Tag: deep fried

Homemade Onion Rings

I’m addicted to onion rings. And I’m picky about them. I’m picking about the coating. It has to be light and crunchy and it has to stick to every inch of the onion. And I’m picky about the onion. Each bite has to be ‘clean’. Nothing is worse than biting into a ring and having the entire onion want to come out at once. And of course, they have to taste great. These homemade onion rings pass my picky tests and then some. They are truly fantastic.

Homemade Onion Rings

The Perfect Batter

There is absolutely nothing I would change about the batter for these homemade onion rings. It has the perfect consistency and flavor. Well, ok, I might change up the seasoning just a bit depending on who I’m serving them to or whatever my mood is that day. Me, I like a bit of heat, so cayenne is my go-to seasoning. But, a little smoked paprika or even a dried herb such as Italian seasoning also makes for a pleasant change.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

The batter would also be great on fish filets, making for a big plate of fish-and-rings.

For a nice twist on traditional onion rings, try my fried onion strips with dipping sauce. For something with a kick, you gotta make my spicy red onion rings and my copycat of the delicious onion rings at A&W.

Homemade Onion Rings
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Onion Rings

I’m addicted to onion rings. And I’m picky about them. I’m picking about the coating. It has to be light and crunchy and it has to stick to every inch of the onion. And I’m picky about the onion. Each bite has to be ‘clean’.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword onion rings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 472kcal
Author Based on a recipe from Valierie Bertinelli

Ingredients

For the onion rings

For the batter

Instructions

For the onion rings

  • Place the rings into a large bowl.
  • Add the flour and salt and toss to coat.
  • Let sit for 15 minutes.

For the batter

  • Heat 3″ of oil to 365 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven.
  • Whisk together the batter ingredients until smooth.
  • Working in batches, dip the onions into the batter and coat completely.
  • Fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side, flipping once. Do not over-crowd the fryer.
  • Transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 956mg | Potassium: 434mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Pineapple Donuts

Wow. My mind was telling me “Hey, look! A donut!”. But my taste buds were telling me “Those aren’t donuts! Those look really different and cool!”. Pineapple donuts! Woo hoo!

Pineapple rings coated in a simple batter that cooks up golden brown delicious (GBD), reminiscent of ‘normal’ donuts, are fantastic. Drizzled with maple syrup and sprinkled with confectioners sugar, they are sweet with a crazy pineapple twist.

Pineapple Donuts

The Perfect Dessert

These little slices of heaven make for an outstandingly good dessert.

I bought this really cool pineapple corer from Amazon the other day that I’ve been just waiting to use so I picked up a pineapple on sale, got the corer out of the box, and in about a minute I had perfect fresh pineapple rings for these pineapple donuts.

Pineapple Pitter,Pineapple Seed Remover Olives Pitter Tool, Pineapple Corer Pitter Tool with Space-Saving Lock Design,Multi-Function Fruit Pit Remover for Making Pineapple Jam (Stainless Steel)
Pineapple Pitter,Pineapple Seed Remover Olives Pitter Tool, Pineapple Corer Pitter Tool with Space-Saving Lock Design,Multi-Function Fruit Pit Remover for Making Pineapple Jam (Stainless Steel)

The corer can also be used to make a pineapple ‘bowl’, great for serving things like fried rice and grilled shrimp with pineapple. It’s a fun little gadget.

Also try my glazed baked mini-donuts.

Pineapple Donuts
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4 from 2 votes

Pineapple Donuts

My mind was telling me that I was about to devour donuts. But my taste buds told me that, hey, these aren't donuts!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword deep-fried, pineapple
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 143kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or deep fryer to 365 F.
  • Whisk together the Bisquick, egg and milk.
  • Dip pineapple rings into the batter and coat completely.
  • Fry the rings until golden brown, turning once.
  • Serve immediately sprinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 275mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Spiralized Curly Fries

It’s over. Done. My quest for an absolutely perfect spiralized curly fries recipe is over. I have reached the end, and the end is good. Perfectly curly. Perfectly seasoned. And perfectly crunchy. I could’ve just skipped whatever else it was I was having for dinner that night. In fact, I don’t even remember what else I had. I just remember these curly fries.

Spiralized Curly Fries

The Best Curly Fries

i used the smallest blade on my spiral slicer to make these spiralized curly fries. You could use the bigger one, but of course cook times will go up. I think the small blade is the perfect size.

Brieftons 5-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer: Strongest-Heaviest Spiral Slicer, Best Veggie Pasta Spaghetti Maker for Low Carb/Paleo/Gluten-Free/Vegan Meals, With Extra Blade Caddy, 4 Recipe Ebooks
Brieftons 5-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer: Strongest-Heaviest Spiral Slicer, Best Veggie Pasta Spaghetti Maker for Low Carb/Paleo/Gluten-Free/Vegan Meals, With Extra Blade Caddy, 4 Recipe Ebooks

The batter gives the fries their fantastic flavor. I plan on using the same batter on a whole lot of other fried foods. It’s a thin batter, not thick. Perfect for something like fish fillets or even non-curly fries.

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

I also love making a copycat of McDonald’s fries. They aren’t spiraled, but boy, they’re good! But then, Arby’s fries are spiral….

Spiralized Curly Fries
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Spiralized Curly Fries

It’s over. Done. My quest for an absolutely perfect spiralized curly fries recipe is over. I have reached the end, and the end is good. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword fries, spiral
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 4 servings
Calories 204kcal
Author Based on a recipe from Ree Drummond

Equipment

Ingredients

For the potatoes

For the batter

Instructions

For the potatoes

  • Fill a resealable container with cold water.
  • Spiralize the potatoes (I used the smallest blade) and place into the water.
  • Transfer to the refrigerator for 1 hour.

For the batter

  • Place all of the batter ingredients into a large bowl or container and whisk until smooth.
  • Heat 3″ of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 F.
  • Drain the potatoes and pat dry.
  • Place potatoes in the batter and coat well.
  • Working in batches, fry the potatoes until golden brown, turning once.
  • Transfer cooked potatoes to a wire rack or pan lined with paper towels and sprinkle liberally with salt.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 796mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Nashville Hot Pickles

Ever since I made a crazy good batch of Nashville Hot Chicken I’ve been jonesin’ for that same great hot crunchy experience on other foods. Like fried pickles. Making these Nashville Hot Pickles was easy, and boy are they packed with a nice kick! I didn’t go the mild route with these, that’s for sure. And to make sure I kept the burn going I served the pickles with a habanero ranch sauce for dipping. If you like spicy, then you’ve come to the right place!

Nashville Hot Pickles

Crunchy And Spicy Perfection

You’re going to see other great dishes like this one for Nashville Hot Pickles here on Life’s A Tomato. I love that great crunchy breading and that fiery hot seasoning. Next up? I’m thinking chicken fingers! Or maybe nuggets! And maybe even chicken wings.

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Also try my jalapeno bottle caps and my and my copycat of Hooter’s fried pickles.

Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Nashville Hot Pickles

Making these Nashville Hot Pickles was easy, and boy are they packed with a nice kick! I didn’t go the mild route with these, that’s for sure.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword deep-fried, pickles, spicy
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 91kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the dip

  • 1 cup milk or buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

For the dredge

For frying

For the spicy coating

For serving

Instructions

For the dip

  • Whisk together the milk, eggs and hot sauce in a pie pan or shallow bowl.

For the dredge

  • Whisk together the flour and salt in a pie pan or shallow bowl.

For frying

  • Heat a few inches of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 325 F.
  • Working in batches, dredge the pickles in the flour. Shake off excess.
  • Dip pickles into the milk mixture. Shake off the excess.
  • Return the pickles to the flour and dredge again. Shake off excess.
  • Transfer pickles to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  • Place on a rack to cool and drain.

For the spicy coating

  • When you’re done frying the pickles, ladle 1/3 cup of the hot oil into a small sauce pan and whisk in the spicy coating ingredients.
  • Brush mixture over the pickles. The more you brush on, the hotter it’ll be.

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 357IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Jalapeno Bottle Caps with Blue Cheese Dip

We love deep fried mushrooms. And deep fried pickles. It was just a matter of time until we made deep fried jalapeno slices. Oh my are we ever glad we did. These little jalapeno bottle caps with blue cheese dip are crazy good. They are not very hot but they do have a bit of a kick. If you’re leery of heat, fear not. They have great jalapeno flavor and a little crunch from the breading. I served them with a great, cool blue cheese dip.

Jalapeno Bottle Caps with Blue Cheese Dip

Great Breading For Anything

The deep fry mix in this recipe for jalapeno bottle caps with blue cheese dip can be used for anything from mushrooms to pickles to jalapenos to shrimp. Make a big batch of it and keep it on hand in an air-tight container in your pantry. You never know when you’ll get the hankerin’ to fry up some yummy appetizers!

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Also try my Nashville hot pickles and fried green tomatoes.

Jalapeno Bottle Caps with Blue Cheese Dip
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Jalapeno Bottle Caps with Blue Cheese Dip

We love deep fried mushrooms. And deep fried pickles. It was just a matter of time until we made deep fried jalapeno slices. 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword deep-fried, dipping sauce, jalapeno
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 356kcal
Author Based on a recipe from The Food Network

Ingredients

For the jalapeno bottle caps

For the deep fry mix

  • 3 cups self-rising flour or combine 3 cups all-purpose flour with 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ cup self-rising white cornmeal or combine 1/2 cup regular cornmeal with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

For the jalapeno bottle caps

  • Heat a few inches of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 375 F.
  • Add beer to the fry mix and mix until smooth. You might have to add more beer. Don’t make it too thin, you want it to stick to the jalapenos.
  • Add in the jalapenos and cover in the batter.
  • Working in batches if needed, deep fry the jalapenos 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
  • Serve hot with cool blue cheese dip.

For the deep fry mix

  • Combine all ingredients. Store unused portion in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel
T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel