I sure hope that Spring weather is on the way.  I sure hope that Spring weather gets here quickly.  I sure hope that I survive from now until Spring weather.  Can you tell that I am super tired of winter weather? I mean, seriously, this has got to stop.  I am over the snow and ice and cold. I want to open up the windows and see green grass and have cookouts.  Anyone else with me on this? Can I get an “Amen”?

Now, don’t get me wrong?  I do love the cozy fall and winter foods such as soups and chilis.  But, this time of year I want to head towards BBQ and fried fish. Yum!  We had been visiting a local Friday fish fry before the Pandemic made the world stop spinning.  Boy is that fried catfish good stuff. I do have a weakness for fried food – much to the dismay of my thighs and butt.  So when I was thinking of what to cook last weekend I totally dismissed the idea of a new homemade soup or even a nice meatloaf.  I wanted something that at least pointed in the direction of Spring and Summer and warmer weather. I decided to make some turkey burgers and onion strings.  Today’s post will deal with the onion strings. I promise to post the turkey burger recipe very soon.

Now, I really, really love French fries.  But, once in awhile I like to make up a batch of onion strings.  These crunchy and slightly sweet deep-fried bits of heaven are great as a side or can be added as a sandwich or salad topping.  They fry up crisp and flavorful and the thin strings make them so versatile as an addition to so many entrees and salads. Why have raw onions on your burger or in your salad when you can have fried onions?

The trick to these onion rings being so versatile is to slice them very thin.  That way they fry up quickly and are oh so crispy. They can be sprinkled over soup or salads or piled high on a burger.  I have made these with several types of breading and batter. I think that this version turns out best. You get the crunch of the breading without having quite so much grease.  I don’t know about you but if I try to eat too much grease-laden food I get a headache. I know that it doesn’t make sense but there it is.

Before I get into this recipe I am going to go ahead and put it out there that you might as well plan on making a mess with this.  There is no way around it. There will be oil splatters and drips of breading. There will be several dishes to wash. I am not fond of cleaning up a bunch of dishes either but in this case my advice is to embrace the mess.  This is a fun recipe so have a good time with it. You won’t be sorry. The dishes will get done and the spills wiped up and you will have the satisfaction of eating a delicious pile of onion strings as a reward for your efforts.

You do need to plan ahead a little bit for this one.  The sliced onions need to soak in buttermilk for at least an hour.  I don’t know what chemical reaction occurs during this time but it works.  So, give yourself some space for that to happen.

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, don’t fret.  You can make fake buttermilk by adding a splash or two of white vinegar to whole or 2% milk (not sure if skim would work).  It’s all good. I happened to have some buttermilk in the fridge that needed to be used up but I have totally made the fake kind before.

For this recipe you should use sweet onions.  I love to get the big old Vidalia onions for this but my store only had the Mayan Sweets this time.  They are typically a lot smaller but are just as good. You just need to adjust your quantity accordingly.  The recipe normally calls for 1 or 2 large Vidalia onions. Since mine were quite small, I used 4 Mayan Sweet Onions.  I probably should have used 3 because I started to run low on the dry ingredients before I was finished. Never fear though, if this happens to you, you can just quickly mix up another half or whole batch of the flour and spice combo.  And, please remember that onions tend to expand outrageously when they are thinly sliced. I look at one Vidalia onion and think that it will never feed my entire family but in reality it probably would. I tend to overdo it on quantities of everything but especially onion strings.  They really go a long way. So, plan accordingly.

You will need onions, flour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, buttermilk and cooking oil (I used canola).  That’s it! Cool, huh?! Hardly any ingredients and you get a fantastic dish.

About 2 hours (or at least 1 hour) before you want to eat these babies, start off by peeling your onions and slicing them very, very thinly.  I did this with a knife but you can use a mandoline if you would rather. I don’t happen to trust myself with a mandoline. I am pretty accident-prone but you do you.  Separate the slices into rings and place them in a shallow pan or a large bowl.  

Cover the rings with buttermilk.  The amount of buttermilk will depend on the size of your container.  You want for all of the onions to be somewhat submerged. I used a 9 X 13 pan and had to use a whole 1 quart carton of buttermilk.  Also, you should stir the rings around once or twice during the soaking process to make sure that all of the rings get down in that buttermilk.

During the soaking time, you can prepare the dry ingredients.  In a large, deep bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.  I used 1 teaspoon of cayenne this time but you can use as much as you like. You may want to start small and add more to the dry mixture after your first batch of strings comes out.  Give them a taste and determine if you want more spice at that time.

During the end of your soaking process, you can start heating the oil in a large cooking pot or deep skillet.  You can use a deep fryer for this but be aware that the oil will take on the flavor of the onions. You won’t want to use that same oil for cooking milder flavored foods and will need to clean out the oil later.  I saved the oil and stored it in a container marked for onion strings for later use. I had about 2 1/2 inches of oil in my pot. The onion strings will foam and bubble up when they hit the oil so make sure that your vessel is deep enough and your oil level is low enough to avoid overflow and the danger of a fire.  You may also want to use an oil thermometer to make sure that you have the heat needed. If the oil is not hot enough the strings will be soggy and will take longer to fry.

Once the strings have soaked and the oil is at 375 degrees you can start the coating process.  Using kitchen tongs grab some of the onion strings from the buttermilk and place them in the dry mixture.  Toss them around a bit to get them all nice and coated. I used a fork for tossing so that I didn’t get the flour mixture on the buttermilk coated tongs.  Grab a different set of tongs or whatever you have and remove the flour coated onion strings from the bowl. Tap them on the edge of the bowl to get rid of excess flour and carefully place them in the hot oil.  Stand back in case of splatters. Use the tongs or a heat-resistant long handled spoon to stir them around a bit. If you don’t, they might all stick together and you could end up with something that resembles an onion funnel cake.  It has happened to me and while it is not a bad thing it is a little difficult to eat. You will have to cook the strings in small batches. If you crowd them too much they won’t cook properly. Sorry that I don’t have pictures of every step in the frying process but you have to work quickly and there was no time to grab more shots. But, you get the idea anyway.

Watch the onion strings closely.  If your oil is at the correct temperature they will cook in no time…well, actually, in a couple of minutes.  Once they have reached a nice golden brown, remove them carefully with tongs or a slotted spoon, allowing the excess oil to drip off a bit before placing them on a platter or in a bowl that has been lined with paper towels.  Give them a taste to make sure that they are salty enough and then serve. Ta-Da! Crispy, crunchy, yummy deep-fried happiness!

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Crispy Onion Strings

These crunchy and slightly sweet deep-fried bits of heaven are great as a side or can be added as a sandwich or salad topping.  They fry up crisp and flavorful and the thin strings make them so versatile as an addition to so many entrees and salads.

Prep Time1 hr 15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 1 – 4 sweet onions 1 if large or 3 or 4 if small
• 2 – 3 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 quarts oil for frying

Instructions

• Peel and thinly slice the onions. Separate the slices into rings and place them in a shallow pan or a large bowl.
• Cover the rings with buttermilk, taking care that as many are submerged as possible. Soak for at least one hour, stirring them occasionally.
• Meanwhile, add the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to a large, deep bowl. Stir to combine.
• During the end of the soaking process, you can start heating the oil in a large cooking pot or deep skillet. The onion strings will foam and bubble up when they hit the oil so make sure that your vessel is deep enough and your oil level is low enough to avoid overflow and the danger of a fire.  You may also want to use an oil thermometer to make sure that you have the heat needed. Ideally, your oil should reach 375 degrees.
• Using kitchen tongs grab some of the onion strings from the buttermilk and place them in the dry mixture.  Toss the strings to coat. Tap the strings on the side of the bowl to remove any excess coating and carefully place them in the hot oil. You will have to do this in batches. Don't crowd the onion strings or they will not cook correctly.
• Stir the frying onion strings around a bit and allow to cook until golden brown. This should take only a few minutes depending on how hot your oil is.
• Remove the onion strings to a paper towel lined platter or bowl to drain. Serve hot or warm as a side or a topping.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  I trust that you are all prepared for the big turkey day.  I am getting there. I am trying very hard to stay calm. We are hosting my family’s Thanksgiving again this year.  We won’t have the entire clan but there will still be about 36 people. Of course, we split up the cooking, but it is a lot of work, regardless.  There is still a turkey to cook along with some sides and desserts. I am currently doing the obligatory house cleaning and furniture moving. I do have to move some items out of the living room to make way for extra tables and chairs.  It is a good thing that we all like each other because it is pretty cozy when we are all here. But it is fun, and we wouldn’t think of ending this tradition. When we get together there is so much laughter and story-telling that you can barely hear the football games on TV.  We are a loud bunch. Our menu is packed with all the standards. Turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and mashed potatoes. In fact, we usually have two big old crockpots full of these very special mashed potatoes.

It is the mashed potatoes that I want to talk about today.  Anyone who has prepared a big holiday meal knows what a hassle it is to peel, cook, drain and mash a big old pile of taters right before your guests arrive.  And, in my family, using instant is not an option. So, a few years ago I ran across this recipe for mashed potatoes that could be made a day or two ahead of time and then reheated in the crockpot.  It was a little daring of me to try them out at a family gathering because some of the ingredients are not typical for this side dish. My mom and grandmothers and probably great-grandmothers all made their mashed potatoes with a minimum of ingredients.  Just taters, butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Now, that version is really good, and I have never been known to turn down a helping or two. But these are a dressier, fancier version and the extra ingredients help them keep well and reheat well.

You will need taters (duh), cream cheese, butter, salt and pepper, sour cream and milk.  I usually use russet potatoes for this. They seem to turn out fluffier. It is always difficult (for me anyway) to judge how many potatoes to use because some are huge, and some are not.  I am going to say that you need at least 8 pretty large potatoes for this. I typically cook 8 to 10. You can kind of guess how many your crockpot will hold. I use the larger 6-quart crockpot but if you have a smaller one you can adjust the measurements or just save some back in a container in the fridge and reheat them in the oven or microwave.

I have always placed the finished potatoes in a crockpot, but I do know that you can put them in a baking dish and reheat in the oven.  That would make them more like the filling in a twice-baked potato which would also be delicious. But, since oven space is usually at a premium on Thanksgiving Day, the crockpot is a better option for me.  Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until the day of your big event. This side dish is easy and delicious. The potatoes are so flavorful and stay creamy, buttery and moist.  You will be delighted to have the extra time to enjoy your guests and family.

Start off by washing and peeling the potatoes.  Cut them into chunks about 1-inch square or so. Put these in a large stockpot.  Add water so that the chunks are covered by about an inch of water. I like to add a couple of chicken bouillon cubes to my water when I boil potatoes but that isn’t necessary.  It does add some nice flavor, though. Bring this to a boil over high heat. If you are antsy about getting that water boiling you can put a lid on to speed up the process. Just keep watch so that you don’t get a boilover incident.  Once the water begins to boil remove the lid if you are using one. Cook the potatoes, stirring a couple of times, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they are fork-tender.

Put a colander in your sink and pour the potatoes in being careful not to get burned by the hot water or steam.  Let the taters drain a bit but don’t rinse them or anything.

Once drained pretty well, add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.

Add ½ cup sour cream, 1 stick of softened butter and 8 oz. (1 brick) of softened cream cheese, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.   Go slow though and only add a little milk at a time. You don’t want potato soup here. This time I only needed 1/4 cup milk. Mix all of this on low, scrape the sides and then turn up the speed of your mixer. Mix everything until well combined and smooth, scraping when necessary. You can add more milk at this point if needed to give you a nice smooth consistency.  You never can tell with mashed potatoes. Every batch is different. Give them a taste to see if you need more salt and/or pepper.

Once you are satisfied with the flavor spoon the mashed potatoes into your crockpot.  Cover tightly with foil and place in your fridge until about 4 hours before your meal.  Then, let the pot sit on the counter uncovered for about an hour to come closer to room temperature.  Put the lid on and turn the crockpot on low and heat the potatoes for about 2 hours. My current crockpot does not run really hot but my previous one did, so the heat time was very different.  You will have to judge the time for yourself. Just keep an eye on it and check the temperature in the middle once in a while and watch that the edges are not scorching. It doesn’t matter if the edges get a little browned.  Some of your guests may like that crusty baked edge. It is pretty delicious. Anyway, once the potatoes are warmed through melt ½ stick of butter and stir it into the delicious warm loveliness. Put the lid back on and turn your pot to warm until time to eat.  Serve to your loved ones and guests secure in the knowledge that these are some of the best mashed potatoes that they will ever eat. See how easy that is? And, you didn’t have to waste your precious holiday time preparing them. I wish that I had a picture to add of a big old scoop alongside the turkey but I wanted to get this post out today so you can make them up tonight.

I hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving.  Relax and enjoy the day. If you are going out to do any Black Friday shopping be careful and I hope you find some bargains!

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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

This side dish is easy and delicious. The potatoes are so flavorful and stay creamy, buttery and moist.  You will be delighted to have the extra time to enjoy your guests and family.

Author: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 8 – 10 russet potatoes large
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup milk 2% or whole
• 1/2 stick butter melted for the day of serving
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

• Wash and peel the potatoes.  Cut them into chunks about 1-inch square or so.  Put them in a large stockpot. Add water so that the chunks are covered by about an inch of water. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• When the potatoes are cooked, drain them thoroughly and then put them into the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer.
• Add ½ cup sour cream, 1 stick of softened butter and 8 oz. (1 brick) of softened cream cheese, ½ cup milk (a little at a time – you may not need the entire 1/2 cup), 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.   Mix all of this on low, scrape the sides and then turn up the speed of your mixer. Mix everything until well combined and smooth, scraping when necessary. You can add more milk at this point if needed to give you a nice smooth consistency. Give them a taste to see if you need more salt and/or pepper.
• Spoon the mashed potatoes into your crockpot.  Cover tightly with foil and place in your fridge until about 4 hours before your meal.
• A few hours before your meal you can start the heating process. Let the pot sit on the counter uncovered for about an hour to come closer to room temperature.  Put the lid on and turn the crockpot on low and heat the potatoes for about 2 hours. The time will depend on how hot your crockpot runs. Keep an eye on it and check the temperature in the middle once in a while and watch that the edges are not scorching.  It doesn’t matter if the edges get a little browned.
• Once the potatoes are warmed through melt ½ stick of butter and stir it in. Put the lid back on and turn your pot to warm until time to eat.

Hi Everyone!  So, it turned into Fall here – all the sudden.  One day it is hot and steamy and then the next day it is too cold for open windows.  The husband actually built a fire in the fireplace just one day after comfortably walking around with short sleeves and running the air conditioner.  What the heck? I’m not complaining, mind you, well, not really anyway. I was getting kind of tired of the hot weather and I do love many things about Fall.

I love the way cooking and baking changes in the cooler weather too.  I do bake all year long, but some things just taste better when there is a chill in the air.  Of course, anything with pumpkin tastes good – or squash. I love butternut squash. Hmmm…I may have to think up a squash recipe to share soon.  Good idea, Wench. So, anyway, I am much more apt to use the oven for main or side dishes during the Fall and Winter. Now, I have to admit that I am not great with side dishes.  I seem to have very little imagination when it comes to veggie and potato dishes. I love them but tend to get stuck in ruts very easily. I really should make a concerted effort to explore more side dish variations.  Pinterest searches, here I come.

Not long ago, I did discover a potato dish that I really love, and it is so incredibly easy.  But, it looks kind of fancy-schmancy. So, you could serve this to guests and feel all proud of yourself as you bask in the glow of compliments.  This is a variation of the hasselback potatoes that you may have seen online and in recipe books in the past few years. You just don’t stuff anything between the slices and you do actually slice all the way through the potato and then loosely stack the slices back together.  Neat, huh?

For this dish you will need some nice big baking potatoes.  I usually need 3 or 4 depending on the size of the potatoes.  You also need some olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning (from the spice aisle), butter and grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, plus a little salt and pepper.

You will bake these taters in a round baking dish or iron skillet.  Actually, you could use any oven-safe skillet, but an iron skillet does work really well for this.  I used the pan pictured below. It is an iron baking dish that is about 10 inches in diameter. You just need a dish or pan that will allow you to keep your potato slices on edge but not packed together too tightly.  Of course, you can always add more potato slices or remove some until you have everything just right.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Brush the entire interior of your dish or skillet with olive oil.  

Wash the potatoes well and remove any bad spots but don’t peel them.  Slice the potatoes crosswise into desired thickness. I like mine on the thinner side, so they are usually about ⅛ inch but use your own judgement.  I would not go larger than ¼ inch, though, or the baking time will be off. Slice all the way through the taters but keep the slices kind of together.  Arrange all of the slices in the pan in a circular pattern all the way around. Then, arrange some slices in the middle to fill the hole that is left. Make sure that the slices are vertical (on edge) and arranged loosely.  You want for the butter and seasoning to get into the cracks.

Mix the garlic powder and Italian seasoning together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the mixture over the potatoes and then sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them as well.

Cut the butter into small cubes.  Arrange the butter cubes over the top of the potatoes as evenly as possible.

Cover the skillet or pan with foil and bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender.  Remove the foil and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the potatoes. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the tops of the potatoes have become crispy.  Remove from the oven and serve. These potatoes are crispy yet tender with a light Italian flavor and a wonderful Parmesan topping. They are a nice addition to a steak or roast beef dinner.  

Italian Baked Potatoes

October 21, 2018

Difficulty: Easy

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These potatoes are crispy yet tender with a light Italian flavor and a wonderful Parmesan topping.

By: Wench Sherry

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 or 4 large baking potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese (grated or shredded)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Step 2 Brush the entire interior of pan or skillet with olive oil.
• Step 3 Slice the potatoes crosswise thinly, not more than 1/4 inch.
• Step 4 Arrange the potato slices on edge loosely in pan or skillet in a circular pattern. Fill the middle with more slices.
• Step 5 Mix the garlic powder and Italian seasoning together and sprinkle over the potatoes. Then, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Step 6 Dot the potatoes with the cubed butter.
• Step 7 Cover the pan or skillet with foil and bake for 1 hour.
• Step 8 Remove the foil then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the potatoes.
• Step 9 Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the edges of the potatoes are crispy and browned.