Wild American shrimp are butterflied, highly seasoned, dipped in flour, then blended milk and egg and last in panko breadcrumbs, then deep-fried.

Deep-Fried Butterflied Panko Shrimp

Even though I love fried shrimp all kinds of ways, my number one way to make them is the classic version.

It's the one I crave and make the most.

I also love them batter-dipped or tempura style and if I'm baking them like an oven fry, panko breadcrumbs are likely to be my top choice of breading, just for the added crunch.

This time I thought I'd try the panko breadcrumbs in a deep fry instead, and I'm glad I did. They turned out fantastic!

Jumbo shrimp, tossed in a seasoned olive oil with lemon zest and lots of garlic, topped with a panko and Parmesan crumb topping and baked.

Sheet Pan Panko Shrimp

These are almost sheet pan scampi or garlic shrimp meets oven fried shrimp, without all the hassle of dipping and battering. The inspiration for this dish came from Marlene Koch's cookbook, Eat What You Love Everyday {affil link} and it works well as both a main dish or an appetizer. The Cajun and I weren't that hungry, so I left the tails on and we ate this as an appetizer. They were amazing!

Charleston Cheese Dip, made with cream cheese, cheddar and swiss cheeses, bacon, jalapeno, green onion, and topped with panko and bacon.

Charleston Cheese Dip

I was poking around in my Trisha Yearwood's Home Cooking cookbook again and ran across this recipe for her Charleston Cheese Dip. Trisha said it was her take on a dip she had while on tour one year with a stop in Charleston.

A combination of seasoned dry bread crumbs and panko make for some yummy fried cheese sticks! Try them with a super easy homemade marinara sauce.

Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

I have really been loving the panko breadcrumbs ever since they became more widely available in our supermarkets. 

Yes, y'all... I'm going back the future here for the future you who shows up here and says... "what?" 

Believe it or not, once upon a time, not so long before this, it was near impossible to find panko breadcrumbs in any grocery store. You really had to seek them out in a specialty food store. I know! Hard to believe isn't it, but it's true, and yes, now I'm feeling OLD!!

Summer squash, stuffed with bell pepper, onion, tomatoes and pepper jack cheese, and topped with a sprinkle of panko bread crumbs.

Cheesy Stuffed Summer Squash

This is another great recipe to use those prolific summer squash, garden fresh tomatoes and even some of those bell peppers too. I just had to show the image below, which shows the pre-breaded squash because the stuffing is just so fresh looking.

A squash and tomato casserole, layered in a pan with sweet Vidalia onions, bacon and cheese, and seasonings, topped with panko bread crumbs and garnished with a chiffonade of fresh basil.

Layered Squash and Tomato Casserole

Yes, I know... it's hot out, but if you don't mind turning on the oven, this is a great way to enjoy those fresh summer squash and garden tomatoes.

You could eliminate the bacon if you like (but why would you want to?!), but don't skip the panko if at all possible - it provides a wonderful crunchy contrast to the tender vegetables.

Potatoes dredged in a seasoned buttermilk, rolled in cornflake or panko crumbs, and baked.

Crispy Oven Fries

Generic corn flakes are a great way to get a nice crunch when you want to oven fry, but that doesn't have to be limited to chicken. Give it a swing sometime with potatoes and add a whole other layer of texture. Try it with panko bread crumbs, or check out the variation at the bottom, using a mayonnaise coating and cornbread dressing mix. Here's how to make them.

The good ole, standby, oven baked Ranch Chicken that everybody loves, updated with the use of mayo, panko and crushed saltines.

Crispy Panko Coated Ranch Chicken

I am so glad that panko bread crumbs have become more mainstream and readily available over the past couple of years, because they add a special crispness to foods. Panko breadcrumbs are jagged edged and flaky, so that they remain crisp whether they are used in frying or baking, plus they make a great topping too.

A few little twists on the old classic, this green bean casserole, includes freshly sauteed onion, sliced almonds, and a buttery crumb topping.

Green Bean Casserole with Crumb Topping

Green bean casserole is just about as traditional as you can get for the holidays, and I don't care how much folks try to knock it, it's another one of those dishes that are expected down South at both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

For me, it's not the holidays without it!

It's made most often in the classic way that has been around forever ... with our famous red and white can of southern béchamel - better known as Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup!

Fresh jalapeno peppers are blanched then stuffed with a bacon and cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack blend, dipped in buttermilk, rolled in flour & deep fried. Yum!

Fried Jalapeno Poppers

We just don't do a lot of Tex-Mex recipes here along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and I'd venture to guess that most folks who live in my area probably buy their poppers from the freezer section at the grocery store! They are not the same as homemade folks, so I decided to make my own homemade version that I have come to love.

Transform cold, leftover mashed potatoes into a whole new side with these delicious potato croquettes.

Tater Cakes!- Mashed Potato Patties

Better known I guess as Mashed Potato Patties, but Tater Cakes sound so much more interesting, don't ya think?

The basic seasoning for my potato patties are always garlic powder, onion powder, and of course, a little Slap Ya Mama {affil link}, but honestly you can flavor these up just about anyway you like.

You can also use a variety of coatings in combination with the flour - bread crumbs are standard, panko bread crumbs are superb, but crushed potato chips or tortilla chips work well, especially the flavored and spicy kinds of chips, heck you can even use crushed plain corn flakes! Use your imagination.