Today I've used my air fryer to ...

[Katypp]

Following on from the thread about an air fryer changing your life, I was disproportionally annoyed about the number of rather snobbish posters who are clinging on to the idea that we all just use our air fryers for chips and nuggets.
I have no idea why this annoyed me so much - and I have no idea why I feel the need to defend my use of my AF, as a keen cook.
So, it got me thinking about how I use mine, and I thought it would be interesting to show all those who think they are a little bit too common for them what they can be used for.
This week, I have used mine for:

Tuesday: Jacket potatoes for lunch, sausages and black pudding for all-day breakfast
Wednesday: Cooking tuna pasta bake made on the hob
Thursday: Roast pumpkin for Thai pumpkin soup, cook salmon and meatballs for dinner
Today: Apple and blackcurrent baked oats for breakfast.

Anyone want to join in?

Almond croissant from frozen. Takes 15mins. Just finished it, yum!
I bought it so my DS20 could cook his overnight food without stinking the whole house. Teenage boys, he’s only just turned 20, eat at all times of the day and night. He is a good cook and uses it to heat up stuff rather than use the microwave.
He’s now away at uni but it will be well used at Christmas.
And now it’s just DH and me I am using it more and more. It’s great for cooking small amounts.

Ok so microwave potatoes first then in air fryer to crisp up for 15 mins

Excellent

@xsquared which small air fryer do you have

I just want a small one

Make ham and cheese on toast

I've just bought this Ninja air fryer on the back of reading this and knowing now how to get a decent baked potato from it

I collect it tomorrow

I was dithering between a double tray Tefal or smaller ninja but settled on this

I'm excited to use it after reading everything people are using it for

So will it toast the bread ie I don't have to toast the bread first ?

Today I have warmed up my croissant, three minutes and only takes four minutes from frozen

I've done DS (who was at work 1-9) some flavoured chicken thighs. He usually has it with rice or pasta but today in a wrap

I'm not a patient cook, so for me it's the fact you can just bung it in (in a foil tray) stir once and it's done in 10 minutes. I've started doing DS's chicken in bulk, freeze in foils trays and it takes minutes with no mess

Regarding the croissant.. was at a breakfast buffet and there was a line waiting for the toaster and a guy was warming his on the top. I remarked the day I found I could reheat in minutes in the air fryer and all these heads popped out with an ooh expression....was rather funny

Do you have a recipe please ? I reheated some from the takeaway and they did come out lovely

Re containers.. Waitrose do some shallow, probably inch high, foil containers that's are lightly longer than the standard foil containers. Ideal for one portion chicken or salmon fillets. I tend to wash them as I'm stingy

I’ve got a little mesh basket from Lakeland that I do my gnocchi in. Goes in the dishwasher. Keeps everything crispy without shaking/turning.

Have put the recipe further back in this thread. Enjoy!

To answer a couple of questions

Greaseproof cake liners work well for lots of things to save washing up.

I find 180 is the best temp to finish off baked potatoes

Good to know

Do people reuse the cake liners and foil trays

A PP showed a photo of a bowl

Do people use bowls a lot to cook items in and in which case what items? Mainly just ones that would fall through the gaps ?

Has anyone use the dehydrator option to make decent vegetable crisps ?

I use a square tin if I’m cooking something with a sauce or a marinade, then just put it in the dishwasher afterwards.

Does anyone have a link to thread OP mentioned re 'Air fryers have changed my life' please

I've looked but can't find it

@EmpressaurusKitty fab thanks

Once mine arrives I'll see what I've got that'll fit inside

I have a feeling it'll all be slightly too big but we live in hope

Once mine arrived I measured the sides & went to Wilko.

In the days when there was a Wilko…

Hi,
My one was from Lidl and it's the same one here on Amazon.

Haden Small Air Fryer

@LilacLilyBird I've also been trying to find the thread!

I bought an air fryer this morning off the back of this thread. DH has wanted one for ages but I naively thought we'd never use it as it was only good for chips and nuggets etc. I had no idea you could do so much in them!

@Katypp Please could you tell me more about your apple and blackcurrant baked oats? Thank you.

One thing I have bought "special" for my ninja dual drawer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0989VC4M9?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

My Ninja is 2 coming 3 years old and the non stick isnt as good as it was on the trays. These allow the air fry technology to work, no heat is being blocked, and the trays/racks are easier cleaned. They wont keep your machine clean, just stop food from sticking

A word of advice if I may, to new users, The drawer models are very intense fan ovens,.Grease will be thrown about them with abandon and unless you give then a proper wash ( think of the drawers as your roasting tins ) grease will build up and stick, and the non stick will diminish. Dont use steel balls or brillo pads. What I have found works best ( and mines old but does have some build up ) is immediately when empty, fill with hot soapy water to the top. Then when going back to wash, use those cheap plastic wrapped sponge scourers , you know the garish pink and yellow ones or a posh spontex one for treble the price

Other items I have bought over the years , cheap 6 inch cake tins from B&M. Believe it or not, you can get a decent cake from a small tin and you can do your yorkies in one. Sometimes the yorkie can be a tad soggy bottomed, no bother, take it out and flip it upside down. A loaf tin with no lip - you need a straight up and down one, I also have a pullman tin ( one with a lid)

Dont be afraid to give things like broccoli a wee nuke first, just to get the stem tender

Buy a spray bottle and use proper oil. Frylite will kill the non stick quicker then a Brillo pad

Dont be afraid to layer food. I can easily get 8 slices of back bacon and 8 sausages in one drawer, sausages on the bottom, bacon topped and tailed with just the fat edge exposed, and then as the bacon shrinks - as it always does - re position it and then bring the sausages to the top to brown. The other drawer Ill have tomatoes halves on the bottom, mushrooms on the top, and again as they shrink down I move them about

I honestly think the only things I DONT cook in the air fryer are eggs. Why waste the time and energy trying to get the settings correct when a small pan of water on the hob takes less energy

Roast pork and potatoes

I had success, cooked them in little individual silicone muffin things and they were lovely!

I roast red peppers in it to have as a side.
put feta in foil with herbs/spices whatever you like and air fry then add to couscous.
made fortune cookies! Mushrooms with homemade bbq marinade. Wild garlic and jamon croquettes.

Also plenty sausages, and frozen foods 😂