Full Throttle Chimichanga

Four words: party in my mouth.

The layers (since I didn't like the quality of the pic I took of the inside): Nutella, peanut butter, Charlotte's homemade strawberry jam, banana and a quick brush of powdered sugar glaze on either side of the filling. The piece de resistance: fry.

I will make this again, and I will also find a way to keep the tortilla more tightly rolled. Special thanks to my brother-in-law, Kevin, for sharing the Full Throttle sandwich and suggesting it be fried. I'll still have to make it exactly like he suggested: Nutella, crunchy pb (mine was creamy), strawberry jam, PB2 (which I couldn't find) and banana on bread, then sealed with a sandwich grill and fried. Next time!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

This is the first time I've made fried chicken and since this was the Pioneer Woman's recipe I had high hopes! I was stoked to make this for Mark, too, because he's been begging me to make it for, well, ever. Turns out I shouldn't have been so confident.

I'll start with the butchering. This was a terrible experience. If I can buy already-cut-up pieces next time, I will. And I dunno if it's because of how I chopped the pieces or just from this chicken in particular, but there was a lot of blood in the legs. I ended up throwing 3 pieces out because they were bleeding. I didn't like the chopping and trimming, but I HATED the post-fry bleeding. Ick.

After the chopping, the chicken took a bath overnight in buttermilk. I think that has everything to do with the juiciness. The breading mixture was yummy and not too salty. The issue I had was with the crispiness. There wasn't much. I should've stuck a thermometer in the oil. I was afraid it was too hot and burning the chicken, so I turned the heat down after the first 4 pieces. Mistake. The chicken ended up a little too mushy.

My camera's battery charger is currently MIA so I had to take pics with my phone. I decided a paper plate was appropriate, given the circumstance.

Post milk-bath

After the fry, before the bake (see the blood???)

The finished product with fried asparagus and biscuit

Corn Dogs

Correction: homemade knife-n-fork corn dogs. Here's what happened:

Actually, I'm kidding. Nothing "happened" that I didn't mean to happen. I actually followed the recipe minus one detail--the stick. I didn't find any at the store and I was pressed for time, so I decided to change it up and make them like mini corn dogs, only not mini. Besides, the stick just gets in the way.

Anyway, here's the recipe. It's from one of my new favorite sites, The Tasty Kitchen. (I could spend all day browsing that site. Don't ask me how I know.) It's super simple and quick, and you could actually make these with your kids--as long as you do the frying. My only issue with the recipe is the texture, and that is because of the corn meal I chose, I'm guessing. I haven't searched around to see if anyone has tips for achieving a less grainy corn meal, but I'm sure someone does. If you seek and find, fill me in! :^}

P.S. In the interest of full disclosure, I thought I'd show you some of the more remarkable, accidental creations of the evening.

Yeah.

Apple Fritters

In keeping with reader suggestions, I've been trying to progress through a day's worth of meals each month. So, I start with a breakfast recipe and end with a dessert, generally. So I start with a morning treat. In my house growing up, you could eat something like this for breakfast and no one would blink. It's got fruit and bread. Sounds like breakfast to the Steinerts!

Yes, I've made a fritter recipe once already. AND this isn't going to be my last. I'm saving the best "fritter" recipe EVER for later.  But, if you've not heard, it's fried food month here at Recipe Resolution, and I decided to make the first recipe that was mentioned when I solicited recommendations on Twitter and Facebook. This recipe for Apple Fritters comes from Twitter via fellow food blogger, "Betty Martha". (Visit her blog and show her some love, would ya?)

Let me start off by admitting that I took "some liberties"--as my friend Hillary put it!--with this recipe, as I always do. And once again, they were unintentional. I mean, seriously, it's not even cute anymore. How can I mess up such a simple recipe? Here's how: I read "sugar" instead of "vanilla sugar" And I also falsely assumed I had nutmeg in my spice cabinet. Who DOESN'T have nutmeg, right?! Well, me. I don't have nutmeg. I used to...but I digress!

I'm not sure how much of a difference vanilla sugar would have made, but I did add a couple drops of pure vanilla to my liquid ingredients to compensate. I don't even know if that's okay, but I did it, anyway. But that was the only ingredient it the fritter itself that I substituted. Anyway, in case you didn't click on the recipe link above, here's what's in them: cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, egg whites, apples and 1% milk. Then that all gets rolled in a mixture of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In regards to the execution--besides missing a couple ingredients--I wish I would have chunked my apples a little smaller. Not quite sure what I was thinking in chopping them as large as I did. Also, can someone PLEASE teach me a trick for ending up with a smooth fritter! All mine thus far look like fried porcupines.

As far as the taste goes, it was fine but it didn't wow me. I think it needed a little more salt than just 1/8 of a teaspoon. Maybe twice as much. And since I substituted a pumpkin spice blend for the cinnamon and nutmeg, that likely made a negative impact as well. After tasting the finished product, I rolled a couple in sugar alone and I thought they tasted much better. I didn't try just cinnamon and sugar, but I bet that would have been great, too.

I think the issue I have with the taste of these is the cornmeal. It was hard for my mouth to reconcile cornmeal and apple. If I try apple fritters again, I'll find a recipe that doesn't use cornmeal. OR...maybe next time I'll take out some of the sugar and make a cheese fondue. People pair apples and cheddar, right? Hmm....whatcha think???

Apple Fritters