Onion Rings, Funnel Cakes, French Fries & Tortilla Chips

Onion Rings, Funnel Cakes, French Fries & Tortilla Chips

A few weeks back, my sister came over for the evening and we thought we would have a 'fry party' ... we would skip out on a healthy dinner and opt for all things yummy and fried.  

A deep fryer is necessary to make these items how we made them.  A deep fryer is a novelty item, but so fun when you have one.  We went simple, but the foods are endless to create- deep fried chicken, churros, donuts, battered fish and SO much more.

Onion Rings

To begin making onion rings, take a yellow onion and slice into 1- 1 1/2 inch slices.

A batter is required to dip the onions into- In a bowl, combine 1/2 c flour, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp baking powder.  In a measuring cup, whisk together 1 egg and 1/2 c milk.  Add the milk to the dry ingredients, blending well.  

Dip onion rings into the batter.

Place the onions into the deep fryer at 365 degrees.  

Fry until golden brown, turning to brown both sides.

Remove to drain and cool.  I LOVE onion rings, and I have to say that these homemade ones were the BEST I have had!!

Tortilla Chips

To make tortilla chips, we used corn tortillas.  We sliced a stack into 8 triangles.

Place them into the fryer at 350 degrees.

Periodically check to be sure they are crispy.  If removed too quickly, the chips will be soft and a bit chewy towards the center, rather than crispy.

Take the chips out from the oil and let cool.  Lightly salt them for more flavor.

Again, remove to let cool and enjoy!

French Fries

Ideally when making french fries, using Russet potatoes is best.  We didn't have any on hand, so we used smaller yellow potatoes from a medley mix.  These potatoes are sweeter and softer, so they didn't fry as firm as we would have liked, but they were SUPER tasty!!

Wash your potatoes and slice.  Place them in your frying basket, with the fryer set between 350 and 365 degrees.

The french fries will cook in about 8 minutes, so occasionally lift the basket to toss the fries for an even cook.

When golden brown and firm, remove to drain and lightly season to your liking.

Funnel Cakes

Funnel cakes have a way of reminding us of our childhood- especially our times in amusement parks.  Making these funnel cakes is SO easy and way cheaper than buying them while at the fair or Disneyland!!

The batter used is as follows:

Combine 1 1/3 c flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp sugar and 3/4 tbsp baking powder.  Mix 1 egg and 2/3 c milk until smooth.  

Pour your batter into a funnel.  Hold a finger over the bottom of the funnel to be sure the batter stays in the funnel before you are ready. Let the batter drop in spiral motion into the pan filled with the hot oil (about 350 degrees).  After having used the funnel, I realized that Williams-Sonoma's pancake pen would have worked even better. 

Fry until golden brown, turning once.  Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  

Needless to say, we ate tasty foods- ALL homemade and the company was great too!!