Fried Pickles On The Fly!

So, I am notorious for starting a craving frenzy on facebook for fried pickles! This started last month, while I was in New Jersey. My beau took me to Cheeseburger In Paradise (Note- their burgers suck, but their fried pickles are amazeballs!). A few days later..I was on a high craving for fried pickles again. Like, a seriously moody..won't eat anything until I get this..type of craving. One thing led to another and girls from one of my favorite message boards, were going crazy for the craving. Some went out to eat that night as did I, and some said they were making them at home.

So here I am, home, in Tampa. Craving them. I have a jar of spears on the table....one thing leads to another and I am whipping up my own concoction in hopes of it being edible...(This is how all great cooks start out, right?)...I googled a few recipes, nothing seemed easy enough. So alas, I come up with my own. Nope I did not measure...so be fabulous like me and just wing it :-)

Prep- 3 small bowls, a fork, a frying pan
Ingredients: Pickles (Slices would work so much better, but beggars can't be choosers!) I had spears.
1 Egg, flour, breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, hot sauce, and vanilla soy milk (yes, I went there)

1st bowl I put a cup of flour, some paprika and garlic powder...mixed it up...
2nd bowl whisk egg, milk (1/4 cup?), and tbsp or 2 of hot sauce..your choice
3rd bowl breadcrumbs, paprika, and garlic powder..mix it up

FIRST IMPORTANT RULE: DAB ALL JUICES OUT OF PICKLES BEFORE STARTING!!!!!

Next, go into each bowl....cover in bowl one, soak in bowl two, and bowl three turns into an art project and your fingers get glue like...you will survive. While you are doing this you should be heating your oil on the stove (I used vegetable, you can use olive, canola, peanut, etc) Once heated up and popping a little...place pickles in pan...turn after about 30-40 seconds if it 's a spear...4 times to get each angle..if it's slices you used, then turn them after about 45-60 seconds.

Once browned and crisp, take out, lay across paper towels to absorb the excess oil...service with your favorite dressing if you don't have some super fabulous horseradish sauce...I used ranch..thousand island is great too!

This is CHEAP, EASY, and somewhat not messy.... :-) ENJOY!!!!


ETA: My grandmother had NEVER had this before, and she tried them, her statement "Wow! These are interesting, I never would have thought....this would make an interesting appetizer for events!" :-)