[1] Onion rings with horseradish-dill sauce instead of ketchup (photo © QVC).

[2] Onion rings with ranch dressing (photos #2, 3, #4, and #6 courtesy Freepik).

[3] French-fried onion rings and beer with mignonette sauce*.

[4] Panko-coated onion rings with beer.

[5] Vidalia onions are the sweetest because they grow in sulphur-free soil (photo © Vidalia Onions).

The standard condiment is ketchup, beer-battered onion rings are delicious with a horseradish dipping sauce. Here’s a recipe from QVC’s chef David Venable. It even bows to tradition by including some ketchup!

What should you drink with Beer Batter Onion Rings? Your favorite beer! Ours is a hopped up IPA.

The recipe follows, but first, for your perusal:

> The history of onions.

> The different types of onions: a photo glossary.

> The year’s 6 onion holidays.

> The year’s 40+ beer holidays.

> More uses for onions.
 
 
RECIPE: BEER BATTER ONION RINGS WITH HORSERADISH DILL DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients

 
For The Onion Rings

 
Preparation

1. PREPARE the dipping sauce: Whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, paprika and dill in a small bowl. Set aside while cooking the onion rings.

2. PREPARE the onion rings: Clip a deep-frying thermometer to the side of a heavy, deep pot. Add 2″ of canola oil to the pot and slowly heat the oil to 350°F. While the oil is heating…

3. WHISK together the flour, egg, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the beer, stirring until a thick batter forms.

4. DREDGE the onion slices in the batter. Using tongs, add four or five onion rings to the hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown. Turn them halfway through cooking. (Cook the onion rings in batches or the oil won’t stay hot and the onion rings will be soggy rather than crisp.) Using the tongs, remove the fried onion rings to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.

5. COOK the remaining batter-dipped onion rings. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.
 
 
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*Mignonette sauce is a classic, uncooked sauce made from vinegar, minced shallots, and cracked black pepper, traditionally served with raw oysters and clams. Its sharp acidity and mild bite are intended to complement and enhance the oyster’s natural briny flavor without overpowering it. It also is a tangy dip for onion rings.

[6] Onion rings with chipotle mayonnaise.
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

JULY 4TH BREAKFAST RECIPES

 
JULY 4TH SIDE & MAIN DISH RECIPES

 
JULY 4TH BEVERAGE RECIPES

JULY 4TH DESSERT RECIPES

[2] Blue cheese crumbles add a large dimension of flavor (photo courtesy Pop Artichoke | N/A).

Our crowd really enjoyed this potato salad with grilled fare on Father’s Day. It was created for grilling season by LongHorn Steakhouse’s executive chefs.
 
 
RECIPE: GRILLED POTATO SALAD WITH BACON, BLUE CHEESE & BACON DRESSING

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
For The Bacon Vinaigrette

 
For The Garnish

1. CLEAN and oil the grill grates, and heat to 500°F.

2. ADD the potatoes to a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Turn down the flame and continue to boil for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain the potatoes and allow the water to fully evaporate from the skin. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half-inch pieces.

3. DRIZZLE both sides of the potatoes with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

4. PLACE the potatoes on the preheated grill to get the desired grill marks on both sides of the potatoes. Remove from the grill and place on a serving platter, with the slices overlapping shingle-style.

5. COOK the bacon strips until crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels; save the bacon fat.

6. COMBINE all the dressing ingredients in a large mason jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until well combined. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and garnish with chopped bacon, blue cheese crumbles and sliced green onion.
 
 
For more information about LongHorn Steakhouse or to find the nearest location, head to the company website, LongHornSteakhouse.com.

Artisan Bistro wants to make it easy for everyone to eat delicious, nutrition-rich meals. The company makes lunch/dinner entrees, burritos and breakfasts—single-serving frozen meals made with the best lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables and healthy fats.

We received samples of their Beyond Breakfast line, and it was eye-opening: delicious and only 170 to 200 calories per satisfying serving. And, the entrees are microwave-cooked in just four minutes. It will cook while you’re making a cup of coffee with a single-serve machine.

The vegetarian breakfasts use egg whites only, but you’ll never notice the absence of the yolk because each preparation is so well seasoned and the egg whites are patties shaped like a poached egg.

In five varieties, the Beyond Breakfast options include:

 
All varieties are contain 70% or more organic ingredients, no GMOs and are gluten free.

After a week of Artisan Bistro breakfasts, We’re hooked on the flavor, ease, better nutrition and lower calories than what we usually make.

Learn more at TheArtisanBistro.com, including a store locator.
  

Who needs icing?

Carolina Cupcakery tops this cupcake with a scoop of cookie dough.

Who can top that?

Make your own cookie dough, or top your homemade cupcakes with a slice from a roll of cookie dough.

If you’re concerned with raw eggs, read the label on purchased dough to see if the eggs are pasteurized. If not, make your own cookie dough with Safe Eggs pasteurized eggs.

For more cupcake fun, visit CarolinaCupcakery.com.
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FROSTING & ICING

Although the words are used interchangeably, professional bakers know that there’s a difference: