Pepperjack Cheese Bites

Fantastic little bites that you can adjust to be fiery little bites! But the G-kids are here, so I kept the cayenne and pepperjack down.
To save oil, I like to make these in the same oil right after I pull my Honey Kissed Corndogs out of the oil.

The recipe sounds weird, but try it! Sooo good!
On to the recipe so you can make some too!

• enough canola oil for about 1-2 inchs of oil in the bottom of a large heavy pot
• 1 cup Aunt Jemima Just Add Water pancake mix (the ONLY pancake mix I use, it's just that good.)
• 3/4 cup grated pepperjack cheese
• 1/2 cup water
• small bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced, including some of the green part
• pinch of cayenne, if you like lotsa heat, add more!
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• kosher salt for  lightly sprinkling on the bites after they come out of the oil

 While the oil heats to about 300 degrees or so, pour the water into a medium mixing bowl.
Add the pancake mix, green onions, cheese, and seasonings all together. It'll be very thick, like dumpling dough.
When the oil is hot enough, drop by very small spoonfuls, like about a teaspoon size, into the hot oil like you would dumplings into bubbling stew.
Just do a few at a time so they don't stick together. Plus they go fast! Turn over when they start to turn deep golden brown on the underside.

Fish out with a spider spatula or tongs (careful!), and sprinkle some kosher salt onto paper towels to set the bites on.
Great dipped into the tart sweetness of my easy Honey Mustard Dip, or ranch, or sprinkled with your favorite hot sauce!Yum!

Dirty Black Bean Acini Di Pepe

 I will never pass up a 1.20 package of gizzards again. Aside from the trimming, this made a most fascinating, unusual, and yummy dish! And so cheap! And the possibilities!

First, the trimming of these things took the longest, unless I'm missing the trick to this (probably) trimming thing. All I know is you need to trim off all the white parts, connective tissues and green parts or your dish will be bitter.  Kitchen scissors are a blessing with this little, time consuming chore. My suggestion is get this out of the way, and freeze them until you want to use them.

I love the earthy, simple taste and slow warmth of this dish, mixed with the creamy texture of the black bean. Some may prefer more heat, if so, add a bit more cayenne to suit your tastes.

It's also great topped with your favorite hot sauce, or topped with salsa and stuff into a tortilla, or piled onto a bed of crunchy, fresh lettuce!

On to the recipe!

• 2  1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup Acini di Pepe
• 1/2 pound, or so, package of chicken gizzards, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves roasted garlic, or 1 raw clove minced well. Depends on your love of garlic.
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
•  1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon thyme, rubbed between your fingers
• 1/8 plus a dash, cayenne 
• 4-5 rubs of a nutmeg on small grater (dash)
• about 1 cup of thin sliced green onions, including a bit of the green too.
• 2 tablespoons of grated Asiago on the small grater.

First bring 2 cups of chicken stock to boil, pour in the Acini, give a little stir and turn heat down to a med heat so the Acini is gently boiling. Stir occasionally while preparing the black bean and meat mixture.

Then take your trimmed gizzards and pulse in a food processor. I used a smaller blender for this chore, because it was a small amount. Less dishes- the happier the cook! haha
Whizz the gizzards for 2 or 3 minutes, the texture will resemble fine ground meat.

Gosh, all that work trimming and whizzing, just for about a cup of meat. But it was worth it in the end! Next time should be quicker. I plan to do this step ahead of time and freeze it.


Heat a large pan on medium-high heat, and add the veggie oil and the whizzed gizzards, and a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper, stir around until they're starting to brown good; then turn heat down to medium and add the chopped onions, celery, a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper, the remaining spices, roasted garlic, if you're using it (if you're using raw, wait) and 1/2 cup of chicken stock.

 Stir and cook about 5 minutes, and when the onions start to turn clear, then add the raw garlic, if you're using it.  Stir and cook until veggies are tender and gizzard meat is cooked through, about 5 more minutes or so.
Turn heat down to a medium-low.
Add black beans, another sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper.
By this time, the Acini should have absorbed most of the liquid and is done. Do not drain. Dump Acini into black bean and gizzard mixture and mix together.
Cook about 5 more minutes or so, or until hot and most or all of liquid is absorbed.

Top with Asiago and sliced green onions, give a toss and serve with salsa or hot sauce!

Roasted Corn Acini di Pepe

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 If you have a non-rice eater in your house, like I do, Acini di Pepe is a great compromise. You have the flexibility of rice in a pasta! The possibilities are endless! (I feel like a commercial right now. I'm not affiliated! just like the stuff lol)

• 4 cups chicken stock 
• 1 cup Acini di Pepe (found in the pasta isle or maybe the Italian section of your grocery)

• 1 (14.5oz) can carrots, drained
• 1 (11oz ) can Mexican corn (corn w/red and green bell peppers), drained
• 2 cloves roasted garlic, or 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or more if you're in love with garlic like I am)
• 1 tablespoon margarine (butter will burn, oil will make it greasy)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste) and some extra to sprinkle--literally just sprinkle. I'm not exact with my salt as everyone has different tastes or dietary needs when it comes to salt.
• pepper to taste  

Bring 4 cups of chicken stock (preferably homemade, it's richer) and about a half teaspoon of salt, if it's unsalted, to a boil in a med sized saucepan with a lid. A lid will get it to a boil faster.  Then add your Acini di Pepe and cook as you would any other pasta. A nice, soft boil and stir occasionally.

Now, get a large skillet hot over medium heat, add your margarine and corn and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Give it a stir to combine the butter and corn, then just let it sit..while you go sit!  Just get up and stir the pasta and the corn occasionally. This will take 15-20 minutes or so.

When the corn starts to turn golden and the pan is drier, and you're scraping some nice browning on the bottom of the pan, like this:

mmmm...that's flavor right there!
Your pasta should be done, or almost done! I taste to check--it's the only way. heehee.
Add your garlic and mix it in real well, as much as I love garlic, I don't want to bite into a chunk of it.
Add the carrots, sprinkle a little more kosher salt and pepper to taste.
DON'T drain the Acini di Pepe. It should have absorbed most of the chicken broth by now. 
Add it straight to your pan with the corn mixture, and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper, if desired. Turn down your heat a little and cook & stir until carrots are heated and any leftover stock from the di pepe is absorbed.





It smelled and looked so good, I forgot to take an after picture.  I remembered later when I was cleaning up and tossed the extra bbq chicken in the pan with it.  So please forgive the messed up looking chicken LOL 

This is a side dish that compliments BBQ Chicken very well. I can also see it as a side to a creamy chicken dish, like the kind you make with mushrooms and cream chicken soup. LIGHTBULB! New dish! and I just made myself hungry again. :)

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

If you don't already keep roasted red bell peppers and roasted garlic on hand, I suggest you take about an hour and roast some up to pop into the freezer and have on hand for recipes like this.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

• 2  (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans
• 1 cup roasted red peppers with their liquid (jarred is fine)
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon (about one lemon)
• 2 tablespoons tahini (found in Mideastern or peanut butter sections of your large grocery)
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• dash cumin (you may want a pinch more, I'm a wimp)

  Drain and rinse the beans.
In a large bowl, under running water, rub beans between the palms of your hands as if you are washing your hands, the bean skins will rise to the surface of the bowl of water. The running water will help the skins slide off the top of the full bowl into the sink waterfall-style.  Slough off the bean skins best you can. This may seem a bit tedious, but makes all the difference!


 Toss beans into a food processor with all the ingredients but the olive oil, and process, slowly drizzling in olive oil until it's the consistency you like. I like it thick, but not so much to break the chips, I used about 1/2 cup.

Taste for salt, cumin, or lemon. You may prefer more.. Play with it and make it your own. :)