Fried Green Tomatoes

This is something that I have been wanting to make for a very long time.  Whenever I see fried green tomatoes on the menu, I will always get them.  Some of the best fried green tomatoes I've ever had were at the Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem.  They serve them crispy and hot with this tangy, spicy, creamy dressing and they are to die for.

There weren't any posts about my garden this summer because my garden was mostly non-existant.  The basil did well, until I cut it all up to make this pizza, and my dad planted beans so we were able to get about a single harvest of green beans.  However, the tomato plants I grew from seeds did not do too well, and we were left with lots of green tomatoes on the vine; tomatoes that refused to turn red.  So I decided to slice them up, bread them in my favorite breading, and deep fry them to perfection.

I've been told that there are different green tomatoes that you're supposed to use for fried green tomatoes, but the unripened tomatoes in my backyard worked just fine.  I served them with some Chipotle Ranch dressing and it was like I was at the Dinosaur BBQ.  They're crispy, yet the tomatoes retain a lot of their juice even after frying.  Also, we heated a few up the following day in the toaster oven and they were still crispy.  If your garden was a dud or if you happen to find green tomatoes at your grocery store, this is an excellent way to use them.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Serves 6 – 8

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 2 – 3 minutes per batch

Ingredients

- 2 c oil or vegetable shortening for frying

- 3 green tomatoes, sliced

- 1 c flour

- 3 eggs, scrambled

- 1 c Panko bread crumbs

- 1 c Italian bread crumbs

- Dash of garlic powder, salt, and pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium sized pot until the oil reaches 350F. 

Grab 3 bowls and place the flour in one, the egg wash in another, and the Panko, Italian breadcrumbs, and seasonings in a 3^rd.  Dredge the green tomato slices in the flour, then coat in the egg wash, and then coat in the bread crumb and seasoning powder. 

Place 2 or 3 slices into the oil at a time, depending on the size of the pot.  You do not want to overcrowd your pot because it will drop the temperature of the oil dramatically.  Keep the oil between 325 and 350F.  Fry until both sides are golden brown (about 2 – 3 minutes each piece) and then place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.  Sprinkle the fried green tomatoes with a little bit of salt to keep them crispy.  Serve immediately with chipotle ranch dressing. 

An Ali B original

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Posted by Ali B at 7:23 PM

Creamy Bacon and Caramelized Corn Dip

I love dips.  I think I can safely say that if you give me something I can dip a corn tortilla chip or a crusty piece of bread into I'm going to love it.  And I think I'm starting to love football more because I love the food that goes with it.  Plus, I now have a team to root for, even if other teams are shredding through their defense...

I actually made this dip a couple of months ago in anticipation for football season.  My friends were hosting our annual draft and I brought this along with some blue corn tortilla chips (the best) as a little treat.  Well, as you can see by the only picture I have of the dip, it was snatched up in a matter of minutes.  This dip combines sweet and savory and includes ingredients you would never think would go together but DO.  I have been waiting to make this dip again and will probably pull it out for a Superbowl party.  That's also not to say you can't serve it at a regular party either, because blue corn tortilla chips always brighten up a plate :)

One suggestion that I do have for this dip is that if you have time, drain the yogurt in a sieve lined with a paper towel over bowl for a few hours (see this post for a better explanation).  This will remove a lot of the liquid from the dip.  Also make sure you drain the bacon and corn well too.

For all of you on the east coast, stay safe tonight!  And make this dip before your power goes out ;)

Creamy Bacon and Caramelized Corn Dip

Serves 6 – 8

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 20 – 25 minutes

Ingredients

- 4 slices bacon, chopped

- 1 (15 oz) can corn, drained and rinsed

- dash of salt and pepper

- ½ onion, chopped

- 2 green onions, chopped

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- ½ tsp paprika

- 1 (16 oz) container of plain yogurt

- 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican Cheese blend

Directions

If making this dip ahead of time, pour the yogurt into a sieve lined with a paper towel and place that over a bowl.  This will allow some of the excess liquid to drain and will result in a thicker, creamier dip.  If you do not have time to do this, this step is optional. 

Preheat the oven to 350F. 

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat and fry the chopped bacon until crispy.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel.  Leave a small amount of grease in the pan and add the corn to the same skillet, stirring often until the corn is golden, about 5 minutes.  Remove corn and add to a large bowl. 

Turn the skillet down to medium – low and add the onions and salt and pepper.  Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add in the green onions and garlic and cook for an additional 2 – 3 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the corn.  Add in the paprika, yogurt, bacon, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese mixture and stir until well combined. 

Pour the contents of the bowl into a 2 quart Corningware dish.  Top with the remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes.  Remove once cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve with tortilla chips or crackers. 

Note: can use fresh or defrosted frozen corn as well.  Also, you can make this recipe the day before, just pop it into the oven 30 minutes before you want to serve it. 

Adapted from: How Sweet Eats

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Posted by Ali B at 12:32 PM

Garlic Bread

This is a recipe that was handed down to me by my Italian roommate.  The first time she made it for us in college was the moment when I fell in love with garlic.  Never again would I use garlic powder or garlic salt.  I love chunks of garlic in my sauces and spreads, yet I'm not quite on my friend's level - she used to roast heads of garlic and eat the cloves!  I don't think I could handle that much garlic, and I'm not sure if people would be able to handle talking to me after eating that much garlic.

For this bread, there's a key way to prepare the butter spread.  Put the garlic in your food processor to mince the garlic finely, then add in the butter to infuse the garlic flavor into your spread.  Plus, creaming the butter makes it much easier to slather all over your bread!

There are two ways you can bake your garlic bread: the low and slow way, and the "Can we have garlic bread with dinner even though we're serving dinner now?" way.

The former will be outlined below, since that is the best way to release all of the flavors of the garlic and cook it so it's nice and tender.  The other way to do it is to stick it under the broiler for about 2 minutes, but this way won't give you the best results, just the quickest.  Make sure that if you do it this way, you leave the door open a crack so the oven doesn't get too hot under the broiler setting.

This lavish loaf of garlic bread would be perfect alongside a dish of chicken parmesan.  Be sure to make it with your next Italian dinner!

Garlic Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients

- 3 – 5 cloves garlic

- 1 stick butter, room temperature 

- 1 loaf thick, Italian bread

- Parmesan cheese and Italian herb seasoning if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F

Place the garlic cloves and butter in your food processor and pulse until the garlic is minced and the butter is creamy. 

Cut the loaf in half and spread the garlic butter on both sides of the loaf.  Close the bread up again and wrap the bread in tinfoil.  Place the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes so the garlic becomes tender.  Remove from oven, unwrap from tinfoil, and open up the garlic bread so it lies flat.  Sprinkle cheese and herb seasoning on inside of bread and allow to toast for about 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve immediately. 

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Posted by Ali B at 9:03 PM

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

I wish I had this post ready for Cinco de Mayo, but considering that I made this salsa the morning of Cinco de Mayo, right before the party I was about to bring it to, that wasn't going to happen.  But that's the exact thing I love about this recipe - it is so quick and easy to make.  The perfect thing to whip together before that backyard BBQ or impromptu night by the pool.

This is a welcome alternative to the tomato based salsa.  The corn kernels are sweet and the hot pepper adds a little bit of a bite.  The flavors are well-rounded and dynamic, making for a unique taste with each bite.  It even looks pretty!  Pair it with blue corn tortilla chips and you're all set.  Just make sure you leave the kernels enough time to thaw and drain or else your salsa will be rather watery.  This recipe makes a lot of salsa, so save the leftovers to sprinkle on tacos or salads.

I love to make my own salsa because the ingredients are incredibly fresh; it beats jarred salsa anytime.  Plus, where can you find a salsa like this in the store?  Another thing I love about making my own salsa is that I get to tweak the ingredients to fit my liking.  Don't like chunks of garlic?  Don't include them!  Want spicier salsa?  Use a stronger pepper!  Let me know if you make any additions or substitutions, I'd love to hear what you do with the salsa!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Serves: 6 – 8 people

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients

-     1 lb frozen sweet corn kernels

-     1 can (18 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

-     2 large tomatoes, diced

-     1 avocado, diced

-     ½ red onion, diced

-     1 hot long pepper, diced

-     1 clove garlic, minced

-     1 tbsp cilantro

-     juice of 1 lime

-   salt, to taste

Directions

Let corn kernels thaw in a colander (rinse with warm water to expedite thawing), making sure to shake out all excess water.  Combine corn with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.  

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Posted by Ali B at 7:23 AM