Oven-Fried Onion Rings

We had these with some Ina Garten sliders.  I would make them again just for the smell!  They were amazingly crunchy and the onions were perfectly cooked.  Just the way an onion ring should be.  And when you bite into them, the onion stays with the breading!  Scot and I really enjoyed these.  

I think the potato chip coating is genius.  It takes a little bit away from the health benefits of baking rather than frying, but it gives the onion rings such a nice crunch.  This could also easily be made gluten-free by using only potato chips and gluten-free flour.    

The baking was pretty hassle free, but the assembly does take some time.  

Oven-Fried Onion Rings

from Brown Eyed Baker, adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 ground black pepper

30 saltine crackers

4 cups kettle-cooked potato chips

2 large yellow onions, cut into 24 rings (see Note 1)

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees F. Place 1/4 cup flour in shallow baking dish. Beat egg and buttermilk together in bowl. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup flour, cayenne, salt and pepper into buttermilk mixture. Pulse saltines and potato chips together in food processor until finely ground; 8 to 10 pulses.

Place crumb mixture in second shallow baking dish.

Working one at a time, dredge each onion ring in flour, shaking off excess. Dip rings in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, then drop into crumb coating, turning rings to coat evenly.

Transfer coated rings to large plate or tray.

Pour 3 tablespoons oil onto each of two rimmed baking sheets. Place baking sheets in oven and heat until just smoking, about 8 minutes. Carefully tilt heated sheets to coat evenly with oil, then arrange onion rings on sheets. Baking, flipping onion rings and switching and rotating position of baking sheets halfway through baking, until golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes. Briefly drain onion rings on paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

Note 1: Slice the onions into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, separate the rings, and discard any rings smaller than 2 inches in diameter. It will depend on the size of your onions, but both of mine ended up being sliced into 4 to get the 1/2-inch-thick rounds.

Note 2: The onion rings can be breaded in advance and refrigerated for up to an hour. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking them; if baked while still chilled from the refrigerator, the onions will not cook enough to soften and will remain crunchy.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 45 min., Cook time: 25 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Chicken Enchilada Dip Roll-Ups

I have been wanting to try these ever since Annie posted them.  In fact, one of my friends already tried them for me!  And she said everyone really loved them.  And I thought they were really tasty too!

They are a nice appetizer because they can be made in advance and can be served room temperature.  I put more cayenne pepper and chili powder in the filling than what was listed in the recipe.  I wanted them to be spicy.  I also seasoned the chicken with chili powder and paprika before grilling.  I would say, just add the seasonings to your own personal taste.  

It also helps to wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for about a minute.  It makes them much easier to work with when rolling them up.

And, maybe you all already know this...but did you know that green onions will re-grow if you put the white parts in a glass of water?!?!?  It works!  And it only takes a few days.  Look:

Chicken Enchilada Dip Roll-Ups

from Annie’s Eats

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, pepper jack, etc.)

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt, to taste

Handful of cilantro, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained well

4-6 8-inch tortillas

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet over medium high heat until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

In the meantime, combine all of the remaining ingredients except tortillas in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Once the chicken is cool, transfer to a cutting board and chop or shred into small pieces. Add the chicken to the filling mixture and stir well to incorporate.

Spread a thin layer of the filling mixture over a tortilla, leaving a small border clear around the edge. Roll the tortilla up tightly into a spiral. Place the rolled up tortilla on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into 1- to 11/2-inch thick segments. Transfer to a serving platter and serve chilled or at room temperature.

(Servings: 10, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 15 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Gemelli with Fennel and Hot Sausage

We eat lots of pasta.  And I really like simple, quick pastas.  I also need to change things up.  All the time with pasta.  

This is roasted fennel, carrots, onions and sausage.  Then tossed with any short pasta.  Deglaze the baking pan with some of the pasta water.  Add that.  Done.  It is really easy.

I loved the sweet carrots and all the roasted-ness.  And the sausage is important, otherwise I am thinking it would be too bland.  

I will note that I could have roasted everything for about 25 minutes rather than 30 minutes.  So, make sure you check the roasted-ness as you get closer to 30 minutes.  

And I realize I didn't use gemelli pasta.  But who cas.  Scot just told me you can't spell cares with an accent like that.  See ya!

Gemelli with Fennel and Hot Sausage

by Rachael Ray

3/4 pound hot italian sausage links, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large bulb fennel, cut into strips

1 large onion, sliced

3 carrots, sliced on an angle

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 pound gemelli pasta

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 425°. On a baking sheet, toss the sausage, fennel, onion and carrots with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.

Add the sausage-vegetable mixture to the pasta. Add the reserved pasta cooking water to the baking sheet, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to the pasta mixture. Toss in the parsley; season with salt and pepper.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Bread and Veg

I would argue that there is nothing better than bread and butter.  Softened salted butter, obv.  But also, good, good bread.  And I am picky about bread.  If it lasts longer than a few days, I probably am not going to like it.

Bakeries aren't big in Boulder.  I mean there are a few.  There aren't any near me.  The best I can find is Panera, which is great, but it isn't on the bike ride home...so it is not convenient.  Therefore, I have been trying to see how hard it really is to bake bread.   Can I do it on a regular basis?  Is it worth it?  Do I have the skillz to make Panera quality bread?

I tried the No-Knead Artisan bread baked in the dutch oven a few weeks ago.  It was delicious.  BUT...it took about 24 hours.  And the dutch oven gets extremely hot (needed too layers of oven mitt).  And I got corn meal on about ever square inch of my kitchen.  I knew I would make it again, but not regularly.

So, I have been searching for something easier...and I think I found it!  EEEEE!!!!

I found this recipe that makes 4 1 lb. loaves of bread total.  The dough takes about 5 minutes to make. Then it rises for two hours.  Then you put in the fridge and can use it anytime after 3 hours up to 14 days.  All you do is cut of a piece of dough, shape, let rise for 40 minutes, bake for 30 minutes on a pizza stone.  Easiest thing ever!

I made the first loaf today.  It was so so so good.  I will wait to do a full post until I make the rest because they say that it gets better as it sits in the fridge.  But here is the recipe if you just can't wait.

It is a different texture than the other Artisan bread.  It was less holey.  I honestly liked both.  It was probably more moist.  The crust was still nice and crisp, but not has hard as the other.  Mostly because this one didn't have any corn meal.  Again, I really like both for different reasons.

The main point:  this bread was too easy.  It is almost easier than going to the store and buying it.  And it cost 40 cents a loaf to make.  Big fan.

We ate this bread for dinner with grilled veg and a caprese salad.  And I loved every second of it.

Cheese and Potato Pierogies

I have made it a goal of mine to try out the many different "dumpling" type recipes popular in different cultures.  This goal is just in my head and not very organized.  Just something that has always been interesting to me.  There are Chinese pot stickers, Italian ravioli, American chicken and dumplings, Italian gnocchi, and many more.  They are all made from different types of doughs and can be boiled, steamed or fried (often some combination).  There are also many other dough pockets that are usually not boiled or steamed like Spanish (and many of nationalities) empanadas, Italian calzones, Indian samosas, various meat pies, and...the American Hot Pocket.  These are usually baked or fried (or microwaved in the case of the Hot Pocket).  And there are a million more.  

Pierogies originated in Eastern and Central Europe.  Places like Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and a lot of countries that end in 'ia'.  I feel like I know very little about the food in this part of the world.  My advisor is Russian and I always ask him what Russian food is...I have never received a satisfying answer.  

A pierogi is one of the "dumplings" I have been wanting to try.  It is made from unleavened dough.  These were filled with a mashed potato and cheddar cheese mixture.  They are then boiled for about a minute and pan fried in butter and olive oil to crisp up the outside.  I served them with sauteed onions and sour cream.  

I was very impressed!  It is amazing that such simple ingredients like potatoes, cheese and a simple dough (made from only 3 ingredients) can be so good.  And all things I usually have around.  I think a dish like pierogies needs a lot of love.  Whenever I am working with such basic ingredients, I know there has to be a trick to make it taste not basic.  

It is important the filling is well seasoned.  Taste it and probably put a little more salt in it than you would for mashed potatoes.  It is important to not over cook them. Boil them only until the float to the surface of the water.  Finally, I like to add some olive oil to the butter when pan frying.  Butter burns so easily that the oil allows you to fry the pierogies at a higher temperature, which helps them not soak up as much fat but still get a nice crisp outer shell.  

And I really liked the topping of sauteed onions and sour cream.  I think this plate of dumplings looks ridiculous.  Don't worry, we didn't eat them all.  

Cheese and Potato Pierogies

from Soupbelly

Dough Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup water

Potato & Cheese Filling:

1 lb. russet potatoes

3 oz. grated cheddar cheese

salt/pepper

1 Tbsp. dried chives

Other Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced thinly

butter (for sautéing)

flour (kneading and rolling dough)

To make the dough: Combine flour and salt. Add beaten eggs and water. Mix the dough until it becomes elastic and can be molded into a ball. Add more flour if it is too sticky. Wrap ball of dough in plastic and set in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

To make the filling: Cut potatoes into cubes. Boil until soft. Mash with grated cheese, chives. Salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature.

To fill pierogies: Generously flour a cutting board and form the dough into a long roll. Add flour to the board and your hands as needed. Form 24 balls of dough from roll. Flatten a dough ball with your hand and make it large enough to place a heaping teaspoon (or more) or potato filling in center. Fold dumpling in half, and seal edges by crimping the sides together with a fork. Set on a floured surface and repeat until finished.

Melt 1 Tbsp. of butter on a large skillet. Sauté onions until browned, set aside.

To cook pierogies: Boil a large pot of salted water. On another burner, add 1 tsp. of butter on a skillet and heat on medium high heat. Add pierogies to the boiled water, 4-5 at a time but don’t overcrowd the pot. Boil for a few minutes until they float up, use a slotted spoon to lift them out onto a plate. Place drained pierogies onto the skillet and cook both sides until golden. Set on a plate and repeat process until finished. Top pierogies with sautéed onions and serve with sour cream.

(Servings: 24, Prep time: 1.5 hrs., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Intermediate)

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Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

I really loved this salad.  We had it a few weeks back with the burgers and I never posted the recipe.  It is so delicious.  

I am almost never drawn to buttermilk dressing.  And this buttermilk dressing was amazing.  With all my dressings, even creamy ones, I like them to be fairly runny.  And this recipe has the perfect consistency for me.  

Also, I try and try to eat raw whole radishes.  My dad always does.  And it seems like something cool people do.  But I always fail.  At being cool.  And at eating whole raw radishes.  Maybe someday I will acquire the taste.  However, cut up in this salad, they are so amazing.  It is such a good combo of the radish, cabbage, celery and the sweet buttermilk dressing.  

And check out my new pages!  I added some info about me and about this blog.  I also added a recipe index.  

Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

adapted from Gourmet, November 2007 via smitten kitchen

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1 pound Napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (4 cups)

6 radishes, diced

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced diagonally

Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, shallot, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until sugar has dissolved, then whisk in chives.

Toss cabbage, radishes, and celery with dressing.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 0 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Macleid's Rockcastle Chili

What!?!?  Chili?  I know it is weird.  What is weirder is that I ended up making it on the hottest day so far this year.  Whoops!  Everyone loves to eat chili and sweat a little.  

Actually, I am looking for a good chili recipe for this Fall.  For a soup bar for my sis-in-law's wedding.  She claims that the groom considers chili one of the five food groups.  Therefore, my number one goal is to make a form of chili that he likes.  I know a bit about his dietary preferences.  And I know he loves beans and beer.  When I saw this recipe, I thought it might be perfect.  

The chili is a nice change from the traditional tomato chili (which is usually my favorite, go to chili).  While it still has tomatoes in it, it doesn't have a lot .  

Macleid’s Rockcastle Chili

from Joy of Cooking

Cook in a large skillet until the cracklings are golden brown:

8 ounces of bacon, diced

Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon. Cook briefly in the drippings:

1.5 pounds beef round steak, coarsely ground or chopped in food processor

6-12 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

2 large onions, coarsely chopped

Add, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and stir until the foam disappears:

One 12-ounce bottle dark beer

Remove all to a Dutch oven or other large pot. Stir in:

One 32-ounce can whole tomatoes, with their juice

One 16-ounce can kidney beans, with their liquid

One 16-ounce can Great Northern beans, with their liquid

One 16-ounce can pinto beans, with their liquid

6 tablespoons ancho chile powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon black pepper

1.5 cups water or one 12-ounce bottle dark beer

Simmer for about 3 hours, covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.  Season to taste with:

Salt and black pepper

Hot pepper sauce

(Servings: 8-10, Prep time: 45 min., Cook time: 3 hrs., Difficulty: Easy)

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