There’s a point between here and there where the newness runs out. When I do feels like do I have to? When a newborn’s cry feels common and exhausting. When misplaced rose colored glasses shatter beneath a tiny foot and a pile of leaves. When you walk through the back door for the 100th time and the house no longer smells new. It’s to be expected, even when it’s not.
This post is created in partnership with Kettle Brand Chips. Kettle has been doing the all-natural thing since before it was a thing. All products are naturally non-GMO certified and gluten-free. If I’m gonna grab a bag of potato chips, it’s gonna be Kettle Chips.
It hit a couple weeks ago. It was a quiet weekend, too quiet, with just the three of us. Our calendar was empty. It was everything we’d been craving the last couple months, a free weekend, until it wasn’t. The quiet was as thick as winter’s air. Like flour coated berries held stable in a cake batter, so were our uncomfortable feelings. Our house had finally started to feel like a home, but it wasn’t as we had imagined. It was too quiet. Our friend group felt unestablished. And on this specific weekend, non existent. There was nothing new on the horizon. We’d successfully yet barely worked our way through a long list of highs over the past two years—a new business, our first child, Kev’s first real job post grad school, a permanent move to a new city, building a new home, making it home.
It was on this particular weekend that we clicked through channels, football game after game, wishing it was ours. We both grew up in football loving families. My mom wore a Clemson Tiger paw embroidered orange sweatshirt on game days and lots of other days. When Clemson lost, we all lost. My dad was born with a star on his back. He’s forever been a Cowboy’s fan. We moved around a lot when I was young. But when we landed in Dallas, they made it home to give my younger sister and brother stability. I think it was mostly because of the football team.
Aside from the food which I loved, especially my mom’s killer seven layer dip that came out only during football season, I’m not sure why I never fell in love with the game. “I get it now,” Kev said that weekend. “Football connects people. It’s a steady companion come fall and winter.” It was a simple revelation. And it was what we were missing—a steady companion.
The other night at dinner, a new friend said it took him 3 years for things to feel right and rhythmic here. That’s about how long it took us in Chicago. We left Connecticut 11 months shy of that. If football were ours, it’d fill the gap between the newness wearing off and the normal setting in. I’m opting for football food instead—baked onion rings laced in crushed Red Curry Kettle Chips. We ate them straight off the baking sheet last weekend with our friend Julie, who’s also a recent transplant. Football was on for good measure, but muted. Kev had another revelation. “You’d never know these onion rings were baked. They taste fried.” Should I tell him they’re battered in chips?
This recipe is easy, and as Kev says, they taste fried (because the chips are). This method allows you to bypass the off-putting lingering smell of fried in your kitchen. The ingredient list is short. I borrowed all the flavoring from the Red Curry Kettle Chip. You could really sub any of their chips into this recipe. I was so lucky to visit their facilities a couple weeks ago in Oregon (more on that later). The flavor profile of all their chips is spot on. It’s not cheating to steal the flavor of the chips for the onion ring coating. It’s smart.
Whatever game day means to you, I hope you find your team. Make them baked onion rings to say you’re mine.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Into a freezer bag, add flour and salt. Close and shake to combine.
Into a food processor, add chips (half of an 8.5 oz bag or so). Steal 1 teaspoon of the flour mixture and add to the processor. Pulse until mixture resembles a coarse breadcrumb. You may need to scrape down the sides of container in between pulses. Pour into a small flat-bottomed container.
Into another small flat bottomed container, whisk together egg and water.
Now, cut off the top of the onion and remove the outer layer. Carefully (because there’s no flat edge to rest the onion on) cut the onion into 1″ thick rounds. Separate the onion rings out, being careful not to break the ring. Save tiny pieces for another meal.
Add a couple onion rings at a time to the flour mixture. Shake to coat. Completely dredge in egg mixture. Then coat in chip mixture, making sure the entire ring is lightly coated. Place on baking sheet. Repeat.
Bake for 8 minutes. Using a thin spatula, carefully flip and bake for an additional 8 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.
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There are no words to describe how much I love onion rings 🙂 And now I see this recipe …. Absolutely brilliant, I can not wait to try this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
Adult friendships are so hard to develop, and they take way more time than friendships ever used to take. Thankfully, feeding people seems to help move the process along.
These are like my kryptonite. And totally not cheating but smart to steal that magical Kettle Brand Chips flavor (and gosh, isn’t it magical?!). LOVE these rings, Melissa!!
The hardest part about making friends as an adult is feeling like everyone else already has their own established set of friends. It’s nice to hear we’re all out there looking for more friendships. We just need a little push and encouragement. By the way, Melissa, I live a block south of you. Several months ago when my partner and I were out on a walk we passed your house. It’s beautiful. Welcome to the neighborhood.
I ?using potato chips to bread onion rings! I’d like to have some right now…yum! Yours look delicious-I love the idea of using flavored chips to make them.
I think it’s really brave of you to be honest about the difficult transition in moving somewhere new. It’s a feeling that many people share, and I think your honesty will make them feel less alone. I know this post was helpful for me!
This is the most genius baked-not-fried coating I have ever seen. I bet the curry flavor is awesome.
I know this feeling of finding “our team” all too well. It’s hard to fit into already established home teams. I hope you find yours (and I find mine) sometime soon! If only Minneapolis were next door to Portland!!
Oh wow! It’s like you are speaking right to me. It’s been almost 3 years since we moved – then bought a home that is still not completely moved into, had a baby, and started new jobs. We crave free weekends, but hardly know what to do with them when they are here. Making friends as adults can be pretty hard! Good thing there is football (which I’ve come to enjoy) and these onion rings. I will definitely be making them this weekend!!
Melissa, I hear you. My husband and I moved to the Bay Area from Toronto in February. It’s been a tough go for me. No established friend group and family is far away. I’m trying to finish off my graduate thesis, but struggle to stay motivated. Last week we dropped off my parents at the airport after their first visit out here and I cried uncontrollably. I think I need some onion rings.
YUM. loving that gif! and i’m so bummed i dropped the ball on the kettle chip trip to pdx; i could have hung out with you and cindy! oh well. i’m sure we’ll meet IRL one day… some day?
This might be the loveliest way I’ve ever heard football described. Or onion rings! Chip-battered is pure genius, and I can’t stop watching that delightful GIF. These look wonderful — hope that they usher in that steady companion, stat. (Also, high-five for Clemson families!)
Brilliant! I lived vicariously on Instagram and Snapchat while you all were on that trip. It looked like a blast. Hope you fall in with that steady companion.
I honestly think that you can combine these one’s with everything! So delicious and.. simply amazing. Totally kick-ass! Onions and Kettle Chips..
Um. OMG.
There are no words to describe how much I love onion rings 🙂 And now I see this recipe …. Absolutely brilliant, I can not wait to try this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
Adult friendships are so hard to develop, and they take way more time than friendships ever used to take. Thankfully, feeding people seems to help move the process along.
These are like my kryptonite. And totally not cheating but smart to steal that magical Kettle Brand Chips flavor (and gosh, isn’t it magical?!). LOVE these rings, Melissa!!
The hardest part about making friends as an adult is feeling like everyone else already has their own established set of friends. It’s nice to hear we’re all out there looking for more friendships. We just need a little push and encouragement. By the way, Melissa, I live a block south of you. Several months ago when my partner and I were out on a walk we passed your house. It’s beautiful. Welcome to the neighborhood.
I ?using potato chips to bread onion rings! I’d like to have some right now…yum! Yours look delicious-I love the idea of using flavored chips to make them.
I think it’s really brave of you to be honest about the difficult transition in moving somewhere new. It’s a feeling that many people share, and I think your honesty will make them feel less alone. I know this post was helpful for me!
So gooood! Can’t wait to try these 🙂
This is the most genius baked-not-fried coating I have ever seen. I bet the curry flavor is awesome.
I know this feeling of finding “our team” all too well. It’s hard to fit into already established home teams. I hope you find yours (and I find mine) sometime soon! If only Minneapolis were next door to Portland!!
Oh wow! It’s like you are speaking right to me. It’s been almost 3 years since we moved – then bought a home that is still not completely moved into, had a baby, and started new jobs. We crave free weekends, but hardly know what to do with them when they are here. Making friends as adults can be pretty hard! Good thing there is football (which I’ve come to enjoy) and these onion rings. I will definitely be making them this weekend!!
Melissa, I hear you. My husband and I moved to the Bay Area from Toronto in February. It’s been a tough go for me. No established friend group and family is far away. I’m trying to finish off my graduate thesis, but struggle to stay motivated. Last week we dropped off my parents at the airport after their first visit out here and I cried uncontrollably. I think I need some onion rings.
YUM. loving that gif! and i’m so bummed i dropped the ball on the kettle chip trip to pdx; i could have hung out with you and cindy! oh well. i’m sure we’ll meet IRL one day… some day?
This might be the loveliest way I’ve ever heard football described. Or onion rings! Chip-battered is pure genius, and I can’t stop watching that delightful GIF. These look wonderful — hope that they usher in that steady companion, stat. (Also, high-five for Clemson families!)
Brilliant! I lived vicariously on Instagram and Snapchat while you all were on that trip. It looked like a blast. Hope you fall in with that steady companion.
I ate way too many chips that trip. But they are just so good!
This is a marvelous idea! I think you just changed the way I’m about to do onion rings!