by Camilla V. Saulsbury
My 19-year-old daughter moved back home and among her new possessions was a 2-quart air fryer. She claimed it was easy to use (it was!), we first heat it up with “That Button,” then we’d pull out “This Drawer” and put in the goodies, lightly spray them with oil to promote browning, halfway through pull out “That Drawer” again and shake them, then let them finish baking.
It was nearly effortless! The kitchen didn’t get hot. There wasn’t a big mess to clean up afterward. We feasted on fish sticks, hot pockets, tacos, and all the other naughty, frozen convenience foods. But we couldn’t survive on a diet of fatty, fake food so I searched the library’s catalog for “air fryer” and found several air fryer cookbooks.
This cookbook is my favorite and it’s perfect for a beginning user with a basic air fryer. I liked it so well I bought my own copy. It includes an introduction with a very brief history of the air fryer, how it works, choosing an air fryer, and cooking tips. There is also a suggested pantry of ingredients for the air fryer.
The recipes are divided into various categories such as Top 20 Fried Favorites (Classic French Fries, Onion Rings, Jalapeño Poppers, Beer-Battered Fried Fish, Light and Crispy Fried Catfish, Buffalo Chicken Wings, and many more – and most of my air fryer cooking began with this section). Other categories include Breakfast and Brunch; Appetizers and Snacks; Entrees; Vegetables and Sides; Desserts; Sauces, Dips and More.
The very first recipe I tried was the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. It turned out so juicy and tender with a flavorful coating that didn’t overpower the meat – we’ve all had those entrees that were mostly breading and not much chicken (though I used a boneless chicken breast half instead of the thighs or drumsticks). This was an easy, delicious starter dish.
The recipes don’t include weird expensive ingredients you have to hunt for, with multiple, complicated steps. My only complaint is, while there are photos of several of the recipes, there was not a photo of each one. I feel a cookbook should have a picture of every recipe it’s talking about. But other than that, this is a good place to start with making real meals with your basic air fryer, and not simply heating frozen items for a Friday night.
Warning. You may enjoy this so much you’ll want to upgrade to a bigger, higher level (“more expensive”) air fryer.
[ publisher’s official 175 Best Air Fryer Recipes web page ] | [ PowerHungry – Camilla V. Saulsbury’s official web site ]
Recommended
by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services
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