Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:
12 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided*
6 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*
1 ½ tsp vegetable oil or coconut oil, divided
1/2 tsp peppermint extract, divided
3-4 regular-size candy canes or approximately 10 peppermint candies, crushed
 
Preparation: 
1. Line the bottom and sides of an 8” or 9” square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, smoothing out any wrinkles.
 
2. Melt half of the white chocolate, carefully.
 
3. Once white chocolate is melted, add ½ tsp. of oil, and mix thoroughly.
 
4. Add ¼ tsp peppermint extract to the white chocolate, and mix thoroughly.
 
5. Pour melted white chocolate into the prepared baking pan, and, with an offset spatula or spoon, spread into a thin smooth layer. 
 
6  Place the baking pan in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes or until almost completely set. If it sets completely, the bark layers could separate. 
 
7. Repeat steps 2 through 5 with the semi-sweet chocolate, putting it on top of the white chcoolate layer.
 
8. Repeat steps 2 and3 with the remaining white chocolate. Do NOT put peppermint extract in this chocolate.
 
9. Spread final white chocolate batch over semi-sweet layer.
 
10. Sprinkle top layer with crushed candy canes.
 
11. Refrigerate the bark until completely set, about an hour. 
 
12. Once hardened, remove from the pan and peel off the parchment. Break or cut into pieces as large or as small as you want. If you chilled the bark in the refrigerator for longer than 3 to 4 hours, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to slightly soften before breaking/slicing, or else the layers might separate.
 
13. Cover and store leftover bark in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. 

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded chicken
⅓ cup buffalo sauce
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
⅓ cup blue cheese dressing
¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
2 green onions, chopped
1½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 egg roll wrappers
Neutral oil for frying
 
Preparation:
1. In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken, buffalo sauce, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, blue cheese dressing and crumbles, green onions, garlic powder and salt. Mix well and set aside.
 
2. Fill a small bowl with water. Place one egg roll wrapper on the counter, with a corner facing you. Scoop approximately 4 Tblsp. of the buffalo chicken filling into the center of the wrapper in the shape of a log.
 
3. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, tucking it snugly under the filling, then fold the left and right corners towards the center.
 
4. Roll the wrapper tightly towards the top corner and, using your finger, smear the top corner/edges with some water to seal the egg roll.
 
5. Ensure the egg roll is tightly wrapped, then repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Set aside.
 
6. In a pot, add oil for frying. The amount of oil needed will depend on the size of your pot (opt for a deeper pot to prevent splattering and overflow). Fill the pot with 2 to 3 inches of oil, ensuring there's at least 3 inches of space from the top. 
 
7. Heat on medium-high until the oil reaches 370°F.
 
8. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully place 1 to 2 egg rolls into the oil. If your pot is wider, you may be able to add 3 at a time.
 
9. When the exterior turns a dark golden brown, remove and place on paper towels or wire rack to drain.
 
10. Serve warm with a side of celery and ranch/blue cheese dressing for dipping.

NOTE: Can also be "fried" in an air fryer, using guidelines for your fryer to determine cook time and temperature.

Ninja Foodi Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:

Chicken Mixture

1 lb ground chicken

3+ Tblsp. flour

1 slice white break

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg, whisked

1/2 tsp salt

Egg Wash

1 egg

4 Tblsp. milk

Coating

1 cup fine bread crumbs (not Panko)

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

Avocado oil spray

Preparation:
1. Preheat Ninja Foodi to 350 degrees on Air Crisp setting. Insert the air crisp trivet/plate into the Foodi.

2. In a medium bowl, soak slice of bread in buttermilk for 5 minutes.

3. Using a fork, mash the soaked bread (and any remaining buttermilk) to make almost a paste.

4. To the bread, add the ground chicken, whisked egg and salt. Mix together well with the fork.

5. Sprinkle in some of the flour, a little at a time, until the chicken mix still looks wet, but can be scooped and hold its shape. You may not need all of the flour - keep the rest to add later, if the mixture gets too wet again.

6. In a second medium bowl, whisk the egg for the Egg Wash.

7. Add the milk to the egg, and whisk until fully incorporated.

8. In a third medium bowl, mix half of the bread crumbs for the Coating, along with 1/2 of the flour and half of the salt. Reserve the remaining half.

9. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

10. Set the bowls and baking sheet along the counter in this order: Chicken Mixture, Egg Wash, Coating, baking sheet. Put a spoon in the Coating bowl.

11. Scoop a rounded tablespoon of the chicken mixture, shape it lightly with your left hand, then dip it in the Egg Wash.

12. Remove the ball of chicken from the Egg Wash (with your left hand) and drop it gently into the Coating.

13. Using your right hand and the spoon, coat the ball of chicken with the bread crumb and flour mixture, then remove it and place it on the baking sheet.

14. Continue until all of the Chicken Mixture has been made into balls -- it should make about 20. If, during the process, the Chicken Mixture gets too wet, add more of the flour to get it back to a scoopable texture. About halfway through (or if/when your Coating starts to get clumpy, if that happens before), whisk in the remaining bread crumbs, flour and salt into the Coating bowl.

15. Gently press down on each ball to flatten it into a nugget. Nuggets should be about 1/3" thick after flattening.

16. Lightly spray 7-8 of the nuggets (or however many will fit in one layer in your Foodi) with the avocado oil spray on one side.

17. Gently place the sprayed nuggets, sprayed side down, into the Foodi.

18. Spray the other side of the nuggets lightly with the avocado oil spray once they have been placed on the Foodi trivet.

19. Close the lid, and cook for 3 minutes.

20. Open the Foodi, flip the nuggets, close, and cook for 3 more minutes.

21. Open the Foodi again, and lightly spray the top of the nuggets with one more coat of avocado oil spray. Close and cook for 3 more minutes.

22. Using a meat thermometer, after 9 minutes total of cooking, double check to make sure the internal temperature of the nuggets is greater than 165 degrees (it will likely be considerably higher).

23. Remove the nuggets, and let them sit for at least 2 minutes before serving.

24. Repeat cooking process with remaining nuggets.

NOTE: These can be made and frozen. If freezing, stop after step 15. Place entire tray (parchment paper with nuggets on top) into freezer. Freeze for at least 4 hours, then remove from tray and put into a freezer-safe plastic bag. They can be cooked from frozen in the Foodi. After 9 total minutes of cooking, assess if they need to cook a bit longer, based on the internal temperature.

Ninja Foodi Toasties (Grilled Cheese)

Ingredients:

2 pieces of hearty bread

Softened butter or butter spread

Mustard or other sandwich spread, if desired

Sliced cheese, enough to cover both slices of bread

Deli meat, if desired

Preparation:

1. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the AIR CRISP button.

2. Put cook & crisp plate into cooking pot.

3. Butter outside of both pieces of bread, then turn over to non-buttered side to assemble sandwich.

4. Spread inside of bread with any desired sandwich spread or mustard.

5. Place sliced cheese on both pieces of bread.

6. Add deli meat, if desired, on top of cheese on one piece of the bread.

7. Close the sandwich.

8. Place the sandwich onto the cook & crisp plate, and close the crisping lid.

9. Set the temperature to 400 for 3 minutes, and press the START button.

10. After the 3 minutes of cooking is completed, open the Ninja Foodi, and use a spatula to flip the sandwich over.

11. Press the AIR CRISP button, then set the temperature to 400 for 3 minutes.

12. Press the START button.

13. Once the second 3 minutes of cooking is completed, open the Ninja Foodi and remove the sandwich to serve.

Ninja Foodi Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

Chicken wings, separated/cut into drums and flats

1 cup chicken broth

Dry seasoning(s) of choice

2 Tblsp. oil

Preparation:

1. Put Cook & Crisp plate into Ninja Foodi cooking pot. You will use the attached crisping lid for cooking.

2. Pour the cup of chicken broth into the cooking pot.

3. Dry the wings off well with a paper towel.

4. Toss the wings in the oil, and add dry seasonings to the wings.

5. Place the wings onto the Cook & Crisp plate in a single layer.

6. Close the crisping lid. 

7. Turn on the Ninja Foodi, and press the AIR CRISP button.

8. Make sure the temperature displayed is 390. If it is not, change the temperature to 390.

9. Set the TIME to 12 minutes, and press the START button.

10. As soon as the 12-minute cycle is completed, use a coated pair of tongs to turn each wing over.

11. Close the crisping lid, press the AIR CRISP button, and set the temperature to 390 again.

12. Set the TIME to 12 more minutes, and press the START button.

13. When the second 12-minute cycle is completed, remove the wings and toss them in the sauce of your choice. If desired, dry powdered sauce can be mixed with melted butter and brushed on wings after cooking is completed.

Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenderized and cut into cubes

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup orange juice

6 Tblsp. brown sugar

2 Tblsp. soy sauce

2 Tblsp. rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp. water

Sesame seeds and green onion for garnish, if desired

Preparation:

1. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees.

2. Put 1/4 cup cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag. Add chicken cubes, and toss to coat. Do not overcoat.

3. Working in batches, dust off excess cornstarch and place chicken pieces in air fryer's rotating basket. Spray lightly with PAM. Do not overfill basket.

4. Cook chicken for 7-9 minutes, checking to make sure chicken is fully cooked before stopping. Spray with additional PAM, if needed, to keep outside of chicken crispy rather than powdery.

5. Meanwhile, combine juice, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger in a small saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.

6. Simmer mixture for five minutes, then add 2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp. water.

7. Whisk and simmer for an additional minute, then remove from heat.

8. When chicken is done, place it in the sauce and toss.

9. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve over rice.