We Don't Need No Stinkin' Jack-in-the-box!

Ever seen one of these? Of course you have. If you grew up some time in the 70's or 80's you might even remember this exact one. Funny thing about Jack-in-the-Box is that: Some people love'em. Some people hate'em.

You know, you turn the handle, it plays a little tune and at some point, the scary little clown comes popping up sending an adrenaline rush through your entire body.

Well, in Colorado, at altitude, we don't need no stinkin' Jack-in-the-Boxes, 'cause we got PILLSBURY!!

Those impossible cans of yumminess. Ok, so just like a Jack, you hold on to the paper handle, turn the can and although there may not be any music, the scary little biscuits come popping out with a mini explosion, sending an adrenaline rush through your entire body.

Guess what? That has not once happened to me at Sea Level. I'm waiting. I'm waiting, and NO POP!

I've had to take matters into my own hands. Looks something like this:

After you hold the foil-icious paper and twist the can, lay it on the cutting board and give the seam a whack with a wooden spoon...problem solved with control.

Next time you are out west, go to the mountains and go big with your adrenaline rushes: Pillsbury!

The At Home part: Fish Fry

I've been focusing on the Palm Beach part of my blog but today I'm sharing some of the "at Home" part~ a yummy meal!

About three or four times a year, we drag out our DeLonghi Deep Fryer to cook up some grub. Since we have easy access to fabulous fish here in South Florida, I thought we needed to have a little fish fry, complete with battered Tilapia, sweet potato fries and beignets.{My stomach hurts thinking about all that I ate.}

After chatting with one of my favorite cooking teachers (my mom), I went with her suggestion of a batter of Bisquick and Beer...yup, that's all! Check out the final product...

If you want to know how I did it, keep reading, otherwise check out some more pics and try not to salivate too much.

After turning on the fryer, according to manufacturer instructions, I put 1-1/2 cups of low-fat Bisquick into a bowl and added approximately the same amount of cold beer. {I used cold so someone could consume the remainder....Thoughtful of me, hugh!} I stirred it with a whisk and it was ready.

I rinsed the fresh Tilapia and cut the filets in half to make simple strips. I dried them with paper towel, tossed them into the batter and nudged them over to make sure they were fully coated. Using tongs, I pulled them out of the batter and slipped them into the fryer (280 degrees for about 6 minutes, flipping them over once). I put in several pieces but made sure there was enough room for them to sizzle! I pulled them out, laid them on some paper towel and completed about 10 pieces.

Next, sweet potato fries (frozen). I followed the directions and a quick 3 minutes later they were ready. I like to salt them as soon as they come out so it will stick to the fries.

I mixed up a little tartar sauce to complete the fishy feast.

HB set the table and dad poured the vino. It was a lovely dinner!

Another day, I'll show you how to make the easiest beignets in the book...dreamy!!