When our new favorite kitchen appliance meets a “Come on Over” recipe, the result is a Friday Favorite with a bonus! Your response to our new “Friday Favorites” posts has blown us away, so consider this combo an expression of our gratitude!

Please note that this post contains affiliate links. This means that if you purchase an item/items through clicking on a link, I will receive, at no additional cost to you, a commission from the seller.

Secura Air Fryer

For me, the air fryer is best described as “microwave meets crock pot” (and no, that is not truly an accurate description, but it’s how I view it). First, the negatives:

• It’s large (but not huge). I keep ours on the kitchen counter because I have space to do so and because, right now, we are using it almost daily. As you’ll see below, the size is also one of its benefits.
• The bell on the timer is not very loud. In fact, it is the same single “ring” as the half-past-the-hour chime on our antique clock, so I don’t always recognize that my food is done if I’m working in another room! I wish it were a little louder, but at least it’s a pleasant tone!
• The one we chose is not digital, and I think some would like that. I personally like turning the knob to the time and temperature settings.

And now the positives (for your sake, I’ll only post the top six; there are many pluses for us):

• It’s large enough to hold quite a bit of food. The 3.4-quart version that I have linked to throughout this post is the one we purchased. It’s the perfect size for the two of us. We had company earlier this week, and I think this one can easily prepare food for four people (or even more). The little mini skewers and rack are just that: “mini,” so I’m not sure that using those would do more than small portions for up to four.
• I love NOT cooking with oil. Yes, you can use cooking spray in the basket or on the food itself, but unless it’s absolutely necessary, I’d skip it! Per the description on Amazon: “The Secura 3 2-Liter 3 4 Qt Electric Hot Air Fryer uses hot air in combination with high-speed air circulation (rapid hot air) and a top grill to prepare a variety of tasty dishes in a healthy, fast, and easy way.”
• The time it takes to “preheat” (even to 400 degrees) is roughly three minutes!
• Clean up is a breeze. I simply follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and use a paper towel or soft cloth to wipe out any excess, then I wash it (gently…no abrasives or scratchy sponges), dry it, and put the basket back in until next time!
• It’s versatile…and comes with quick and easy recipes. It’s NOT just for French fries (as often thought or as often pictured). So far, we’ve made: sausage and hash browns for breakfast (straight from the freezer); bratwurst; grilled-cheese sandwiches; chicken-and-veggies shishkebabs; mixed veggies; chicken breasts; hard-boiled eggs, etc.
• Yes, you read that right: hard-boiled eggs—without a drop of water and done to perfection. After a five-minute cold-water bath following the required time in the air fryer, I tapped the shells to crack them, and…true story…they slid right off!

Pricing:

We went with a 3.4-quart size, middle-range on pricing. HOWEVER…at least on my Amazon account, the Secura Air Fryer (which we purchased for its great reviews, ease of delivery, price, features…after many, many comparisons and much price watching) is currently 51% off at the time of this posting. So may I encourage you to purchase ASAP? It made the higher-priced one much more affordable for a “kitchen extra” that I more wanted than needed! So that’s why I’m posting now. But in all honesty, I’d even pay full price for this one, now that I’ve seen its benefits!

Click here to learn more about the Secura Air Fryer and/or to purchase yours!

BONUS:

This past Monday, we had a college student over for the evening, and we did brats in the air fryer. Here’s how I cooked five of them:

• Set temperature at 400 degrees
• Set timer for 14 minutes: that’s 3 minutes to preheat, 1 minute to place the brats, 10 minutes of actual cooking time
• Place up to six brats in bottom of basket
• Check at five minutes; turn brats over if desired (but it wasn’t necessary)
• Remove from basket (when timer sounds)…and enjoy!
• Yep, it’s that easy! Done to perfection: no pink inside; slightly “crispy” outside; delicious!

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I served the brats with this easy “Come on Over” recipe:

“Come on Over” Pasta Salad

Prep time: 30 minutes-ish
Serves: 6 (or more!)
From the kitchen of Brenda Henderson

Ingredients:

• 4 cups tri-color rotini pasta
• 3/4 cup diced onion (2 slices diced into small cubes)
• 3/4 cup diced celery (3 stalks diced into small cubes)
• 3/4 cup diced carrots (approx. 20 baby carrots diced into small cubes)
• 3/4 cup diced green pepper (1 small pepper diced into small cubes)
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
• 8-10 Tbsp Olive Garden Italian Salad dressing

Directions:

1. Prepare rotini pasta as directed on package. For me, I boil about four cups of water, add pasta, cook about 10-11 minutes (until soft, but not mushy). Then I strain off the hot water and transfer the pasta into a new bowl that has cold water in it (it’s worth washing one extra bowl!). Then I place it in the fridge until everything else is ready.
2. While brats are cooking, dice onion, celery, carrots and green pepper.
3. Place diced veggies in large bowl. Add 1/2 tsp of the lemon pepper and 4 Tbsp of the Olive Garden Italian Salad dressing. Stir to mix well.
4. Add the chilled (and fully drained) pasta to the veggies. Add the remaining lemon pepper and Italian dressing. Stir well (but don’t “smoosh” the pasta).
5. Garnish with sliced or whole green olives.
6. To keep leftovers or to make the day before, simply store covered in refrigerator. You may need to add a little extra dressing to freshen it up a bit!

Serving Ideas:

• Serve as the primary side dish with air fryer brats. Add chips and salsa to spice up the meal and to add a little “crunch.”
• Serve as the main entree by adding cubed ham or summer sausage. Serves with crackers.
• Serve a scoop-sized portion on a bed of lettuce and serve with a lunch-meat sandwich.
• Include other veggies that your family and/or guests enjoy!

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Be sure to join us back here on Monday for a devotional challenge from “The Captain’s Corner!”