Barb s Fried Green Tomatoes with Zesty Sauce

1 cup potato flakes

36 thin wheat crackers (such as Wheat Thins®)

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup butter-flavored granules (such as Butter Buds®)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup butter flavored shortening (such as Crisco®)

5 green tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

3 eggs, beaten

¼ cup buttermilk ranch dressing

¼ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (such as Frank s RedHot®)

Place potato flakes, wheat crackers, flour, butter-flavored granules, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Pulse until the crackers are finely crushed, then transfer mixture to a bowl.

Melt the butter flavored shortening in a skillet over medium-high heat. Dip the tomato slices one at a time into the eggs, then the cracker mixture. Pan fry the tomatoes in the shortening until golden brown on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes.

Mix the ranch dressing, sour cream, and hot pepper sauce in a bowl. Serve the fried tomatoes with topped with the sauce.