WATERMELON RIND PICKLES II

Ingredients

• Rind from a watermelon 5 pound watermelon, approximately 2 pounds
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 ounces candied or crystalized ginger chunks (1/4 cup)
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flake
• 1 teaspoon allspice berries
• 1 star anise pod

Instructions

1. Scoop out melon leaving about 1/4-1/2 inch of red flesh.
2. Peel off outer green with vegetable peeler and then cut into 1-inch cubes.
3. Bring the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, ginger, salt and spices to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan (2-quart). Hold the boil for 60 seconds then carefully add the watermelon. Return to a boil and turn off the heat. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 30 minutes.
4. Move the pickles to a 2-quart jar using a canning funnel and ladle. Pour on as much of the pickling juice as possible. Cover the jar and leave at room temperature for another one and half hours.
5. Refrigerate overnight and consume within a month. These pickles must be refrigerated.

Notes

• Great as a side with grilled dishes or as salad tossed with crispy, crumbled bacon and served over greens.

PICKLED CORN

Pickled Corn with Red Onions and Cilantro 

Fresh corn, sweet red onions, spicy jalepenos, and just picked cilantro, all put together in a hot vinegar brine. The recipe is short, sweet and proved it’s point – it’s delicious.  

Course: Extras

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 small dried chiles
• 1 seeded thinly sliced jalapeño
• 1/4 thinly sliced medium red onion
• 2 cups corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

1. Mix first 7 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place ingredients in a quart size jar.
3. In a small pot bring vinegar, salt, sugar and 3/4 cup water to a boil.
4. Pour over corn. (Add water to cover, if needed.)
5. Seal jar. Let cool; chill. Will keep up to 1 month.

PICKLED PINEAPPLE

Spicy Pickled Pineapple
20 MINPrep Time
Cook Time
20 MINSTotal Time


THIS PICKLED PINEAPPLE HAS A HINT OF SPICE FROM SLICED JALAPENOS AND IS THE PERFECT SANDWICH AND SALAD TOPPER WITH IT'S TANGY SWEET BITE.



INGREDIENTS
1/2 pineapple cut into half circles
1 1/2 cup Nakano citrus seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large jalapeno, sliced into circles
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the vinegar, sugar, jalapeno, salt and lime juice in a small sauce pot. Bring to a simmer stir until sugar dissolves, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Place the pineapple and cilantro into a large jar.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the pineapple, it should just cover the top slice.
Seal and refrigerate at least 1 day before eating.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Pineapple will become more tangy with time.

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN


PREP TIME

30 mins

COOK TIME

30 mins

TOTAL TIME

1 hour




The ultimate ode to Nashville Hot Chicken. This tastes just as delicious as the original ones in Nashville restaurants.

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grandbaby-Cakes.com

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Southern

Serves: 10 pieces

INGREDIENTS

2 cups buttermilk

⅓ cup hot sauce

2½ cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons seasoned salt

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

10 pieces chicken

Vegetable oil for frying

⅓ cup cayenne pepper

1½ tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

White bread and sliced pickles (for serving)







INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce and set aside.

Next add flour, cornstarch, seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to a paper bag and shake to mix well.

Dip each piece of chicken into seasoned flour and then into buttermilk then back into seasoned flour thoroughly coating each piece. Then add each piece to baking sheet to rest.

Finish coating all chicken and let sit for 15-20 minutes until coating has set.

While coating sets, add 2 - 2½ inches of oil to a cast iron skillet or heavy bottom skillet and heat over medium high heat. Also turn on oven to 275 degrees.

This is my test for knowing when the oil is ready: Big Mama always tossed a tiny bit of flour in the oil and if it began to fry and sizzle, the oil was ready.

Fry four pieces at a time on each side. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan.

After each side has turned slightly golden, put the top on the skillet to steam the inside of the chicken ensuring doneness. After a couple of minutes, remove the top and continue to fry until the crust is crispy again and completely golden brown.

Remove chicken from oil and place on paper towels or rack to drain. Place chicken on a baking sheet covered with parchment and add to warmed oven while finishing the other chicken pieces.

Fry the remaining chicken pieces and drain and add to oven. Add the remaining chicken to the oven.

While chicken is in oven, whisk together 1 cup of the frying oil, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder and smoked paprika until combined.

Brush mixture over completed chicken.

To serve, place hot chicken over white bread and serve with pickles on toothpicks.

HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

It is also absolutely fabulous with a couple splashes of Baileys. Please try!!!


Prep Ahead Plan: I quadruple this recipe and store it in giant mason jars.


Hot Cocoa Mix
adapted from Alton Brown



INGREDIENTS
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 cups non-dairy creamer
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly.
2. To make cocoa: Use about 2 tablespoons of mix per 1 cup of hot milk. Top with marshmallows and whipped cream

CRACK DIP

Ingredients

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese softened to room temperature
1/4 cup mayo
1 cup Sour cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1 (7 oz) can fire roasted green chilies drained
4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled*
1 (1 oz) package dry ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Find Entertaining Entrée Recipes

Optional for Serving
Green onions for topping
Crumbled bacon for topping
Ritz crackers
Tortilla Chips
Instructions


In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream until smooth.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients, minus the "optional for serving" ingredients.
Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve!
Taste and re-season, if necessary.
Top with minced green onions and more crumbled bacon.
Serve with crackers and chips!
Notes*I cooked the bacon in the microwave. Place a paper towel on a microwave safe plate. Lay bacon in an even layer. Top with another paper towel. Cook until the bacon is fully cooked and crispy.

ALABAMA FIRECRACKERS

Sometimes an oven is like that mysterious black box on a magician’s stage where odd things go in and something far more delightful comes out. Ohhh. Ahhh. That’s what happens when you put seasoned saltines in the oven and pull out the snazzy Fire Crackers a few minutes later. Ohhh. Ahhh.Fire crackers, sometimes called Alabama Fire Crackers, are so easy that the recipe barely qualifies as baking. Just spread saltines on a sheet pan and drizzle on butter or oil and a bevy of spices, including more red pepper flakes than seems prudent, yet their kick doesn’t hurt much. The crackers will look too saturated at first, but they crisp up like champs during the bakeFire crackers are casual or fancy, depending on how you serve them. They are a robust side to soups, chilies, salads, and sandwiches. Broken bits can pass for croutons. They are a killer party snack for guests to gobble by the handful alongside refreshing brews and beverages. A tin of these crackers makes a welcome hostess gift during summertime getaways. In some hometowns, baby and bridal showers feel incomplete without a tray of these crackers on the buffet.
The ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find. You can substitute other crackers for the saltines. Contenders include buttery rounds and rectangles, thin wheats, or those little cheese crackers the size of a postage stamp -- pretty much any cracker that plays well with the bold seasoning. The recipe is scalable, making it easy to halve or double down depending on your needs. It’s wise to make more than you think you’ll need, to make up for all you’ll eat straight off the baking sheet as soon as they cool.

Ingredients:

16 oz package of saltine crackers

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 tbsp (2 packages) ranch dressing mix

3 Tbsp red pepper flakes (if you can handle the heat, add more)

2 cups olive oil

Instructions:

1. Using a large gallon Ziploc bag, pour in the olive oil, seasonings, and spices. Close the bag and knead to thoroughly mix the ingredients together.

2. Place all 4 sleeves of crackers in the bag, re-seal, and gently turn the bag over several times to coat the crackers with the spice mixture. The more times you do this the better the coating.

3. Let the bag sit overnight.

4. Remove crackers and lay out on a baking sheet. Bake at 250°F for about 15 minutes. (Note: If you are short on time, the crackers still taste great skipping the baking Step 4.)