HOMEMADE CRISPY SEASONED FRENCH FRIES (Allrecipes.com

My family LOVED these!!!  They are a great new way to have fries instead of the old frozen stand by!

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon onion salt

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup water, or as needed

1 cup vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice potatoes into French fries, and place into cold water so they won't turn brown while you prepare the oil.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, sift the flour, garlic salt, onion salt, (regular) salt, and paprika into a large bowl. Gradually stir in enough water so that the mixture can be drizzled from a spoon.
3. Dip potato slices into the batter one at a time, and place in the hot oil so they are not touching at first. The fries must be placed into the skillet one at a time, or they will clump together. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

COUNTRY STYLE TOMATOES (Taste of Home)

This is a twist on Fried Green Tomatoes!  I despise tomatoes, but my parents LOVE them.  My dad usually grows his own every summer.  I have made fried green tomatoes for them on more than one occasion, so I can't wait to try this one for them.

INGREDIENTS:
4 large tomatoes (beefsteak tomatoes preferred)
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 C parsley
1-1/2 tsp fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C flour
1 C panko crumbs
1 egg
1 Tbl milk
3 Tbl butter
3 Tbl olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut tomatoes into four thick slices; place on paper towels to drain.
2. Beat cream cheese, parsley, basil, garlic, and salt together well. Spread mixture over 8 tomatoe slices. Top, sandwich style, with remaining tomato slices.
3. Place flour and panko crumbs in separate bowls. Whisk egg and milk in third bowl.
4. Coat top and bottom of each sandwich with flour, then dip into egg, then dip into crumbs.
5. Heat butter and oil in skillet together. Fry tomato sandwiches 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain on papertowels before serving.

PEANUT BUTTER MINI MUFFINS (Taste of Home)

 Peanut butter and chocolate - a deadly combination!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1-3/4 C flour
2/3 C brown sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 C milk
2/3 C chunky peanut butter
1/4 C canola oil
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk eggs, milk, peanut butter, oil, and vanilla together well. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Fill greased mini muffin cups 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

BACON CRESCENT ROLLS

 Quick and easy, but full of flavor! You can't go wrong with bacon!!!

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz crescent rolls
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp onion powder

DIRECTIONS:
1. Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles. Set aside 1 Tbl of bacon. Sprinle onion powder and reamining bacon over triangles; roll up and place point side down on ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.
2. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

CRUSTLESS CHICKEN QUICHE (Taste of Home)

 This one sounds really good for a luncheon or possibly brunch.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
2 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbl olive oil
6 eggs
3/4 C heavy whipping cream
2 C cubed cooked rotisserie chicken
2 C (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

DIRECTIONS:
1. Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. In large bowl combine eggs and cram. Stir in chicken, cheese, bacon and onion mixture. Pour into greased 9 inch deep dish pie plate.
2. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

A FEW NOTES: For those of you who are a bit newer to cooking - "heavy whipping cream" does not mean cool whip or whipped topping. Heavy whipping cream can be found by the milk - in a carton. (Yes, I have received questions regarding this very problem - someone used cool whip in place of whipping cream and got LESS than satisfactory results on another recipe.) ALSO, if you are looking for a cooked rotisserie chicken, they are usually only $5.99 at Costco!!!

CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST (Taste of Home)

So I got lucky enough to review a new Taste of Home Magazine during our family gathering yesterday and jotted down a few of the recipes I hope to try soon!!! This is at the top of the list!!!

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
1 C milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
12 slices of day-old bread, crusts removed
3 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz each), halved
2 Tbl butter
Confectioner's Sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour half into ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 slices of bread in single layer over egg mixture. Place 1 piece of chocolate in center of each piece of bread. Top with remaining bread slices. Pour remaining egg mixture over the top. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Melt butter in skillet. Toast sandwiches until golden brown on each side. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut diagonally and serve warm!

ZUCCHINI-CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINSE (Allrecipes.com)

These are REALLY yummy!  I did both the large sized and the mini sized muffins.  They fit great in the kid's lunches.  And with the chocolate chips, they can't even tell there is zucchini in them - pretty sneaky way to get veggies into my kiddos! SSSHHHH!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.