BAKED ONION RINGS

Don't let this terrible photo fool you, these onion rings are deliciously addicting!! I found this recipe on Donna's blog over at My Tasty Treasures. There are only 2 tablespoons of oil in the whole batch, but you would never know it; this recipe is a keeper!!

The onion rings bake up light as air, super crispy and packed with flavor!!
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1 medium size vidalia onion
1½ cups corn flakes
½ cup plain dry bread crumbs (I used Panko)
1 large egg
½ cup low fat buttermilk
¼ cup flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pepper to taste
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Put the corn flakes and bread crumbs in the food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs (set aside).
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Mix the egg, buttermilk, flour, cayenne & black pepper. Cut the ends off of the vidalia onion and then cut the center of the onion into four thick slices. Separate the rings.
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Dip the raw onion rings into the batter and set them on a baking rack so the excess batter will drip off (put a baking sheet under the rack, or set the whole rack in the sink to help reduce any mess).
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Put 2 tablespoons olive oil (I used canola oil) on a rimmed baking sheet and put it in the oven for 2 minutes to preheat. After 2 minutes, remove the pan and tilt it to redistribute the oil. Coat the battered rings in the fine dry crumb mixture and place on the baking sheet.

Bake for 16 minutes in a 450 degree pre-heated oven (turn them over half way through). Remove from oven and sprinkle with coarse salt.

NOTE: I don't know if these would be as good with a plain yellow onion. I used vidalia's because they are our favorite. Any sweet onion would work.

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SWEET & SPICY NUTS

These nuts would be and excellent snack for New Years, or a great gift for a neighbor or co-workers birthday. I can see many uses for this sweet & spicy treat.

The following spice mixture will do 2 cups of nuts, so if you want to season more than 2 cups, just multiply the spices accordingly.
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2 cups salted mixed nuts
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons white sugar
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Mix 2 cups of salted mixed nuts with 1 tablespoon of melted butter (toss gently but make sure it covers well). Mix the spices together (all except the sugar) and sprinkle over the nuts (toss gently to make sure it covers well). Spread the nuts out (in a single layer) on a 10 x 15 baking sheet.
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Bake in a preheated (300F) oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the white sugar (tossing well to coat). Cool completely (at least an hour). Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 weeks.
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NOTE: After I sprinkled the hot nuts with sugar, I mixed them well and then transferred them to some paper towels, which removed any excess butter before they cooled.


NOTE: The nuts have a little heat, but they are not overpowering. If you really like to bump up the heat, add a little more cayenne.

NOTE: I used planters mixed nuts. There are 2 cups of nuts in an 11 ounce can.

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EASY BAGEL CHIPS

Whether you like sweet, savory or plain bagel chips, this is a quick, easy and efficient way to turn those day old bagels into a great snack. I used cinnamon raisin bagels, but any flavor bagel would work well.

Cut bagels into ¼" slices and put them into a roomy plastic bag (or container with a lid).

For each whole bagel, melt 1 tablespoon of butter (*see note). For savory bagels, such as garlic or onion, add ¼ teaspoon garlic salt (or onion salt) per tablespoon melted butter and mix. Drizzle the seasoned butter over the sliced bagel pieces then close the bag and shake like crazy to distribute the flavored butter. Place the coated chips on an ungreased baking sheet, in a single layer, and bake in a preheated 325 oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Start watching them at 15 minutes; their baking time will depend on how thick you cut them.

Cool baked chips on a baking rack and then store in an airtight container.

NOTE: Chilled bagels slice easily.

NOTE: Coat only 2 bagels at a time with the butter mixture to insure even coverage.

NOTE: For my sweet variety, using cinnamon raisin bagels, I did not add anything to the butter, but I sprinkled them liberally with cinnamon sugar (just on one side) before baking.

NOTE: Any flavor will work for these chips, your imagination is the only limit: herb, plain, just salt, barbecue, whole wheat, etc.

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