Before I get to that though – I had to post my lunch – a turkey flat out, lots of veggies and about a cup of my chicken brunswick stew – I used green salsa mixed with one tablespoon fat free ranch dressing for a spicy veggie dip for only 20 calories!

Lunch comes in at 525 calories, 12 fat and 33 carbs
Lunch comes in at 525 calories, 12 fat and 33 carbs

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Dy7kT0QQRE]

Beer-Battered Onion Rings (courtesy of Cooks Country!)

  • 2 sweet onions, peeled and sliced thin
  • 3 cups beer, divided
  • 2 teaspoons malt vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • canola oil for frying
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup corn startch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Soak onions from 30 minutes to 2 hours (no more than 2 hours) in 2 cups of beer, vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a ziptop bag and refrigerate.  This combinati0n softens the harsh bite of a raw onion.

While you heat the oil to 350 degrees, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.  Slowly whisk in 3/4 cup of beer until just combined.  Whisk in remaining beer as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter falls from whisk in a steady stream.  Be careful with this step – if the batter is too thick, the onion rings will be doughy, and too thin it will fall off the onion.

Have a preheated oven at 275 and place a cookie sheet with a wire rack.  After each batch fries for about 5 minutes (flipping half way through) and are browned, transfer to oven until all the rings are done.  Salt once they come out of the oven and serve right away.  I don’t even like onions and these were amazing!!

this is just one onion, and I didn't even use it all!
this is just one onion, and I didn't even use it all!

 

another secret is not to overcrowd the pan
another secret is not to overcrowd the pan

 

Here is the magazines version
Here is the magazines version

 

you can see I sliced mine thinner!
you can see I sliced mine thinner!

I bought all these peppers at the store for a $1.00, and decided to grill them to make a green chile cheeseburger.  I am not posting the recipe, because it needs tweaking.  I basically charred the peppers on my grill and then processed them with garlic, lime juice and salt and pepper.  While straight from the processor it was super spicy, once combined with my 4 ounces of ground sirloin, it ended up not being spicy at all.

I love the dollar rack at my store!
I love the dollar rack at my store!

 

I have no idea what kind of peppers these are - my guess is the bigger ones are poblanos and the smaller ones are anaheim??
I have no idea what kind of peppers these are - my guess is the bigger ones are poblanos and the smaller ones are anaheim??

 

I made Tony a blue cheese burger - but a lot of the cheese stuck to my grill
I made Tony a blue cheese burger - but a lot of the cheese stuck to my grill

 

I'll have to go back to the drawing board on this - maybe adding a jalapeno with seeds would have made it spicier?
I'll have to go back to the drawing board on this - maybe adding a jalapeno with seeds would have made it spicier?

 

My plate - I decided to have my burger open face, and I cut a lot of the bottom bun away to save on carbs - not sure how many calories dinner was, but I had 700 to spend, so I am calling it a wash!
My plate - I decided to have my burger open face, and I cut a lot of the bottom bun away to save on carbs - not sure how many calories dinner was, but I had 700 to spend, so I am calling it a wash!

Right now I am still working on my pasta sauce from yesterday – my tomatoes were really on the sour side so its a process to work it around – Tony is still the best taste tester – I am immune to salt and never seem to add enough!

Okay, now everyone go out and buy onions and make this asap!  See you tomorrow!