Mini Churros

So... I get tired of only being able to eat churros when I go to an amusement park, carnival or some other "event" where I have to spend lots of money just to get this tasty treat (same with those damn funnel cakes).

Well, thanks to the Food Network, and a true desire to have this treat, I decided to give it a whirl.

RECIPE:
1/2 c butter
1 c water
1/4 tsp salt
2 limes zested (I only used 1)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
vegetable oil
pastry bag
large star tip (I thought mine was large enough... but NOT!)


Melt butter, water, salt and zest of 1 lime in saucepan. Simmer, then whisk in
flour, slowly. Remove from heat and whisk until mixture forms a ball. Slowly add eggs, one at a time. Spoon batter into pastry bag, fitted with large star tip and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Heat oil to 350 degrees.








Pipe 3" long sections (or however long you want) into the oil. Fry for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway through. Drain on paper towels.
Add sugar and cinnamon to paper bag and when churros are slightly cooled, place in bag and shake. Serve warm.

Post Superbowl Bliss

I hope everyone enjoyed the BIG GAME.
I did. It lived up to the "hype" and was a really good game, down to the very end.

Go. Steelers.

So, while watching the Foodnetwork one day, the chef on the show "Big Daddy's House (*laugh*) made these Buffalo Chicken Balls. Of course I don't follow recipes too well, so I just made it up as I went along. If you want the original recipe, please "search" for it on the website. Here's my version of it.

RECIPE: (yields 20 balls; depending on the size)
1 whole, baked chicken
blue cheese, crumbled
hot sauce
salt
pepper
bread crumbs, plain
flour
egg
panko bread crumbs

Shred meat of chicken; place in large bowl.


Add blue cheese (as much as you like), hot sauce, salt, pepper and bread crumbs.
Mix together ingredients, making sure everything is well combined.
Form balls with meat (blue cheese will help hold it all together).
Dip balls in flour; then an egg wash and then into the panko bread crumbs (all in separate containers).
Fry balls in a deep fryer, or a pan with lots of oil (small amounts will turn the balls into small pancakes :)





























Fry until golden brown, and serve with the usual buffalo chicken sides (carrots and celery sticks).








I also decided to make my own dipping sauce (again, I couldn't remember the recipe from the show). I decided to mix sour cream, blue cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper together. Double the amount of sour cream against the amount of blue cheese.

[Chicken] Georgia on my mind

So on one of my many ocassions of watching the FoodNetwork, Ms. Paula Deen showcased one of her favorite "quick" chicken dishes. I tried it that night, and I've been making it ever since. I can't tell you how good this dish taste... all I can say is YOU'LL LOVE IT!

Promise me that if you decide to make this dish, that you email/blog/whatever me to let me know what you think.

Here's PAULA'S RECIPE:

SOCAL'S VERSION just adds a little more of everything (i.e. butter, shallots, mushrooms) to the original recipe... more = happy!

shallots + butter making love










three is NOT a crowd when the mushrooms decide to join in










chicken can be very tasty with only (kosher) salt & pepper










Mozarella cheese makes it all "stick" together










wanna bite?










want the plate?


**TIP - follow her recipe exactly, the first time. There's no errors, etc. Trust Paula!***