More Hot Stuff- Oven Fried Onion Rings

When you're watching your weight and reluctantly going through last years spring/summer clothes and come across a recipe that absolutely makes your mouth water, you either abandon your diet, cry, or stop reading immediately, right? Not so when you have a friend like Melissa Sperka who's one of the best (southern) cooking bloggers I know, not to mention a contributor to the Dash section of Parade on line. Pretty good credentials I'd say. So when she posted her "Firecracker Onion Rings" earlier in the week I was thrilled that they were baked and not fried. Properly baking anything that is normally fried is an art that I have been working on for many years and I must admit, it isn't easy. But when you get it right, you've got to share it with the world, which is what I have to do with these perfectly seasoned, crunchy, delectable onion rings. Let's make her recipe with a few minor changes that happened along the way:

Melissa's Firecracker Onion Rings
Serves 4

1 large sweet onion
1-1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1 T Frank's Hot Sauce
1 T Sriracha Sauce
3-1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning divided
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs beaten
1-1/2 cups self rising flour- I can't find find self rising flour in my regular market so with some help from the internet, I made my own- I took 1-1/2 cups AP flour, 2-1/4 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt and mixed them together and voila! self rising flour
3 cups Panko bread crumbs- again I had to make an alteration- I only had 2 cups of  Panko so I added 1 cup of yellow corn meal (it worked like a dream)
3 T canola oil

Peel your onion and slice into 1/4 inch strips and separate into rings. Set aside for a minute.

In large plastic bag mix buttermilk, both hot sauces and 1 tsp of Old Bay. Now add the onions.

Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes and turn occasionally, to be sure the onions soak up the delicious liquid on all sides.

Pre heat oven to 450 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spritz liberally with cooking spray. When onions have had their 30 minute bath drain the rings and take 1 cup of the buttermilk liquid and set aside. Discard the rest of the liquid. Place marinated onion rings in large bowl.

We're now going to now set up a dipping station of flour, egg and and panko. To the reserved buttermilk add 2 eggs and whisk.

In a separate bowl place the self rising flour and add 1 tsp Old Bay and black pepper.

And now get another bowl for the Panko/corn meal mixture. To that add 1/2 tsp Old Bay and salt. Add the canola oil and toss with your clean fingertips to combine.

First dip the rings into the seasoned flour.

It was here that I had to recharge my camera, so maybe we're all lucky there are no more step by step pictures to view for a while. Now dip floured rings into egg/buttermilk mixture and then the Panko mix. Place on prepared baking sheets. Melissa had a great tip: place some of the smaller rings inside the larger ones to get more mileage/space out of your baking pan.

Bake 15 minutes and carefully turn rings over. Bake another 12-15 minutes and serve with a dip or two (or three) of your choice. I served these with a ranch, sriracha mayo, and just plain salsa. All delish. And by the way Melissa, thank you so much for the perfect measurements. Just the right amount of flour, egg and Panko. Perfection!