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Mexican Seasoning Homemade

Making a Mexican Seasoning Homemade is a quick and easy spice mixture to have in your pantry. This Mexican Seasoning is so versatile, making it easy to build the flavor profiles in chili, enchiladas, tacos, beans and more. Put a batch of this season mixture into a spice shaker bottle for easy usage. Thence keep it in the spice cabinet in a handy spot. This will be your favorite go to Mexican Seasoning mixture.

Grind peppercorns first before other spices.

Grinding Spices

The key to flavorful Mexican Seasoning Homemade is grinding spices and herbs together.

Mexican Seasoning mixed in mortar and pestle.

Using a mortar and pestle is the classic way to grind spices and herbs, that’s been done for thousands of years. But modern way of using a spice grinder, like small coffee grinder works very well also. I like the feeling of the actual grinding actions, by using a mortar & pestle, that forces flavors together. It’s all up to personal preferences, the time and energy you want to spend. Both work well and get wonderful results.

Mexican Seasoning Homemade
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Mexican Seasoning Homemade is a blend of spices and herbs that can be used to enhance foods.
Servings Prep Time
3 Ounces 10 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 Ounces 10 Minutes
Mexican Seasoning Homemade
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Mexican Seasoning Homemade is a blend of spices and herbs that can be used to enhance foods.
Servings Prep Time
3 Ounces 10 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 Ounces 10 Minutes
Ingredients
Servings: Ounces
Units:
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients into spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Grind together the spices and herbs into even fine consistency.
  2. Place the ground Mexican Seasoning into spice jar. Label jar and keep your spice pantry drawer or cabinet.
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Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast

Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast over zucchini noodles

Pizza stuffed chicken breasts low carbohydrates and higher in protein:

Hungry for pizza but don’t want all those carbohydrates, well the Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts is the perfect choice. With a taste like a pizza chicken Parmesan, that’s stuffed with cheese, sweet peppers and pepperoni. Served with favorite pizza sauce of your choice, then topped with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Air Frying the stuffed chicken breasts reduces the fats down to minimal. Swapping out cooked pasta with sautéed zucchini noodles really helps reduce carbohydrates,and provide more vegetables into diet.

Chicken Fabrication:

Butterfly Chicken Breasts

To obtain a wonderful stuffed chicken select nice size chicken breasts. Trim the excess fat and cartilage with sharp boning knife or pairing knife. Next cut through thicker part horizontally through middle of the breast until half inch from end. Fold open the breasts up to look like a open book.

Flattened Chicken Breasts

Next cover butterfly chicken with plastic wrap, using a meat mallet pound chicken. Caution that you don’t pound holes into chicken breasts, the goal is to have even flat chicken breasts to be stuffed. Before stuffing the chicken season each breast with salt, pepper and pizza seasoning.

Pizza Stuffing:

Shaped Pizza Stuffing

Creative filling are almost infinite, picking right ingredients is matter of preference. This recipe uses familiar ingredients that everyone loves, Mozzarella, pepperoni, sweet peppers and onions. By all means be venturesome choosing your favorite companion as stuffing. A helpful hint is to have good binder like cheeses, cream cheese works very well to hold shape.

Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Pizza stuffed chicken breasts cooked in air fryer is a quick low carbohydrate meal. This stuffed chicken breast tastes like pizza chicken Parmesan.
Servings Prep Time
2 People 20 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 People 20 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Pizza stuffed chicken breasts cooked in air fryer is a quick low carbohydrate meal. This stuffed chicken breast tastes like pizza chicken Parmesan.
Servings Prep Time
2 People 20 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 People 20 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Ingredients
Pizza Stuffing:
Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Service:
Servings: People
Units:
Instructions
  1. Gather all ingredients together and probably measure into containers.
  2. Grate mozzarella cheese using the course side of box grater.
  3. Sauté the onions, peppers and garlic with some olive oil. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Combine together sautéed veggies with cheeses, pepperoni and pizza seasoning.
  5. Divide the stuffing into number of portions, forming large quenelle. Set aside
  6. Trim chicken breasts free of fat and cartilage.
  7. Butterfly chicken breasts using boning knife or pairing knife.
  8. Place plastic wrap over chicken breasts
  9. Pound chicken breast with meat mallet, flatten evenly.
  10. Season chicken breast with salt, pepper and pizza seasoning.
  11. Place a portion of pizza cheese and pepperoni filling onto each breast.
  12. Roll up chicken breasts to completely enrobing filling. Sprinkle pizza seasoning, salt and pepper over each stuffed chicken breasts.
  13. Combine panko bread crumbs with Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
  14. Combine flour, pizza seasoning, salt and pepper together in bowl.
  15. Set up breading station to coat each stuffed chicken breasts. First seasoned flour mixture, next beaten eggs in bowl, then seasoned bread crumbs.
  16. Dredging chicken breast into seasoned flour, then put into egg wash coating stuffed chicken breasts well.
  17. Place the egg wash coated chicken breast into seasoned bread crumbs. Coat stuffed chicken breasts well.
  18. Place coated chicken breasts on tray and spray with olive oil.
  19. Set air fryer to 350 degrees
  20. Set timer for 20 minutes, turn chicken breasts half way in to cooking process.
  21. Remove air fried Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts and let rest 5 minutes.
  22. Cut stuffed chicken breasts in half on bias.
  23. Place on bed on sautéed zucchini noodles. Top with pizza sauce and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
    Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce

Is making the homemade Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce verses the store bought, really worth the extra effort? One thing for sure is that not all the store bought enchilada sauces are the same. Looking closely they all use similar ingredients but the big factor is all about the flavor profile differences. This prompted me to see if making a homemade enchilada sauce is  worth the effort.

Lessons to be learned

In the past I have made many different southwestern red sauces, using all different types of chilies. I love hot sauces, that was my biggest mistake. Most of my red sauces was so hot they overpowered the foods. Lessons to be learned save my super hot chilies for the hot sauces, but not in the red enchilada sauce.

Where to start

First thing to start when you are looking to make enchilada sauce, is the chilies. So this prompted me to use Hatch Dry Red Chilies. Why Hatch Chilies? Well Hatch New Mexico is the Red Chili Capital of USA. They produce most of the Red Chilies, they are so famous that they have Chili festivals every year. These New Mexican Red Chilies are mild and flavorful, perfect for making enchilada sauces.

Next is choosing the right companion chilies, this is where I always made my mistakes. I use some of my super hot chilies that would peel the paint off the wall, that’s not a good match. So this time tried ancho chilies which have a good depth of flavor without all the heat. The red sauce turns out darker in color but with a more deep complex flavor. Giving the sauce a wonderful flavor profile. Making this a perfect companionship to enchilada sauce.

Over the many of tries in making enchilada sauces, key is to have the right aromatics. Again in the past I always put too many aromatics and messed up the end flavors. So this time kept simple, using just garlic, onions, cumin, chipotle pepper for smoky flavor, salt and pepper.

Chicken Enchilada Air Fryer

Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce
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Red Enchilada Sauce recipe uses Hatch Chilies that makes this sauce worth extra effort. This recipe has wonderful mild flavors of chilies perfect for Chicken or Cheese Enchiladas.
Servings Prep Time
3 cups 15 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 cups 15 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce
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Red Enchilada Sauce recipe uses Hatch Chilies that makes this sauce worth extra effort. This recipe has wonderful mild flavors of chilies perfect for Chicken or Cheese Enchiladas.
Servings Prep Time
3 cups 15 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 cups 15 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Ingredients
Enchilada ingredients
Aromatics
Servings: cups
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mise en place enchilada sauce, peeling garlic, chopping onions, measuring aromatics, gathering chilies.
    Ingredients to make Red Enchilada Sauce
  2. Heat olive oil and garlic until light golden brown, stirring often with spatula. This takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
    Sauté garlic cloves with olive oil in sauce pan
  3. Add the chopped onions to light golden brown garlic cloves. Stirring well until onions start to caramelize. Remove from sauce pan into holding bowl.
    Sauté garlic and onions with olive oil in sauce pan.
  4. Add the dry chilies to sauce pan add a little extra olive oil if need. Toast dry chilies turning often with tongs. Do not allow the chilies to burn. Remove from heat right away, to prevent chilies from burning.
    Toast dry chilies with olive oil in hot sauce pan.
  5. Add onions and garlic back to sauce pan with chilies. Pour water to cover chilies about 4 cups. Place plate on top of chilies to keep them covered with water. Bring chilies, garlic and onions to boil. Keep cooking chilies for about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.
    Cook chilies with water, onions and garlic. Weighting down with plate.
  6. Remove any stems from chilies using tongs. Be sure to wear gloves when handling chiles.
    Remove the stems of the chilies using tongs.
  7. Place cooked chilies, onions, garlic and most of cooking liquid into blender. Reserve the remainder of cooking liquid if needed to finish cooking process.
    Placing cooked chilies, onion and garlic with most of cooking liquid in blender.
  8. Process the enchilada sauce in blender, starting at low speed and going to high speed. Be sure to place a towel over blend to prevent any splattering of chili puree as it's blending.
    Blending chilies mixture until smooth puree.
  9. Pour chili puree into sauce pan.
    Pour puree into sauce pan.
  10. Add the aromatics, oregano, cumin, chipotle powder, salt, pepper and Turbinado sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to simmer.
    Adding all the aromatics to chili puree in sauce pan.
  11. Cook the enchilada sauce for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust with salt, pepper and sugar as needed.
    Finished cooking of the enchiladas sauce
Using Enchilada Sauce
  1. Coat baking dish with food spray like PAM. Spread a nice layer of enchilada sauce on bottom of baking dish. Place filled rolled enchilada like beef taco meat on top of enchilada sauce. Cover all enchiladas with enchilada sauce top with cheese. Bake in 350°f oven or grill until internal temperature reaches 165°f.
  2. Place some warm enchilada sauce on plate and lift with spatula cooked enchiladas onto plate. Garnish with cheese, radish slices. Enjoy
Recipe Notes

For recipe to make Chicken Enchilada Air fryer

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Black Berry BBQ Sauce

Black Berry BBQ Sauce is great way to use all the abundance of fresh berries. Fresh berries are very perishable this wonderful Black Berry BBQ Sauce can be used for so many different food applications. BBQ meats to glaze on desserts, fruits to salad dressings. Because of it’s high acidicness this sauce can be preserved in Ball Jars and keep for year or more.

Berries infused in white vinegar

Infusion of berries and vinegar:

Infusing flavors into vinegars is simple task, using 5% white vinegar is one of the very best mediums for infusing flavors. This vinegar has a neutral flavor and will absorb any aromatics. By using the cold infusion method produces the best results. It preserves natural flavors, especially if they are delicate. The process takes a little time, at least 24 hours and up to 2 months to develop a good flavor profile. This cold berry vinegar infusion is the Fundamentals for the Black Berry BBQ Sauce.

Cooking Black Berry BBQ Sauce:

Making Black Berry BBQ Sauce is all about slow boiling berry vinegar infusion with sugar and apple juice. This is where the magic takes place and transforms flavors. The process takes some time so be patient let the magic of slow cooking do it’s work. To help thicken sauce xantham gum works wonders, because it’s a thickener and emulsifier. As the Black Berry BBQ Sauce cooks the sauce becomes slowly thicker and deeper dark color. Flavors intensify building a wonderful flavor profile.

Black Berry BBQ Sauce
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Wonderful Black Berry BBQ Sauce that can be used for many different applications. Try using on grilled meats, drizzled over desserts, or as refreshing salad dressing.
Servings Prep Time
32 Ounces 10 Min
Cook Time Passive Time
3.5 Hours 12 Hours
Servings Prep Time
32 Ounces 10 Min
Cook Time Passive Time
3.5 Hours 12 Hours
Black Berry BBQ Sauce
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Wonderful Black Berry BBQ Sauce that can be used for many different applications. Try using on grilled meats, drizzled over desserts, or as refreshing salad dressing.
Servings Prep Time
32 Ounces 10 Min
Cook Time Passive Time
3.5 Hours 12 Hours
Servings Prep Time
32 Ounces 10 Min
Cook Time Passive Time
3.5 Hours 12 Hours
Ingredients
Servings: Ounces
Units:
Instructions
  1. Infuse the black berries and frozen raspberries into white vinegar. Put both types of berries into Ball Jar and adding the white vinegar. Fit lid and ring onto jar and let macerate for 12 hours. This develops the flavor profile.
    Infusion of blackberries and red raspberries into white vinegar in ball jar.
  2. Next is to make the Black Berry BBQ Sauce by pouring the macerated berries and vinegar into heavy duty sauce pan or stock pot. Then add Apple Juice and bring the berry mixture to boil.
    Combine infused berry vinegar and apple juice together in sauce pan.
  3. Mean while mix together in a bowl the sugar, xantham gum, and optional crushed chili pepper. Making sure that the sugar mixture is evenly combined.
    Combine sugar and xantham gum together in bowl
  4. Now add the combined sugar mixture to hot boiling berry liquid. Whisking hard to the dissolve the sugar into berry liquid. Continue slow boil until BBQ Sauce thickens to Nappe consistency.
    Bring berry vinegar and apple juice in sauce pan.
  5. Adjusting seasoning with salt, sugar and pepper to achieve balanced flavor profile.
  6. Pour boiling hot BBQ Sauce into sterilized ball jars, place sterilized lid and rings onto jar and seal. To insure proper seal heat in hot water bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
    Black Berry BBQ Sauce that is sealed in Ball Jar
  7. Drizzle over grilled chicken or pork adding a perfect sweet and tangy BBQ flavor to your entree.
  8. Drizzle over air fried boneless chops to add perfect sweet and tangy BBQ flavor to your entree. Over a bed of braised broccoli rabe.
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
Black Berry BBQ Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 144 Calories from Fat 1
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.1g 0%
Saturated Fat 0.01g 0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.003g
Sodium 64mg 3%
Potassium 95mg 3%
Total Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 35g
Protein 0.2g 0%
Vitamin A 0.3%
Vitamin C 16%
Calcium 1%
Iron 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
formats

Spicy Air fryer Salmon Filet

Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
Finish garnishing Spicy Air Fryer Salmon.

Tired of same old salmon filets the Spicy Air fryer Salmon satisfies those cravings. The key to flavorful salmon filets is putting some hot spices into rub with hint of sweetness. Most of all it takes just a few minutes to cook the salmon in the Air-fryer. Yet keeping salmon filet moist and flavorful. With just a few extra ingredients, say by by to boring salmon.

It’s all about using a spicy rub:

The spicy rub for salmon filets needs these key ingredients salt, sugar, spices and herbs. Next is to make a great rub needs Salt. Why is salt the most important factor, salt gives flavor to the salmon. Salmon needs the salt which helps hold it’s moisture and still supporting it’s texture. Choosing the right salt is just as important, use kosher salt rather than plain table salt which often contains iodine. The salt releases moisture in Salmon absorbing ingredients back into salmon. Third this takes time, allowing 15 to 20 minutes to do it’s magic.

Next is using sugar to adding a little sweetness and promoting good caramelization as salmon filet Air-fries. There is two good types of sugar to use in rub, brown sugar or Sugar in The Raw. Brown sugar has more molasses profile giving a more stronger deeper flavor profile. Sugar in The Raw has natural slight molasses flavor profile. Caution don’t add too much sugar to rub, just enough to balance flavor.

Bring some Pizzazz into the spice rub:

Now adding some wow to the rub, useing aromatics is key to having a successful rub. Choosing the right spices can really break that lackluster salmon, and bring back some wow. Typical spices used is paprika, black pepper, coriander, cumin and cayenne. Trends change, chipotle pepper was big hit for years, this has a smoky light amount of heat profile. Now a new trend is sriracha hot sauce, which is red chilies and garlic profile. Sriracha is everywhere, stores stock bottles of all different types including sriracha powder. This is a good possibility to use for spicy air fryer salmon filet rub.

Going one step further with the spicy rub by following the new next trends, by using Carolina Reaper powered. Very flavorful but extremely hot chili pepper, caution in adding the right amount of Carolina Reaper powder into rub. The goal is to have just right amount of heat and flavor with some sweetness and garlic profile. Having something simular to sriracha profile but with some punch. Be sure to adjust amount of Carolina Reaper powder to your taste level. This might be only using 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon of Carolina Reaper powder to one batch of rub.

Making Spicy Rub for salmon is a fairly simple task, combining kosher salt, sugar, and aromatic spices all together in bowl or mortar and pestel. I usually make fairly large batch of spicy rub, and keep extra in sealed jar for future uses. This cuts mise en place time down in future preparations.

Applying Spicy Rub to Salmon Filet:

First task is to prep the salmon filet, often I purchasing a side of salmon or couple of pounds of salmon filet. Some might have skin still attached to the filet. Using boning knife slip knife just under the salmon skin, with skin side of salmon facing down. Starting at tail end of filet and holding the salmon skin with left hand. Carefully slide the knife carefully towards right removing skin from salmon. Often salmon skin is slippery, try using paper towel to hold salmon skin for a better grip. Then cut salmon in size portions you like, 4 ounce, 6 ounce or 8 ounce portions are most common. This takes a little practice, but will save you lot of money, buying proportion salmon is almost double in cost.

Next place the silvery finished colored side of the salmon down on the cutting board. Now sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of spicy rub onto top of each filet. Then rub spice mixture into each of salmon filets. Flip salmon over and sprinkle 2 teaspoons or more of spicy rub on the cut side of each salmon filet. Again rub spicy rub into salmon filets. Place in container and cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.

How to Air Fry Spicy Salmon Filets:

Most air fryers have a fish setting, this is a preset function on your air fryer. My PowerXL Air Fryer has a preset function for 10 minutes at 350°F. This is a good starting point, it’s not too high temperature for the spicy rub. This is just long enough to cook the salmon to a safe temperature, about 135 to 140° internal temperature. Note the longer time in the air fryer, the fish looses more moisture, which can become dry and chewy. The goal is to have a moist and very flavor salmon filet.

Looking for another Air Fry Salmon Recipe

Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
Spicy Airfryer Salmon Filet
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Enjoy spicy Salmon Filet using Airfryer with just a few key ingredients, salt, sugar, spices and aromatics. The magic is in the spice rub and benefits of using Airfryer.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 Minutes 15 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 Minutes 15 Minutes
Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
Spicy Airfryer Salmon Filet
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Enjoy spicy Salmon Filet using Airfryer with just a few key ingredients, salt, sugar, spices and aromatics. The magic is in the spice rub and benefits of using Airfryer.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 Minutes 15 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 Minutes 15 Minutes
Ingredients
Salmon Filet
Hot Spicy Rub
Spicy Ranch Dressing
Servings: Portions
Units:
Instructions
Hot Spice Rub
  1. Combine together in mortar and pestle the kosher salt, Turbinado Sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, Carolina Riper chilies powder and season salt. Mixing well with pestle until nice evenly ground mixture comes together. Taste the mixture, and adjust Carolina Riper Chilies powder to your liking.
    Grinding Spicy Salmon Rub
  2. Place well mixed hot spice rub in storage jar. Note this might make more then you need for just 2 salmon filets.
Spicy Salmon Filets
  1. Remove skin from salmon filet with boneing knife. Cut the salmon filet into 5 to 6 ounce portions.
  2. Next season both sides of salmon filets with Hot Spice Rub putting one teaspoon of rub on each side of filets.
    Sprinkling Spicy Seasoning Rub onto salmon filets.
  3. Spray each salmon filet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I like to use EVO Sprayer each spritz is 1/4 teaspoon of oil. This controls the coverage of olive oil nicely.
    Spray Salmon Filets with olive oil using the EVO Sprayer
Airfry Spicy Salmon Filets
  1. Preset Airfryer to fish setting or 350°F, allow airfryer to warm up this only takes about 2 minutes max.
  2. Place the seasoned salmon filets with cut side down into Airfryer basket. My PowerXL holds two filets nicely. Push basket into Airfryer and adjust time to 10 minutes. Note about half way into cooking process flip salmon over carefully. Then continue cooking until timer goes off.
  3. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over top of each cooked salmon filet.
Serving Hot Spicy Salmon Filets
  1. Place carefully remove the salmon filet from the basket with fish spatula. Place salmon filet onto plate carefully
  2. Drizzle some spicy ranch dressing in decorative manner onto plate. Add green vegetable of your choice of cooked Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Green Beans are all great choice. Also serve nice starch like Risotto, Smashed Potatoes.
    Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
Spicy Ranch Dressing
  1. Combine together in small bowl, the Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, Sriracha Sauce and Carolina Reaper Chilies powder together.
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Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
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Air fryer Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts:

Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
Greek Style Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer

Greek Style Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Looking for a new Spinach Stuffed Chicken recipe using the Air Fryer? This Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast with Greek flavor is perfect choice. The Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast only takes 20 minutes in Air Fryer with moist flavorful Greek profile. Key is to use Cavenders Greek Seasoning in stuffing and on chicken breasts.

Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
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Greek style spinach filling stuffed into chicken breasts that only takes 20 minutes in the Air Fryer to make.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
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Greek style spinach filling stuffed into chicken breasts that only takes 20 minutes in the Air Fryer to make.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Ingredients
Greek Spinach Stuffing
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Servings: Portions
Units:
Instructions
Greek Spinach Stuffing Mixture:
  1. Sauté onions with mince garlic and olive oil in skillet until fragrant. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat.
    Sauté onions with garlic and olive oil
  2. Next sauté the onions, garlic, spinach, Greek seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper with some olive oil in the same skillet. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes to cook, until the excess moisture is evaporate off the filling.
  3. Combine cooked spinach mixture with, Manchego cheese, Feta Cheese in mixing bowl. Adding some extra Greek Seasoning and Oregano, with salt and pepper to taste. Mix this filling with spatula until combined.
    Combine cooked spinach mixture with cheeses and Greek seasoning, salt and pepper.
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
  1. First Butterfly boneless skinless chicken breast using sharp knife, folding chicken breast open with cut side up. Next sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, Oregano, Salt and Pepper.
    Butterfly boneless chicken breasts and sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, Oregano, Salt and Pepper.
  2. Flattening seasoned chicken breasts with plastic wrap and meat mallet. Use the flat side of mallet by pounding chicken until even thickness.
    Flattening seasoned chicken breasts with plastic wrap and meat mallet. Use the flat side of mallet by pounding chicken until even thickness.
  3. Stuff each flattened seasoned chicken breast with Greek Spinach Stuffing mixture. Then carefully fold the chicken breast up covering all the stuffing.
    Stuff each flattened seasoned chicken breast with Greek Spinach Stuffing mixture. Then carefully fold the chicken breast up covering all the stuffing.
  4. Rolled Stuffed chicken breast, sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, Oregano, Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. Spray with Olive Oil using EVO Sprayer to get an even coating of Olive Oil over all the chicken.
    Rolled Stuffed chicken breast, sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, Oregano, Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. Spray with Olive Oil using EVO Sprayer to get an even coating of Olive Oil over all the chicken.
  5. Placed the Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts carefully into basket of the Air Fryer. Set the Air Fryer to chicken setting. Using the PowerXL default setting 20 minutes at 350°F.
    Placed the Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts carefully into basket of the Air Fryer. Set the Air Fryer to chicken setting. Using the PowerXL default setting 20 minutes at 350°F.
  6. Air Fried Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast coming out of Air Fryer. See that wonderful golden brown color, that’s still in the Air Fryer basket.
    Air Fried Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast coming out of Air Fryer. See that wonderful golden brown color, that’s still in the Air Fryer basket.
  7. After air frying spinach stuffed chicken breasts, be sure to check the internal temperature. The thermometer should read 170°F. Be sure to stick the probe right in center of the stuffed chicken to make sure the filling reaches 170°F.
    After air frying spinach stuffed chicken breasts, be sure to check the internal temperature. The thermometer should read 170°F. Be sure to stick the probe right in center of the stuffed chicken to make sure the filling reaches 170°F.
  8. Allow the Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast to rest 5 minutes. Next cut each of breast in half on a diagonal. Place cut chicken breast onto plate in attractive manner. Try using Ranch Dressing as sauce smeared onto plate. Finally place your choice of cooked vegetables onto plate. Garnish with Manchego Cheese and Enjoy.
    Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 337 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 125mg 42%
Sodium 3071mg 128%
Potassium 280mg 8%
Total Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 1g
Protein 42g 84%
Vitamin A 176%
Vitamin C 29%
Calcium 30%
Iron 9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Italian Tomato Sauce
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Canning Italian Tomato Sauce

Italian Tomato Sauce
Canned Italian Tomato Sauce cooling on wire rack

Tomato Season is here what to do with all those wonderful San Marzano Tomatoes that are ripe. Canning Italian Tomato Sauce is perfect solution to bumper crop of tomatoes. The San Marzano tomatoes are the best flavor for making Italian Sauce. 

Washed San Marzano Tomatoes

Start first Mise en place 

Mise en place is important part of canning process. Always have work space sanitized, and sterilize jars, lids and rims for canning. Be sure to wash all canning equipment, canner or large stock pot. Most efficient method is to get water boiling to sterilize jars, lids and rims. This takes some time to get up to boil and sterilize. While sterilize processing mise en place ingredients for sauce. The most time consuming process is blanching tomatoes and peeling skins off tomatoes. 

Peeling the skins off San Marzano Tomatoes

Getting Processing done quickly 

Processing the tomatoes after the skins are removed can be done quickly with aid of VitaMix Blender. Running the VitaMix Blender on low 5 speed setting works very well. Blend for short periods of time, just enough to chop tomatoes into slightly chunky sauce. Running VitaMix on too high of speed too long will turn into smooth puree.  A smooth puree is fine if your making that type of sauce. My preference is having some texture to Italian Sauce. Blend tomatoes in small batches filling the blender container 1/2 full gives plenty of head room to process. Running the bender only 35 to 45 seconds making gallon sauce goes quickly.

A food processor works too but it is messy and having to deal with a sharp blade everytime you dump batch into stock pot. The extra hassle of using food processor takes more time then it’s worth.

  • Processing Tomatoes on speed 5
  • Peeled San Marzano Tomatoes


Italian Tomato Sauce
Canning Italian Tomato Sauce
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Canning Italian Tomato Sauce recipe has a far better flavor profile by using San Marzano tomatoes. This recipe uses fresh tomatoes, sweet onions, sweet peppers, herbs, and lots of garlic with hint of pepper flakes. The Italian Tomato Sauce can be used in so many creative foods, from casseroles, meat sauces or in favorite spaghetti. Enjoy.
Servings Prep Time
4 Quarts 45 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 Hour 2 1/2 Hours
Servings Prep Time
4 Quarts 45 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 Hour 2 1/2 Hours
Italian Tomato Sauce
Canning Italian Tomato Sauce
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Canning Italian Tomato Sauce recipe has a far better flavor profile by using San Marzano tomatoes. This recipe uses fresh tomatoes, sweet onions, sweet peppers, herbs, and lots of garlic with hint of pepper flakes. The Italian Tomato Sauce can be used in so many creative foods, from casseroles, meat sauces or in favorite spaghetti. Enjoy.
Servings Prep Time
4 Quarts 45 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 Hour 2 1/2 Hours
Servings Prep Time
4 Quarts 45 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 Hour 2 1/2 Hours
Ingredients
Servings: Quarts
Units:
Instructions
Mise en place ingredients
  1. Core and blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 45 seconds. Shock in ice water bath, then peel skins off tomatoes. Set aside
  2. Place peeled tomatoes in VitaMix or food processer. Blend for 45 to 60 seconds on speed 5 or low. The tomatoes should be slightly textured not perfectly smooth.
  3. Peel and chopped onions finely. Set aside. Peel and mince garlic cloves, I use a large bulb of garlic per batch which produces very nice garlic flavor profile. Set aside
  4. Remove the stem and seeds from sweet mini peppers, then chop finely. Set aside.
Cooking Italian Tomato Sauce
  1. Heat olive oil in 8 quart stock pot with minced garlic until fragrant. Then add the chopped onions and peppers cook for 2 to 4 minutes until fragrant and softened. This should take about 5 minutes total cooking time.
  2. Next add the processed tomatoes to cooked aromatics, cook over medium heat caution not to burn sauce. Add the tomato paste and stir well. The next step is to add the dry herbs and Stir often. Cook the Italian Sauce for hour to get best flavor.
Safe Canning Process
  1. Wash all jars, lids and rings for canning. Bring large stock pot or canner with jars and lids and rings covered with water to boil. Boil jars, lids and rings for 10 minutes.
  2. Remove jars carefully with lifter draining all excess water off jar onto wire rack. Remove lids and rings onto paper towels.
  3. Fill each canning jar with hot Italian Tomato Sauce to 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. It's important to leave 1/2 air space to create a vacuum. Fill each jar using funnel to help keep jar clean. Note add 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid for quart jar or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid for pint jar of tomato sauce.
  4. Wipe each jar rim with paper towel dipped in white vinegar. This is to clean the top of each jar to achieve proper seal.
  5. Place on top of each jar lid and fasten down each lid with ring. Twisting ring until just snug.
  6. Place each jar in large stock pot or canner with water to just cover top of each jar. Bring water to boil for 15 minutes. Remove jars using jar lifter and place on wire rack to cool. Listen carefully for lids to click this means achieved proper seal.
  7. Check visualy for properly sealed jars the dimple on top of each jar should be depressed inwards. If not properly sealed the jar will have to be refrigerated and used within 2 weeks time. Or clean jar rim and reseal with new lid and go through water bath process again.
    Italian Tomato Sauce
  8. Make a label for each jar of sauce and place on jar with tape or glue stick. Store Canned Italian Tomato Sauce in dry cool area with minimal light. These should be good for up to 2 years in dark area.
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Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa

Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa recipe utilizing fresh tomatoes, chilies from garden. This recipe used my Brandywine Tomatoes picked ripe from garden. Brandywine tomatoes are wonderful extra large heirloom tomatoes full of flavor and sweetness.  Complementing tomato salsa flavors with green onion, garlic, cilantro and sweet mini peppers.

Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa core ingredients with quart of Salsa

Getting the flavor profile perfect!

Achieving a perfect flavor that is enjoyable takes some adjusting. Salsa needs balancing of acidity from the tomatoes with peppers, garlic, onion and cilantro that is not simple task. My favorite trick of trade is using Chili vinegar, it adds acidic and some extra kick to salsa. If needed a little olive oil gives a more rounded end notes. I age my chili vinegar for at least a year this tops off heat from chilies giving more depth to chili vinegar taste. 

If the salsa is too fluid in consistency try using xantham gum, mix 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum to 1 quart salsa. This thicken sauce right up so when used on tortilla chip you can walk 2 feet and not drip on yourself. Xantham gum doesn’t need to be cooked it thickens naturally. 

 

Hot Chili Vinegar aged for 2 years.
Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa
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Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa recipe utilizing fresh tomatoes, chilies from garden. This recipe used my Brandywine Tomatoes picked ripe from garden.
Servings Prep Time
1 Quart 20 Minutes
Passive Time
60 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 Quart 20 Minutes
Passive Time
60 Minutes
Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa
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Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa recipe utilizing fresh tomatoes, chilies from garden. This recipe used my Brandywine Tomatoes picked ripe from garden.
Servings Prep Time
1 Quart 20 Minutes
Passive Time
60 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 Quart 20 Minutes
Passive Time
60 Minutes
Ingredients
Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa Mixture
Tortillas Chips
Servings: Quart
Units:
Instructions
Garden Fresh Tomato Salsa
  1. Peel tomatoes and finely chop, place chopped tomatoes into mixing bowl. Trim green onions and rainse in cold water, drain and fine chop green onions. Place green onions into mixing bowl with tomatoes. Rainse peppers and remove stem and seeds. Finely chop peppers and place in mixing bowl with tomato mixture. Mince garlic cloves finely and place in mixing bowl with tomato mixture.
  2. Mix the tomato mixture well with spatula. Add minced chile peppers, salt, pepper, olive oil and minced cilantro to tomato mixture. Stir these seasoning well to incorporate flavors.
  3. Adjust flavor profile of the tomato salsa with fresh lime juice, sugar and chili vinegar or cider vinegar. If the mixture is very liquidity add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to mixture and stir well this will thick sauce quickly. If you like spicy hot salsa add chopped chilies to your liking.
  4. Store in Ball canning quart jar in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Fresh Flour Tortillas
  1. Cut 6 inch flour tortillas into 1/6 wedges. Spray with oil using EVO sprayer with 2 to 4 sprays of oil.
  2. Place in Air Fryer set at 400°f for 8 to 10 minutes. Give tortillas a shake mid way into air frying. This brown tortillas evenly.
  3. Serve baked chips with bowl of garden fresh salsa. One serving is about 12 chips.
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Texas Chili Chef Dave Style presentation in a bowl
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Texas Chili Chef Daves Style

Texas Chili Chef Dave Style presentation in a bowl

Texas Chili Chef Dave Style presentation

Texas Chili Chef Dave Style

This recipe is a new and improved version of my Classic Texas Chili, that I made for so many years teaching at Kirkwood. Many of students remember the heat level and running to walk-in refrigerator to get some milk to put out the fire. This is the recipe that’s improved and better with lots of extra heat too. Time to fine the fire extinguisher, grab a bottle of antacids and gallon of milk, it’s Texas Chili Chef Dave’s Style Time!

All about using the right chilies

Cooking dried chilies, garlic weighted down with plate.

Cooking dried chilies, garlic weighted down with plate.

Start off by choosing the best chilies which for practical purposes dried chilies work best. It’s better to use a good variety of dry chilies. Choosing good red chili like Guajillo or New Mexican Red Chilies, both are mild less then 1000 Scoville units of heat. Next is choosing a more complex flavor chili like Ancho Chili and Padilla chili adding slight smoky profile. Finally adding some good chilies that have lots of heat, like my super hot chili seasoning. The super hot chili seasoning is infused with some of my hottest varieties of chilies that grown in garden. These chilies are cooked with garlic and water until softened about 20 to 30 minutes weighted down with plate. Be sure to save all cooking liquids from chilies. This is chili stock that will be used throughout cooking process.

Making the Texas Gravy for chili

Blending chilies and garlic with chili stock.

Blending chilies and garlic with chili stock.

Texas Chili is all about having wonderful hot bright red chili gravy for chili. Don’t even think about putting in tomatoes! In Texas Chili it’s all about chilies and meat. To make this gravy you place all softened chilies with stems removed into blender. My preference is VitaMix, start on low speed with small amount of the cooking liquid. Blend into purée seeds and all. Adding more chili stock as needed to make wonderful red sauce. Taste the chili red sauce adjust flavors with salt, super hot chili seasoning and sugar. This is all a matter of personal taste preference. I love it super Hot where my wife likes it milder.

Where’s the BEEF!

Diced Beef Round cooking in cast iron pot.

Diced Beef Round cooking in cast iron pot.

Texas Chili has lots diced beef, some chopped onions and minced garlic. I like to use bottom round or sirloin tip diced into 1/2 inch pieces.

Cooking beef cubes in heavy cast iron pot has excellent even uniform heat. When meat is nice and brown, add onions, spices and herbs. Continue cooking to build layers of flavors.

 

Simmering low and slow

Long and slow simmering Texas Chili Chef Dave’s Syle

Long and slow simmering Texas Chili Chef Dave’s Syle

Combining the red chili gravy with the browned seasoned beef, then simmering long and slowly. Developing flavors, tenderizing the beef and building some heat. If needed adding extra chili stock as Texas Chili thickens. After a good two to three hours of slow cooking adjust seasonings with, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper and super hot chili seasoning to taste.

Topping of your choices

Time to build bowl of Texas Chili Chef Dave’s Style filling bowl of piping hot Texas Chili and topping chili with, some cheese, tortillas chips, chopped cilantro. Of course many more possibilities, like sour cream, guacamole, olives, chilies and of course hot sauces. That’s the fun of enjoying chili and putting out he fire with some beers. Fond memories wonderful eats, time to make

 

 

 

Texas Chili Chef Dave Style presentation in a bowl

Texas Chili Chef Daves Style

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So hot it came out of both ends!
Servings Prep Time
8 people 45 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 1/2 hours 2 hours

Servings Prep Time
8 people 45 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 1/2 hours 2 hours

Texas Chili Chef Dave Style presentation in a bowl

Texas Chili Chef Daves Style

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So hot it came out of both ends!
Servings Prep Time
8 people 45 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 1/2 hours 2 hours

Servings Prep Time
8 people 45 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 1/2 hours 2 hours

Ingredients


Servings: people

Units:

Instructions
Chili Sauce
  1. Trim the beef of all gristle and excess fat, then cut into medium dice, about 1/2" cubes. Season with some salt and pepper. Set aside covered on ice.

  2. Heat canola oil in heavy duty stock pot or cast iron dutch oven with garlic, continue cooking garlic until skins loosen. Remove garlic onto side plate and take skins off. Add to hot oil pasilla chili, ancho chili and guajillo chili with tongs toss in the hot oil until toasted. They will puff up a little and have nice chili aroma. Note do not burn chilies. Remove from hot oil and place on plate to cool. Save oil to make the Texas Chili

  3. Place the toasted chilies, garlic in saucepan cover with water and weight down chilis with plate. Cook chilies and garlic for 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
    Cooking dried chilies, garlic weighted down with plate.

  4. Remove the chiles and garlic from cooking liquid, but do not discard cooking liquid. Take the stems off chilies.

  5. Place the chilies, garlic and cup of chili cooking liquid in blender, (VitaMix) Process on low speed then turn up to high, adding extra cooking liquid if needed to blend into red puree.
    Blending chilies and garlic with chili stock.

Cooking Texas Chili
  1. In Dutch Oven heat oil left from toasting chilies and garlic add the diced beef when oil is hot, brown meat well. Add the cumin, oregano and onions and saute for 5 minutes until onions are tender.
    Diced Beef Round cooking in cast iron pot.

  2. Add red chili puree, to beef mixture, and some Code Red fire in the hole pepper, if needed some extra cooking liquid bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Cook Texas Chili for 2 1/2 hours adding extra cooking liquid if needed.
    Long and slow simmering Texas Chili Chef Dave’s Syle

  3. Taste Texas Chili, adjust with Super Hot Chili Seasoning, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic, oregano and cumin. This Texas Chili should be hot enough to eat bowl make you sweat. For some grab quart milk. Toppings, shred cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions and cilantro.

  4. Time to build bowl of Texas Chili Chef Dave’s Style filling bowl of piping hot Texas Chili and topping chili with, some cheese, tortillas chips, chopped cilantro.

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Plated Baked Tomatoes that was cooked in Air Fryer
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Air Fryer Baked Tomatoes

Air Fryer Baked Tomatoes

Plated Baked Tomatoes that was cooked in Air Fryer

Baked Tomato Halves cooked with Air Fryer

Classic baked tomato simplified  into Air Fryer Baked Tomatoes that can be done quickly and easy. This recipe brings back fond memories of my trip to Australia where baked tomatoes so popular that they even served them for breakfast. I got hooked on them and fell in love with simple but very testy delights. This recipe only takes minutes to prepare. By using the Air Fryer makes baking of tomatoes quick and easy, by not having to fire up big oven and waiting 15 minutes to heat up.

The classic making Baked Tomatoes on a sheet tray, is in 375 degrees oven for about 25 minutes until tender.

Plated Baked Tomatoes that was cooked in Air Fryer
Baked Tomatoes
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Rating: 5
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Servings Prep Time
4 Servings 10 minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 Servings 10 minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Plated Baked Tomatoes that was cooked in Air Fryer
Baked Tomatoes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Servings Prep Time
4 Servings 10 minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 Servings 10 minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Servings: Servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Core and cut each tomato lengthwise. Next season each of the tomatoes with kosher salt, black pepper, Herbes de Provence, and garlic powder. Sprinkle with some balsamic vinegar over each of the tomatoes halves.
    Tomato halves seasoned with garlic powder, Herbes de Provence, kosher salt, pepper,
  2. Make the crumb topping by mixing together the Panko bread crumbs, paprika and shredded Parmesan Cheese in a bowl. Then sprinkle over each of the seasoned tomato halves with the crumb topping mixture.
    Tomato halves that's has a sprinkled Topping mixture over each one.
  3. Using EVO sprayer coat even mist of oil over each of the crumb topped tomatoes halves. Note vegetable spray will work as substitute, like PAM spray.
  4. Place tomatoes in the air fryer basket or on greased sheet pan. Set air fryer to 370 degrees and bake for 15 minutes or until tomato is tender. If using oven bake 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender.
  5. Serve baked tomatoes with fish, chicken and beef entrees.
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