Stuffed Frickles, as in stuffed and fried pickles...how does that grab you? What if I told you these Stuffed Frickles are filled with cream cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese and green onion, then covered in a wonton wrapper and deep fried into the best pickles ever? Do I have your attention now? I guarandamtee, if you're a pickle lover, these will be the best pickles you've ever tasted. The mister thinks so and so does the boy. They love them. After tasting for the first time the mister asked, "This is great, can you make these and sell enough of them so I can retire?" Retire? What a jokester he is! That would be a big, fat NO. No. No. NO. The mister can never retire. Never. I just can't allow that! Now, I'm not being cruel here, IF the mister had a hobby, something to occupy his time, then I would definitely tell him to retire...but he doesn't...he would have nothing to do but follow me around and then I would become his hobby and that ain't happening! I almost feel like I have to go wash my hands after typing that...no, the mister cannot retire, he just can't. But he sure has been squawking about it lately...he's tired of the commute and the traffic. I tell him to pretend he's in an auto parade and to wave at his fellow motorists and enjoy his time in the car! After all, he gets to drive over a floating bridge twice a day, how can that not be fun?? (Never mind that I'm terrified of that same bridge and can barely bring myself to go over it, the mister likes bridges so if traffic is bad he gets to spend more time on the bridge, that should make him happy, right?) He also gets to argue with the guy on the radio, hit the dashboard, slam on his brakes, weave in and out of traffic at will, and strategically try to hit every puddle! Pot-holes be damned! ]
When the mister calls to tell me he is on his way home from work, I rush to the kitchen to whip up something yummy for him - something to calm his frazzled nerves, to help him relax his middle finger from the workout he gives it on the drive home! This is one of his favorites - he can pick one up, bite through the crispy, fried exterior into the fresh snap of the pickle, hit the creamy-cheesy center and almost instantly all is right in his world and if you apply the Trickle-Down-Theory, then all is right in mine.
These Stuffed Pickles make great appetizers for a rainy Saturday of watching basketball or football on TV. But I think I can guess what you're really wanting to know...are they Super Bowl worthy? Absoposilutely!!! The only way to improve the half-time show on Super Bowl Sunday is to watch it with a big plate of these Stuffed Pickles!
We don't have the Seahawks to cheer for this year, or the mister's childhood team, the Washington Redskins. Nor do we have the Kansas City Chiefs to root on, they are mi familia's team. So we'll be rooting for the Falcons, the boy's team or the Vikings, since we used to live in MinneSNOWta and were big Viking fans until we became 12's. We really don't care who wins, as long as it's not the Patriots!
Stuffed Pickles - Pots and Pins
4 large whole pickles (Claussens refrigerated pickles is what I use. Don't buy huge pickles or the wonton wrapper won't fit.)
1/4 cup softened cream cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, fried until crisp
2 green onions, finely chopped
oil for frying
1 package wonton wrappers (usually in the refrigerated section of the grocery store)
Cut pickles in half the long way. Using a small spoon, scoop out the centers of each pickle just a little bit, leaving 1/8" around the edges. (The centers can now be enjoyed by the maker! Or, if you want, cut up the centers into small pieces and mix in with the cheeses.) Repeat with remaining pickles. Set on paper toweling upside down to dry/drain a bit. In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Crumble fried bacon and add to cheese mixture. Add green onion and mix well. Using a small spoon, scoop 1/4 of the mixture into the centers of each half of the pickle, piling up in the center. Put halves together, forming a whole pickle and gently press so cheese mixture spreads out a bit. Place pickle on wonton wrapper diagonally. Wrap wonton around pickle and seal the edges by dipping your finger into water and running over the wonton. Repeat with remaining pickles.
Heat 1/2 to 1-inch of oil in small skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, put wonton-wrapped pickle in oil and cook until brown on one side, about 3 minutes, then turn and cook on the other side until evenly browned. Remove to clean paper toweling to cool a bit. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before cutting each Frickle in half. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 half Frickles/appetizers.
