Super Easy Deep Fried Fish

This super easy batter is going to be your new go-to for deep frying fish. Why am I so sure? Because you aren't going to find anything easier or tastier. 

There are no fancy ingredients needed yet it will make your fish crispier and more delicious than most anything you've had before. Don't believe me... whip it up... you'll see. It takes about 2 minutes to prep and then fry away and done. 

Of course, you can jazz it up with spices but nothing extra is needed in my opinion. 

Super Easy Deep Fried Fish

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt 

1/8 tsp pepper

3/4 cup water

Also needed

8 medium fish fillets

Oil for frying (about 1 liter)

Directions

Whisk together all ingredients except water. Slowly whisk in water until your batter is smooth. It should be about the consistency of glue. 

Pat your fish fillets dry and set on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Heat oil to 350 degrees. Use a thermometer for best results. 

Dip a piece of fish in the batter and gently shake off any excess. Carefully lower into hot oil. Repeat with another piece. 

Fry for about 2 - 3 minutes on each side - or until fish is cooked through and golden brown. Carefully lift from oil with a slotted spoon and set on paper towel for a minute to drain any excess oil. 

Now, of course, add on the tartar sauce. Or dill sauce. Or squeeze of fresh lemon. And more salt & pepper, if desired. 

Dive right in. 

This is best served hot. It is crispiest when it comes out of the fryer and as it cools it will lose its crispiness. Leftovers kept in the fridge are still tasty the next day but will be quite soggy. Definitely NOT a recipe you can make ahead of time. I tend to have all sides ready to go and then plate people as the fish comes out of the fryer. 

8 medium fillets should serve 4 people. 

Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Waffles

It's been a while since we've posted anything keto. 

With everything that is going on in the world, I'll admit my eating healthy has gotten off course. I decided to get back on track by coming up with something fun, delicious, easy, and keto. These chocolate peanut butter waffles fit the bill perfectly. Like a peanut butter cup but not as sweet and more filling. This recipe makes 5 servings and each serving is: 186 calories, 18.2 fat, 5.9 carbs, 2.3 fiber, and 6.4 protein. That's 3.6 net carbs per waffle. (Of course, because of different brands, etc... the most accurate nutritional counts are found by entering them yourself into a nutritional tracker. I use MyFitnessPal!) 

I love to have one with my keto coffee in between lunch and dinner to cure those afternoon hunger cravings. 

FYI - These keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days. 

Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Chaffles

Ingredients

Waffle

2 eggs

2 Tbsp whip cream (heavy cream)

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbsp powdered Swerve

2 Tbsp almond flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Topping

1/4 whip cream (heavy cream)

4 tsp powdered Swerve

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

Drizzle

2 Tbsp no sugar dark chocolate chips (I use Lilly's)

Directions

Whisk together eggs, cream, cocoa powder, Swerve, almond flour, and baking powder. Cook in a mini waffle maker (I use the Dash Mini Waffle Maker) for 3 minutes per waffle (of course you can do them longer if you want them a bit crispier, just watch they don't burn). 

Let cool completely on wire rack. 

Prepare topping - beat whip cream and Swerve until you get stiff peaks. Add in peanut butter and beat just to combine. 

Divide evenly and spoon on top of each cooled waffle. Spread to edge of waffles. 

Prepare drizzle - place chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. 

Place melted chocolate in a small plastic baggie, snip off a small piece of the corner of the baggie, and pipe chocolate evenly over the peanut butter cream layer. 

Eat now, or chill until ready to eat.

Once the chocolate has set, you can stack the waffles for easier storage. 

Following keto, one of the things I miss most is chocolate bars and candy. These chocolate and peanut butter waffles are a pretty darned good substitute for peanut butter cups. At only 3.6 net carbs I am able to fit them in to my eating plan no problem. 

These are great if you have a sweet tooth but are trying to cut back on sugar. They are also gluten free so work for a grain free diet too. 

They're also just what you need when you want a chocolaty peanut buttery snack. 

Bourbon Bacon Marshmallow Macadamia Nut Brownies

If you ever want to be pushed into coming up with recipes you normally wouldn't think of then I recommend hosting a Chopped-type contest. You give your participants 2 mystery ingredients that they have to use to create a recipe. I have been hosting a Chopped: Quarantine Edition contest for just over a month now and it has been so much fun. It definitely has been helping me think outside the box when developing recipes.

I came up with this recipe when I chose bacon and brown sugar as the 2 mystery ingredients. I went a little crazy and threw in some bourbon and marshmallows and macadamia nuts because... why not? Some people say less is more, but when we are talking brownies: more is more. 

Bourbon Bacon Marshmallow Macadamia Nut Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour

2 tsp instant coffee

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp butter

3/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs + 1 yolk

3 Tbsp bourbon + 4 Tbsp of bourbon

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup macadamia nuts

1/2 cup bacon bits (divided)

1 jar marshmallow creme

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 10 inch pan with parchment paper, set aside.

Stir together flour, instant coffee, and salt. Set aside. 

In the top of a double boiler, cook and stir butter, cocoa powder, and sugars for 8 minutes. 

Add in eggs and yolk, bourbon, and vanilla. Stir to combine well. Remove from heat and stir in flour mixture, macadamia nuts, and half of the bacon bits. 

Pour into prepared pan.

Drop the marshmallow creme by the spoonful on top. Swirl in with a butter knife. Top with the other half of the bacon bits. 

Bake at 350 for approx 30 - 40 minutes. Do not over bake or brownie will be dry.

Remove from heat and, using a pastry or basting brush, brush the 4 Tbsp of bourbon over the top of the brownie. 

Let cool completely. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and use parchment paper to help remove the brownie from the pan. Cut into 16 pieces. 

Can I just say.... these are perfect with a little bourbon on the side too. 

Father's Day is coming and I'm pretty sure a lot of dad's out there that would enjoy this!

A glass of milk would work too. Just sayin'

The bacon adds a salty crunch and the macadamia nuts have a wonderful crunchy yet not too crunchy texture. The marshmallow gets nice and toasty on top which is a whole other layer of flavor and texture. 

So. Much. Going. On. 

Rich and gooey and chocolaty. Everything a brownie should be. 

Loaded Savory Donut Sushi Fries (AKA: Quarantine Fries)

When I get my food truck these are the first thing going on the menu. 

They are ridiculous. 

I made some for my nephew and he said, and I quote, "These would be awesome to eat when you are drunk." 

He's not wrong. 

They are a little over the top but that means they are perfect for celebrating? while in self isolation. I developed the recipe for a little Chopped-type food contest we are running on Facebook while everyone is dealing with Covid-19. Our ingredients were Bacon and Brown Sugar. They didn't win but I fell in love with how unusual and delicious these are. 

If you are looking for something to pass the time then look no further. Make these. Then pick a great movie, grab a beer (or a tea), put your feet up and enjoy. 

Loaded Savory Donut Sushi Fries (AKA: Quarantine Fries)

Ingredients

Savory Donut Fries

1/4 cup hot water

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1/4 tsp brown sugar

1/2 cup warm milk

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg

3 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup bacon bits

2 tsp dried chives

1 jalapeno, finely diced

2 - 4 cups flour

oil for frying (about 1 liter)

Spicy Mayo

2 Tbsp mayo

2 tsp sriracha

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp brown sugar

Tonkatsu Sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup Worcestershire

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp soy sauce 

Toppings

green onions, diced

toasted sesame seeds

toasted seaweed, cut into strips

bacon bits

Directions

Prepare spicy mayo - whisk together mayo, sriracha, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Prepare tonkatsu sauce - whisk together ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Cover and chill until ready to use. 

Prepare donut fries - In a small bowl, whisk together the hot water, yeast, and 1/4 tsp of brown sugar. Let sit for 5 - 8 minutes to bloom.

While yeast is blooming, in a large bowl, mix together the milk, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, salt, egg, sesame oil, bacon bits, chives, and jalapeno. 

Stir in the activated yeast. Add in flour, starting with 2 cups, until you have a stiff dough that is just a little bit tacky. Knead for 2 - 3 minutes. Add in a little more flour if dough is too sticky. (I have had to add up to 2 more cups depending on conditions)

Place dough in an oiled bowl.

Cover and let rise somewhere warm for an hour, until doubled in size. 

Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into "fingers" about 1/2 inch wide and about 5 inches long. (I'm guesstimating as I forgot to measure.)

Place "fingers" on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and cover while you heat oil for frying. They should rest for about 30ish minutes. 

Heat oil in a large pot to 350 degrees. It's best to use a thermometer to ensure even cooking. 

Carefully place fries in hot oil 5 - 6 at a time (don't crowd the pot the oil will drop in temperature). Cook for 1 minute and then flip over and cook 1 more minute. 

Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked donut fries and place on paper towel to drain any excess grease. Repeat until all fries have been cooked. 

Prepare your toppings.

Place donut fries on serving trays.

Top with the spicy mayo and the tonkatsu sauce.

And then sprinkle generously with the green onions, sesame seeds, seaweed strips, and bacon. 

Serve immediately. 

You can add as much sauce and toppings as you like. You can even serve extra sauce for dipping!

Depending on how spicy you like things, you can also top with some sliced jalapeno too!

The donut fries freeze quite well. You can make them up, freeze them, and then just pop in the oven to thaw when ready to enjoy. 

What I loved best about these is how different they are. I'm going to be experimenting more with savory donut dishes. Deep fried bread? Sign me up. 

Aunty Pat's Summer Slush (Large Batch)

Our Aunty Pat used to make this for us every summer when we would visit. I can remember eating it with a spoon while we sat beside her pool in our bathing suits. We got the kiddie version while the adults got the adult version. I'm sharing the adult (read: alcoholic) version here but by just leaving out the booze it is totally kid friendly. 

Have extra bananas but don't feel like more banana bread? This is the perfect way to use up those overripe bananas. This makes a large amount, which is great for sharing with family and friends! 

Aunty Pat's Summer Slush (Large Batch)

Ingredients

Base

2 cups sugar

6 cups water

5 bananas

1 can (48 oz) pineapple juice

1 can (12 1/2 oz) frozen orange juice

1 can (12 1/2 oz) frozen lemonade

Mix

coconut rum (I use Malibu Rum)

lemon lime soda (such as 7up or sprite)

Directions

Bring the 2 cups of sugar and 6 cups of water to a boil. Let boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. 

Mash bananas in a large bowl. I use beaters to make is easier. 

Add in pineapple juice, frozen orange juice, and frozen lemonade. (NOTE - I couldn't find the 12 1/2 oz containers of frozen orange or lemonade so I used 2 of the smaller sizes. This works just fine.) 

Add in the sugar water. Beat to combine. 

Pour  into ice cream bucket OR several smaller containers if you are going to share. (It makes about 10 - 12 cups) 

Cover and freeze until completely frozen. This takes at least several hours. When ready to serve:

Fill glass half full of slush. Add in a shot glass of rum (or to taste). 

Top up glass with the lemon lime soda. 

Give it a good stir. Top with a cute umbrella and cherry.

Serve immediately. 

Sue had hers in her margarita glass and it looks beautiful. 

You can add any liquor you prefer. I believe my aunt used to add gin. I've added vodka in the past too. Coconut rum is my favorite though - the coconut goes really well with the pineapple and banana flavors. How many serving it makes depends entirely on the size of the glasses you use. It makes a lot though, which makes it perfect for summer BBQs OR for giving as gifts. In a covered container it will last a long time in the freezer.