By Dixie Terry
The three units of the Johnson County Home and Community Education (HCE) of the University of Illinois Extension attended a lesson on “Cooking With An Air-Fryer” on Sept. 11, 11am to 1pm, held at the Extension Building in Vienna.
Twenty-one members and guests from the Longview, Ozark and Tunnel Hill Units participated, to learn about cooking with an air-fryer.
The lesson was presented via ZOOM, by Chris Juells. a U. of I Extension Educator.
The local demonstrator was Michelle Maze of the Tunnel Hill Unit, assisted by Kim Collins of the Ozark Unit and Natalie Dougherty of the Tunnel Hill Unit.
Demonstrated on four different air-fryers were Beef Taquitos, Chicken Taquitos, and Sweet Potato Fries.
The main dishes were served, along with side dishes and desserts, provided by HCE board members, for a bountiful lunch.
Air-Fryers use 70 to 80% less oil than conventional frying methods and works as a convection type oven, circulating hot air that contains oil droplets. They cook food faster than a traditional oven and produce crispy and crunchy exteriors on food items and are used most often to produce dishes that are usually fried.
Foods that cook well include French fries, fish, chicken, potatoes, vegetables and desserts, such as brownies, cake and churros.
Recipes were distributed for the following: chicken tenders, roasted balsamic brussels sprouts, taquitos, mini beef sliders, sweet potato fries, Mexican corn-on-the-cob, smoky chips, onion rings, honey chicken wings, cauliflower bites, bbq wonton, apple chips and dip, and banana bread.
Air-fryers come in a variety of styles and sizes with the capacity, cost, size and features to be considered before purchase. The prices range from $40 to $100 for the compact models and $250 to $400 for larger multi-functional models.