Crispy Cheese Tias

So, this might not be that exciting to anyone else but us, but we love these things. My sister introduced me to them and they taste deep-fried, but without all the oil mess. 

First, put some cheese down in a little pile in a pan. Make sure you spray it first or that it's non stick. Wait for it to melt a little. 

 Put a corn tortilla on top and wait for it to get crispy.

 Flip it over. It kind of sucks up the cheesy oil here. I didn't say this was super healthy or anything. 

Fill with something more appetizing that this. Haha. We were scrounging after our trip this week so we just did black beans an sour cream, tomatoes and lettuce. You could add anything. I think potato tacos would be really good in it. 

There you go. Fancy. 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I am a sucker for anything baked--especially cake. This stuff is really good. I got a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook in high school and have made it ever since. Definitely a favorite. I love it every time I make it.

1 cup margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 8-ounce carton of sour cream
1/2 t. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional, I like walnuts or pecans)
3 T brown sugar
2 T sugar
2 t. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350. grease a 9x13 pan; set aside.

2. Cream together the butter and the 2 cups of sugar with a mixer on medium. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Beat one more minute.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and soda. Add the flour mixture to the sour cream mixture. Beat with the mixer on low for 2-3 minutes or until combined.

4. To make topping: in another small bowl stir together nuts, brown sugar and granulated sugar and cinnamon.

5. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the topping over the batter in the pan. Spoon the remaining better into the pan, spreading it slightly over the first layer of topping. Sprinkle the remaining toping over all.

6. Bake the coffee cake in the over about 35 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly before eating.

Chicago style hot dogs (or brats)

This is my new favorite way to eat a hotdog or bratwurst.  It's so yummy.

Recipe here.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 sweet onion (such as Vidalia), thinly sliced
1 Kirby cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 tomato, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup celery leaves
2 tablespoons chopped sport pepper or peperoncini
4 pickle spears

In a medium bowl, whisk together grainy mustard and white-wine vinegar; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Add sweet onion, cucumber, tomato, celery leaves, and sport pepper; toss to combine.

Serve on hotdog or brats with a pickle spear.