Today is National Zucchini Day and National Frozen Custard Day.

There are lots of edible flowers out there. You can try nasturtiums, dandelions and pumpkin blossoms.

Deep Fried Zucchini Flowers

1. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, basil and cheese. Stir in the water and eggs until combined.
2. In a large skillet add the oil until it comes up 1/2 inch from the bottom of the pan. Heat up over medium high heat.
3. Dip the flowers into the batter and carefully place in hot oil.
4. Cook until they are crisp and golden then remove and place on paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

Today is National Corn Fritters Day.

Here are some fritter with a kick!

Jalapeno Corn Fritters

1. Combine 1/2 cup of the milk with the grits.
2. In a saucepan over medium high heat bring the remaining 1/2 cup of milk to a boil.
3. Add the grits and cook until thickened about 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and pour in a bowl to cool slightly.
5. Add the butter, baking powder, salt, eggs, pepper, onions, jalapenos, basil, corn and flour. Mix together well.
6. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in skillet. Pour 1 tbsp of the batter into the oil to make each fritter.
7. Once bubbles form on the top and the edges look cooked turn them over and cook on the other side till golden.
8. Repeat with the remaining dough and oil as needed.

Today is National Chocolate Eclair Day and National Onion Rings Day.

This batter can be used for fish as well.

Beer Batter Onion Rings

1. Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, oil and egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the beer.
2. Refrigerate the batter 3 to 4 hours before using.
3. Slice onions into rings; separate rings and dip in the batter.
4. Deep-fry in batches in 370° oil until golden brown.

Today is National Escargot Day.

Snails actually aren’t that bad. Most times they are cooked with so much butter and garlic that that is all you taste. Here’s one of those such recipes for those who are new to escargot.

Escargots

1. Preheat broiler.
2. In a bowl mix together the butter, garlic, parsley, chives, salt, pepper and basil until well combined. Chill.
3. Bring a pot of water to bowl and add the snails. Simmer and cook for 8 minutes.
4. Drain the snails and place in a small baking dish.
5. Top each snail with a dollop of butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese.
6. Broil in oven 5 to 8 minutes until bubbling. Serve with fresh bread to mop up the butter.

Today is National Garlic Day and National Amaretto Day.

This can be spread on crusty bread or mixed in a bowl of fluffy mashed potatoes. Not only that your kitchen will smell divine.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin.
3. Cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.
4. Place the garlic heads in a baking pan and drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.
6. Allow to cool for a few minutes before squeezing garlic out of their skins.

Today is National Cheeseball Day.

1. Stir together the cream cheese and ranch dressing mix in a bowl until smooth.
2. Add the bacon, Cheddar cheese, green onions, and olives; stir until well combined. Shape the mixture into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers.

Today is National Empanada Day.

The filling for this recipe could easily be made with ground turkey, pork or chicken.

Empanadas

Dough

Argentine Meat Filling

To make the dough:

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl and mix with the salt.
2. Using 2 knifes or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until it resemble coarse crumbs.
3. In another bowl beat together the eggs, water and vinegar. Add to the flour and mix well.
4. On a floured surface knead the dough with the heel of your hand until it all comes together. Cover the dough and allow it to sit in a cool place for at least an hour.
5. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 of an inch (0.3 cm) thick. Cut into circles about 4-6 inches in diameter and lightly flour them.

To make the filling

1. Heat some oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent.
2. Add the meat and using the back of your spoon, break up into small pieces. Cook until lightly browned, and then drain off the fat.
3. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, eggs, raisins and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC.
5. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Dampen the outer perimeter of the dough with water.
6. Fold over, forming a semicircle. Pinch the edges together with a fork to seal.
7. Place the empanadas on a greased cookie sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Today is National Chip and Dip Day and National Melba Toast Day.

Often mistaken for salsa, Pico de Gallo is a great addition to any Mexican feast.  With salsa the ingredients are macerated to make a saucier condiment whereas Pico is merely fresh ingredients diced and tossed together.  It’s also super fast to make and a really healthy alternative to the more creamy, cheesier dips.

You need:

Finely dice the onion.

Remove the seeds from the tomato and the peppers and chop.

Chop up the cilantro.

Mix everything together in a bowl with the lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Pico de Gallo Full Recipe

1. Mix everything together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Today is National French Bread Day.

This is a great recipe for any party. Feel free to change up the cheese combinations like Monterey Jack, Asiago or Romano. Even some grated cheddar or marble will work.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the butter, mayonnaise, green onions, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.
3. Cut each half of French bread into 4 pieces.
4. Spread the cheese mixture evenly on the bread pieces.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.
6. Broil for 2 more minutes to make the cheese bubbly and golden.

Today is National Artichoke Hearts Day.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Pour into 8” baking dish.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve hot with crackers, bread slices and vegetables.