Snacktastic Saturday: Breaded Pickle Chips

Today I decided that I wanted to make my own Breaded Pickle Chips. We have ordered them before with our carry-out & they were pretty good. But since they are pretty indulgent, I decided to bake mine in the oven. And I have to admit, they came out pretty darn tasty!

I always seem to keep some seasoned flour & breadcrumbs on hand, which means that the recipe is a close approximation.

How To:

•seasoned flour (seasoned salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, etc. Whatever you feel like putting in it.)

•milk

•seasoned breadcrumbs (breadcrumbs, garlic powder, dehydrated onion flakes, onion salt, parsley, etc. Again, whatever you feel like putting in it.)

•pickle chips, any flavor (I love Famous Dave's Signature Spicy Pickle Chips!)

- Dredge pickle chips in seasoned flour, milk & the breadcrumbs, making sure to thoroughly coat at each step. 

- Bake in a 400 degree oven 15-20 minutes, flipping over about halfway through (make sure the underside is beginning to brown before flipping).

- Best served with Ranch Dressing.

- Enjoy!

Fun Friday: Hand Painted Halloween Figures

I love to paint! But not just anything, I love to paint plaster. My Christmas tree is almost entirely covered by ornaments I painted. I have a little Christmas Village too (which, come to think of it, I need to finish that). But my Halloween figures have to be my favorite.

Dracula didn't quite make it through storage.

The newspaper my poor Dracula was wrapped in got something on it & decided it would try to make him a Mummy instead. I was a bit bummed at first when I saw him, but then I got excited knowing that I would be able to get all of my paints out to fix him. I may even get that Christmas Village done in time to set up in a couple months.

Pretzel Crisps®: Not Your Average Pretzel

Most of the time people tend to have a love/hate relationship with pretzels. Or you're like me & don't really care for them either way. I'd eat them if there was nothing else salty to snack on, but they just aren't my cup of tea. Of course my husband & kids could live off pretzels alone if they had the choice, so we always seem to have them in the cupboard.

Now our pretzel stash has mostly been replaced by Pretzel Crisps®! And I have to say, they're really good! They have the flavor & crunch of a pretzel, but are actually a pretzel shaped cracker. (Anybody that knows me, knows how much I love crackers.) Pretzel Crisps® are also low fat & baked, not to mention only 110 calories per serving (about 10 crackers). Can we say "perfect for my salty snack cravings"?

I was able to try the Deli Style flavors & was blown away by the taste. Available in Original, Garlic Parmesan, Buffalo Wing, Everything (like my favorite bagel), Sesame, Jalapeno Jack & Chipotle Cheddar. Each bite was loaded with flavor that actually tasted like it was supposed to. But the tastiness doesn't stop there.  Pretzel Crisps® are perfect for dips & other topping just like a traditional cracker. (Check out these Recipes & Pretzel Pairings!) My absolute fave is Jalapeno Jack with sour cream, makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Check out this photo on Instagram!

Not only are Pretzel Crisps® great for snacking, but they are perfect for school lunches & your next get together! Not to mention you can conveniently find them in the deli section nationwide (view a complete list here).

Connect with Pretzel Crisps® on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & YouTube for the latest updates.

**Disclaimer: I received these products to try from Pretzel Crisps® & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Think It Thursday: Happy Birthday to Me!

For my birthday, I gave myself a gift. Not the kind you might think though. I decided I wasn't going to do laundry today, didn't pick up any of the kids toys & wasn't going to spend the day in the kitchen. I'll be playing catch up tomorrow, but I don't even care. 

I'll also be catching up on posting reviews & giveaways. And that is my birthday present for all of you!

Work It Wednesday: Fall Layers

We still have some beautiful weather now, but in the morning it can be a bit chilly. And in a couple more weeks, the temperature will most likely drop a bit. But if you're like me & are always on the go come October, it's important to dress properly. 

The key to layering is to be able to pair some warm weather classics with your fall pieces. (Button downs & infinity scarves work perfectly with tees & tanks.)

Here are some of my favorite looks from my Pinterest board...

This is the perfect outfit for those early morning soccer games!
See the pin here.

This just screams comfort to me!
See the pin here.

This is just the outfit I need for my upcoming jury duty.
See the pin here.

And here's for when it starts to have that chill in the air.
See the pin here.

EVOL Foods: I Love It!

It all started with two guys (from Bear Naked Granola actually) & then another guy & his burritos. "You won't believe these frozen burritos. They're actually good. Like, for eating." After that statement the wheels began to turn until the trio were in burrito bliss during the Spring of '09. Actually it was more like love. Backwards love. EVOL.

I'll admit to eyeballing these burritos at the store. But, being a frozen burrito of all things, how good could they actually be? The answer, they are good. Like, for eating!

There seemed to be only a limited variety at the store I went to, but I had to try the Steak Fajita Burrito with Guacamole. Everything about that just screamed deliciousness to me! Fire grilled steak, roasted peppers & onions, rice, black beans, cheddar cheese, roasted corn & salsa stuffed in a flour tortilla. But the best part, it came with a packet of guacamole. And it was good guacamole. All of the flavors complimented each other perfectly! I cooked this up in the microwave (I was borderline starving & wanted it ASAP) & it still didn't taste like the average frozen burrito. Shocking, I know.

 EVOL Foods also offers meals, flatbreads & pizzas, so I stepped out of my burrito box & decided to try a meal too.

Check out this photo on Instagram!

 

I must've been in a steak kind of mood at the store, because I went straight for the Fire Grilled Steak Meal. Fire grilled steak, black beans, cilantro lime rice, roasted red & green bell peppers & cheddar cheese topped with a cilantro lime pesto is just the combination I would order from a restaurant. Actually, it tasted like it could've come from a restaurant! Must be because EVOL is inspired by chef's, not science.

Another thing to love about EVOL, they strive to bring you the best tasting natural foods possible, packaged in landfill friendly ways. Meaning that just about everything is made from recyclable materials & can be recycled. Now I don't know about you, but just knowing how environmentally responsible this company is, makes their food taste even better! As if that were even possible. (Yes, I'm officially in love with EVOL.)

 Be sure you connect with EVOL Foods on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram & YouTube for the latest updates.

**Disclaimer: I received these products to try from EVOL Foods & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Tasty Tuesday: Philly Style Poutine

If you've never heard of Poutine, you are seriously missing out. This dish full of french fries, cheese curds & brown gravy may not be the healthiest (far from it), but it sure is delicious in it's own unique way. But being one to rarely make a recipe as intended, I decided to switch it up a bit & try a Philly Style Poutine that revels my favorite combo of a Philly Cheesesteak with a side of fries.

How To:

•thinly sliced deli roast beef, diced

•1 envelope onion soup mix

•1/2-1C. water

•1-2 beef bouillon cubes

•diced onion

•diced peppers (I used a yellow)

•diced mushrooms

•cornstarch

•splash of milk

•cheddar cheese curds

•homemade french fries

 •salt, pepper & dried parsley flakes

- In a medium saucepan, combine roast beef, onion soup mix, water, bouillon, onion, peppers & mushrooms. (In desired amounts)

- Heat to a boil, reduce heat & simmer for 5 minutes.

- Make a thickening agent of cornstarch & milk, adjust amounts as needed, to make a gravy. Slowly stir into roast beef mixture until desired thickness is reached. 

- Allow mixture to simmer for 1-2 additional minutes.

- On a plate, top homemade fries with crumbled cheese curds & then the roast beef gravy.

- Season with salt, pepper & parsley.

Enjoy!