Necessary Evils

Another discovery made in anticipation of National Junk Food Day!!

According to legend (and a quick Google search) the Koolickle is a pickle hybrid popular in the deep south. A large dill pickle is brined in cherry flavored KoolAid and enjoyed by kids and adults alike. I don’t know how I feel about this creation (as I haven’t actually taste tested them yet) but if you’re curious give it a shot!

Ingredients

Keeping it Safe

Small Jar of dill pickles (if they’re sliced they’ll soak up the sugar easier)

One Packet of Cherry Kool Aid

1/2 Cup of Sugar

1 Cup of Water

Directions

Pour out the pickle juice. Mix together Kool Aid, Sugar and Water in a bowl then add to the pickle jar. Place lid back on jar and store in the fridge for at least a week. Then, Enjoy?

CORNZAPOPPIN COUPON

Hey Chic Readers,

If you’d like to order some of that DELICIOUS pop corn you saw this morning on KTLA Morning News, then head over to the Cornzapoppin Website and enter the promo code: KTLA and the first 100 Chic Readers will receive 10% off your entire order!!!

I know, we can’t believe it either. It’s like Christmas came early this year!

You didn’t hear? Oh, you must not be our friend on Facebook or following us on Twitter or you’d know all the inner workings of this horse and pony show!! Quick, go to each of those links immediately and right this wrong!

Ok, now that that’s all cleared up, let’s talk about the show… I will be doing a piece on National Junk Food Day!! That’s right people, July 21st is National Junk Food Day and if there was ever an opportunity to indulge in calories, this is your day!! PS- I haven’t eaten a carb in weeks in preparation for the camera’s added 10 lbs so you can bet I will scarfing my way back to chubby as soon as they yell cut.

One of our featured items is the Deep Fried Oreo which I will be making with my own two hands! Here’s the recipe if you want to try it out at home… be forewarned, this is STUPID delicious!

Come on, you know you want it!

Deep Fried Oreos

Oreos

To Make Funnel Cake Batter (that’s right, I used funnel cake batter!)

3 Eggs

3 Tbls of Sugar

1 Cup of Milk

1 3/4 of Flour

1/4 Tsp of Vanilla Extract

3 Cups of Vegetable Oil

Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions: Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet (or a deep fryer) should read about 350-375 degrees when ready. Combine all ingredients (except cookies and powdered sugar) until smooth in consistency. Dunk Oreos into batter and cover evenly on both sides. Using a metal slotted spoon lower gently into oil (the cookie will float). After 2 minutes or so flip the Oreo to the other side to brown (about 2 more minutes). Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to collect extra grease. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy hot!

The first thing you should know Chic Readers is that making gravy is just about the easiest thing you’ll ever do. All you need are the proper ingredients and a strong forearm capable of furious whisking.

Small Fry

Step One: choose your pork product, this can be bacon, ham, sausage (and once, in a moment of inspiration kielbasa sausage). As long as it will fry up and leave some tasty bits of fat and crispiness on the bottom of your skillet it’ll work.

Step Two: Fry up whatever delicious pork product you’ve chosen to work with (for the purposes of this story, we’ll go with bacon). Remove bacon from the pan and pour out most of the grease (you’ll have just enough to coat the bottom of your pan) and return to heat. Add a handful of flour (literally, there are no proper measurements for this, you’ll go on texture). The grease will attach to the flour and begin to bubble. This is go time! Start whisking!!!

Step Three: Now you’ve made a roux, (a clumpy, lumpy mix and also your thickening agent). Wait, did you stop whisking?? No, keep going, you must NEVER stop whisking! Lower your heat to a simmer and add milk slowly to the roux while continuing to whisk. As your gravy begins to thicken add seasoning (freshly ground pepper and garlic salt are my faves, though some pepper and regular salt is great too). Your gravy should thicken into, well, gravy. But if you find that it’s still a bit runny you can add more flower.

Now, just throw this onto your biscuits or some freshly fried chicken and enjoy!

Pass the Pasta

I whipped up this little ditty this last weekend for a barbeque and it turned out so well I decided to give you Chic Readers the recipe. Let me know what you think!

Greek Pasta Salad

Wheat Penne Pasta cooked

Feta Cheese marinated in herbs and oil

Artichoke Hearts cubed

Grape Tomatoes

Red Onion diced

Yellow Pepper Rings mild flavor, not spicy

Black Olives sliced

Rice Wine Vinegar

Olive Oil

Cavender’s All-Purpose Greek Seasoning

Fresh ground pepper

Mix together everything but the vinegar, oil seasoning and pepper. I don’t give you measurements (one again) because you can be the judge of how much of each ingredient you’d like in your salad. Mix ingredaints together, then top with a generous splash of vinegar and olive oil, season with Greek seasoning and pepper to taste.

Tantalizing Takeout

I made these little appetizer salads when our book club read Memoirs of a Geisha (we always theme our menu to the book) but it’s the perfect appetizer for a summer party. Guests always flip out when they see the miniature takeout containers and the recipe is so easy even the most harried hostess can pull it off!

Full of Crunch

Sesame Salad

Pre-made Slaw Mix I like the carrot, broccoli and red cabbage mix, but you can also use fresh cabbage and fresh veggies if you have time to chop

Red Bell Pepper julian cut

Mandarin Oranges

Won Ton Strips

Sesame Salad Dressing

Slivered Almonds

Black Sesame Seeds

Toss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl, then place individual portions in the take-out containers. Garnish with extra sesame seeds and serve with chopsticks. Also, you can add grilled chicken for a heartier salad!

Spaghetti + Lasagna = Delicious

Spaghetti Pie

Leftover spaghetti (can be any kind, turkey, meatball, beef, veggie)

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Croutons or Bread Crumbs

*Add Ins – If you are feeding this to kids, this is the perfect dish to “hide” things in. Mashed carrots, spinach, cottage cheese, ground flax seed, etc can all be mixed in and masked by the sauce. The little ones wont even know their eating veggies!

Mix together spaghetti and generous helping of mozzarella cheese and pour mixture into a pie tin. Cover with crushed croutons or bread crumbs and top with more mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through and cheese has melted.

Silpat Liners

I found my first Silpat at one of those fancy kitchen stores that make you drool over every miniature ramekin and specialty slotted spoon. I had a gift certificate, so I was apt to buy some new products and test them out. I’d seen the silpat on cooking shows (which means it MUST be good, right?) so I gave it a whirl.

First of all, it’s an instant non-stick surface for your cookie sheet. That means no foil, no wax paper, no grease, no butter. You just drop this little sheet in and voila, clean up just got a whole lot simpler. Secondly, I don’t know if it’s the fiber glass inside the silicone mat, or just some kind of French voodoo but I swear baked goods come out PERFECTLY cooked, and perfectly crispy on bottom.

Secondly, I use it for everything! Cookies, biscuits, sweet potato fries… if I’m baking it, I’m using my Silpat! If you haven’t ever used one I swear you will not be disappointed, and since they start at a measly $13 at The Chic Boutique you have so little to lose and only baking prowess to gain!

Red-Y to Eat

The 4th of July always marks the true beginning of my summer… and while the holiday is filled with tradition, there’s a small tradition that always reemerges… a bowl full of cherries.

Whenever I go shopping for the 4th barbecue I end up at the cherry stand in the produce department and I can’t help but pick up a bag or two. This tart little harbinger of delicious is at it’s prime and ready to be enjoyed. Don’t miss out on this sweet treat at the peak of perfection!!

To-may-to / To-mah-to

This vibrant side dish is bursting with color and flavor!! It’s a great companion for summer grilling, or a yummy topper to your favorite leafy green salad. You can make it with all red tomatoes (which is less expensive) but I love incorporating orange, yellow and heirloom tomatoes for a “visual feast”.

Tri Color Tomato Salad

Ingredients

1 Large Red Tomato diced

1 Large Orange Tomato diced

1 Large Yellow Tomato diced

1/2 Cucumber peeled and sliced

1/2 Red Onion cut into 2″ strips

Fresh Parsley chopped (about 1/3 cup, or more to taste) – some people like cilantro instead of parsley, but I think the parsley is crucial for adding the perfect zing of flavor!

Combine all ingredients and toss with a zesty Italian dressing and a generous drizzle of balsamic.