Surprises are Fun and I just had one right in my own backyard! The unexpected or sometimes expected. Today I had two. Either way a surprise most of the time is a lot of fun. We Have had a drought and even a burn ban, but to day it rained really hard. It had sprinkled a few weeks back and everything had greened up a bit but today was different because it had cooled off a little. So I decided to get in my pickup and drive around on our property to just look.
THE UNEXPECTED
Out by one of the sheds it really isn’t pretty, but I drove by and to my surprise this is what I saw! It was so pretty and I also found out what happened to my package of morning glory seeds I had lost earlier this year. On a side note I did get another surprise, I was so busy watching out for rattlesnakes, I stood right in a fire ant pile. Ouch! I will be reminded of that surprise for a few days!
One expected surprise I get every month is from my fine wine club. I know it is arriving, but it is still so much fun to get something delivered to your home. I will keep looking outside for more surprises because the seasons are changing and it is always fun to watch everything change.
Speaking of rattlesnakes, because we live in rattlesnake country, my friend makes a great snack called rattlesnake bites, they are the bomb! They are great for a party, I may just surprise my Husband and make some now. Here is the recipe:
Rattlesnake Bites
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 8oz blocks pepper Jack cheese, shredded
- 2-3 jalapenos chopped small
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
- 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
- 1tsp garlic powder
- Oil for frying
First combine cheese and jalapenos in a bowl. Then shape cheese mixture into 1 1/2″ balls. Make sure you roll these tightly. then place on cookie sheet and freeze about 30 min. Preheat you deep fryer to 350. Now put flour in a bowl. In another bowl beat up egg with the milk together until well beaten. Next in the third bowl mix bread crumbs , cayenne pepper and garlic together.
Now roll your cheese balls into the flour mixture, then dip into the milk mixture and last coat with the breadcrumbs. Fry a few at a time in the oil for about 3-4 min. or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. You can eat as they are or add your favorite dipping sauce to them.
When to Eat Them and With What
These rattle snack bite will be a fun surprise when you bite into them and all the delicious gooey cheese oozes out all around your mouth and then you get the spiciness from the Jalapenos. These are good to had as an hors d’oeuvre at any party or just for yourself. I love them with a good ole pot of Red Pinto beans and a slice of buttermilk cornbread. They can turn a plan country meal into something special.
They make a great addition to a potluck party, you can easily warm them in the oven or microwave then. But you better take a ton of them. They will not last long. There are so many parities during the holidays, and this is a great thing to take. It is so easy to make and everyone will eat them right up. You can also leave out the peppers for those who like things mild. I remove the seeds from my Jalapenos and they are not as hot, that way you don’t lose the great flavor they add to the bite.
Looking back At the Unexpected Surprise
I took the picture of the morning glory pictured above in September and I went back out by the Shed on the First of November and found it was still alive and blooming even though our temperature had dropped to a hard freeze of 25 for a couple of nights. We then went back up to 40degrees at night for a few days, That is the good ole Oklahoma weather. I guess it is the surprise that keeps surprising.
Time to get cooking
Talking about surprises and rattlesnake bites makes me want to cook! I guess I will be making a trip to the store in a bit. Happy cooking and Just explore outside you may find a surprise of your own!