Blast from the Past

Here are a few of my favorite food projects from the past.

I made this cake for a friends birthday last year - so much fun.  I think I will have to pick a new painting and try another one............any suggestions?

This cake took 10 different colors I think.  Lots of fun.  I was so nervous that she wouldn't like it though, because this is her favorite piece of art.  Oh, and be forewarned if you ever try to copy this - black food coloring will stain!  Rinse it out immediately and you will probably be ok. 

Another fun project with food - a candy bouquet.  Made this for Dad on Fathers Day last year.  some florist wire, styrofoam and florists tape - and of course the candy - no cooking required!

this year for Christmas I got the set of both of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking.  this was my first ever recipe that I fixed from those books - Cheese Souflle.  I used a combination of parmesan and swiss as called for in the recipe - but I am pretty sure I used a little more cheese than they called for,  Thankfully The recipe still turned out really well!  It was SO good.  I am excited to try lots more from these books.  And will be posting about them, when I try a new one!   
I am a little nervous about trying to cook the live lobsters - and about the suckling pig in book two, but I am sure I will get to them eventually!

Cheesy Fried Pickles

Several months ago, when a dear friend was in town I had some Cheesy Fried Pickles at a local restaurant.  Several people asked me to recreate them and I came up with this recipe.  It is one of my favorites!  It takes a little work, but the results are SO worth it.

First you will need to mix the sauce - 1 pkt ranch dip mix, 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonaise, and about 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill.   Set that aside until ready to use.  Then you will need a package of wonton wrapers (in the refrigerated produce section, near the herbs sometimes, othertimes near the Asian veggies in the produce area)   a small bowl of water and a pastry brush.  wet a paper towel and squeeze dry, use the damp paper towel to cover wonton wrappers while you work.  Separate one wonton wraper, place on work surface, and brush edges with pastry brush dipped in water. 

Then  put a dollup of sauce in the center of the wrapper - about 1 tsp.

Top with a quarter of a slice of havarti cheese - I used the Kraft slices found in the cheese section of the dairy counter  1 pkg of 10 slices is enough for 40 appetizers

One 16 oz jar of Hamburger Dill pickle chips should be enough for one batch.  I drained a few at a time on paper towels -  so they weren't so juicy,

Place a single pickle slice on top of the cheese - or two if they are small :)

Fold in the four courners and brush with damp pastry brush again.  Press edges to seal.

Place on a wax paper lined plate  - you can layer them, just make sure there is waxed paper between the layers or they will stick together. 

Once all the wonton wrappers are filled and sealed, fry them a few at a time - either on the stove top or in a frydaddy (set to about 350)  until they are golden brown - you will have to turn them.  place them in the oil seam side UP at first or they will be hard to turn due to the bubbling. 

Serve hot with extra sauce on the side for dipping!

You can also try the same thing with the dill pickle spears - use 1/2 slice havarti cheese and eggroll wrappers instead.  Just before serving the spears, cut in half on a diagonal.