Summer’s almost over, and with that comes the end of many food festivals, carnivals and such. If you want to enjoy the same festival treats in the comforts of your own home, then keep reading!
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
– ¾ cup all-purpose flour
– ½ teaspoon salt
– ½ teaspoon black pepper
– 2 eggs, lightly beaten
– 2 tablespoons water
– 12 mozzarella cheese sticks or one 16-ounce block mozzarella cheese, cut into twelve 4×1/2-inch sticks
– 1 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
– ¼ cup vegetable oil
- In a flat dish mix together flour, salt and pepper.
- In another flat dish combine eggs and water.
- Dip cheese sticks in egg mixture then flour mixture and then in the egg mixture again.
- Coat sticks with breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet then freeze for one hour.
- Heat oil over medium heat and then start cooking frozen cheese sticks. Fry until golden brown or 2-3 minutes. Make sure to turn them around and cook them evenly. Pat excess oil with paper towel.
- Serve with desired sauce.
Classic Nachos
– 5 cups bite-sized tortilla chips 1 pound ground beef
– 1 can black beans
– 1 cup bottled chunky salsa
– 1 ½ – 2 cups shredded cheese blend of your choice Optional toppings (green onion, fresh cilantro, sliced fresh jalapenos, sour cream)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange half the tortilla chips on a 12 inch baking pan.
- Cook the ground beef in a large skillet and drain fat.
- Stir the beans and 1 cup of the salsa into the beef, and spoon mixture over the chips. Sprinkle half the cheese.
- Bake in oven until cheese melts.
- After removing from oven, top with remaining chips, beef mixture, and cheese.
- Bake again until cheese melts.
- If desired: top with cilantro, green onions, jalapenos, or sour cream.
Corn Dogs
– 12 uncooked beef sausages
– ½ cup water
– Vegetable oil
– 1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– ½ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 2 eggs, beaten
– 1 ¼ cups half-and-half or light cream
– 12 wooden skewers (10×1/4 inch)
- In a medium bowl combine cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and cheese. Add in beaten eggs.
- Preheat oil over medium heat in a deep saucepan. Insert skewers into sausages and roll them in batter until coated well.
- Fry corn dogs until browned, for about 3 minutes. Pat with paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Serve with dipping sauce.
Cinnamon Churros
– 1 cup water
– ⅓ cup butter
– 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
– ½ teaspoon salt
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1 egg
– ½ teaspoon vanilla
– Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
– ¼ cup granulated sugar
– ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together water, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to boil. Add all flour at once, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of pan. Cool for 10 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beating well with a wooden spoon.
- Put mixture to a decorating bag fitted with a large star tip. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Pipe 4×1-inch logs.
- Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep saucepan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry few logs at the same time in oil until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Keep warm in a 300 degree F oven while cooking the rest.
- In a bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. Roll warm churros in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Serve warm.
Banana Split Cupcakes
– ¾ cup butter (room temperature)
– 3 eggs (room temperature)
– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
– ¾ teaspoon salt
– ¼ teaspoon baking soda
– ½ cup mashed ripe banana (1 large)
– ⅓ cup milk
– ¼ cup sour cream
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
– 1 cup sugar
– Sweetened whipped cream
– 2 pints ice cream (any flavor)
– Chocolate-flavor syrup
– Maraschino cherries with stems and/or chopped nuts
- Line muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a bowl stir flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl mix mashed banana, milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Don’t forget to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and banana mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until mixed.
- Spoon batter into muffin cups, up to about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
- Just before serving, add whipped cream to the top center of each cupcake.
- For each cupcake, top with a small scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate syrup or sauce. Add whipped cream on top. Garnish with maraschino cherries and/or nuts.
Mini Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
– Nonstick cooking spray
– 1 ¼ cups white whole wheat flour
– ½ teaspoon baking soda
– ¼ teaspoon salt
– ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
– ½ cup packed brown sugar
– ¼ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
– 2 tablespoons canola oil
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
– 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
– ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat mini doughnut pan with cooking spray. In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl combine the yogurt, brown sugar, egg product, oil and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture; whisk until combined and smooth.
- Spoon batter into a large resealable plastic bag. Using scissors, cut off a corner; squeeze batter into prepared pan, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Smooth tops.
- Bake about 8 minutes or until doughnuts are nearly firm when lightly pressed. Cool in pan on a wire rack 3 minutes. Turn doughnuts out of pan onto wire rack.
- In a bowl stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon. Dip warm doughnuts into sugar mixture, turning to coat