Well it’s common knowledge that we Southerners will fry anything… no really, anything. As history states, the concept of frying pickles was started in Arkansas..and has become a southern favorite through the years. They are finding their way onto menus throughout the USA, normally as an appetizer .. however, I could eat a few of these for supper and be quite content for the night..The crunchy, salty bite is so good. If you haven’t tried them yet, I’m not sure what you are waiting for…. I was skeptical at first too, now I’m sad I didn’t try them sooner!! The ranch dip is KEY, you want it thicker than dressing, but with that same ranch flavor we know and love. Double dip, I won’t tell!!

You need: 

9 to 10 Dill Pickle Spears ( I recommend Mt. Olive® but if you can’t find them in your area, Walmart brand Dill is close)

4 to 5 eggs

2 tsp cajun seasoning

2 cups panko flakes

1 1/2 cups AP Flour

oil for frying ( I use vegetable )

The Ranch Dip 

1 1/2 cups Mayo

2 heaping tablespoons of Ranch powder mix

2-3 tablespoons whole milk

1/4 cup fresh dill, minced

Start with the ranch dip, about 30 minutes before you begin the pickles. Add the mayo and ranch mix to a bowl and mix well. Then add the milk and dill and mix until well combined. Cover and Chill.

With a spoon, gently remove the seeds from the pickles. This helps with the water vs. oil factor and you really won’t miss them.

Lay them on a paper towel lined plate and pat dry with a clean paper towel.

Beat the eggs in a shallow dish, such as a pie pan and add the cajun seasoning. Beat with a fork until well combined.

Begin heating oil slowly to 350*

In 2 separate bowls or pans add the flour and the panko.

You will roll the pickle in flour, then the eggs and then in the panko. After the panko, Let sit for 5 minutes on a plate.

With tongs, gently place the pickles in the oil.

Do not crowd the pan or fryer. I only fry three pickles at a time and they fry quickly. About 4 minutes total. Fry for 2 minutes then turn them.

Let them drain on a paper towel lined plate for about 3 minutes. 

Serve immediately with ranch! Garnish with more dill if desired.

I haven’t met an olive that I did’t like, I think I have covered my love for the, what I lovingly call, forbidden fruit. It comes from my mother, she would eat them all day everyday, as would my nanny. What can I say, we love em!

It’s kinda a play on my olive cheese bread, which originated first from The Pioneer Woman, so props where props are do, thanks Ree.

This is not as heavy and its a fun dip for Summer, but it’s comfort level does scream Fall to me! Most often that is when I make dishes like this, but I had a craving that I couldn’t suppress!

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup sliced Spanish olives chopped
• 1/2 package ranch dressing mix
• 3 tablespoons sliced green onions
• bagel chips, pita chips, crackers or your favorite for dipping

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

With a fork mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise together.

Stir in your mozzarella cheese, olives, green onions and ranch…tops with a few extra olive slices.

Add the mixture into cast iron skillet and bake 20 minutes. Garnish with more green onions.

Serve Immediately with bagels, crackers, etc.

I was going to title this Melody’s Chicken Salad and in my mind that is exactly what it is. My daughter adores chicken or turkey ( a Thanksgiving leftover staple) salad with grapes. I like it with the grapes … I also like to kick in a few Granny Smith Apples from time to time also. It’s a forgiving dish, most anything will fold right in and taste really darn good! I am not a fan of the nuts, but if it’s you’re thing, then hey, go…umm nuts? That was really corny, even for me.

That hubbyman, well he’s a pickle and onion chicken salad kinda fella. He’s not too keen on the idea of fruit in his chicken salad, and that is OoooK… I always have to make two batches and that’s ok too… I have mentioned that I love to cook, right?

Give this a whirl, let me know what-cha think… its perfect for these Summer get-togethers that are popping up!

• 3 boiled chicken breasts cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1 cup red grapes halved
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Goya®Perfect Seasoning ( or any flavorful mixed seasoning)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• celery leaves chopped

Add cubed chicken to a large bowl with the celery, onions, grapes, mayonnaise and sour cream and gently fold together. Add the Celery leaves, seasoning , salt and pepper and fold once more. ( you can really just toss it all in and fold well, its not a big deal, just saying)

Cover and chill at least two hours.

Fold well before serving.  Perfect with crackers, toast or white bread!!

Happy Birthday to the Hubbyman!!! There is no better way to celebrate the hubbyman than by cooking him a steak. Any steak, cooked anyway with any sauce. Sides optional!

He is a meat and taters kinda feller… but he does have a sense of adventure when it comes to food…. except seafood… lets just not go there tonight… We have had Black and Blue burgers and steaks at restaurants from NC to CO and I had this idea…. I can do that!!! Really its easy and a fraction of the cost! The cost is a big deal to me… something about a meal that costs more than my electric bill that makes me a bit nauseous!

Here we go …..

INGREDIENTS 2-3 ribeye steaks 2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Salt and black
pepper to taste

3-4 tablespoons  Worcestershire Sauce

For the compound
butter:

1 tablespoon each fresh minced thyme and garlic 1 stick of unsalted butter, room temp 1 shallot minced

1 container blue cheese

These are not my best photographs, this  meal cooks fast and I only had 2 steaks… normally I have enough for the photos, but…. its steak. We didn’t need a third so I had to work fast, I didn’t want them getting cold…. not apologizing … just telling ya how it all went down ❤ hehe

Two hours before you plan to cook the steaks, make your compound butter but set your butter out in the morning….

Mince the garlic, shallots and thyme. Add to the soft butter and the blue cheese and combine with a fork. Place compound on a long piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log. Chill in fridge at least two hours and remove from fridge about 15 minutes prior to use.

The Steaks

I used black angus for this recipe, hence the BLACK in black and blue. Remove from package and season with salt and pepper. Then drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Cover and chill for one hour and remove one hour prior to searing.

Time to put it all together…. remember it goes fast, you want it sizzling when you serve it.

1. Cut the butter, about 3 pieces for each steak, more if you want it and set aside.
2. Heat oil and butter in a cast iron skillet on high until starting to smoke.
3. Add the steaks and sear on each side for about 4 minutes, more if you want it cooked more. Up to you …. I ain’t judging
4. Once the second side has seared for 4 minutes flip once more and add the butter and blue cheese mix, remove from heat.
5. Serve immediately !! Don’t wait, you want to deliver it to the table making all that sizzling “noise”

I served it with roasted garlic and thyme mushrooms … Yummy!

I was looking for a new way to enjoy the flavors of pizza without all the carbs. Yeah, the tomatoes have carbs, but they are far better for you than all the bread… oh bread, how I love thee. I wanted it to be filling and since I was craving chicken it seemed like a no brainer! A friend in Colorado sent me a recipe similar to this one, I tweaked it a bit and this is what happened. Pepperoni Pizza Chicken… without the crust, have I mentioned my love for crust? Oh, I thought I had.

 You need:

6- Boneless Chicken Breasts

1- 24oz can crushed tomatoes (with or without Basil, Garlic and Oregano)

1- 12oz can petite diced tomatoes (drained)

1- tablespoon fresh diced garlic, minced

1- shallot (med sized) diced small

4-fresh basil leaves ( minced small)

3 to 4- tsps Complete Seasoning ( any brand)

4 tablespoons olive oil ( for browning the breasts)

12- small slices fresh mozzarella cheese

3- cups shredded mozzarella  ( divided)

Pepperoni ( as much as you want)

Black Olives ( as many as you want, and optional)

Fresh Basil for garnish

To a large bowl, add all of the tomatoes and combine well. Add the shallots, garlic, basil and Italian seasoning. Stir.

Divide the sauce into two glass, oven dishes making sure to save about 1 1/2 cups and set aside.

Season chicken with Complete season and heat olive oil on med high heat. Add the chicken and cook 5 to 7 minutes per side, until golden brown. ( Chicken will not be done yet)

Nestle the chicken into the sauce and top with remaining sauce… just lightly coat each piece.

Top each piece of chicken with 2 slices of the fresh mozzarella and cover each dish with the shredded cheese. The begin adding all the pepperoni you want. That’s a matter of taste!

Add the black olives if using!

 I had a little extra cheese, so I sprinkled that on top. ( you don’t have to)

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil, serve with salads !

CHEESY GOODNESS!!!

A Caprese Salad is a dish near and dear to my heart. It contains fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Three of my favorite things…yes, I sang that.  If you don’t know why… I don’t know if we can be friends.

I have seen this recipe on social media and it looks so good. Its almost always made for fresh tomatoes, and that’s okay, I am not against that at all… however I like this recipe with fire roasted canned tomatoes. I just like the taste … That is what makes recipes so much fun… they are changeable and personal.

Let me know what you think of these mushrooms, perfect for meatless Mondays and totally vegetarian!

You need:

5 to 6 portobello mushroom caps

1 can fire roasted tomatoes ( drained and rinsed)

1/2 cup oilve oil

fresh basil ( about five to 6 leaves , chopped)

8 ounces fresh mozzarella diced small

1 tablespoon GOYA® Perfect Seasoning

Salt and Pepper , to taste

Start by removing the “gills” from the mushrooms, then using a dry paper towel, gently wipe the mushroom on both sides.

Drizzle each cap with olive oil, then a pinch of salt and pepper.

Rinse and Drain the tomatoes.

Divide the tomatoes between all of the caps. Sprinkle with the Goya

Add the basil

Top with fresh mozzarella!

Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve immediately, sprinkle again with salt and pepper.

Oh, these little juice filled bundles of joy! Blackberries are one of my favorite berries and they make the best, top notch cobbler. I feel like a princess, cause I have the best blackberry bush in the world ( oh, that was dramatic, but it’s a great bush) So, I’m going to share this no-fail recipe with you … PS, it’s good with blueberries too…..

• 1/2 stick salted butter
• 1/2 stick unslated butter
• 1 plus 1/4 cup Dixie Crystals™ Sugar
• 1 cup Self-Rising Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 cups Blackberries ( I use fresh, but frozen will work fine)

note: Land ‘O Lakes Butter™ really works best

Melt butter in a microwave safe dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a  large mixing bowl, and whisk  in milk. Mix  really well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it together.

Butter a baking dish with unsalted butter ….

Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish and sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

NOTE: I sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar over the top for the last 10 minutes.

Ingredients

One box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist Lemon Cake ( made per package directions in a 9 x 13 Pan)  allow to cool one hour.

Icing:

1 container Betty Crocker™ Whipped Fluffy White Icing

1 20 oz can Dole™ Crushed Pineapple ( drained very well)

1 1/2 cups Baker’s™ coconut

1 cup Daisy™ Sour Cream

1/2 Cup Dixie Crystals™ Powdered Sugar.

12-24 maraschino cherries drained and dried on paper towels for garnish

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the icing, pineapple, coconut, sour cream and sugar… mix on low for about 3 minutes.

Spread the icing on the cooled cake and garnish with the cherries.

Keep Cake in Fridge and serve cold.