Ring em up! (Apples that is)

So after finding this recipe on Pinterest I decided it was a must make. As per usual, I need to switch recipes up a bit take make sure they're gluten free and as best I can to healthy them up a bit. THEIR picture looked like a yummy apple doughnut...mine...? 

So, clearly they didn't live up to the photo, or like I thought the consistency would be, but a big hit nonetheless! 
(Thank Goodness)

I wanted my youngest nanny girl to be able to help, so I made stations and pre cut the apples in rings to make it easier for a child to help. Here we have the apples, dry mix, egg/buttermilk dredge and cinnamon sugar coating.

 The 3rd step involved hot spraying oil so I didn't let her help with this part for safety reasons. Her big job was to flip the rings in the cinnamon sugar at the end. She loved it and loved the final result even more. Seriously,  I think I had to tell her "no" about 5 more times after her first few rings, I think she would've gladly eaten the whole bowl!

Here's the recipe made MY way:

 Cinnamon Apple Rings
 4 large apples (I used Pink Lady)
 1 cup gluten free flour
 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
 2 tablespoons sugar
 ¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
 1 large egg, beaten
 1 cup buttermilk
vegetable oil for frying

for the cinnamon sugar topping ⅓ cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
 In a small bowl combine the egg and buttermilk.
In a third dish, make your cinnamon-sugar topping by combining the ⅓ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Next, slice the apples into ¼-inch thick slices, I had to hand cut the centers out of each apple, I'm sure if you could find something small enough this would be much easier if you had a circle cookie cutter or something of that kind,
 Discard the center circles containing the apple core.
 Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat to 350°F. Combine the contents of the first and second dishes as the oil warms up. This will be your batter. Dip the apple rings in and out of the batter one at a time, removing any dripping excess by tapping the rings against the side of the bowl. Fry the rings in small batches, turning them to ensure browning on both sides. Once the rings are golden and crispy, transfer them to the cinnamon sugar mixture. coat both sides evenly. Place on paper towel lined serving platter to get extra grease off.
 Best served warm.


Cook's Tip:
It obviously wouldn't healthy them up and but I decided after eating them that the next time I'll make a very light caramel sauce to dip and just kick it up a notch!

4 large apples (I used gala) 1 cup flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon 1 large egg, beaten 1 cup buttermilk vegetable oil for frying for the cinnamon sugar topping ⅓ cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon - See more at: http://www.eatviews.com/2014/04/cinnamon-apple-rings.html#sthash.7Yc0WlW5.dpuf

Happy Cooking!! :-)

4 large apples (I used gala)
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
vegetable oil for frying
for the cinnamon sugar topping
⅓ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the egg and buttermilk. In a third dish, make your cinnamon-sugar topping by combining the ⅓ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set that aside too.
2. Next, slice the apples into ¼-inch thick slices, and use circle biscuit cutters in graduated sizes to make rings out of each slice. Discard the center circles containing the apple core.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat to 350°F.
4. Combine the contents of the first and second dishes as the oil warms up. This will be your batter.
5. Dip the apple rings in and out of the batter one at a time, removing any dripping excess by tapping the rings against the side of the bowl.
6. Fry the rings in small batches, turning them to ensure browning on both sides.
7. Once the rings are golden and crispy, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towel for a few seconds.
8. Quickly transfer the apple rings, one by one, into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat evenly.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and serve warm.

- See more at: http://www.eatviews.com/2014/04/cinnamon-apple-rings.html#sthash.lKhuU0Xe.dpuf

4 large apples (I used gala)
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
vegetable oil for frying
for the cinnamon sugar topping
⅓ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the egg and buttermilk. In a third dish, make your cinnamon-sugar topping by combining the ⅓ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set that aside too.
2. Next, slice the apples into ¼-inch thick slices, and use circle biscuit cutters in graduated sizes to make rings out of each slice. Discard the center circles containing the apple core.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat to 350°F.
4. Combine the contents of the first and second dishes as the oil warms up. This will be your batter.
5. Dip the apple rings in and out of the batter one at a time, removing any dripping excess by tapping the rings against the side of the bowl.
6. Fry the rings in small batches, turning them to ensure browning on both sides.
7. Once the rings are golden and crispy, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towel for a few seconds.
8. Quickly transfer the apple rings, one by one, into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat evenly.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and serve warm.

- See more at: http://www.eatviews.com/2014/04/cinnamon-apple-rings.html#sthash.lKhuU0Xe.dpuf

I'm not a player, I just Squash a lot...

Alright well, it's happened, I've become squash obsessed. First it was margarita, then it was lasagna style. Both I thought were amazing, until I made Buffalo Chicken and Chicken Sausage/Kale. 

In the words of my sweet Trevor Hamilton, "uhhhh, this is one of the best things I've ever eaten..."

If you don't like buffalo chicken there is seriously something wrong with you, seriously, you might wanna get checked out. This recipe is so ridiculously good and I thought it was even better warmed up! I'm hoping to someday trick my spicy food loving eldest nanny girl, whose a seriously picky eater, into eating this recipe. I'll just have to dish it up in a big bowl instead. So if you've eaten my buffalo chicken dip, and you are as obsessed as I am, this recipes for YOU:

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash 

1 lb. chicken breast, boiled and finely chopped (I used my Pampered Chef food chopper to get it the perfect size and consistency)
1/2 package nefcheutel cream cheese
1/2 cup Franks Hot Sauce
1/2 cup light ranch dressing
1 spaghetti squash

Start by preheating the oven to 375. cut squash in half, seed and drizzle with olive oil. Flip open side down to cook. Cook for 45 minutes. 

30 minutes into baking, place cream cheese in pan, melt. Stir in franks and ranch dressing. When it's all blended nicely, mix in cooked chicken pieces. 

Once cooled, grab a fork and rake the squash, so it starts to pull up just like spaghetti. Add "spaghetti" to pan of sauce and mix well. Fill Squash skin back up with the mixture, top with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and parsley, broil on high for 5 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. 
Enjoy!

The next recipe I found a link to on one of my friend's facebook pages. I made a few adjustments to the recipe. Including my own tastebuds. I hate onion. Like A LOT. But since caramalelizing onions I've become more tolerant of them in my food. 

Cheese Lover Cook's Note: I went awww man no cheese when I was making it. But honestly, I sincerely think adding cheese would have wrecked it. Sounds weird, I KNOW, but really it doesn't need cheese.

Sausage/Kale Spaghetti Squash

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 1/2 lbs italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale
3 tbsp evoo
salt and pepper
2 tbsp parsely
optional: 1 tbsp pine nuts, roasted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half and drizzle with olive oil, place the halves in the oven, cut side up. bake for 45-50 minutes. 

While that's in the oven, remove the center stems and tear the leaves. Brown chicken sausage, I like mine to be crumbled a little bit finer, that way you get it in every bite. Remove chicken sausage and set aside. I kept the fat from the chicken sausage and added a little evoo to the pan. Then, saute onions. Once onions are nicely soft and brown, add in garlic and lightly brown. Add the kale and stir. After 4-5 minutes add the sausage back to the pan, to help wilt the kale. 

Once the squash is out of the oven and cooled, fork squash to start the spaghettifying, yes, that's totes a word. Transfer "noodles" to the pan of sausage, kale and onions. Mix well. return to "shells" of squash and broil for 5 minutes. top with parsley and pine nuts if you so choose.

Happy Squashing!
:-)
 

Soup Weather

Tomatoes.
I was never a fan.
I always tried to be, but no way no how, no matter how much I tried, I hated them.
Until this happened.

Trev's turkey burgers. Filled with spinach, feta and garlic. how could you go wrong? Then the guy went and wrecked it by putting a big fat tomato on top. 
You KNOW I hate tomatoes.
JUST TRY IT, he said.

Unhappily, I agreed, and then magic happened. That stupid, slimy, red, fruit-vegetable thing MADE the whole burger. It was SOooo good! So I do have to give a huge shoutout to my guy for somehow getting me to love tomatoes....I even just eat them with avocado now, how gross is that, I tell my 3 year ago self...

I was thinking one day how even when I hated tomatoes, I still loved Bonfire's tomato basil soup, there were no chunky tomatoes, it was all basically pureed, so I decided to make my own.

But this time, chunky tomatoes allowed.

I've played around with the recipe every time but I've finally perfected it for all of you. I will also have you know that the first time I made it I was unaware that Trev HATES tomato soup. Imagine his delight when he came home to grilled cheese and tomato soup. He had ONE bite and told me he hates tomato soup, but that MINE was delicious!

*Let's pause for a brief clap session*

I was trying to think of a name, a combo of tomato, basil and my nickname, em dizzle of course. Thus became Tomazzil soup.

 So here it is:

 

 

Tomazzil Soup

2 large Hot House tomatoes, big slices
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 cans market pantry italian diced tomatoes (use juice from 1 of the cans, dump the other)
1 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup parm cheese
1/2 block nefchuetel cream cheese
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon basil
Olive Oil
4-6 cloves garlic

Coat bottom of stock pot with olive oil. Lightly brown garlic. Add all of the fresh tomato, simmer for 5 minutes. I mash them little by little as I make the soup. Mix in canned tomatoes and tomato paste to thicken. Pour in the chicken stock and basil. Let soup simmer 25-30 minutes. Add the parm and cream cheese. Mix together until cream cheese is fully "melted." Top with parm cheese and a sprinkle of basil before serving. 

And there you have it, the gloriousness that is Tomazzil soup.

Happy Cooking!! :-)