Takoyaki

I've always wanted to make these Japanese street food I keep reading about - takoyaki - crispy fried octopus balls. When I saw a used cast iron takoyaki pan on eBay for a fraction of the cost to buy a Japanese-made one (no made in China for me...EVER!), I just had to buy it. It arrived rusted and dirty but without any scratches or cracks. It only took 3 seasonings (oiling and baking) for the pan to look brand new again. I tested the batter before proceeding with the recipe and it didn't stick at all. I love my new takoyaki pan!

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Cracker Jack Peanuts

Cracker Jack popcorn is not something I buy and eat regularly. The last time I had was probably 1000 years ago, in other words, once in a blue moon. The other day I saw on YouTube a group of adults open a large bag of Cracker Jack and started counting the number of peanuts because the package boasts NOW MORE PEANUTS!
I happen to have a candy cookbook called Southern Homemade Candy Collection by S. L. Watson [borrowed from Amazon Kindle lending program]. The first recipe that caught my eye is the Cracker Jack Peanuts.

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Deep Fried Apple Pie

I never was into McD's apple pie maybe because my tongue got burnt the first time I tried it many many moons ago and I remember it too sweet for my taste.

I didn't know they are now baked instead of deep fried. People who grew up eating the fried version miss the flavor and cooked their own. Serious Eats even bought the baked pies and deep fried them in their kitchen just the way the pies should be.

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Cherry Sultana Cake

I first tasted this moist delicious cake over 25 years ago. The cakes which were from Australia came in a sealed tin that you open with a can opener. I remember the cake was chock-full of moist cherries and golden raisins, not cloyingly sweet, and mildly spiked with liqueur. I don't think stores will ever sell this cake where I live; I can't even find them being sold online They are probably no longer sold in tins, I don't know. Thankfully, there are tons of recipes online and I was able to combine them to make my own moist Cherry Sultana Cake.

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