Baked Onion Rings

I'm not one to rain on someone's parade for eating junk.

I've eaten my share of bad news food.  And, that's just today.

I'm the kind of person who eats leftover dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner until it's gone.  I can survive for days on any bag of flavored tortilla chips.  At least one meal everyday consists of "a handful 
of this" and "a couple of those".  That's my diet.

That being said, my tastebuds do have some redeeming qualities.  With the exception of dairy, I hate most fat-laden foods, like marbled steak or fried chicken.  In fact, deep fried anything is a no-go on my list.  The same can be said about skin-on or bone-in.  I know that's not very appealing to most, but I'd rather flavor my food with a delicious sauce and spices than with oil and fat. 

To get my fried fix, I very often turn to "pretend-fried", otherwise known as breaded and baked. 

Take these onions for example.  I wanted onion rings.  But, it really pained me to have to coat and fry a batch of perfectly good onion slices and turn a vegetable into a guilty pleasure.  So, yesterday, I finally resolved to making baked onion rings.  I wanted them to be crispy and crunchy and full of flavor, minus the grease and the extra calories.  I've never been particularly good at frying anyway, so nailing this challenge would keep me away from grease all-together.

I can't lie.  These are not identical twins to the fried kind.  They lack the same moisture and the deep flavor the frying offers.  But, the bread crumbs are actually crispier, and offer a more satisfying crunch.  And, the onion flavor is intensified because there are less flavors competing for attention.  If you're  looking for a true onion flavor, these can't be beat.

Now that I've mastered onion rings, there's a few sauces I've been wanting to try...




Baked Onion Rings

2 onions, sliced into 1/2" rings
2 cups crushed baked potato chips
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Butter-flavored cooking spray


Lay out three shallow bowls.  In the first, mix together flour and cayenne.  In the second, pour milk, and place the potato chips in the third bowl.

Spray the onion rings lightly with cooking spray.  Dredge each onion ring in the flour, shaking off the excess.  Then, dip in the milk, again shaking off the excess.  Finish with a coating of potato chips.

Place on a greased cookie sheet.  Give the rings one more coat of cooking spray.

Bake 10 minutes.  Flip onion rings over and bake an additional five minutes.  Remove from heat and place on a serving dish lined with paper towel.

Serve with your choice of dipping sauces.




Listening to:   Kelly Clarkson - Catch My Breath