Sunday, September 11, 2011

Onion Rings



Today, I feel like an onion - we both have layers. J 


I had this big plan to post part II of my trifecta (filled with charm and wit of course) and then I looked at the date (9/11) and I couldn't do it (which is weird for me because once I have a plan in motion, I usually just run with it - regardless of what is happening around me). As I typed my post, I felt kinda petty going on and on about how great onion rings are - when really, other than providing me an outlet and a recipe to try, they really don't matter - especially when I am aware that there are so many other more important topics I could be blogging about.  Someone is fighting in a foreign land so that I can feel safe in my home. Someone is mourning the loss of a spouse, a child or a friend. Someone has lost their job, someone else is going to lose their home. Someone's marriage is falling apart. Someone is fighting cancer and someone else is losing their faith in men, God or both.

How could I blog about onion rings?


Would you think I'm being superficial for wanting to be reflective when I hadn't put a single thought into it until I saw a calendar?

As  a general rule I try not to care too much what other people think about what I write, how I think, how i dress, how I rear my kids, how I manage my money, or how I manage my stress...but sometimes I do. Sometimes I worry that people will read my blog and think that I don't care or have an opinion about what is really important in life and they will dismiss me as a person who is out of touch and oblivious to what is happening all around me. Sometimes I worry people will think I'm insensitive for blogging about something as insignificant as onion rings. 


Today is one of those days.

Today, I don’t want people to think I’m insensitive to the challenges we all face so I’m not going to go on and on about onion rings. Today I’m just going to share a recipe, some pictures and then go play a game with my kids, laugh with some friends and remember that 10 years ago, I thought the end of the world had come.

Today I’m going to marvel at how we can forgive, how we can heal, how we can move on, how we can build one another up, and how we can change when we never thought we could.

Onion Rings

Ingredients:
½ cup all-purpose flour, divided

1 large egg, room temperature

½ cup buttermilk, room temperature

¼ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon salt 

30 saltine crackers

4 cups kettle-cooked potato chips

1 large yellow onion, cut into ¼” rings
6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
  1. Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper out on the counter to place your “battered” onion rings on before cooking. Pulse saltines and potato chips together in a food processor until finely ground and then transfer crumbs into a shallow baking dish.
  2. Place ¼ cup flour in shallow baking dish.
  3. In another shallow baking dish beat the egg and buttermilk together then add in the remaining ¼ cup flour, salt and pepper.
  4. Working one at a time, cover each onion ring in the contents of each shallow baking dish in the following order: 1)-buttermilk mixture, 2)-flour, 3)-buttermilk, 4)-crumbs. Place each covered onion ring onto the parchment paper and continue until all onion rings are covered.
  5. Pour 3 tablespoons oil onto each of two rimmed baking sheets. Place baking sheets in oven and heat the oil until just smoking, about 8 minutes. Carefully tilt heated sheets to coat evenly with oil, then arrange onion rings on sheets. Return sheets to oven and bake onion rings for about 15 minutes. Flip rings ½ through baking and switch the sheets on the baking racks. Bake until golden on both sides. Remove from oven and if necessary drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.
Source: Adapted from Michelle, The Brown Eyed Baker.

Gwenevere

28 comments:

For My Love of Food said...

9/11 is about coming together as a community and to be here for one another, people do this in different ways. I admit I felt some guilt as soon as I saw the date for what I just posted, I'm still working through that. I really hope you have a great day.

Apron Appeal said...

@Everything Awesome about food...I was also worried that if I published this post, I'd send a message to other bloggers that I'm judging them because I posted something about 9/11 and they didn't. I hope that is NOT the impression you got from the post. I just wanted to reveal a layer of myself that perhaps people haven't seen yet. Thank you for the well wishes and you to!

Unknown said...

A great recipe Gwenevere. It's a sad thing to remember especially knowing how many are still affected by it every day. Today I will be laughing and cuddling my kids. I might even whip up something sweet for my husband just because. Let's always remember but also let's celebrate those we love.

Apron Appeal said...

@katrina, there is no shame in living a happy life - in fact I think it is a wonderful tribute for those who have passed on. I agree, although it's sad to remember the lives that have been lost, it can bring comfort to think about how those lives have touched our own.

Unknown said...

That's a very nice tribute and I agree with what you said.

I must say I'm a sucker the onion rings. I'll order them every chance I get. Thanks for the recipe. I've always had a hard time making these at home so I'm going to try this awesome recipe ASAP! You've been bookmarked and followed as well!
Best Regards,
Matt

Apron Appeal said...

@Writers photographers and chefs...if you are s sucker for onion rings...careful with these, I've found myself thinking about them and planning when I'll eat them next...I always knew I liked onion rings, but I never knew I liked them THIS much.

Christine's Pantry said...

Great recipe!

I will never forget 9/11.

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

Very well said~

PS...awesome onion rings!

Sandra said...

I have no words as I am surrounded whole week long with stories and songs dedicated to 9/11, and yea we all should remember those that fought, and lost their lives..but we should also celebrate life and appreciate each day that we have and be proud that every person stood up and supported each other.
-Your onion rings are divine, love one right this minute:)

kyleen said...

This is such a thoughtful post (: And the onion rings look great too.

Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. said...

I think this was a great post as well! Your onion rings look wonderful!

Anonymous said...

The onion rings look AMAZING and I think what you wrote was a perfect tribute. It was beautifully and sensitively written!

Curt said...

These onion rings loo perfect. Although they may seem petty, food is still a big part of life.

Lacy said...

Great tribute and love the onion ring recipe! Love that they're baked, yum!

A Bitchin' Kitchen said...

These look delicious! I too struggled with what to post yesterday and ended up not posting anything except for a brief comment on the twitter account associated with our blog.

Lovely post - I think you achieved a good balance between delicious and poignant :)

- Maggie

Unknown said...

Great post, Gwenevere! These onion rings look perfect!

S.V. said...

What a great post. I love onion rings and yours look amazing. Sometimes in life there is so much going on you need the distraction of things like onion rings to help you cope and get through the day. Sometimes someone out there may be feeling awful but reading your witty blog helps take their mind off of the craziness in their life. :)

Mary said...

This is such a thoughtful post, Gwen. I was barely catching up on some blog reading late last night when I realized that I had scheduled and posted a whole bunch of nothing important recipes yesterday. Not a mention of the anniversary was in sight.

I spent the day with my family and it was on our minds, but it didn't even occur to me to share my thoughts here as well. I'm glad that you did. (And those onion rings look fantastic!)

Apron Appeal said...

Thank you all for your thoughts. I agree with everyone and I hope I didn't offend anyone,especially if you blogged on 9/11 without making your post about 9/11. I hope you didn't feel judged or that i think I'm better than you because I blogged about 9/11 and you didn't. It was just a different kind of post for me to reflect another side of how I feel, but I think you all know that and I'm extremely grateful for awesome readers that offered their opinions in a diplomatic and genuine matter. I LOVE IT and I LOVE YOU! Thank you. Thank you!

Peggy said...

Everyone has their own way of dealing with certain things - and I think this post was very well written. The onion rings look great, and the words couldn't have gone any better with them =)

Anonymous said...

Well said.

Your rings look amazing!

kita said...

I didn't know how to deal with the date on my blog, twitter or facebook. I couldn't even turn the TV on at work. Im happy that you were able to post - even if it wasn't as planned - it's a great post though!

Vaishali said...

It's good to remember the events that shape our lives, but it's also important to continue living as normally as we possibly can. In that spirit, and just as someone who loves crispy foods, I think your onion rings are fantastic.

Jen at The Three Little Piglets said...

The way that I look at it is that there is nothing that any of us can do to change the past. All we can do is learn from it and move forward. I think the best way to remember what happened is to focus on all of the good and wonderful things that were born out of such sorrow. Especially being able to find joy in the everyday day moments with your family AND your onion rings!

Kim Bee said...

This is such a thoughtful and lovely post Gwenevere. I felt like you, not sure what to do or whether to post. Hope all is well with you. Miss you.

Karen | Divine Dinner Party said...

I was compelled to open this post because of the date and the beautiful onion rings. What a very thoughtful post Gwenevere. People still have difficulties dealing with the past and I think your way of sharing your thoughts here was remarkable. :)

Unknown said...

I just found your blog and adore this post. happy thanksgiving! New follower from now on.

Apron Appeal said...

Thanks Michelle....I must say, having been lost from time to time, it's good to be FOUND. :)

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