Misc. Recipes

Recently I purchased a deep-fryer from Clark Hardware. In the past I always used my “Fry Daddy” but it didn’t seem to be big enough or hold the heat at the correct temperature, so when I saw this double basket fryer at Clark Hardware I decided to get it. The first thing I decided to make was Sweet Potato Fries. My brother-in-law Phil got me “hooked” on these. My sister usually makes Sweet Potato Oven Fries, but if the oil temperature in the deep fryer is hot enough and you make sure the temperature comes back up before adding the next batch, the food does not absorb hardly any of the oil. That’s how I justify it anyway.
On October 9th I published a recipe for Crispy Egg Rolls and the recipe made quite a large batch, so I froze the extra ones. It was so easy to pull a couple out of the freezer and fry those as a side-dish for another meal.
The next thing I had to try in the new deep-fryer was my favorite recipe for Chicken Strips. It cooked them up in nothing flat. I have really been enjoying this purchase. Like I have said in the past, “It make a job a lot easier and enjoyable if you have good ‘tools’ to work with!”

Sweet Potato Fries

Source: Jeff Mauro - Food Network

6 cups peanut oil - for frying
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup club soda - cold
2 pounds sweet potatoes - cut into 1/2 by 1/4-inch fries
Heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep fryer. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Mix the salt, garlic powder, paprika and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
Whisk the cornstarch and club soda in a mixing bowl. In batches, dip the potatoes in the batter, allow any excess to drip off and hold on a wire rack. Repeat with rest of the potatoes.
Fry half the potatoes, stirring occasionally until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the seasoning and hold in the oven on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the last batch of potatoes.

The following recipe is worth repeating! The first time I published it was January 31, 2014 - so it’s time!

Crispy Chicken Strips

Source: PioneerWoman.com

3 pounds raw chicken breast tenders
1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons Johnny’s seasoning salt
Vegetable oil
Dipping sauce - for serving
Submerge the chicken strips in the buttermilk for 15 to 20 minutes (or longer if you’d like).
In another bowl, combine the flour and seasoning salt (or other seasonings if you prefer). Mix this together well. Next, gradually drizzle 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the buttermilk into the flour mixture and stir lightly with a fork as you add it to achieve clumps in about half of the flour.
Heat about 1 inch vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-low to medium heat.
Remove a few of the buttermilk-soaked chicken strips and place them in the flour mixture, turning them over to coat thoroughly. Place them on a rack. Continue coating the chicken strips until they are all ready to cook.
When the oil is sufficiently heated, begin cooking the strips a few at a time. Cook them for about a minute and a half or so on each side. When golden and crispy and the chicken is done, remove them to a rack. Do not allow them to burn. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. (I like Country Style Gravy to dip it in and then you can use the gravy for the mashed potatoes you cooked to go with the chicken!)
Talking about Country Style Gravy… I really like the mixes you can get at the grocery store, but I got to wondering if there wasn’t a recipe on the Internet so I could make my own. Have any of you ever heard of powdered shortening? I had not - but I always love to learn something new. Well, anyway, when I went to the Internet I finally found a video on YouTube by Jim Foreman for Instant Country Gravy Mix and it called for powdered shortening. I found powdered butter on Amazon so I ordered it and made his recipe. I thought it turned out really well. I also was told that Alison’s Pantry (sold by Mae Ware) sometimes carries powdered shortening.

Country Gravy Mix

Source: Jim Foreman

1 c. flour
2/3 c. powdered milk
1/3 c. powdered shortening
3 T. cornstarch
3 T. coffee creamer - (powdered)
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. pepper
Combine and store in an air-tight container. When ready to use, boil:
1 1/2 c. water
Combine:
1/2 c. mix
1/2 c. cold water
Add the mix/water mixture to the boiling water and stir while it boils for about 1 min. Cover and let sit on counter and it will thicken on sitting.
Add any/all of the following:
1/4 t. poultry seasoning
1 t. paprika
Chicken boullion
1/2 t. garlic salt

Recently I decided to start selling Pampered Chef again and in the “Start-up” kit was a pan for making brownies. I had seen this pan in the past but just didn’t see a need for it so did not purchase it, but since it was included in the kit I decided to try it out. Well, I found out that I love it. The first thing I made was the following recipe. My sister was diagnosed as having Celiac disease so can not eat gluten any longer so I’m always on the lookout for gluten-free recipes. This recipe is worth making for both those with Celiac disease and the rest of us as it is so good!

Flourless Oatmeal Bars

Source: PamperedChef - Season’s Best Fall/Winter 2015

Nonstick cooking spray
1 can (15-16 oz.) chickpeas* - drained and rinsed
2 eggs
1/2 cup (125 mL) reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup white chocolate morsels
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup (75 mL) white chocolate morsels
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray wells of Pampered Chef® Brownie Pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place chickpeas and eggs in Pampered Chef® Manual Food Processor; process until well blended (mixture will not be smooth).
Carefully remove blade from processor bowl. Transfer chickpea mixture to Pampered Chef® Classic Batter Bowl. Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well with Pampered Chef® Small Mix ‘N Scraper®. Add 1/3 cup of the morsels, oats, cranberries, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined.
Using Pampered Chef® Medium Scoop, divide mixture evenly into wells of pan. Gently spread mixture with back of Scoop. Bake 16–18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean.
Place remaining 1/3 cup morsels in Pampered Chef® 1-cup Prep Bowl; microwave on HIGH 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds or until melted. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag (see cook’s tips).
Remove pan from oven to Pampered Chef® Stackable Cooling Rack; let cool 5 minutes. Trim a small corner off the bag; drizzle chocolate evenly over top of bars. Serve with Pampered Chef® Mini Nylon Serving Spatula.
* The chickpeas take the place of flour! They’re low in fat, high in fiber and rich in antioxidants… and they make the bars moist and mouth-watering!
To fill plastic bag with melted chocolate, place a small resealable plastic bag over rim of Pampered Chef® Mini Measure-All Cup with one corner pointing into the cup. Pour melted chocolate into bag. Remove bag and twist top. Print this post