Even after working in restaurants for most of my twenties, my nighttime dinner routine for years consisted of pushing buttons on the microwave or making a rushed decision on a food delivery app. Once, a boyfriend even told me my scrambled eggs were embarrassing. Embarrassing. 

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So, while stuck at home during the pandemic, I decided enough was enough and made a vow to myself that I would no longer be a disappointment to my stove-savvy friends and family. I was going to learn how to cook a decent meal.

But where to start? I had no clue… and it sure wasn’t easy figuring it out. I set off more smoke alarms and threw away more rotten produce than my wallet would like to admit. But then, after countless hours scrolling through TikTok (like we all did at the height of covid), I unlocked the secret to making fool-proof, gourmet-worthy meals…

I discovered air fryers.

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Buying an air fryer was a game-changer. Whatever voodoo magic makes it work, I have no idea - but it has saved me tons of money in the long run, and makes me less of an embarrassment to future boyfriends and my mother.

Bonus: An air fryer can be a key player in making some of Buffalo’s best, most iconic dishes. Check out some of the ones I like to make at home!

Wings

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Making crispy, juicy chicken wings is Air fryer 101. They are the first thing I ever made in my air fryer, and are literally fool-proof - even for a pathetic wannabe chef like me. All you’ve gotta do is toss the wings in the air fryer for half an hour, shaking it up every few minutes. Then when they’re good and crispy, mix ‘em up with some butter and Frank’s RedHot. Or for less heat, try marinating them in some Chivetta’s beforehand for some barbeque goodness. Yummmm. Don’t believe me how easy this is? Check out Frank’s own recipe here and see for yourself.

Beef on Weck

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Cooking your roast beef in the air fryer leaves it juicy, moist, and most importantly, oh-so-delicious. I like whipping up beef on weck this way so my hands are free for toasting the kimmelweck rolls to perfection and picking out the perfect side (which honestly for me is usually just opening up a bag of potato chips). Check out the air fryer method here and then assemble your sandwiches as explained here

Spaghetti Parm

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Try making this famous pasta dish in your air fryer for an easy Chef’s dupe. Cook your spaghetti, mix it up with some of your favorite sauce and throw it in the fryer. The secret (shhh) is covering up your pasta with parmesan-romano before completely smothering it in fresh mozzarella. Lots and lots of mozzarella. Find out how to do it here.

Pierogies

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Sure, you could be fancy and whip up your Grandma’s recipe from scratch, but for an amateur (lazy) chef like me, frozen pierogies thrown in the air fryer and drizzled with sour cream are one of the easiest midnight snacks to make of all time. Check it out here

Chicken Finger Sub

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In just about ten minutes, you can have a healthy twist on one of Buffalo’s favorite late-night eats. And again, like the wings, these are ridiculously easy. Get the recipe here.

Do you have an air fryer? What’s your favorite dish to make?

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