Resolution Rings

Ahhh, it's good to be back. New year. New ideas. New resolutions. Wait, what?!?!

No, one of my resolutions isn't to gain 30 pounds. Quite the opposite, in fact. But when life hands you onions, you make onion rings. That's right. Homemade, sweet, crunchy, onion rings.

Ryan whipped these up last night and they were sooooo light and crispy. They were 'magic' rings, disappearing quite quickly (sometimes after only a few seconds out of the fryer). The trick is to use club soda in the batter--the effervescence makes the batter super airy and light. If you're ever in the market for homemade rings, this recipe was da bomb (and surprisingly easy...you could totally get away with making them in a big pot if you didn't have a fryer). Five ingredients and an appetite--that's all you need!

Truth be told, we haven't started our New Year's Resolutions quite yet. I'm thinking we'll be digging in around the first of February. In the mean time, we have been enjoying our new ice cream maker, the deep fryer, and gluttony in general. (And a new camera to snap even more delectable shots of it all).

More posts to come!

Happy Searching,

Pigs in a Blanket for Pigskin Season

If I had to pick a favorite season, I would have to choose summer. My husband's favorite season? Football season.

Truthfully, I don't get nearly as excited about the sport itself but the snacks that come along with it are reason enough for me to rally! Although we like to try out fancy recipes and nouveau cuisine, we also love a tried-and-true classic.

I couldn't remember the last time we made Pigs in a Blanket, so we broke out the weenies and crescent rolls and went to town!

 
In an effort to refrain from being totally gluttonous, I used Turkey Lil' Smokies and reduced fat crescent rolls. But cutting calories did not cut the deliciousness--they were so yummy! Of course, if you made the full fat version and had a side-by-side tasting, you would definitely notice a difference (the reduced fat rolls are less buttery and flaky, but still good).

And...they were easy peasy. I just kept the dough in tact (I pinched any seams together that were coming apart after popping open the can), brushed it with a little honey mustard (adds flavor and keeps the pigs moist) and cut strips slightly narrower than the weenies. Then I wrapped 'em, baked 'em seam side down @ 350 for 10-15 minutes and voila! A classic! Tasty Pigs in a Blanket. Haven't tried them in a while either? You should!

Happy Searching,

Fryday, Continued

As the Festival of Fried Deliciousness continues, so does my love for my husband. Anyone who can make a meal around french fries is a fan of mine!

After breaking in the fryer with some calamari yesterday, he made fries tossed in garlic and parsley for today's treat. With mussels. Steamed in a white wine-saffron-tomato broth. Topped with bacon. Does it get any better than that?!?!

Found some delicious in this one, for sure...

Happy Searching,