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Fritters!! Fried Batter coating Pickles and Onions!
Who doesn’t love a good, easy fried fritter? Y’all, I’m southern to my core. I’ll fry anything, and there are few savory fried bits of yumminess that I enjoy more than good ole fried onions and fried pickles. Putting the two together in batter and calling it a FRITTER , is pure southern brilliance.
Healthy to eat everyday? Of course not! However, they suit us just fine as an occasional indulgent snack!
The batter is so good and plenty salty that you won’t even need a dip, but if you want, grab some ranch or ketchup or thousand island! Lots of options work well! First, the easy instructions, then a few photos:
2 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 cups (small jar) of dill pickle round slices*
(* drained and patted dry with paper towels)
1 small yellow onion, diced small
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
STEP 1
In a large, heavy skillet, heat oil over medium to med-high. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add pickles and onion and toss to coat. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk. Add to pickle mixture and stir just until combined. Note: It’ll be a consistency of glue/paste, but don’t “over stir” or you’ll release too much moisture from the pickles.
STEP 2
In two batches, drop batter in 2-tablespoonful mounds into oil. With a small spatula or butter knife, gently flatten each mound and fry until golden, about 4 minutes per side, flipping once (adjust heat if browning too quickly). Drain on paper towels. Makes about 10.
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
Later, ‘Gators! Afterwhile, Crocodiles!
Your Friend,
~Amber Hamilton Henson
Update:
This post was Mentioned by Michael Roberts of Arkansas Times’ Eat Arkansas! See the news article: http://www.arktimes.com/EatArkansas/archives/2013/11/11/november-food-blogger-round-up
Linking to other blogs! Check out the blog parties:
Arkansas Women Bloggers’ Sunday Link Up
AlderBerryHill’s Make The Scene Monday #95
DIYShowoff’s Sunday Showoff
ElizabethAndCo’s Be Inspired Link Party #90
ConfessionsOfAPlateAddict’s The Scoop #87
SavvySouthernStyle’s Wow Us Wednesdays #139
StoneGable’s Tutorials, Tips, & Tidbits Thursday #68
iGottaCreate’s Wildly Original Link Party
NotYourOrdinaryRecipes’ Foodtastic Friday
RattlebridgeFarm’s Foodie Friday
Recentness:
At home:
Glitch:
Working the concession stand:
Jogging:
Frying food for Mitch:
Yep; I deactivated my fb. It’s probably temporary, but for now, I enjoy the deactivation. I’ll write again, soon. I’ve actually completed several interesting projects recently that are awaiting my writing and found a cool product I’m loving. Just ask W-H-Y, and I’ll tell you what I’ve discovered!
Later Gators’
~Amber
TroyBilt Tools!
I won! I won! AND I received additional free gifts!
On August 12th, 2013, the twitter chat forum, #gardenchat, was hosted by @TroyBilt and there were a few easy rules to follow for a chance to win. I heard via other tweeters that the prize being offered was a pair of pruners and loppers! Needing a new pair of pruners and loppers and having always heard great things about TroyBilt products, I was eager to participate!
The question that began the #gardenchat and entered participants for a chance to win: “What do you love most about summer gardening?” Me: “I love the garden to table experience!” Then, there were several questions that focused on specific topics, one of which was about deadheading flowers, to which I responded, “A4: I never deadhead flowers from my Rosemary hedge, here in zone 7, and it thrives as an evergreen. I prune for kabob skewers!” It is a true answer. You’ve seen my post about Chicken Kabobs on Rosemary Branches? Love!
The next day, I was notified that I’d been chosen at random as the winner by Bren of BGgarden.com and @BG_Garden, the admin and number1 fan of #gardenchat and @TheGardenChat.
A few days later, I received two big boxes! TroyBilt sent the fabulous pair of bypass pruners and bypass loppers from the contest, and to my total surprise, they also sent additional tools, including: weeding knife, hand cultivator, flower trowel, planting trowel, and weeding blade!
I cannot say enough good things about the tools I received! They are wonderful!! Beyond having sharp blades and sturdy construction, they are so comfortable to use and look great! The grips on the tools feel great in my hand, and the angle of the handles is just perfect! I’ve been working in my garden everyday since receiving the new tools!
Here, (^), you can see that my apple tree has suffered some branch breakage due to the weight of its apples that are ripening. Those splintered, broken branches certainly weren’t healthy for the little tree, but my new TroyBilt bypass loppers made nice, clean cuts for me that are much better for the tree! With such great leverage, sharp blades, and comfortable grips, I swear it was as easy as cutting softened butter!! I will no longer look at pruning my fruit trees the same! 🙂
Here, (^), you can see how happy my roses are after deadheading with my new TroyBilt bypass pruners! I wish I’d of thought to get a “before” photo of the roses, but I’ll certainly show you how it will have a new flush of blooms, later, as they continue to perform!
As I’ve become more familiar with Twitter, I’ve discovered just how wonderful and supportive the #gardenchat community is with eachother It is such a great group of gardeners! . . . so eager to share eachothers’ pretty pictures and bounce around ideas! You’ll definitely see my new TroyBilt tools continue to appear in my photos and gardening posts!
In this new age, word of mouth marketing matters when you trust the source, and I assure you, I am SO PLEASED with my TroyBilt tools! I highly recommend TroyBilt to help you meet your gardening needs!
To order your TroyBilt Tools directly from TroyBilt, visit:
TroyBilt.com
I believe you’ll appreciate the quality as much as I do!! Love!!
Later ‘gators and afterwhile crocodiles!
Your Friend,
~Amber Hamilton Henson
The post will link to other blogs; you can find the links:
Arkansas Women Bloggers’ Sunday Link Up
Sunday Stroll 1
. . . just enjoying a leisurely walk in the neighborhood this afternoon. “Sunday Stroll” ~Amber
Linking to:
Arkansas Women Bloggers’ “Sunday Link Up”
Wordless Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday 1
(My garden, me, and a statue in front of a painting by me; edited on iPhone with picblender app and picframe app.) ~Amber
Chicken Kabobs on Rosemary Branches
Do you grow your own Rosemary? In USDA zones 4-6, Rosemary grows as an evergreen. Being in zone 7, Rosemary makes an absolutely lovely hedge. Our Rosemary hedge is in front of our house near the pathway leading to the front door. When the wind blows, the fragrance is sooooo refreshing. I’m always looking for more ways to use Rosemary, and here is one of my favorites: Using rigid branches as skewers for kabobs! It lends a wonderful hint of Rosemary flavor to the chicken without adding Rosemary to the marinade, even more so, if you leave the Rosemary leaves on the branches!
(Clicking on photos will enlarge them.)
RECIPE
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or red pepper (preference)
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into cubes
2 cloves garlic
5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
Rosemary Branches or skewers
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking and more to use as sauce for brown rice, if desired as a side dish. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better). Skewer onto rosemary branches right before baking!
I bake the kabobs in the oven at 350F on a pan that drains or raised rack. I cover the entire pan with foil and bake until the chicken is done, brushing with reserved marinade occasionally. (The length of time needed for baking will vary according to the size you cut your chicken cubes; larger cubes will need longer cooking times.) Wen the chicken is done, I remove the foil and turn on the top broiler for 3-5 minutes to finish the edges! 🙂 YUM!
Enjoy!
^a selfie photo of me and our Rosemary hedge (edited on iPhone, using PicBlender app)
This blog is still currently being created and written via iPhone and iPad!
(Clicking on photos will enlarge them into a new window.)
Your Friend,
~Amber Hamilton Henson
PS
This post will link to blog linkup parties, the party links:
Arkansas Women Bloggers’ Sunday Link Up
Fig, Rosemary, Goat Cheese Tart
Fig, Rosemary, Goat Cheese Tart:
What happens when fig, rosemary, goat cheese, balsamic, and honey party together in a tart? OMG. Crazy yumminess. Words fail me when trying to describe just how much I enjoy the combination of these flavors.
First, I’ll tell you how it’s made, then add a few photos! K? K!
INGREDIENTS:
1 unbaked pastry pie shell of your choice
figs, cut into thin slices (about 2-3 cups)
3 Tbsp sugar
1/8th cup good balsamic vinegar
1/8th cup local honey
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp cornstarch
goat cheese (about .33 lb.)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Sprinkle small crumbles of cool goat cheese across the pastry shell.
Combine balsamic vinegar, honey, sugar, and rosemary, stir, and pour over sliced figs in a bowl (I used a large measuring cup).
Allow the mix to macerate the figs for about 15 minutes.
Carefully pour about 1/8 cup juice out of the mix and stir in 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch, then return to mix of figs, carefully coating all slices.
Pour fig mix over goat cheese into pastry shell.
Bake at 425 F for five minutes, reduce heat to 350 F and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Enjoy warm! (We did!)
Now the photos:
Click on photos to enlarge them into a new window!
Your Friend,
~Amber Hamilton Henson
PS
This post will link with other blogs; visit the link up parties:
Arkansas Women Bloggers’ Sunday Link Up
iShouldBeMoppingTheFloor’s Inspiration Monday
FAVORITE, EASY CHICKEN!
Favorite, easy chicken recipe! Tell me if you’ve tried this and which sauce(s) you use! I’ve seen a similar recipe made using a variety of sauces, including BBQ, Asian sauces, and honey mustard. Well, here’s OUR FAVORITE!! It’s a great sauce just for dipping, too, but coating the chicken tenders completely in the sauce, then rolling in crushed French Fried onions adds great texture! This is such an easy prep, economical, crowd pleasing chicken entree! Try it and tell me what YOU think!
(Click on photo to enlarge into a new window!)
SERVING THIS TONIGHT WITH MY “Sweet & Tangy BROCCOLI SALAD!”:
Remind me to catch up/create my DIY posts about garden seed saving and the DIY photo ledges we just built! I’ve been taking TONS of photos, so I definitely need to caption and write, now!
“Laters ‘Gators and Afterwhiles Crocodiles!” 😉
Your Friend,
~Amber Hamilton Henson
I believe
I BELIEVE:: I believe in love stories. I believe in details. I believe that there are no calories in wedding cakes. I believe in borrowing from the past to create a beautiful future. I believe there is always a reason to celebrate. Goodnight, Mitch. I’ll see you more when we wake. I love you. ~Amber
Nailed it!
What’s your nail style?
Foil? I just followed the instructions on the package! (Water based Glue, then the thin gold leaf.) I coated with clear top coat for durability!
Vamp?
Sparkles?
Orange! Hurry up, Spring!
Green for St. Patrick’s Day!
Fun!
I’m going to link this somewhere! Somebody in the blogosphere has a link party for nails and fashion! I’m sure!
Your Friend,
~Amber!
Linking, Check them out here:
arkansaswomenbloggers’ Sunday Link Up
iShouldBeMoppingTheFloor’s Inspiration Monday
what AMBER loves 