Easy Fruit or Vegetable Fritters 

It’s time to get up on the stool and pull the cookie press and other seasonal baking gadgets from the top shelf. I normally don’t eat a lot of sweets, but there’s something about this time of year that calls me to gain a few extra pounds, on top of the other extra pounds.

Everywhere I go people put out bowls and plates of candies and cookies. I am most susceptible to Hershey’s miniatures, you know the assortment with the Krackle and other little bars. I usually have a bowl of these within arm’s reach about four weeks out of the year.

The cookbooks are on the table, along with recipes ripped from newspapers and magazines. There is a recipe for Chocolate Crinkles that I begged from a neighbor after gorging myself on hers. The dough needs to chill, so maybe tomorrow.

We are a family of big eaters, and all of my kids are great cooks. One is a bona fide chef. But every once in awhile, I’ll get a call or an email asking for a recipe, usually for something that is part of their childhood memories. This is one of those and the one I go to when I want comfort food on the slightly sweet side. Hope you like it.

Easy Fruit or Vegetable Fritters

You can use perfect fruit but also some that is passed its prime. I mostly use apples and cut out the bruises or spots. This recipe makes 6 large fritters or 8 smaller ones. (large shown above).

• 1 cup flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• ⅓ cup milk
• 2 cups thinly sliced fruit

1. In a large bowl, whisk dry ingredients together.

2. In another, smaller bowl whisk liquid ingredients together:

3. Add milk/egg mixture to dry ingredients and mix with large spoon until blended. Do not beat.

4. Add 2 cups of thinly sliced fruit. Continue blending until all comes together.

5. Heat about ½” of cooking oil in a skillet/frying pan on med-high heat. When a drop of cold water added to the oil sizzles and pops, reduce heat to medium.

6. Add batter so that it resembles pancakes. Press a bit with a spatula so that they aren’t too thick. This will help ensure that the centers are cooked.

7. Fry until the underside is nicely browned, then turn.

8. Fry until the second side is cooked. This will take less time. You can push down on the fritter to check for oozing. If you see uncooked batter, reduce heat and fry a little longer. It may take a couple to get it right for your pan and stove.

9. Remove from pan and lay on paper towels on a plate to absorb excess oil. When they have cooled to just warm, sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like and serve.

HINT: If you have leftover fritters, heat them on foil in the oven or toaster oven (not a microwave).

Vegetable Fritters

This is the awesome part. Use the exact same recipe minus the sugar. I love these with thinly sliced raw zucchini, but, here again, use any veggie that will cook through in the frying time. I probably wouldn’t try carrots, for example. Of course, no powdered sugar on top. Reheat in the same way.

Let me know how these work for you.