7 great game day goodies

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By Lynette George
Herald Democrat

It’s football season and Texomans take that seriously. Something else that we take just as seriously is our game day food. Whether it’s a high school or college tailgate party or a football-watching party at home, that fully-stocked table is almost as important as the game itself. If the favorite team scores a big win, the food just adds to the celebration. Should the team of choice bite the dust, the devastated fans can drown their sorrows in chips and dip.

A recent Facebook survey asked local folks what their must-have game day foods were. The responses showed that even though the favorite teams may differ, what fills those paper plates is very similar. Below, in no certain order are the most mentioned football party foods.

1. Gettin’ cheesy with it

Cheese dip, preferably with Velveeta rather than a discount brand, is practically a game day requirement. What’s in the dip varies a little. Some like plain melted cheese and Rotel (another brand preference rather than a lesser-priced version). For others, the dip wouldn’t be complete without sausage. Of course, there’s got to be tortilla chips since eating the dip with a spoon is just plain boring. Some specified certain chip brands including On The Border and Doritos.

2. Things start popping

Popcorn is a favorite for lots of reasons. It’s inexpensive, easy to make, healthy and can be easily eaten with your hands. Popcorn is also the perfect thing to throw at someone who dares to utter some less-than-complimentary remark about your favorite team or player, plus it’s a great celebration confetti of sorts.

3. Spicing things up

This is the south and we like things spicy, so anything jalapeno is always a game day food choice. There’s jalapeno dip, jalapenos filled with cheese (of course), baked stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon (You can never go wrong with bacon on anything.), and jalapenos right out of the jar.

4. It’s a smokin’ good time

Another long-time party table favorite are the tiny sausages (Little Smokies being the preferred brand). These bite-sized treats can be grilled or baked (wrapped in bacon … again), but one of the most popular ways is simply throwing them in a slow cooker on low or warm, covering them with barbecue sauce and letting the irresistible aroma bring folks to the table. Oh, and they’re extra good with cheese dip and tortilla chips.

5. If the player trips, just dip

The cheese dip may take a top spot, but few game day tables limit the choice to just that. Dips of all kinds – guacamole, ranch, veggie and tons of others – are popular. Sit a few bowls next to a plate of celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes or sugar snap peas and watch them disappear. What a great way to get a daily serving of vegetables!

6. Put a little Italian in the mix

Pizza is a staple at not just game day gatherings, but just about any event. Who can resist that pie-shaped slice covered in spicy meats and grilled vegetables and covered up in … you guessed it … cheese? With pizza, it’s good served hot, room temperature or even cold and is just as tasty the next day as a leftover as it is when it just comes out of the oven.

7. It’s all in the toppings

It’s hard to go wrong with nachos. You’ve already got the tortilla chips, melted cheese, guacamole and salsa, so just add in some spicy, browned ground beef (or maybe just some chili), grilled fajita meat, pico de gallo and sour cream and you’ve got nachos. It’s another dish that you can let folks put them together however they want which gives you time to enjoy the game!

– See more at: http://heralddemocrat.com/living/lifestyle/7-great-game-day-goodies#sthash.buWD0Fgd.dpuf

Getting pickled with Nevada Brining Co.

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by , jwright@rgj.com – Reno Gazette-Journal

Pity the poor cucumbers that come before Matt Soter.

The founder and owner of local Nevada Brining Co., an artisan maker of pickled foods, rigorously inspects all pickle hopefuls. Are they dark green? Free from wrinkles? Are they firm, without spongy spots that will never become crunchy? Put simply: Do the cucumbers look and smell fresh?

Cukes that don’t meet these standards are ruthlessly dismissed, without appeal. The other week, Soter rejected an entire 100-pound delivery. Production ceased. Appointments were canceled.

“Quality is the most important thing,” Soter said. “Sometimes, it can be challenging to get a weekly supply. We’re creating artisanal complements. We are not your Mom’s pickles.”

Daily shots

Which isn’t to say that family hasn’t had a role in turning Soter, a Virginia native, into the Pickle Guy, as he styles himself.

“My grandparents garden, they would always preserve the summer bounty: pickles, blanching tomatoes, making preserves and sauces,” Soter said.

“I’ve always had a love of food preservation.”

This love — along with the daily shots of pickle juice that Soter said helped him get over “a medical bump in the road” in the 1980s — prompted the entrepreneur to settle on pickled foods as the business he would open. “Plus, Northern Nevada had no artisanal pickles.”

Nevada Brining got its start in 2014 selling pickled foods and rubs from a barbecue restaurant in Las Vegas. Reno’s flourishing culinary scene, with its craft beverages and food start-ups, convinced Soter that “Nevada Brining would have a better fit up north.”

In January 2015, canning began at One World Kitchen, a certified commercial kitchen in Sparks.

Seasoning mixes

The other afternoon at One World, the cucumbers had made the cut.

Travis Purdy and Lou Laverty, two members of the pickle posse, sliced the vegetables (fruit, technically) into thick half-inch coins, added the slices to jars already supplied with seasoning, and tended to kettles of simmering brine that would soon be poured into the jars, submerging the contents.

_________________________

NEVADA BRINING COMPANY

Address (canning kitchen): 615 Spice Island Drive, suite 4, Sparks

Email: Matt@NevadaBrining.com

On the Web:www.NevadaBrining.com

Where to buy products: Fine Vines Cheese & Wine, the Flag Store Sign & Banner, Great Basin Community Food Co-op, Napa-Sonoma Grocery Co., Napa-Sonoma South, Reno Provisions, Wedge Cheese Shop

Kickstarter campaign: Visit www.kickstarter.com, then search for: Next Step for Nevada Brining. Goal: $4,000.

_________________________

The 100-pound load of cucumbers would yield approximately 100 jars, about a pound of product per jar. The session would last about four hours.

Nevada Brining uses different seasoning combinations in all its products, but essential herbs and spices include peppercorns, fennel, coriander and yellow mustard seed. The basic brine unites water, white vinegar and salt.

“We try to balance this, balance that, take this in, take something out, until we have the right flavor,” Soter said. “A quarter-teaspoon of one ingredient added or taken away can completely change the profile.”

Like a Big Mac

Nevada Brining’s flagship product is its Deli Style Pickle jabbed with dill and garlic. Those thick slices — they’re called barrel cuts — don’t just look impressive, flexing their biceps in the jar.

“The thickness helps preserve the crunch,” Soter explained. “There’s not an entire soft spine, like with a spear. This cut is great for charcuterie, and it’s a good starting place for other cuts. It’s easy to reach in and grab and chop.”

The deli pickles have a mild brininess, a flavor completely unlike the pugnacious saltiness of many big-brand pickles.

The company’s Boozy Pickle series, by contrast, delivers definite whiskey flavor up front. The first jars incorporated whiskey from Las Vegas Distillery.

A current iteration features hooch from Seven Troughs Distilling of Sparks, the whiskey prominent at first bites, the heat from serrano chiles growing on the finish.

The intention is to use whiskey from all the local distillers, including the new Branded Hearts Distillery of Reno.

The whiskey must be in raw form so the pickles don’t run afoul of federal labeling laws and other laws governing products containing alcohol. The whiskey and the chiles in each boozy style are paired for compatibility.

“The idea for Boozy Pickles came from a pickle back shot,” Soter said. “It’s Jameson whiskey and pickle juice. It sort of tastes like the secret sauce on a Big Mac.”

Strain and roast

There’s more in the brine than pickles.

Nevada Brining also produces Stagecoach carrots, the name a tip of the jar to the Nevada town. Cloves and ginger gently spike the carrots; the brine is mild and sweet. “You could just drink the jar,” Soter said.

Pickled Cauliflower brine is saltier, so curry and peppercorns provide balance. Soter likes to strain the florets, roast them at 375 F and finish with a flurry of freshly grated Parmesan.

Ruby Red (a nod to the mountains) Pickled Onions offer a sweet and sour tangle that’s great on hot dogs or pulled pork sandwiches. (I added some to mustard chicken thighs with tasty results.)

New products

Through the end of 2015, Soter estimated that Nevada Brining would move about 10,000 jars of pickled products. The company also sells crinkly bags of barbecue rub.

Ahead for Nevada Brining: flavored ketchups, savory simple syrups for bars, bourbon-braised cherries, cayenne-infused pickled grapes, a new taco rub, more white-label products for customers — and a Kickstarter campaign whose goal is to raise $4,000.

“I have a lot of ideas,” Soter said. “Sometimes, too many ideas.”

As far as ideas like bourbon cherries and pickled grapes go, the fruit will learn soon enough what the cucumbers already know: Before anything, you’ve got to pass muster.

Vivian Howard Parties with Pickles on ‘A Chef’s Life’

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Gillie Houston   –   www.yahoo.com

For most, pickles represent a source of salty brine and satisfying crunch; for others, they represent much more. “Cucumber pickles are a way of life here in eastern North Carolina,” Chef Vivian Howard says in the promo for the next episode of A Chef’s Life.This week, Howard visits a cucumber farm and gets a lesson in the ins-and-outs of pickles.

First, she heads into the kitchen to be taught the art of pickling from a family who has been doing it for generations. Howard asks her guest: “What did your mother do with the pickles?” His answer? “Had them with chocolate cake.” The host tries the oddball combination and admits it’s surprisingly good.

Howard then gets to flex her farm skills, watching in awe as some 15-20 massive dump trucks per day are filled with the harvested green vegetables, ready to be soaked, jarred, and enjoyed by pickle lovers everywhere. To learn how to make your own quick pickles, check out the recipe below.

Check your local PBS listings to find out when A Chef’s Life airs in your area.

PICKLES

In this episode we show you how to make fermented pickles. That process takes days. If you don’t have that kind of time and need pickles pronto, try this recipe for making quick pickles.

Quick-Pickled Cucumbers and Onions

Makes about 4 cups

1 pound small, seedless cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch rounds
1 bunch spring onions, cut into rings or 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 (12-ounce) bottle unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the cucumbers and onions in a 1-quart jar with tight-fitting lid.

Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 2 minutes. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and onions, making sure the vegetables are submerged.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled before serving. Store covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Love Vivian Howard? Check out these stories:

Why Vivian Howard is the Southern chef you should know

Vivian’s one-pot chicken and rice recipe

Vivian says: Don’t mess with Mom’s classic recipes

Selena Gomez: I’m obsessed with pickles!

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(Cover) – EN Star Style – Selena Gomez has revealed she is absolutely “obsessed” with eating pickles.

The stunning 23-year-old singer-and-actress is known for exuding all types of glamour.

So some fans might find it surprising that she prefers to stuff her face with fermented cucumbers.

“I’m obsessed with them. I drink the juice from the jar too,” she told UK newspaper The Mirror of her penchant for pickles. “I go to the movies and have popcorn and pickles. I may bring out a pickle cookbook.”

But even though Selena loves a good pickle every now and then, not everything containing the ingredient tickles her fancy.

“Someone made me try pickled onion Monster Munch the other day and I almost threw up,” she laughed.

When Selena is not enjoying a pickle snack, the star is often working on new projects, like her forthcoming album Revival.

The gorgeous brunette really enjoys the way music impacts her creative sensibility, as something about the songs she creates also resonate with what she wears.

“Music always inspires me, and it characterises my wardrobe a little more,” she explained to People magazine.

Selena works very hard, as in addition to preparing for the release of album Revival on 9 October (15), she is also doing promotional work for her new family film Hotel Transylvania 2 and shooting forthcoming movie Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.

With all this work to attend to Selena ensures she treats herself. The last gift she bought for herself was a Givenchy purse which served as a reward for the completion of her LP Revival.

“It wasn’t too bad [of a splurge],” she smiled. “It was a little clutch. I definitely love being able to earn it in a way. When I finish a movie or something, that’s always nice to be able to say, ‘Oh, I’m gonna treat myself to something nice.’ I think everybody should do that even if it’s just a nice dinner or something!”

© Cover Media

Probiotics important to good health

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Jessica Kerr / Delta Optimist

There is room in everyone’s diet for a little probiotics, and they can help with a myriad of health concerns.

“They’re crucial,” said Halina Kwiatkowska, who owns Parsley, Sage and Thyme Health Store in Ladner.

The human digestive system is made up of millions of microorganisms. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can be ingested through certain foods or supplements. Once in the colon, they multiply and help balance the good and bad bacteria that live there.

However, Kwiatkowska said, research is showing that probiotics can help more than just colon health.

“Eighty to 90 per cent of the immune system is in our gut,” she said, adding that poor gut flora can lead increased susceptibility to colds and the flu, and other diseases.

Kwiatkowska said that people with intestinal issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome, have poor gut flora. Ongoing poor intestinal health can lead to a host of health problems throughout the body – allergies, asthma, eczema and even mood are all linked to the gut, she said.

Serotonin, the human hormone also known as the “happy hormone,” is produced largely in the digestive track and is responsible for maintaining mood balance.

“It goes beyond that whole gastric upset,” Kwiatkowska said. “All the research in the world is now done on probiotics.”

Taking probiotics is especially important following surgery, a round of antibiotics, or a gastro intestinal illness, she said, adding that one bout of stomach flu can “pretty much wipe out” all the good bacteria.

Probiotics can be found in fermented foods, such as yogurt and kefir (a fermented milk drink), sauerkraut, kosher pickles (pickles made with a salt brine instead of vinegar), kimchi (Korean fermented vegetables) and miso paste (Japanese fermented soybean paste). At Parsley, Sage and Thyme, they recommend eating some kind of fermented food with the largest meal of the day, Kwiatkowska said.

There are also a variety of probiotic supplements on the market, which provide a much more potent dose of the beneficial bacteria, she said.

There are many different supplements out there today ranging from six to 10 billion per capsule up to 100 billion. Kwiatkowska recommends looking at the potency, as well as the types of probiotics included.

Some formulas are designed to address specific areas, such as colon, urinary or genital health, while other can help with general health and wellbeing.


© 2015 Delta Optimist

– See more at: http://www.delta-optimist.com/living/probiotics-important-to-good-health-1.2066416#sthash.9jcZ5RV1.dpuf

Pickle some garlic for the flavor of fall

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By Brian Henry, The Peterborough Examiner

We commonly associate pickles with cucumbers, but pickles are any foods that have been preserved in a seasoned brine or acetic acid. The pickle menu includes such foods as mangoes, mushrooms, eggs and pig’s feet. I have tried pickled elk and moose meat as well.

The source for acetic acid is vinegar. Standard white vinegar is 5% acetic acid, which at this strength creates an acidic burning sensation to our taste buds and a startling pungency to our olfactory senses within our nose.

When pickling we add an equal amount of water in relation to the vinegar. This reduces the concentration of the acetic acid by almost half, creating a more palatable taste and allows other flavours to come to the forefront without diminishing the effects of vinegar as a preserving agent. In some pickle recipes the addition of sugar and spice helps off set the slightly sour and acidic bite attributed with vinegars

As many local crops are coming into season some of us begin to save the flavours of summer and the garden by curing and preserving foodstuffs for our pantry.

Three commonly used ingredients for creating pickles are cucumbers, dill and garlic. This trilogy of ingredients ironically is harvested within close proximity of each other, allowing us to create garlic dill pickles.

Fruits and vegetables can be preserved for a two- to four-year shelf life through pickling. The pickling process kills off all of the living tissue and deactivates the naturally present enzymes creating an environment that will not support any microbes and their associated toxins.

To maintain crispness of foods the use of unrefined sea salt, more commonly known as pickling salt, is introduced to help reinforce cell wall pectins. In other recipes we will find the use of alum or calcium hydroxide to maintain the high level of acidity for cell wall stabilization. With all of the scientific processes aside pickling is a process that preserves the simple flavours of foods.

A word of caution if you choose to try the following recipe: open a window when boiling or simmering vinegar as it can cause the acetic acid in the vinegar to take flight in the steam released from your cook pot, and avoid inhaling the fumes as it will take your breath away.

This recipe is perfect for packing up and taking back to the hunting camp.

PICKLED GARLIC

  • 1 1/2 lbs peeled garlic cloves cut in half
  • 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. pickling salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 10 peppercorns
  • 5 whole allspice

Method:

Combine vinegars and sugars in a non-reactive pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the garlic and spices. Let the mixture return to a gentle boil and let it boil for 5 minutes.

Transfer the hot garlic and pickling brine into clean, sterilised jars and cover tightly. Place jars in the refrigerator to allow the flavours to develop for at least 24 hours before digging in. Keep the pickled garlic stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks.

Lakefield area chef Brian Henry owns and operates Chef Brian Henry Private Chef Services: www.chefbrianhenry.com.

Block & Grinder chef gets creative with pickles

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BY JENNIFER LOVER

Correspondent – charlotteobserver.com 

To say chef Ben Philpott of Block & Grinder is obsessed with pickles is an understatement. His co-workers tease that he would “pickle his shoes if he could.”

I was having lunch at B&G with friends and out came a lovely assortment of pickled vegetables. Since my friends read my column (thank you), the entire table chimed in and asked if I could get the recipe.

Philpott is board chair of the Piedmont Culinary Guild and is extremely proud of his involvement. The guild is a gathering of chefs, farmers, culinary educators and other dedicated food professionals who are committed to sharing resources and promoting education to support our local food system.

So it wasn’t surprising that he jumped at the chance to share his knowledge of pickling with us. Like the guild’s philosophy, it’s one more way he can help bring his culinary community together.

Philpott’s enthusiasm for pickling was evident as he sat down at our table and explained the process. The best part is that his method of refrigerator pickling is so simple. It’s so simple, in fact, you will likely regret not making them sooner. You can use any variety of vegetables: Kirby cucumbers, carrots, radishes, cauliflower, green beans, kohlrabi, jalapeños … you name it.

The recipe can be easily tailored to your taste. Do you like a sweeter pickle? Add a little more sugar. Do you like it spicy? Add another tablespoon of red pepper flakes or extra cloves of garlic. You can be creative and experiment.

When prepping your vegetables, keep in mind that you will be eating the entire pickle. Trim off the inedible ends of onions, for example. Also, if you’re cutting your vegetables into pieces, make sure they are somewhat uniform in size to ensure consistency in the final product.

As an added bonus, Philpott handed over the recipe for our favorite condiment on the Block & Grinder menu. It’s a bright and creamy aioli with fresh cilantro and a hint of spice from pickled jalapeños. Smear it on a sandwich, use it as a dip for fries, dollop it on fish tacos. It’s one of the best spreads I have ever tasted.

One warning, though: Philpott uses commercial equipment, which has higher power. When I tested the aioli in my blender at home, a simple Waring, I had trouble getting it to come together. I ended up whisking the oil mixture into the egg yolks by hand, which worked. Or you can make it even easier and simply whisk the ground-up pickled jalapenos into store-bought mayonnaise. (Duke’s would be Philpott’s preference, of course.)

Are you looking for a recipe from a Charlotte-area restaurant? Send your request to Jennifer Lover,jen@jenlover.com or on Instagram (@jenniferlover). Please include your name, why you like the recipe, the area where you live and the restaurant’s location. Lover is a creative director, stylist and cook who lives in Charlotte.

BLOCK & GRINDER

2935 Providence Road; 704-364-2100. (A second location will open in January in the Lake Norman LangTree development.)

Online: blockandgrinder.com.

CHEF BEN’S PICKLING BRINE

3 cups apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup salt

1/4 cup sugar

3 cloves garlic, crushed

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (crushed red pepper)

3 cups ice

In a large, nonreactive pot, combine all of the ingredients except ice and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking vigorously to dissolve the salt and sugar.

Remove from heat and add the ice to quickly cool the pickling liquid. The liquid should be cooler than room temperature. Place in the refrigerator to cool if needed.

Use approximately 12 ounces (just under a pound, or about 2 cups) of your chosen vegetable. Trim them or cut into large pieces and place them in a clean quart-size container. Cover with enough pickling liquid to completely submerge and refrigerate.

Pickling time will vary based on the vegetables (the larger the vegetable, the longer it will take.) It usually takes about a week or two until the flavors have developed and the pickles are ready to eat.

PICKLED JALAPEÑO AIOLI

3 cups blended or canola oil

1 cup pickled jalapeño slices

1 to 2 bunches cilantro, stems included (about 1 packed cup)

4 egg yolks

Salt to taste

Place the oil, jalapeños, and cilantro in a high-powered blender (see note). Blend on high for about a minute until smooth.

In a food processor, start blending the egg yolks, then slowly drizzle (a very slow stream is important for emulsification) the oil mixture into the yolks until the mixture thickens to a mayonnaise consistency.

Season with salt and a little bit of the pickling liquid from the jalapeños.

Note: If you don’t have a high-powered blender like a VitaMix, you may have trouble getting the aioli to emulsify smoothly. You can whisk the oil and jalapeno mixture into the egg yolks by hand, adding the oil very slowly. Or you can skip making the aioli and whisk the chopped jalapenos and cilantro into a good-quality prepared mayonnaise, such as Duke’s.

Yield: About 4 cups, but the recipe can be quartered if you have a mini food processor or if you choose to whisk the aioli together by hand.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/food-drink/you-asked-for-it/article36096639.html#storylink=cpy

Tour de’ Tangipahoa welcomes 450 riders plus pickles

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Tori E. Pajares – hammondstar.com

Cyclists from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida came out Saturday to ride in the Hammond Kiwanis Club’s 23rd annual Tour de’ Tangipahoa.

As the club’s largest fundraising event, this year had a turnout of 450 participants between both ride times. Beginning at 7:30 a.m., the first ride consisted of a 60-mile radius. The 30-mile ride began at 9 a.m. Both rides began and ended at the University Center.

Along the routes were several rest stops with portable restrooms, soaked towels, refreshments and snacks.

“We added pickles and pickle juice because they asked for that,” volunteer Arlene Anzalone said.

J.D. Schooner of Houma, who has ridden in Tour de’ Tangipahoa for six years, said pickle juice is a good resource for riders.

“Pickle juice is salty. When you sweat, you lose a lot of salt. So pickle juice helps put salt back in your body.” Schooner explained.

Other snacks at the rest stop included Gatorade, water, oranges, bananas and pretzels. Some rest stops were busier than others Saturday, and volunteers were in constant communication to put leftover supplies to good use.

Cyclists usually skip the first stop, “but we get pretty busy here,” Anzalone said at Rest Stop 5.

Many precautionary measures were in place for safety. Following along the riders, vehicles designated as “sag wagons” were ready to transport any rider who could not finish due to injury or to escort bikes to repair.

Riders who need bike repairs were taken to David Moeller, owner of The Bike Path in Mandeville. Moeller has brought a van complete with tools and spare bike parts to Tour de’ Tangipahoa for the past four years.

“We pretty much have any part that might break on the bike,” Moeller said.

He sets up at the start of the race to help air up tires and shift adjustments. After both races had left, he moved to rest stops in case cyclists needed repairs.

Only a few minutes into the race, Moeller said one cyclist got two flat tires and needed immediate help to continue riding. Also, The Bike Path help about 20 riders in simple repairs such as air and adjustments.

“Sometimes there are more catastrophic needs that arise, but we try to prepare for what we can,” Moeller said.

Although riders were warned in advance to be careful on the roads and stay on the designated routes, Couvillion says not all listen. At least two crashes took place during the ride.

“They were both rider fault accidents,” said tour chairman Judy Couvillion.

The first involved a tire collision between riders. The second incident occurred when a rider unintentionally pressed her brakes.

At the end of the rides, Hammond Kiwanis Club provided riders with pastalaya, potato salad and coleslaw for lunch and All-American Healthcare gave free 10-minute massages.

All proceeds from Tour de’ Tangipahoa go back to the community via programs that Hammond Kiwanis Club supports.

Jalapeno Twinkies: Sales are, well, hot

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Perhaps fair vendors lie awake at night dreaming of the most unusual foods to blend together into a dish at the Kansas State Fair.

Shelly Starks and Robert Base with the Carousel Cafe came up with Jalapeno Twinkies to add to their menu.

“The past two days they’ve been really selling,” said Christopher Michael, manager of the Carousel Cafe.

To prepare this delicacy, Michael very carefully slices Twinkies in half lengthwise. Then he places three to four jalapenos inside and puts it back together and dips it in funnel cake batter. Then he lightly fries each side for 30 seconds and then sprinkles the finished product with powdered sugar.

If you like Twinkies and you like jalapenos, why wouldn’t you like Jalapeno Twinkies? Yum.

Cost: $6

Raspberry Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers

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BY   –  fox13now.com

Grill master Susie Bulloch shows us how to make one of her favorite tailgating recipes. For more from her go here.  

Raspberry Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers

Fresh jalapenos are halved and seeded before being stuffed with cream cheese and raspberry jam then wrapped in bacon. The sweet and spicy bites are grilled until the jalapenos are tender and the bacon is crisp.

Servings 4-6 people

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients
• 9 medium jalapenos
• 4 oz softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup raspberry jelly
• 18 slices bacon
Servings: people
Instructions
1. Slice jalapenos in half lengthwise and clean out the ribs and seeds with a spoon.
2. Fill each jalapeno with a small spoonful of both the cream cheese and the raspberry jam. Wrap in a slice of bacon, securing the ends with a toothpick if necessary.
3. When ready to cook, prepare your grill for indirect cooking. If you are cooking on gas, turn the burner temperature down to medium low. If you are cooking over charcoal, pile the coals in the middle and arrange the poppers around the outside of the grill. If you are cooking with a pellet grill, set the temperature and allow the grill to preheat for 10-15 minutes before putting the poppers on. You are looking for a grill temperature of about 350 degrees F.
4. Grill the poppers for 25-30 minutes, turning as necessary to crisp the bacon. Serve immediately and enjoy!