Beer Battered Onion Rings

My kids love onion rings. So on our hot dog night, instead of sweet potato fries, I thought I'd try my hand at onion rings. I've never made them before and I know everyone would love them. 

I'm not much of an onion person. I like them in moderation. I can't really eat raw onions as the taste will just linger with me FOREVER!   But I like to eat them in there cooked form.

I like onion rings, but I have to admit that I'm the person who takes the onion out and will just eat the crunchy batter around it.

Yes I used to cut the ends of my bread:)

I have to say that since this blog has started, I've been cooking things that I either never thought about making or I just never had faith in myself to make. So I am very thankful that since I have started this blog, along with reading many of the other wonderful blogs out there, it has inspired me to try so many new things in the kitchen.

So thanks for sticking with me and here we go!

Ingredients:

2 sweet vidalia onions

2 Cups all-purpose flour

2 Teaspoons garlic powder

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 Teaspoon smoked paprika

1 Egg

1-1 1/2 Bottles of beer

1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Canola oil for frying

Begin by slicing onions into 1/2 inch slices. Separate slices into rings.

In a large bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Stir to combine.

Then pour beer in bowl and stir well until it is the consistency of batter. Add Dijon mustard and mix well then set aside.

In a shallow dish, add  bread crumbs and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Combine bread crumb mixture.

Add oil to frying pan. about enough to cover 2-3 inches from the bottom.

Heat oil to 350 degrees. 

Dip the onion rings into wet batter to coat, then dredge into bread crumb mixture. Carefully put them into hot oil, and turn a few times to get the rings golden brown.

Remove rings from oil, and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve warm with your favorite sauce or dip.

Herbs De Provence Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Today I am trying to re-invent myself, my house and my life. A new year and a new me. I am going on a diet, I am working on home improvements, I am getting rid of clutter, and putting away all of the holiday decorations. And tonight I will try to change up my usual roasted chicken with something a little more fancy, a little more special.

My family loves roasted chicken. For us, it's like a go to meal when you just don't know what to cook. I'll say "how about roasted chicken?" And my family will say "yeah that sounds good!" My husband says he can eat roasted chicken everyday. My daughter loves it with lot's of herbs. Today I will be trying Herbs de Provence. I have never tried it before, but the smell from this herb mixture is so earthy and refreshing.

The herbs that were in this packet of Herbs de Provence, included

Onion, sea salt,rosemary, marjoram and lavender. The lavender paired so well with the earthiness of the rosemary.

This chicken was definitely a hit! This recipe will now be one of our weekly meals.

Trying this herb mixture made me want to channel a little Julia Child in my cooking. 

For my brush on marinade, I will be using the juice of one lemon. 

The juiced halves, I will be placing in the cavity of the chicken, along with a sprinkle

Of salt and a few sprigs of rosemary.

If I have twine on hand, I will usually use some to tie up the legs of the bird, but when I don't have any twine on hand, I use a method that I had seen demonstrated on a cooking TV program. 

what I do is cut a slit very carefully in the flap of meat that is near the entrance of the cavity, and I stick the leg that is on the opposite side of the bird, through that little slit.

And I repeat on the other flap. Be sure not to make your 

slits to wide though, as the chicken leg may not stay put.

Interesting look right?!

I used a pastry brush to slather on the Herbs de Provence mixture.

Looks great so far!

For the bird:

1 4-5 pound whole chicken

2 tablespoons herbs de Provence 

2 teaspoons salt

 1 tablespoons olive oil

1 lemon halved and juiced

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

A few sprigs of rosemary

For vegetables:

4 potatoes halved or quartered

5 carrots chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, and 2 tablespoons herbs de provence, stir to combine. One chicken has giblets removed and has been rinsed and dried, I first like to season the cavity with some extra bit of salt and pepper. I then put the lemon halves that have already been juiced, and place in cavity along with a few springs of fresh rosemary.

Close legs with twine or you can try the method that I have spoken about earlier.

Set chicken in a roasting pan.

Pour herb mixture over chicken and rub on all over chicken. 

In a large bowl, add olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence. Stir to combine mixture. Add cut potatoes and carrots to the bowl and toss with herb mixture until vegetables are well coated.

Place vegetables around your bird so everybody is snuggled.

Bake at 425 for about 1 and 1/2 hours. I usually check for doneness 

At 1 hour. You will know it's ready when an instant read thermometer reads 180 degrees when placed in the deepest part of the thigh.

Remove from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

If you liked this recipe, please remember to share!

New Year's Stir-Fry Hoppin' John

Every year on New Year's Day, I make food that represents good luck throughout the year. I just feel good knowing that I started my year in a lucky way. There are many traditional foods that have been said to bring good luck if you eat them on New Year's Day. In Asian country's, in is customary to eat long noodles, as this signifies a long life. The secret is to eat the noodles without breaking them.

In some country's, eating lentils is said to bring good luck because they resemble coins which represent wealth.

The many seeds of a pomegranate are said to bring good luck because they too represent prosperity.

Fish are considered good luck because they swim forward, signifying progress in the new year.

Pigs are root forward when getting food, so that is why pork is  considered lucky food on New Year's Day.

Cooked greens look like money and are believed to bring money in the new year.

And black eye peas are famous for New Years because they too look like little coins. And that's what I will be making today.

I saw this recipe for a black eye pea stir fry in fitness magazine last year that used Canadian bacon, but I'm going to try this dish with good old bacon and an addition of cabbage to represent the greens.

It is always good to start the new year right, so here we go!

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 pound on chopped bacon

About 1 cup chopped cabbage

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced celery

1 14-ounce can black eye peas, rinsed and drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

I begin by placing oil, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large skillet, and cook for 10 seconds just to combine. Add bacon, celery and cabbage and cook  

3-4 minutes or until bacon browns a bit and cabbage is tender/crisp.

Add black eye peas, rice, salt and a sprinkle of black pepper and stir to combine. Cook until rice is heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Top with a sprinkle of parsley, serve and enjoy! 

Along with this recipe, I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year!

Mama's Fried Chicken

Christmas shopping has worn me out. Every time I think my list is complete, I remember someone I forgot. Trying to stick to my budget has been challenging. What do you buy for distant relatives you may or may not see and you know they are not buying you anything but you can't walk in empty handed for them when you bought for everyone else? I looked at food baskets, throw blankets, sweaters but I did not know there size, then I saw them...SLIPPERS done! Good enough!

And I love slippers. I hope someone got me some slippers cuz I would so be walking around in them right now.

Anyway yeah this is crunch time and no time to spare. In between shopping, wrapping, getting holiday outfits ready, making reservations here and there, haircuts, prepping my holiday menu, eyebrow waxing, let me tell ya, there is no time for a decent meal. So I decided that today I would take the day off, recharge and make some good old Mama Ruby's fried chicken. 

Yup she taught me this and she always said: "Always use Self rising flour." Self rising flour is flour with baking powder and sometimes a bit of salt added to it. She swears by it and you really can tell the difference between chicken fried with all purpose flour and chicken fried with self rising.  I find that it gives foods a little more rise, a little more lift.

So while I take the day to eat and recharge for more holiday craziness, here is our fried chicken recipe that I would like to share with you today: 

10 chicken drumsticks 

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1 package white mushrooms

2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes

4-5 cups vegetable oil for frying

3 cups self rising flour

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

In preparation for the frying I first add flour into a large plastic tub that has a fitted top. I use this bucket only for dredging meats. I also add the salt, pepper and garlic powder to bucket.

Stir to combine and set aside. 

Cut potatoes into wedges and place in a plastic container and add water just to cover potatoes. This will keep them from getting brown.

I like to remove the skin from the drumsticks. I just think it adds too much fat and it tastes just as good without it. I do this be removing the skin with a paper towel. It's much easier than just using my hands.

Then place chicken drumsticks, tenders, potatoes and mushrooms to the flour filled container. 

Place the top on container and make sure it's on good then start just shaking container back and forth to coat chicken.

Heat oil in large skillet to about 350 degrees.  Add some chicken pieces along with some potato wedges and a few mushrooms in pan to cook. Don't overcrowd pan and cook in batches. Usually when the mushrooms are a little browned, they are done. And very addictive. The potatoes usually take around 5-8 minutes to get browned, crispy and done. Turning occasionally as not to burn. 

The chicken may take a little longer.

About 8-10 for white meat 13-15 for dark meat. Be sure to turn occasionally so they don't burn. I usually set a timer for 3 minute intervals in between turning. Cook until chicken is browned and juices run clear. Smaller pieces cook faster than bigger pieces. I always use a food thermometer to make sure the chicken is done and the temperature of the cooked chicken is 180 degrees. Drain on paper towels and let rest 5-7 minutes before serving.

I serve with my husbands favorite dip that consists of Ketchup, Tabasco and a bit of lemon juice combined. Delish! 

Thanks for stopping by!