Have you ever tasted something so glorious you knew there had to be a fabulous story behind it?
That’s how I feel every single time after I eat something I made in my air fryer. My mother-in-law bought it for us for Christmas & I adore it! You can find it here. And right now it’s on sale from Target, yessss!
I’ve had quite challenge spicing things up in the kitchen some days, because I’m either trying to eat healthy or all the way at the opposite end of the spectrum–I’m just lazy and desire easy over quality.
But ladies & gentlemen–the air fryer is where easy meets quality. It’s where time management can be thrown out the window and you can actually forget to make dinner, look up the easiest recipes, and a meal can be thrown together in as little as 10 minutes. It’s insane how much I love this thing.
It’s insane how much my husband loves it, too.
And can we just ALL agree that meal time is one of the most stressful times when you’re trying to feed your family? Unless you have a baby that doesn’t talk yet and only drinks milk, the general public would all agree that trying to get children to eat a healthy-ish meal can be seemingly impossible.
I know this because I’ve asked all my friends.
And it’s true.
And my research was conducted by myself, as I posted meme after meme on social media about how dinner time is like feeding a starving horse who is just too hungry to eat what’s in front of them … and one comment on the meme like, “truuuuuuuue.”
I mean, that’s research, right?!
Let me get to the point: happy mealtime, happy kids. Happy kids, peaceful parents.
Peaceful parents, more likely to have the energy to communicate sans kids after bedtime. Eh? Eh?
You know the rest…
The air fryer literally saved my marriage. I can’t explain it any other way!
So, let’s dive right into some good recipes that are quick, simple, and tasty for the whole family!
- Chicken Wings: I’m still working out the kinks to make it my own, but this is the best recipe I’ve found. All you need are 2 lbs. of wings–I prefer the wings and drummettes already separated, for ease. Add some olive oil, a pinch of salt, and some lemon pepper seasoning. Put everything in a ziplock to marinate overnight. Add an even layer of wings to the bottom of the air fryer pan. It’s been my experience to not overlap, but just pay attention when you shake the pan mid-frying to ensure each wing is cooked thoroughly. Set the air fryer to 360 and cook for 18 minutes, shaking the basket every 6 minutes. Then, turn up the heat to 390 and cook for another 5-6 minutes, shaking every 2 minutes. The wings will be nice & crispy. Toss in your favorite sauce or have it plain! I personally love the Asian Zing Sauce from Buffalo Wild Wings. Bon Appetite!
- Reheating Leftovers: This works for just about anything–the ham sandwich your kid didn’t eat when you tried to go out to eat after church, but the baby started screaming so you asked for a to-go box right away. Also, anytime you have leftover soggy fries just sadly hanging out in the fridge from that dinner you went to, but ate too many nachos as the appetizer before your meal came. Yep! Anything! Just turn on your air fryer to 380, and set the timer for 6 minutes. You won’t be afraid of your leftovers ever again!
- Sweet Potato Fries: Mmmmmm! This might possibly be the best recipe ever! And it’s my own. All you need is 1-2 sweet potatoes, salt & pepper, Joe’s French Fry Seasoning, and olive oil. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Cut the potatoes however you prefer. Douse the potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Joe’s seasoning. Make sure everything is evenly coated. Put potatoes in the air fryer and set the fryer to 380 for 20 minutes. Wahlah!
- Pork Chops: This recipe I learned from my dear friend, Meg. Gather as many pork chops as you need. Heavily dust with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides of the chop. Drizzle some coconut oil (or any high smoke point oil) over them and put the chops in the air fryer basket. Do not overlap. Set the air fryer to 390 for 12 minutes. Flip halfway through. Check periodically to make sure you are not overcooking the chops (as cook time will vary by thickness).
Oh, and I forgot to mention the weekly staple my kids beg for–chicken nuggets. Toss those frozen suckers in the air fryer at 370 for 6-7 minutes. BOOM!
And at the end of the day, when you’re tired from the hustle and bustle, you can rest assured that your air fryer always has your back. Whether you’re reheating last night’s pizza or spicing up your night with some hot chicken wings, you won’t be disappointed.
And if you’re not disappointed, then you have more energy to conduct bedtime without a fight.
And if you’re not fighting about bedtime with your kids (or your spouse), then you’re likely to be refreshed and awake enough to sit down on the couch and watch a show together. Maybe even snuggle up a bit!?
You see where I’m going with this?
The air fryer saved my marriage. And it can save yours, too!
So, when I get home at night with the kids and he gets the air fryer out of the pantry … I just know everything is going to be smooth sailing for the night.
Some say it’s a fad. Some say it’s not that great. I disagree. Now I’m a believer.
What other recipes do I need to try?!
