o o O OH Oreos!

While trying a new burger joint in town last week (Schnabs... blog review to follow) Jess and I noted deep fried oreos and twinkies on their menu. When we went back to order then after finishing our dinners the line was too long and we said forget it. Begin craving. So, when we decided to have a night full of fried goodness last night, an attempt at deep fried oreos had to be made. The result: fluffy, warm, deep fried oreo goodness. Perfect ending to the night when you've already got your oil hot from the deep fried mac n cheese!

Deep Fried Oreos

- oreos

- pancake mix

- water

- schmatherings of your choice

Pour some pancake mix into a bowel, about a 1/2 cup will do. Add water little by little and stir until the pancake mix is thicker rather than thinner (about the consistency of yogurt). Dip oreos into batter with a fork and transfer them to oil. Fry at 325-350 degrees until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with your favorite schmatherings... we used whipped cream and chocolate sauce, but thought they'd be REALLY good with vanilla ice cream. They def. need some form of whipped cream or ice cream to balance out the richness. Repeat above process with any of your favorite desert treats: twinkies, candy bars, etc! And you thought desert couldn't be any unhealthier than it already was ;-)

The Quest

One of Jess and I's favorite places to eat is The Cheesecake Factory. Unfortunately, we don't have on in Canton... so every time we go anywhere near Cleveland we make sure to stop. Our FAVORITE appetizer on their menu is deep fried mac and cheese. Non-believers beware, this stuff is amazing. I've been on a quest to master the art of homemade deep fried mac and cheese ever since the first time we had it at The Cheesecake Factory to satisfy my cravings in between trips to Cleveland. The journey wasn't an easy one... but we might have found a winner during our frying expeditions last night. I'm not afraid to admit that an attempt at this recipe with a homemade mac and cheese recipe failed miserably, but feel free to try it with any mac and cheese leftovers... the key is to freeze them. Quite honestly, I probably will use homemade mac and cheese next time because the Stouffer's lacked seasoning where it provided ease of use.

Deep Fried Mac and Cheese

- 1 frozen large size Stouffer's Mac n Cheese

- Panko bread crumbs

- 1 egg

- 1 tbsp milk

- Vodka spaghetti sauce

- Oil for frying or a deep fryer

Allow frozen mac and cheese (whether Stouffer's or homemade) to thaw on counter just long enough to be able to cut it into cubes. I tried making them into balls like The Cheesecake Factory's and it just doesn't work. The cubes I cut were about 2"x2". Dip each cube into egg wash (whisk egg and milk together) and then coat in Panko bread crumbs. Pat crumbs into macaroni so they thoroughly stick. Place on a baking sheet lined in waxed paper and place back into freezer until ready to fry. Fry mac and cheese at 325-350 degrees (start at 350 because once you put 3-4 mac and cheese squares in the oil the temperature will drop) for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Vodka spaghetti sauce for dippage!

Rain, Rain, Go Away... I Think I'll Make Some Soup Today!

Nothing chills you to the core like a dreary, rainy, gray, fall Ohio day. And to me, nothing warms me up and comforts me more than a big bowl of soup. I love all kinds of soup, but I have to say my favorite is one that I get at The Olive Garden: Zuppa Toscana. YUM. Here is my Zuppa recipe... and it's pretty dead on when you compare it to the OG's. Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana

- 1 pound mild italian sausage (or hot if you like)

- 2 large baking potatoes

- 1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped finely

- 1/2 can bacon bits (the real bacon pieces, not those orange things)

- 2 cans of chicken broth

- 1 bunch of kale (pulled off of stem and chopped)

- 2 cloves garlic

- 2 cans water

- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (can be adjusted to fit how spicy you want the soup)

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1 cup heavy cream

Brown sausage with red pepper flakes in a stock pot. Drain sausage. I usually rinse my sausage a little bit to get all of the grease off. If you don't you will end up with that ugly grease layer on the top of your soup. Add all of the ingredients except for the kale and cream. Cook until potatoes are tender over medium/medium-high heat. I cut my potatoes length wise and then into1/4 inch half circles... but you can cut your potatoes into any shape you please :-) Once potatoes are cooked, add the cream and kale. Serve with bread sticks and Parmesan cheese on top.