Recipe: Baked Onion Rings

Do you want to know something funny? When I was growing up I hated onions. I refused to eat them in any form. Finally it got to the point where I could eat them if they were diced up really small in salsa. Then I started caramelizing them for recipes. And it was only recently that I discovered onion rings. Of course they were deep fried and greasy, but they were so, so good. I decided to make them home and bake them to cut out the oil. Now I can enjoy them at home whenever I want.

Ingredients:
1 large yellow onion
2 c. whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 c. flour
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne

Peel the onion and cut it into slices. Pop out all the rings.

Get out three bowls. Put flour in the first one (I used white whole wheat, but it doesn't matter what kind). In the second bowl, whisk two eggs, and in the third bowl, pour the whole wheat breadcrumbs. Stir a little bit of the salt, pepper, and cayenne into each dish.

Take a piece of onion. Use your left hand to dip in the flour, your right hand to dip it in the eggs, and use a pair of tongs to dip it in the breadcrumbs. It's important to use the tongs and touch the onion as little as possible once it gets the breadcrumbs, or the breading won't stick. Set the onion on a baking mat or greased baking sheet, and repeat until all the onions are coated. Then, set the onion rings in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will ensure that all the breading doesn't fall off during baking.

Take the onion rings straight from the fridge to a preheated 400° F oven. Bake for 20 minutes. They will be golden brown. Serve immediately.

They tasted great! If you want onion rings at home, try these today!

Printable: Baked Onion Rings