Don't let this terrible photo fool you, these BAKED onion rings are delicious, light as air, super crispy and packed with flavor!!

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1 medium size (sweet) onion*
1 1/2 cups corn flakes
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (I used Panko)
1 large egg
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pepper to taste
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Cut both ends off of an onion and then cut the onion into four thick slices. Separate the rings.

Put the corn flakes and bread crumbs in the food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs, then put them in a bowl and set aside.
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In a separate bowl, mix the egg, buttermilk, flour, cayenne and black pepper. 
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Dip the raw onion rings into the batter and then set them on a baking rack so the excess batter drips off.
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Put 2 tablespoons canola oil on a rimmed baking sheet and put it in a 450 degree oven for 2 minutes to preheat. 

After 2 minutes, remove the pan and tilt it around to redistribute the oil. Quickly coat the battered rings into the dry bread crumb mixture and place on the hot baking sheet.

Bake for 16 minutes at 450 (turn them over half way through). Remove from oven and sprinkle with kosher salt.

*NOTE: I don't know if these would be as good with a plain yellow onion. We like sweet onions.

ENJOY !!!

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December 05, 2021

If you buy roasted almonds from the grocery store, they are, most likely, coated with oil...I don't know about you, but I certainly don't need those extra calories.

This quick and simple "recipe" has 

only 2 ingredients, almonds and kosher salt

These nuts are a slightly salty, 
toasty-crunchy, addicting healthy snack.

1 pound of whole almonds
3 tablespoons kosher salt (not table salt)
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Put 1 1/2 cups boiling water into a large bowl and add the kosher salt. Stir for about 30 seconds or until the salt is completely dissolved. NOTE: the amount of salt in this recipe sounds like a lot, but most of it stays in the water which is drained off. The final nuts have a light salty taste. 

Add the almonds to the hot water and stir again. Let them sit in the water for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, drain the almonds (but do not rinse). Place the nuts on a foil lined cookie sheet and spread them out.

Bake at 325° for 25 minutes. *I bake MINE for 30 minutes because I like them super toasty. 

Remove the baked nuts from the oven and let them cool completely before you eat or store them in an airtight container.

The nuts will be perfectly crunchy

when they cool off

ENJOY !!!

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October 19, 2019

This quick fix addition to a burger, or salad is oh so addicting!!!
You can make this crunchy, salty, sweet-ish, treat in batches and keep them warm in the oven. There are a million and one ways to serve onion strings!!

1 large sweet onion (I like Vidalia's)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Peel the onion and slice it as thin as you can. A mandolin works well here, but I don't have one, so I just slice the onion as thin as I can.

Soak the onion slices in the buttermilk for about an hour, making sure you press the slices down into the liquid. When I'm in a hurry, I've done this step in 1/2 hour and they turned out great.

In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne and set aside. Heat a quart of vegetable oil to 375F. 

Using tongs, remove a handful of onion slices from the buttermilk and put them into the flour.  Toss around gently to coat. 

With the tongs, take the slices out of the flour and tap the tongs on the edge of the bowl to remove excess flour from the onion pieces.

Put the floured slices into the hot oil and stir gently to separate the slices. These will be golden brown in a minute or so, so watch them carefully.

Drain on paper towels and salt them to taste.  Repeat batches until all onion strings are cooked.

ENJOY !!!

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March 18, 2019

These chocolate cups are quite tasty and a real show stopper. Great for company because you can make them ahead and keep them in the freezer. Even when they are frozen solid, they are and not brittle; they are the consistency of a GOOD FUDGE !!!

Great for Ice Cream or 

Chocolate Mousse !!!

All it takes to make these are ingredients you probably already have in your pantry:

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 cup finely ground pecans (I used the food processor)

In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated). Stir until very smooth then stir in finely chopped pecans. Insert paper liners into cupcake pans; spread about 2 tablespoons of this mixture on the bottom and up the sides of the paper liners (made the sides and upper edges nice and thick). 

Freeze for at least 2 hours. Carefully peel off paper liners and fill with a scoop of your favorite ice cream or chilled mousse. Makes about 12 cups.

NOTE: I melted my chocolate with the sweetened condensed milk in the microwave (on high); it took about 30 seconds, stirring half way through.

NOTE: Recipe calls for finely ground pecans. I used the food processor to chop the nuts super fine.

NOTE: Make sure you leave the chocolate at the top edge of the cupcake paper nice and thick, so it doesn't break/tear when you remove the paper. Chocolate cups are not super hard/brittle like other chocolate cups.

NOTE: Letting the chocolate cups sit at room temperature for about 3 or 4 minutes before removing the paper liner, makes it easier.

ENJOY !!!

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August 06, 2018

A lot of chip dips are made with all sour cream. I've wanted to try this dip recipe, made with sour cream AND cream cheese, for a long time.....today was the day. It went together well and now the recipe says I have to let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to mellow the flavors.......are they crazy?? If you know me at all......I am NOT a patient girl!!!

This recipe calls for 1 cup of caramelized onion's which might concern some new cooks. It is VERY easy to do and the flavor it gives the dip is fabulous!! Here's a couple pointers: 

To get 1 cup of caramelized onions, it's going to take about two medium size onions or one huge one.  Peel it, and slice it (into about 1/4" slices...maybe a little thinner) and cook them in a heavy pan with a couple tablespoons of butter.

Start out at medium high heat until you hear the onions sizzling, then turn the burner WAY, WAY down and just let them simmer. My electric stove burner settings range from 2-10....I simmer the onion on about #2, for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. They should look like this:

Remove onions from the pan and let them cool while you mix everything else together:

1 cup sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese  (room temperature)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not salt)
1/2 teaspoon onion  powder (not salt)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (less if you use table salt)
1   tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Beat the cream cheese until smooth and soft, add sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, kosher salt and parsley. Mix well.

Run your knife over the caramelized onions, so they are in smaller pieces. Stir into dip. Decorate with snipped chives (optional).

Cover and chill for at least a few hours to mellow out the garlic and onion powder (overnight is even better).....Oh who am I kidding?

The cream cheese gives this dip a wonderful consistency and rich creamy taste.  Your family and friends will love it....if you care to share.

Enjoy !!!

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January 19, 2018

Crackerjacks are a very easy to make...... require common pantry ingredients..... and satisfy almost EVERYONE's sweet tooth!!

This recipe is always a hit at birthday parties and can be made ahead of time. I hope you like them as much as we do!!

 

1 bag of microwave popcorn (see note)
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup Karo corn syrup (the clear kind)
2 teaspoons molasses
1/2 cup butter cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 250° and lightly spray a large baking sheet (with sides) with vegetable spray and put it in the oven while it preheats (see note below).

In a medium size sauce pan, bring the brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, butter and salt to a simmer. Cook (and stir) until this mixture reaches 250° on a candy thermometer (it only takes about 3 or 4 minutes). Just make sure you stir it the whole time.

While the mixture is simmering, pop the bag of popcorn in the microwave then spread it out on the prepared (warm) baking sheet and put it back in the oven to stay warm (add nuts at this stage if you are going to use them). (Tip: make sure to remove any un-popped popcorn "duds"). (see note below)

When the caramel mixture reaches 250°, remove it from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Stir until very well mixed (it will turn the mixture a lighter tan color and get foamy which is what you want..... takes about 20 seconds).

Pour over the warm popped corn and gently stir to coat. Bake coated popcorn in the 250° oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

After it has baked one hour, turn it out onto some waxed paper and let it cool (it cools VERY fast). When completely cool, break apart any large pieces. Make sure you store these completed crackerjacks in air tight container (I use Ziplocks).

NOTE: I use one bag of lightly salted microwave popcorn. Personally, I don't think the heavy butter flavored variety would taste right, although I'm sure it would work.

NOTE: Make sure the baking sheet that you use has sides. I used my roaster pan and it worked well. You just want the sides to be tall enough, so that, when you stir the coated corn you won't lose any pieces over the edge.

NOTE: Instead of spraying my baking pan with vegetable spray, I like to use the new-ish  "no stick aluminum foil". Either way works well.

NOTE: Be careful while you are stirring this caramel sauce so you don't get it on your skin (it is dangerously hot).

CLEAN UP TIP:  This cooked caramel sauce gets VERY hard as it cools, so I suggest that you put your dirty utensils (and pan) in hot soapy water to soak a little while before you try to wash them. It makes clean up a LOT easier.

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May 04, 2016

These cupcakes are SUPER moist, SUPER chocolate-y and SUPER easy to make. They also stay moist and soft for two or three days (at least).

Perfect for a potluck, bake sale, lunch box or "just because". They are easy enough for kids to make too !!!

CUPCAKES

1/2 cup butter cut in cubes
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (see note below)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Note: If you do not have buttermilk, just put 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice in a half-cup measuring cup then fill it up with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes.........works just as well as buttermilk!!

Preheat oven to 350° and put 24 cupcake papers in cupcake pans.

Bring butter, water and cocoa powder to a boil, then take off heat and set aside to cool a few minutes.

Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Add eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and warm cocoa mixture and beat just until well blended.

Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes. My electric oven takes exactly 18 minutes. Do not over-bake!! Cool before frosting.

FROSTING

6 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the milk, cocoa powder and butter to a boil, then remove from heat then add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat till smooth.

Sometimes I have to add a tablespoon or so of extra milk to the frosting (if it seems too thick).

If frosting seems a little too SOFT, just let it cool for about 10 minutes or so and it will thicken up nicely.

ENJOY !!!



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April 17, 2016

This is such a fun (and easy) recipe. It is great for kids parties or teen parties and you can even jazz them up for adult appetizers. They stay warm for quite a while, but are even tasty at room temperature (nice and creamy).

Mildly seasoned for picky toddlers (perfect size), or add a little zip by using half cheddar and half pepper jack cheese and/or bacon bits.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1  1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
2 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
small pinch of cayenne
1 beaten egg

Boil the elbow macaroni in SALTED water for 8 minutes, then drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 400° and spray MINI muffin pan with cooking spray.

Note: Salting the water is important. If you don't you will have to increase the amount of salt in the sauce.

In medium size pan, melt butter and stir in flour until smooth and bubbly, let it simmer for about 30 seconds or so.

Slowly add the milk (whisk while you add it) and bring it to a simmer (it will thicken just a little).

Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheese (set aside the other 1/2 cup) and add the cream cheese, salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir to melt.

Mix the cooked macaroni, the cheese sauce and the beaten egg. Spoon mac and cheese into greased mini muffin cups and top with just a few shreds of the remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes.  IMPORTANT: Let cool for 5 minutes before you take them out of the pan.

NOTES: I cook mine for 14 minutes, then put them under the broiler for the last minute (but watch them so they don't over brown).

NOTES: If you like a little spice, use half shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1/2 pepper jack cheese.

NOTES: You can even sneak in some finely chopped broccoli for color.

 

This recipe makes about 4 dozen mini bites

 

 

ENJOY !!!

 

Original recipe found at www.chef-in-training.com   (and adapted by Coleen's Recipes)

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August 27, 2015

OK, it's confession time, I love Cheez-It crackers. I don't stock them in the pantry (for obvious reasons), so when the urge ambushed me the other day, I was very happy to find this easy recipe.

These crackers really do taste a lot like Cheez-It crackers, except fresher and more flavorful. They are quick to make and take require ingredients I always have in my kitchen (a win-win for us since we live 10 miles out of town).

 

 

 

CHEEZ-IT CRACKERS

 

8 ounces extra SHARP cheddar cheese shredded (see note below)

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons UNSALTED butter (room temperature)

1 teaspoon salt (divided)

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water  (see note below)

 

Put the shredded cheese and room temperature butter in your food processor and give it a few pulses to blend.

 

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne into the flour, then sprinkle it over the cheese-butter mixture and pulse a few times until the mixture looks a little clumpy but well mixed.

 

Next, with the food processor running, add 4 tablespoons of the ice water. Run the food processor until the dough forms a ball, then stop. See tip below on the amount of water to use

 

 

Divide the dough in half and cover and chill for 30 minutes.  Roll the dough very thin (as thin as you can get it), like a pie crust (1/8")or thinner (see note below) and cut into 1" squares.

 

 

 

Sprinkle squares remaining salt and poke a hole in the center of the square. Place squares on ungreased cookie sheet (they can be pretty close together but not touching).

 

Bake in preheated 400° for 10 to 12 minutes or till golden (see note below). Remove crackers from baking sheet and cool them on a bakers rack (so air can get to both sides of the cracker). Cool to room temperature before eating them (they will get crisper as they cool down).

 

TIPS:

This recipe really needs extra sharp cheddar cheese and make sure that you grate it yourself.  Commercially grated cheeses have a starch coating on them so the shreds don't clump together. This starch coating really effects how cheese melts (and tastes)

 

The recipe didn't say what kind of salt to use, but I used a light sprinkling of kosher salt because it is large and flakey, but that's just my personal preference. On one batch, I put salt on both sides of the cracker squares and it made them too salty  (well, the dog didn't think so, but we did).

 

 This recipe calls for 4 to 6 tablespoons of ice water. When I made these, it took the full 6 tablespoons, but then the amount of water you use depends on the humidity of your flour, etc. etc. etc.  Just start with 4 tablespoons and then if the dough doesn't come together nicely in a ball, add a little more.

 

This dough is extremely easy to roll out and doesn't crack or break apart. Just make sure you roll it VERY thin. No matter how thin you roll them, they will still puff up a little while baking, so keep that in mind. Just remember, the thinner you roll them, the crispier the cracker will be.

 

And finally, the recipe says to bake them 10 to 12 minutes. I have the best luck cooking them for 10 minutes then switching to the broiler for the last 30 seconds. It gives them a wonderful golden crispy top.

 

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container.

 

ENJOY !!

 





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November 25, 2014