideas

15 Air Fryer Recipes to Try Right Now

If you’re wondering if the air fryer is worth it and hesitant to jump on the trend, this list of 15 air fryer recipes proves this cooking appliance is more than just a lot of hot air for making fried food without the added fat.

Every now and then new kitchen appliances come out that promise to make our lives easier, only to get used twice and put into storage. I’m finding this isn’t the case with my air fryer.

The air fryer is a great option for anyone who craves the crispness of french fries, chicken nuggets, and melty crisped mozzarella sticks but wants to avoid the guilt and calories from the extra oil and fat the deep fryer or seems to sadly miss the mark when baked in the oven.

But, there’s even more reasons to hop onto the air fryer oil-less cooking trend.continue to the recipe… about 15 Air Fryer Recipes to Try Right Now

5-Ingredient Chipotle Chicken Taquitos

Crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-incredibly easy, these chipotle pepper flavored chicken taquito roll-ups call for just 5 ingredients and can be baked or fried for a super fast appetizer, dinner or snack.

When I was a teenager in high school, my friends and I would sprint from 4th period class and load into my friend Brenda’s car (lucky for us she had a very early 16th birthday and a mom who gave her free use of the car), roll down the windows, and crank up Madonna’s “Borderline” as we high-tailed it to one of our two favorite spots for lunch.

The first spot was Rax Roast Beef where I always ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich. The second spot was Taco Time, where the crispy bean burritos with extra packets of mild salsa would always leave me with blisters in my mouth because they were hot out of the fryer and it was torture to wait until they cooled to eat them. I can STILL smell their crispy aroma lingering in my memory bank.

Taco Time was usually first on our list because in the newspaper each week they would include a promotional brown paper sack that when you took to Taco Time, you could get 5 tacos, crispy bean burritos, or soft beef burritos for $1.00. Or was it $2.00? Either way, as a high schooler with no money, it was a total steal.

Back then I didn’t know that my crispy bean burritos loved by cheap teenagers are known in more authentically-inclined parts of the country as taquitos, or even more authentically known world wide as flautas.

Either which way, they’re simple to make and deliciously good and this time around, made with chile-spiced shredded chicken.continue to the recipe… about 5-Ingredient Chipotle Chicken Taquitos

Grandma’s Easy German Schnitzel

Cooking thinly sliced, breaded meat in a fry pan is the easy technique used for any authentic, crispy German or Austrian schnitzel recipe. I use bone-in, thinly cut, tenderized pork chops coated in panko bread crumbs, but you can easily substitute tenderized chicken breast instead.

There are precious few things that can take you right back to childhood like certain foods can.

When looking back to those childhood faves, you either crave it like no tomorrow, laugh in hysterics at the lengths you’d go though to avoid it (liver and onions passed under the table to Posey the dog), or vehemently defend it as haute cuisine. Ambrosia anyone?

At my house, German schnitzel—or as we knew it, wiener schnitzel—was a favorite of everyone at the table. My dad loved it because he grew up on it, my mom loved it because it’s easy to make, and me and my little sister loved it because it was breaded, crispy, and totally non-threatening. Sorry pup, you’re not getting any of this passed to you for dinner.

Today you can find a version of schnitzel on many dinner tables, and you don’t even have to be Austrian, or German, or attend Oktoberfest to make it your own family favorite recipe, too.continue to the recipe… about Grandma’s Easy German Schnitzel

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetable Rice Bowls

When weeknight dinner making seems like almost too much to add to your already full plate, prep the ingredients for these slow cooker teriyaki chicken and vegetable rice bowls over the weekend and then toss together for a quick and easy answer to your weeknight dinner question.

These days everyone’s talking about meal prep. There’s a reason for that. Because it works.

All it takes are a couple of base recipes and a little extra time over the weekend to partially cook ahead and then whip out a healthy weeknight dinner. Even if you get just one meal prepped ahead and ready to roll, you’ll find yourself feeling surprisingly proud and a little enamored with your forethought and meal-planning ways.

continue to the recipe… about Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetable Rice Bowls