I'm joining the carnival...

okay, maybe not... (even though I probably have enough tattoos to be apart of some weird sideshow or something) but seriously, who doesn't like carnival food? I mean... what kid doesn't want to eat their weight in funnel cakes and cotton candy and spew their guts out on the tilt-o-whirl? Oh funnel cakes... so delicious and fried, blessed with tons and tons of powdered sugar. The glory! Well, now you can make funnel cakes at home, in no time at all. I decided (if I ever reproduce) I'm definitely keeping this recipe up my sleeve to woo all of my kids friends. "Oh, Tommy's mom makes pancakes? That's really cool and original... NOT!!! HAVE FUNNEL CAKES KIDS!!!" It's official, I'll be the coolest. Don't sweat it, I'll empty a can of cherry pie filling on top so they get some nutrition :)

But seriously, try this out for a fun and quick dessert. It's next to impossible to mess up, and will excite the crap out of little kids, hungry tattooed boys, and police officer big brothers. May I add they're also pretty stellar to slip into a ziploc baggie and sneak into a movie as well, just sayin.

I got this recipe from The Tasty Kitchen, where the incredible Pioneer Woman gives a great tutorial, as per usual. I actually tried it out the first time the other night at work. There was an Americana dinner at work the other night and my boss and I did a "modern" apple pie. It went a little something like... funnel cake, tahitian vanilla pastry cream, apple pie filling, funnel cake, powdered sugar, cinnamon, scoop of house made walnut spice ice cream. Yeah, maybe it was a heart attack in a bowl, maybe it would make Paula Deen blush... and maybe it's the best freaking thing you'll ever eat :)

So go fill your favorite deep skillet or dutch oven with lots and lots of veggie oil, get it super hot, and get your batter ready.

3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-2 1/4 cup milk

powdered sugar for dusting (or dumping)

Canola Oil, for frying

-combine all dry ingredients in bowl.

-Next, add eggs and combine. The dough will be super clumpy and that's okay.

-Add your vanilla.

-Finally add your milk. It'll take at least 2 cups but you can add up to 1/2 cup more if you want your batter thinner. You want it a tad thicker than pancake batter.

-Now, obviously you may use the funnel method, since these are funnel cakes... however I filled a squeeze bottle with batter and cup the tip a tiny bit to make the opening a bit larger.

-Squeeze a small drop of the batter into the pan to test the oil. If the droplet floats to the to immediately you're in business, if not kick up the heat!

-Once you are sure the oil is hot enough, squeeze the batter in a crazy pattern (don't be afraid to get close to the oil. keep the tip of the squeeze bottle no higher than an inch from the top of the oil). Allow to brown and with a fish spatula (or a slotted spoon, whatever you have around) flip so the other side gets equally deliciously golden brown, this should take around 3 mins on each side.

-Scoop funnel cake out and allow to de-grease on a paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and devour. These guys are obviously best served warm, but it's funnel cake... it will be good ANYWHERE.

-It'd be a really fun dinner party dessert to have a funnel cake bar and prepare a funnel cake for each of your guests and then have a buffet of toppings for them to choose from. Also, same idea for a kids birthday party... kids and adults are strangely similar when it comes to desserts :)