Friday, December 31, 2021

2021 TOP TEN LIST, or maybe top 11...


Why not?

From February
Sausage Frittata. The frittata, the bread, the potatoes. Each part of the dinner was perfect.

The Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Balls. Just the perfect food.

Moving on to April, sorry March.
Air Fryer Fried Chicken! Just a happy dinner.



And then there was May.
Steaks on the Grill. Hello Weber Grill!

On to July
Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken. Easy prep and cleanup. 

Air Fryer Lasagna. It is a good thing.

August

Air Fryer Salmon. It is a perfect thing.

November

Filet Mignon Steak with Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce

Happy New Year's Eve!

Good Bye 2021. What the hell will 2022 be like? We are starting the 2022 minus Betty White. The Happy Homemaker for the Mary Tyler Moore Show. 99 years old. Just weeks away from turning 100. 

She will be missed.

On to dinner. Filet Mignon Steak with Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce. I picked up the steaks at T & J's in East Haven for only $9.00. Not bad for a New Years' Eve dinner. I googled the recipe for Filet Mignon Steak with Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce and found this perfect recipe.

I cut down on the amount of pepper that I used, it was a good call. The side dishes were twice-baked potatoes, the same recipe used on Christmas day, and some sauteed zucchini. Also tried some air fryer calamari from the frozen fish section of the store. Yeah, that will not be made again.

Here is the recipe for the Filet Mignon Steak with Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce.

Ingredients-
2 (6 oz.) filet mignon steaks
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 tbsp.  peppercorns
2 Tbs. bourbon
1/2 cup beef stock
1/4 tsp. brown sugar
1 Tbs. cold, unsalted butter
3 Tbs. heavy cream

Method-

Sprinkle both sides of the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Heat about two tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks in batches and cook until browned on both sides and until desired doneness, about 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness. Between batches, add more oil to the pan if needed. Cover steaks with foil while resting.

Lower the heat to medium and add a touch more olive oil to the same skillet if needed to prevent sticking. Add the shallots and cook until slightly softened. Meanwhile, crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, or gently with the back of a sturdy chef's knife, and add to the shallots. Once fragrant, pour in the bourbon and stock to deglaze the pan. Stir in brown sugar and simmer until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Whisk in cold butter followed by the heavy cream.

Transfer steaks to aserving platter. Spoon sauce over filets and serve immediately. Serve extra sauce alongside.

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Air Fryer Orange Chicken

NO PHOTO!!!!

Too bad because this was really delicious. Plus, it was easy to prepare and fast to cook.

This recipe should be put under Air Fryer and 30 Minute Meals. 

I found this recipe on Lite Cravings.com


Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Ingredients-

FOR THE CHICKEN

1 lbs raw boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 large egg, whisked

2/3 cup cornstarch or potato starch (see blog notes)

FOR THE SAUCE

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from about 2 medium oranges

1 tsp minced ginger

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp oyster sauce 

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 1/2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp water

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes


Method-

Preheat air fryer to 375F.

Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix together with whisked egg until all chicken is coated.

In a large plastic bag, add the cornstarch. Using tongs, take the chicken pieces out of the egg mixture, allowing excess egg to drip off and add to the bag.

Close the bag and shake chicken pieces around until fully coated by the cornstarch. Remove pieces from the bag and place them on the cutting board that you used to cut up your chicken

Liberally coat the side of the chicken facing up with cooking spray. Add the chicken, sprayed side down, to the basket of your air fryer. Now spray the side facing up, so all sides of the chicken are coated.

Air fry at 375F for 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is slightly browned and cooked through

As the chicken cooks, make the sauce in a medium-sized skillet. Whisk sauce ingredients together and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens–about 5 minutes.

Toss cooked chicken with sauce and serve immediately.



 

Monday, December 27, 2021

Deviled Bones

I always look forward to this post-Christmas meal. Leftover rib bones covered with spices and breadcrumbs. Not a fork and knife meal. 

Ingredients -
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 5 leftover beef rib bones
1 cup fresh bread crumbs


Method-

Preheat oven to 350˚. 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. 

Remove from heat and stir in the mustard, cayenne, and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper.

BRUSH the ribs with the spiced butter, then roll in the bread crumbs, coating well. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.


Now Chris is not a fan of Deviled bones. Not a problem. I fixed him a Roast Beef Sandwich on some Italian Bread. I heard no complaints from his side of the table!

The Fries were Fast Fries baked in the Air Fryer. Nice!


💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

And I need to wish my parents a Happy Wedding Anniversary in Heaven!! 

Miss them both.

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛





Saturday, December 25, 2021

Christmas 2021

Table for two again this year.

Today was an incredibly relaxed day.

Our menu for the day - (we are saving the Cupalets for tomorrow's dinner!)






If it's Christmas there are Penguins!



The Only Roast Beef Recipe I will use. It is from What's Cooking America.

Ingredients-
1 Prime Rib Roast standing rib roast at room temperature (very important)
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

Method-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the room-temperature standing rib roast (prime rib roast) dry with paper towels or napkins. Smear the cut ends only of the roast with the butter.
Previously Frozen Roast: If your prime rib roast is frozen, let it thaw completely in the refrigerator. Remove the roast from the refrigerator about 2 to 4 hours before cooking to let it come to room temperature. Depending on the size of your roast, the time to come to room temperature may vary. Use your best judgment!

Room Temperature: To cook evenly, the roast must not be cold - let it stand at room temperature, loosely covered, for about 2 to 4 hours. This time can vary depending on how big or small your roast is. If you do not let the roast come to room temperature, if will take longer to cook your roast, your roast won't cook evenly, and you will end up with well-done slices on the end and raw meat in the center.  Use your best judgment on room temperature times!

Do NOT salt the outside of your prime rib roast, as salt draws out moisture from the meat while cooking.  You can use a prime rib rub containing other seasonings if desired, but it is not necessary. Some people do salt their prime rib roast before cooking, but trust the author of this amazing recipe and do no salt - the result will be a juicy, delicious roast to serve your family and guests! 

Roasting Pan:  Place the roast, ribs down or fat side up, in a heavy stainless-steel Roasting Pan or other metal roasting pan.  Select a roasting pan that has sides at least 3-inches deep.  (I do not recommend using nonstick pans, as these pans yield fewer of the cooked-on bits that make the tasty au jus juice or gravy.)  The rib bones are a natural rack; you will not need a metal one. 

Cooking Temperatures:  Sear the rib roast for 15 minutes at the higher oven temperature (450 degrees F.), then turn the oven to the lower temperature (325 degrees F.) for the rest of the cooking time.  Every 1/2 hour, baste the cut ends of the roast with the fat accumulated in the roasting pan.  Do Not Cover the roast.

You will want to estimate about 12 minutes per pound of meat for the cooking time. See charts to make it easy to determine Prime Rib Roast Cooking Times.  About 45 minutes before the estimated end of the roasting (bake) time, begin checking the internal temperature (use a good instant-read digital meat thermometer).  Play it safe and start checking early, as you do not want anything to go wrong.  

If you ignore every other bit of advice I have given, please pay attention to this:  For a perfectly cooked rib roast, invest in a good meat thermometer.   Internal temperature, not time, is the best test for doneness and you do not want to blow this meal!

When checking the temperature of your prime rib roast, insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat or touching bone.  Cook until rib roast reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F. (or your desired temperature). See chart to determine Prime Rib Roast Internal Cooking Temperatures for rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well and well-done.  Remove from oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let sit approximately 15 to 20 minutes.  Cutting into the meat too early will cause a significant loss of juice.  Do not skip the resting stage.

Residual Heat or Carry-Over Cooking:  Remember, the rib roast will continue to cook as it sets.  The internal temperature will rise to 125 degrees F. to 130 degrees F. (medium rare) in approximately 15 to 20 minutes.  If allowed to rest as long as an hour, the internal temperature will rise even higher.  So, pay attention to how long you let the cooked prime rib roast sit. 

Holding Cooked Rib Roast:  To hold cooked roast until serving time, immediately turn off the oven and leave the door ajar after removing roast.  Let roast sit 15 minutes on the counter and then return roast to the oven, door closed, for up to an hour or even 2 hours for the biggest roasts.  Check the temperature every 15 minutes. If will rise approximately 10 degrees F. at first, then gradually subside.


How big a roast do I need? 
two (2) people – one (1) rib roast

six (6) people – three (3) rib roast

eight (8) people – four (4) rib roast

ten (10) people – five (5) rib roast

twelve (12) people – six (6) rib roast

fourteen (14) people – seven (7) rib roast


Approximate Prime Rib Cooking Time Per Pound until 
Internal Temperature reaches 120 degrees F:

1 rib (2 to 2.5 pounds) – 22 to 24 minutes

2 ribs (4 to 5 pounds) – 60 to 70 minutes  

3 ribs (7 to 8.5 pounds) – 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours

4 ribs (9 to 10.5 pounds) – 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours

5 ribs (11 to 15 pounds) – 2-1/4 to 3 hours

6 ribs (15 to 16 pounds) – 3 to 3-1/4 hours

7 ribs (16 to `8.5 pounds) – 3-1/4 to 4 hours


Beef Roast Cooking Internal Temperatures:

Rare – 120 to 125 degrees F. – center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion

Medium Rare – 130 to 135 degrees F. – center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion

Medium – 140 to 145 degrees F. – center is light pink, outer portion is brown

Medium Well – 150 to 155 degrees F. – not pink

Well Done – 160 degrees F. and above


Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce- (I cut this recipe in half)

1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared horseradish (according to your taste)
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

Method-

In a medium-sized bowl, combine horseradish, sour cream, lemon juice, and salt; thoroughly mix.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made 2 days in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.

To serve, pass the horseradish sauce on the side.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.




Now about those potatoes. These got rave reviews.



I found this recipe on Simply Recipes

Ingredients-
2 large russet potatoes, about 1 pound each
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 tablespoon cream


Method-
Bake the potatoes:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with the tines of a fork so that when the potatoes are cooking they don't explode.

Rub the potatoes all over with a little olive oil. 

Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through. They should give a little when pressed.

If short on time you can bake the potatoes in the microwave, 10 minutes on high heat for 2 potatoes, 15 minutes for 4 potatoes. The skins of microwave baked potatoes aren't nearly as crispy, so you may want to rub a little olive oil on them and finish them in a conventional oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.

Make potato "boats"-
Allow the potatoes to cool to touch. Slice the top third lengthwise off the potato.

Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, forming a potato "canoe", leaving about 1/4 inch of potato on the skin.

After scooping, brush the potato with melted butter, sprinkle salt and pepper and bake boats alone 5- 10 minutes for a crispy potato boat. 

The potato boats-
Mash potato insides with sour cream, milk, butter:
Place the scooped out potato insides, sour cream, milk, cream, and butter into a large bowl.

Mash with a potato masher. If you want a creamy texture, beat with an electric beater until desired consistency. Do not over-beat the potatoes! They can turn gluey if you do.

Stuff potato shells with filling-
Spoon fillings into the potato shells. 

Bake-
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Place potatoes on a roasting pan or baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes until heated through.



The Green Beans with Pancetta
This recipe is from Taste of Home.

I switched out the bacon for pancetta.

Ingredients-
8 cups fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup pancetta, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Method-
Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered until beans are crisp-tender, 8-10 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp and onion is tender, stirring occasionally 3-5 minutes.

Add beans to the bacon mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

And the cookies...
Never-ending cookies...




Friday, December 24, 2021

Christmas Eve In Photos. 7, 8, 9, 10 Fish?

Yay!!!! Christmas Eve Dinner at my sister's house!! The food was delicious as always. The conversations were great. Just to be able to talk to 5 people around the dinner table was a treat!

Ralph and Lenore outdid themselves as usual. I counted well over 7 fish. But really, who's counting?

Enjoy the photos! 

And Merry Christmas to all.









Sunday, November 21, 2021

Aunt Carm’s Braciole


Did I have an Aunt Carm? No. My Mom had an Aunt Carmina but this was not her recipe. 
This recipe is from Italian Sons and Daughters of America. The recipe was easy to follow and the result was quite delicious.

For four braciole

Four top rounds – cut quarter inch
1/4 pound of Italian lunch meats: capicola, provolone, sliced thin
Meatball mixture – raw (breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, spices, ground beef, ground pork, and egg)
One hard-boiled egg – sliced
Olive oil
Cooking twine

Assemble:

Pound out top round pieces nice and flat.

Layer the lunch meat and cheese. I used Capicola and Provolone.


Spread the raw meatball mixture. I used the house meatball mix. Ground Beef and Pork with egg and Parmesan Cheese, this time I used bread crumbs instead of bread soaked in milk. Seasonings were salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning.


Layer the hard-boiled eggs on top of the meatball mixture.

Make sure to fold up the ends and then roll them into a little package. Tie with string. 







Heat a pan over medium-high and add olive oil.
Brown braciole on all sides and ends.


Drop package into the simmering tomato sauce and cook for three hours.



Slice and serve.


And seeing as I was making a meatball mixture for the
Braciole why not make some Air Fryer Meatballs for the freezer!









Friday, November 12, 2021

Air Fryer Hot Dogs and Potatoes



One of my favorite things to have for dinner is Fried Hot Dogs and Potatoes. It can be time-consuming, well you have to stay by the stove so nothing burns. Using the air fryer made the meal super easy.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.

I cut up potatoes and onions and put them in a zip lock bag with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Mixed it all together and put them in the air fryer for 15 minutes. Stir after 10 minutes. Your cooking time may vary depending on how big you cut the potatoes. Add the cut-up hot dogs and air fry for another 5 minutes.

Serve with ketchup and mustard.

Good Eats!

Friday, October 22, 2021

Rocco's Off Wooster


The Clams Casino


Our new house favorite - Eggplant and Bacon

It seems like quite a while since we had Rocco's Off Wooster for dinner on a Friday night. We ordered Clams Casino and our new favorite combo - Eggplant and Bacon!! A perfect combination. The pairing is right up there with Peanut Butter and Jelly, Saltine Crackers and butter (a childhood favorite), Burns and Allen (you have to be a certain age to get that one), and Bogart and Bacall.

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Chicken Cacciatore Version 2

 

From La Cucina, The Regional Cooking of Italy. Chicken Cacciatore Version 2. 
I made this over the weekend so it this was a heat and serve meal.

Honestly do not know if this was better than Version 1. It was just as delicious.

Ingredients-
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
cut-up chicken 
1/2 cup dry white wine 
1/2 lb plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 green or yellow pepper, cleaned of seeds, and chopped 
Salt and pepper

Method-
Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan and add the onion. When the onion is golden, add the chicken pieces and let them brown. Pour in the wine, add the tomatoes and sweet pepper, and adjust for salt and pepper. Cover and cook at low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Monday, October 18, 2021

Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers


Interestingly the first time I made this recipe was on a Monday night. Not sure how interesting that is, to anyone else...

Once again, it was a hit. In half an hour and dinner was on the table. Next time I will roast the peppers ahead of time. That is what took the longest.

Ingredients-
2 bell peppers, halved
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 large onion, sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. sandwich steaks
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
8 slices provolone

Method-
Preheat oven to 325º. Place peppers in a large baking dish and bake until tender, 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, 6 minutes. Add steak and season with more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning.
Add provolone to bottom of baked peppers and top with steak mixture. Top with another piece of provolone and broil until golden, 3 minutes.

Sunday, October 17, 2021

BBQ Ribs and Air Fried Mac and Cheese Balls


This is our usual Slow Cooker BBQ Rib Recipe.

I start with a rub of onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. I removed the membrane for the underside of the ribs. I pat the ribs with the rub and brush both sides of the ribs with BBQ Sauce. 8 hours in the slow cooker. I removed the ribs from the Slow Cooker and placed them on an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet (easy clean-up is so important). I brushed the ribs with more sauce. They go under the broiler set on low for almost 5 minutes. They are tender and the BBQ sauce is caramelized.

The Mac and Cheese Balls are always a winner.

Ingredients-
1 cup leftover mac and cheese, refrigerated
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup plain breadcrumbs

Method-
Combine the macaroni and cheese and the cheddar cheese in a bowl.

Put the flour in a second bowl.

Combine the eggs and milk in a third bowl.

Put the bread crumbs in a fourth bowl.

Form the mac and cheese and cheddar cheese into small ball shapes. This was not as easy as it seemed. It took a few tries but with a little effort, they came together.

Roll the balls in the flour, and then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs.

I put the Mac and Cheese balls on a tray and put them in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up.

Insert the Fry Tray into the basket. Insert the basket into the Fryer.

Set the cooking temp to 360˚ and the cooking time to 3 minutes. Let the air fryer preheat.

Place the mac and cheese balls in the basket.

Cook at 360˚ for 5 minutes. Rotate the mac and cheese balls and cook for another 5 minutes.

Saturday, October 16, 2021

It's Time for those Pork Chops!

Yeah!!! My favorite Saturday Night Dinner!!!

The recipe, pretty basic stuff.
The chops are breaded with a mixture of Panko and plain bread crumbs, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. I browned the pork chops in some olive oil on each side until browned and added a little white wine to the pan. After the wine is reduced I popped the pan in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Monday, October 11, 2021

Roasted Flat Iron Steak with Olive Oil-Herb Rub

I do love this recipe. It is so fast to get on the table. The meat melts in your mouth, even with all that green stuff on it.

Ingredients-
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2-pound) flat iron steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

Method-
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over steak. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned. Add wine and broth; cook for 1 minute. Spread herb mixture over steak; place pan in the oven. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until the desired degree of doneness. We went for 13 minutes and got perfect Medium Rare to Medium.
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with pan sauce.

I think Patrick thought he should try a piece of this. Sorry, not tonight!

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Ina Garten's Unforgettable Beef Stew and Air Fryer Eggplant Fries

Yesterday I picked up stew beef. I was going to try a different recipe, but why stray from a recipe that always works.


Ingredients-
1 pound good-quality beef chuck, cubed into ~ 1 ½" sized pieces
1 1/2 cups of good red wine
2 bay leaves 
1 cup flour  
kosher salt 
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil 
1 yellow onion, chopped 
2 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1 ½" chunks
1/2 lb small potatoes, halved or quartered
1 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp chopped dried rosemary
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

Method-

The night before, or a couple of hours before you start...
Place the beef in a bowl with red wine and bay leaves.
Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Brown the Beef
The next day, preheat the oven to 300° F.
In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour,  1/2 tbsp salt, and pepper, and combine.
Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon, discard the bay leaves, saving the marinade.
In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mix before shaking off the excess.
Heat a glug of olive oil in a large pot and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly. See the notes above.
Place the seared beef in a bowl and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary. (If the beef is very lean, you'll need more oil.) 
Remove the beef and place it in a bowl.

Prep the Veggies
In the Dutch oven, heat another glug of oil before adding the onions, carrots, and potatoes.
Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Add the vegetables to the bowl with the beef.
Finish the Soup
Add the reserved marinade to the empty Dutch oven and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon 
Add the stock, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. 
Add the meat and vegetables, including all the juices to the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove. 
Cover the pot and place it in the oven to bake it for about 2 hours, or until all of the meat and vegetables are tender, stirring once during cooking.
If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250 or 275° F.


And those Eggplant Fries. We went out to dinner with my sister and Ralph last night and of course she gave me eggplant. At dinner, Ralph said to make Air Fryer Eggplant Fries


I found this recipe on Return To The Kitchen
Ingredients1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese1/2 tsp garlic powder1/2 tsp pepper3 eggs3 tbsp water1 eggplant1/4 cup all-purpose flourcooking spray
InstructionsPrepare your breading station. In one bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic salt, and pepper. Stir well. In a second bowl, combine eggs and water and whisk well.Peel eggplant (if desired) and then slice into "fries". Try to keep size uniform so they cook evenly.Before beginning breading, preheat your air fryer. Set it to 375 degrees for 10 minutes.Place all eggplant fries in a large bowl and add flour. Toss to coat.Then, dip the eggplant into egg then breadcrumb mixture. Repeat until all fries are breaded.Depending on the size of your air fryer these may need to be done in 2-3 batches. After the air fryer is preheated place a single layer of eggplant fries in the air fryer. Spray with cooking spray over the fries to help them get more crispy.Cook at 375 degrees for 6 minutes or until golden brown.Remove from the air fryer and sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese if desired.Serve with pasta sauce for dipping or enjoy plain.