Ranch Jalapenos

Sliced Jalapenos
1/2 Cup flour
1 Packet of Ranch dressing mix
1 Egg
Oil for frying

Whisk egg in a shallow bowl. Mix flour and Ranch mix in a different shallow bowl. Dip sliced jalapenos in egg and then put in flour mix and coat. Fry in oil until brown and crispy. Set aside.

For the Burger

2 Slices of bacon per burger
Slice of cheddar cheese per burger
Barbecue sauce
Hamburger patties seasoned and cooked to your liking
Hamburger buns.

To assemble burger place patty with melted cheese on bottom bun top with barbecue sauce, bacon and some Ranch jalapenos. Enjoy!

I had my first fried pickle many years ago when I lived in Texas. I believe it was my first time eating out in the Lone Star State and I was very intrigued when a friend ordered fried pickles off the menu. I wasn't sure what to expect when the waitress brought over a basket of fried pickle spears. Nor did I expect it to be the beginning of a new addiction for me. Fried pickles are sooo good! They are crunchy, salty, and of course fried! The three things I look for in the perfect snack. Since moving away from Texas if fried pickles are on the menu at a restaurant then you can bet they will soon be appearing at my table. Unfortunately I have yet to find another restaurant that serves a whole fried pickle spear. Instead most fry up pickle chips. The other day I finally attempted to make some at home, they were dill-icious!


Fried Pickles

Sliced dill pickles
1/2 Cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
A few dashes of Tabasco
Water
Oil for frying

Pat pickles dry on a paper towel. In a bowl mix dry ingredients and then add about 1/2 cup of water and mix. The batter should be thick but still pourable. Add the Tabasco and mix again. Add pickles to batter. Heat just enough oil in a pan so that a pickle chip will be completely submerged. Using tongs put pickle chips in oil one at a time, not over crowding the pan, and fry until pickles are perfectly brown and crisp, his does not take long. Serve with Ranch!

If you have not tried a fried pickle you don't know what you are missing...and don't even get me started on pickle flavored potato chips.

Penelope has been eating lunch at school a lot lately but here are a few lunches I made for her on those days when she didn't like what was on the school lunch menu.

Our first bento of 2014!



Top tier: Olives on pick, blueberries and raspberries, Hello Kitty Senbei (Japanese rice cracker, this one is drizzled with strawberry cream.), seasoned nori, and vitamin gummies.

Bottom tier: Bologna and cheese round sandwich, baby carrots, and nori flavored Senbei.

New box bento! Found this one at Target.




Bologna and cheese and on a sub roll, baby carrots, Pirate Booty, fruit snacks and gummy vitamins in HK container.

And this one...


Another bologna and cheese sandwich, some more Pirate Booty, strawberries, grapes, and a peppermint Oreo cookie.

This past weekend Chris and I decided to try out my Cosmopolitan R-Evolution by  Molecule-R..
We made a Cosmo with cranberry Foam and a Cosmo with citrus caviar.




Our first batch of "caviar" needed a bit more food coloring but still tasted yum. It was a lot of fun making these and they were very tasty, not to mention strong. A little too much work if I am just enjoying a Cosmo at home but these would be great if you are planning on having friends over for dinner and drinks. We have yet to try the encapsulated Cosmo, I think this one is going to be my fave, I will be sure and post on it. The immersion blender my mom in law bought me is going to be getting a lot of use. YAY!

I love this picture of Penelope and her great grandma, I had to share. She loves her Nana.

Welcome to 2014! Wow, really?! You may have noticed I have been a little more silent the last couple of months. The end of 2013 was no fun! I developed some health issues, had a couple of hospital stays, a surgery, and tons of bed rest. Here's hoping the new year brings some better days! How was your Christmas? Did you get anything cool? I did! My husband surprised me with a Karaoke machine I have been wanting. "Hai Karaoke ni"! He also got me these cool Molecular Gastronomy kits I am so excited to try.


My mom got me an ice cream maker, go mom! Penelope was so thoughtful and got me the cutest little Hello Kitty earrings to go with my new HK wallet my sis and brother in-law bought me. She also made me this beautiful angel.

 I Got some Japanese edibles from my bro and sister in law and an amazon gift card from my mom and dad in-law that I am going to use to buy me some music so I can get my Karaoke on. Wheee!

I also had my first win for 2014, more on this later... So far 2014 is looking good!