Because Deep-Fried Things are Just BETTER!

After making my Mango Pulled Pork Panini, I STILL had more meat left so I decided to put it to good use. I've ALWAYS wanted to make Chimichangas at home since they're one of Greg's favorite dishes to order at a Mexican restaurant. With the help of my lil deep fryer, it was finally possible! These came out so crispy and yummy! I wanted to really make them restaurant-quality so I even made some Guac to serve on top. Perfect football-watching snacks!

Football Watching with Rachael Ray!

I'm really loving all the Tailgating recipes they're airing on The Food Network these days and even though we're watching the games at home, we still need TV-watching snacks right? This afternoon I decided try Rachael Ray's Ranch Chicken Tenders in my lil deep fryer. I used some skinless boneless chicken thighs cuz we like dark meat and they fried up perfectly in 10 minutes. The Ranch flavor was amazing and the meat tasted like it had been marinating for hours instead of just coated in the mixture! I served the tenders with Marie's Creamy Chipotle Ranch Dressing as a dip and it was the perfect snack for Sunday football!

Fried Veggies are Still Veggies!

Greg's not a big fan of veggies but he'll definitely eat them if they're fried! Zucchini Sticks are something we love to order when we want something other than French Fries and now I can make them at home thanks to my Deep Fryer! I used Giada's recipe and they turned out awesome! I had trouble getting the batter to stick in the beginning using my fingers but after switching to tongs they worked like a charm. I liked dipping my sticks in warmed Marinara Sauce but Greg preferred Ranch. Either way, they were PERFECT Football Snacks!

I Finally Made Fried Chicken!

AND IT WAS GOOD! I've been wanting to make Fried Chicken ever since I got my Deep Fryer and finally did it tonight. I marinated the chicken thighs overnight in a mixture of buttermilk and Emeril's Essence. (I keep the mix in a jar and it's good on EVERYTHING!) The chicken was fried to perfection in just 10 minutes, golden crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. (That pretty red color is from the Essence!) I'm TOTALLY in love with my deep fryer right now! Of course you can't have a proper Fried Chicken Meal without some Mashed Potatoes and Biscuits right? PERFECT meal to get us through the week!

I Finally Got a Deep Fryer!

You cannot imagine how long I've wanted a Deep Fryer but Greg was always scared that I'd hurt myself so I never got one. (Actually I ordered one a few years ago but he made me return it!) Anyway, he watched some infomercial the other day and saw how safe they were so he told me that I could get one. I jumped at the chance and ordered one right away before he could change his mind! I did a lotta research and finally decided on the Cuisinart Mini Deep Fryer after reading all the great user comments. You also can't beat the discounted $49 from the original $90! It's very small but is perfect for just the 2 of us. I tested it out with some Fish and Chips for lunch using Big Daddy's recipe. The beer batter was SO good on the catfish and the chips were perfect with just a sprinkle of salt. I was nervous about using a deep fryer for the first time but it was so easy and not scary at all! The charcoal filter obsorbed most of the frying smell and there was no splatter at all. I highly recommend getting this fryer if you like fried food! (And who doesn't right?) I'm totally looking forward to some Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Fish Tacos very soon!