My Merit Badge

FOOD

The Air Fryer Yes, I bought an Air Fryer after Hucker (restaurant owning son) got one for Christmas and regaled us with pics and testimonials.  So, what's the first thing I did?  That's right, I took the chicken from a TV Dinner and cooked it ala carte.  I know, a famous gourmand (shucks) does not mess with frozen dinners, but there is a back story here. The original T.V. dinner was introduced in 1953 and sold for a whopping, even prohibitive (in our houses) 98 cents.  Cutting to the chase, I saved my money and bought one prior to a weekend  Boy Scout camp-out at Chicago's Camp Fort Dearborn (which was located near O'Hare field, and I have more stories about that).  I wanted the cooking merit badge, and figured this was the best way to get'er done.  I cooked it by covering the tin foil package with hot coals, and prior to calling the Scout master over to verify my cookery, placed the dinner in my mess kit.  It got raves, and I got my merit badge.  This is all true. So, to this day, I have an affinity for what is now called a Hungry Man dinner -- which, by the way, actually does produce a fairly crisp chicken in the microwave. But not crisp enough. Anyway, after reading the basic instructions for the Air Fryer, I plucked the chicken out of the package and cooked it for 5 minutes, or so, while the rest of the dinner was spinning in the microwave.  The result was impressive, and I have since had this meal twice more.  By the buy, I bought the  Power Air Fryer XL (5.3 QT Deluxe, Black).  It's actually just a mini convection oven, but heats up quickly and is great for reheating pizza.   You're welcome