Enjoy the fair (food) without leaving home

It’s the heart of summer, a time when thoughts turn to the Ozaukee County and Wisconsin State fairs.

It’s a time for casual fare, the type you can eat while perusing the exhibits and visiting the midway. Sweet corn, burgers, brats and traditional summer treats are typical meals at these events, but a new phenomenon has hit the food court — deep fried or grilled foods on a stick, perfect for strolling crowds.

You can get just about anything on a stick, or so it seems. Deep-fried snacks such as Twinkies and candy bars join such mealtime entrees as spaghetti and meatballs and shish kabobs and desserts like chocolate-covered strawberry waffle balls on a stick.

You can replicate the idea at home, although you can make it a more healthy meal by grilling the foods instead of deep frying them.

For an entree, try making a deconstructed cheeseburger or fajita. Grilled cheese sandwich wedges can be threaded onto a skewer and grilled, too.

Try serving the entrees with salad on a stick, dipped in your favorite dressing. You can grill the salads or serve them fresh and cold.

The final course can be dessert, as simple as grilled fruit on a stick or as extravagant as a Black Forest skewer. They can be enjoyed on their own or with a bowl of ice cream.

Or you can make a staple of Wisconsin fairs, the cream puff. You can fill the puffs with whipped cream or, if you prefer, try a scoop of your favorite flavor of ice cream. For an even more decadent — and calorie laden — treat, add a drizzle of fruit syrup or chocolate sauce before dusting the puffs with powdered sugar.

Following are recipes from www.tasteofhome.com.

 

 

Loaded Stuffed Potato Pancakes

2 cups mashed potatoes with added milk and butter

2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup flour

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon minced chives

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/3 cup cream cheese, softened

Oil

In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, flour, egg, chives, salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne.

Shape two teaspoons cream cheese into a ball. Wrap 1/4 cup potato mixture around cream cheese, covering it completely. Drop into crumb mixture. Gently coat and shape into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Repeat with remaining cream cheese and potato mixture.

In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry stuffed pancakes, a few at a time, one to two minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

 

 

 

Waffle Fry Nachos

22 ounces frozen waffle fries

10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

3 green onions, sliced

6 ounces sliced ripe olives, drained

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2/3 cup salsa

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Sour cream

Bake fries according to package directions. Transfer to a 10-inch cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet. Top with bacon, onions, olives, tomatoes, salsa and cheeses. Return to the oven for five minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream.

 

 

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

12 thick-sliced bacon strips

6 ounces white candy coating, coarsely chopped

Optional toppings: Chopped dried apple chips, apricots and crystallized ginger, finely chopped pecans and pistachios, toasted coconut, kosher salt, brown sugar, cayenne pepper and coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

Thread bacon strips, weaving back and forth, onto twelve 12-inch soaked wooden skewers. Place on a rack in a large baking pan. Bake in a 400-degree oven 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp. Drain on paper towels and cool completely.

In a microwave, melt candy coating, stirring until smooth. Brush onto both sides of six bacon strips, then sprinkle with toppings as desired. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening and stir until smooth. Brush onto both sides of remaining bacon and decorate as desired.

Refrigerate until set. Store in refrigerator.

 

 

Pizza on a Stick

8 ounces Italian turkey sausage links

2 cups whole fresh mushrooms

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

30 slices turkey pepperoni

1 13.8-ounce tube refrigerated pizza crust

1-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1-1/4 cups pizza sauce, warmed

In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain.

When cool enough to handle, cut sausage into 20 pieces. On 10 metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread sausage, vegetables and pepperoni.

Unroll pizza crust onto a lightly floured surface, then cut widthwise into 1-inch-wide strips. Starting at the pointed end of a prepared skewer, pierce skewer through one end of dough strip. Spiral-wrap dough around skewer, allowing vegetables and meats to peek through. Wrap the other end of dough around skewer above first ingredient. Repeat with remaining dough strips and skewers.

Arrange kabobs on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake in a 400-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes, until vegetables are tender and pizza crust is golden. Immediately sprinkle with cheese. Serve with pizza sauce.

 

 

 

Oven-Fried Pickles

32 dill pickle slices

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons dill pickle juice

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill

 

Let pickle slices stand on a paper towel 15 minutes, until liquid is almost completely absorbed.

In a shallow bowl, combine flour and salt. In another shallow bowl, whisk eggs, pickle juice, cayenne and garlic powder. Combine panko and dill in a third shallow bowl.

Dip pickles into flour mixture to coat both sides, then shake off excess. Dip into egg mixture, then into crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere. Transfer to a greased wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake in a 500-degree oven 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

 

 

 

State Fair Cream Puffs

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons 2% milk

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional confectioners’ sugar

In a large saucepan, bring water, butter and salt to a boil over medium heat. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and let stand for five minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls three inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Combine milk and egg yolk and brush over puffs.

Bake in a 400-degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Immediately cut a slit in each for steam to escape and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until almost stiff. Split cream puffs and discard soft dough from inside. Fill cream puffs just before serving. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Refrigerate any leftovers.

 

 

 

Hot and Spicy Roasted Turkey Legs

4 1-1/2-pound turkey drumsticks

2/3 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional

Divide drumsticks between two large bowls or shallow dishes. In a smaller bowl, whisk hot sauce, oil, soy sauce, chili powder, mustard, garlic powder, poultry season, onion powder, celery salt and white pepper and, if using, pepper sauce until blended.

Add 3/4 cup marinade to drumsticks, dividing evenly between the bowls. Turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate eight hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Remove drumsticks and place in a foil-lined 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking pan. Discard the marinade in bowls.

Bake, covered, in a 375-degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 45 to 60 minutes more or until a thermometer reads 175 degrees, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

 

 

Deep-Fried Cookies

18 Oreo cookies

Oil for deep-fat frying

1 cup biscuit/baking mix

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 cup 2% milk

Confectioners’ sugar

On each of 18 4-inch wooden skewers, thread one cookie, inserting the pointed end of skewer into filling. Freeze one hour, until firm.

In a deep cast-iron skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees. Place biscuit mix in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine egg and milk, then whisk into biscuit mix just until moistened.

Holding skewer, dip cookie into biscuit mixture to coat both sides. Shake off excess.

Fry cookies, a few at a time, one to two minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

 

 

Funnel Cake

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup 2% milk

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Oil for deep-fat frying

Confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, water and vanilla until well blended.

In another bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat into egg mixture until smooth.

In a deep cast-iron or electric skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees.

For each cake, cover bottom of a funnel spout with finger. Ladle 1/2 cup batter into the funnel. Holding funnel several inches above the oil, release finger and move funnel in a spiral motion until all the batter is released, scraping with a rubber spatula if needed.

Fry two minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.

 

 

Maryland Corn Pops

8 medium ears sweet corn, husked

2 tablespoons canola oil

1-1/2 cups mayonnaise

1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

24 corncob holders

2 cups crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons seafood seasoning

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Lime wedges, optional

Brush all sides of corn with oil. Grill, covered, over medium heat until tender and lightly browned, 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from grill; cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, garlic powder and pepper. Cut each ear of corn into thirds. Insert 1 corncob holder into each piece. Spread corn with mayonnaise mixture; sprinkle with cheese, seafood seasoning and cilantro. If desired, serve with lime wedges.