Fried calamari

Ingredients

Calamari

• 1 lb calamari, bodies sliced into ½ inch rings, tentacles left whole
• 1½ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• oil for frying
• chopped parsley for garnish
• lemon wedges

Lemon aioli

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• dash of Tabasco
• salt and pepper to taste

Insructions

1. Prepare lemon aioli by whisking together mayonnaise & Tabasco.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Soak calamari in buttermilk for 20-30 minutes.
4. Preheat frying oil to 350 degrees F.
5. Combine flour with seasonings from paprika - red chili flakes.
6. Dredge calamari in seasoned flour, tossing evenly to coat.
7. Carefully drop a handful of the calamari into the hot oil.
8. Cook until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.
9. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to a paper lined baking sheet.
10. Repeat with remaining calamari.
11. Sprinkle parsley on top. 
12. Serve with lemon wedges and lemon aioli.

BANG BANG CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more, as needed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup Panko

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons Frank's Hot Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey and Frank's Hot Sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Working one at a time, dip chicken into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in Panko, pressing to coat.
5. Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
6. Serve immediately, drizzled with sweet chili sauce.

Funfetti Cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
• Marshmallow Buttercream (plus a teaspoon of lemon extract)

Instructions

1. Sift together cake four, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together buttermilk and egg whites.
2. Put the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of the mixer and rub it together with your fingers. Dorie says to do this, so I do. Add the butter and cream together until creamy, 3 minutes. Add the lemon extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. 
3. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat until all of the ingredients are added. Add the sprinkles and fold until combined.
4. Pour batter into 8 or 9-inch pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray with flour. Bake at 350 degree for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
5. Ice with frosting. I used my Marshmallow Buttercream with lemon extract instead of vanilla bean.

Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients

Scone

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp canned pumpkin puree, chilled (don't chill in can)
• 3 1/2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp half and half

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp half and half, then more as needed

Pumpkin Icing

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Tbsp half and half

Directions

scones

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. In a food processor pulse together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well blended. 
3. Add butter and pulse mixture several times to cut butter into mixture. 
4. Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and create a well in center.
5. In a bowl whisk together chilled pumpkin puree, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract and honey. 
6. Pour mixture into well in flour/butter mixture. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon to incorporate, then knead in bowl by hand several times to bring mixture together. 
7. Dust a work surface with flour then invert dough onto surface. Pat and shape dough into an even 8-inch round. Using a large knife, slice into 8 equal wedges.
8. Transfer scones to a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
9. Brush tops with 1 Tbsp half and half then bake in preheated oven 13 - 15 minutes until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 
10. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes before spreading with glaze.

Glaze

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and half and half, adding more half and half as needed to reach desired consistency. Spoon and spread mixture scones to evenly coat tops. Let glaze set at room temperature.

Pumpkin glaze

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and half and half. 
2. Transfer mixture to a small Ziploc bag, seal bag, cut a small tip from corner and drizzle mixture over tops of scones. 
3. Allow icing to set. Best served day prepared.

ORANGE MUFFINS WITH COCONUT STREUSEL

INGREDIENTS

Muffins

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1¼ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons of orange zest

Streusel

• 3 tablespoons shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350. To make the muffins, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl mix together buttermilk, butter, eggs, and vanilla.
2.  Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in orange zest. Fill greased muffin tins ⅔ full.
3. Prepare the streusel. Combine shredded coconut, butter, sugar, and flour in a small bowl. Mix to combine. Spoon onto muffin batter.
4. Bake 15-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool.
5. Prepare the glaze. Mix together powdered sugar and hot water. Stir in coconut extract. Drizzle over muffins. Store in airtight container.

CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN FINGERS

INGREDIENTS

Marinade

• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Chicken Tenders

• 2 cups flaked cereal, finely crushed
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup buttermilk from the marinade
• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Dipping sauce

• ½ cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp hot Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp liquid honey

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Remove tenders from chicken breasts and cut the remaining meat in 3-4 strips.
2. Transfer to mixing bowl, add buttermilk, salt and pepper and toss until chicken is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil or lightly grease.
4. Remove chicken strips from marinade.
5. In a shallow bowl, add crushed cereal, sesame seeds, garlic, paprika, salt, and cayenne and stir to combine.
6. In a separate shallow bowl, add egg, egg white and buttermilk from marinade and whisk to combine.
7. Dip each chicken strip in egg mixture then roll in cereal coating until nice and evenly coated on all sides and place on baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken is used.
8. Bake until crust is golden and chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your strips.
9. While chicken is cooking, prepare the dipping sauce by combining yogurt, mustard and honey in a small bowl.

BANG BANG CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more, as needed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup Panko

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons Frank's Hot Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey and Frank's Hot Sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Working one at a time, dip chicken into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in Panko, pressing to coat.
5. Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

BLT Chopped Salad with Homemade Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

Salad

• 1/2 cup cooked, diced bacon or faux bacon pieces (about 8 strips bacon, cooked to manufacturer's instructions)
• about 3 to 4 cups salad greens
• 1 small/medium ripe tomato, sliced into thin rounds
• half of 1 cucumber, about 10 thinly sliced rounds
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1/4 cup peas (I used frozen)
• 1/4 cup corn (I used frozen)

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

• 1/2 heaping cup mayonnaise (lite or reduced fat okay)
• 1/2 heaping cup sour cream ((lite or reduced fat okay; plain Greek yogurt may be substituted)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk + extra if necessary to thin
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoon minced fresh green onion, scallions, or chives ( I used 1 trimmed green onion in entirety)
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled, optional and to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions

Salad - Cook bacon according to manufacturer's instructions. Dice small; set aside.
In a large bowl, add the greens, top with tomato, cucumber, carrots, peas, corn, and sprinkle bacon pieces over the top; set aside.
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing - To the canister of a food processor or blender (mini food processors work great here), add all ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Taste dressing and if necessary, adjust flavor balance by adding more lemon, oil, herbs, salt and pepper, or whatever dressing needs, to taste. I like my dressing thicker and didn't use more than 1/4 cup buttermilk, but add more, to taste, to thin it out. Brands of mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk all vary in their thickness.
Transfer dressing to a glass jar with lid, or airtight container with a lid.
Drizzle over salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately. Extra dressing will keep for 7 to 10 days airtight in the fridge; shake well before next use.