French toast is one of my favorite breakfasts to make in my air fryer.Aefa MulhollandI'm a chef. After years of resisting the appliance, I now love my air fryer and use it often.It's great for making air-fried, nut-crusted chicken, grilled cheese, and panko shrimp.I also make desserts in my air fryer, like molten lava cakes and apple hand pies. When everyone else was buying air fryers years ago, I held out. I still hauled out my deep-fat fryer and gallons of oil or wrestled with various frying pans and griddles. Eventually, though, I gave in and bought a Gourmia 7-quart digital air fryer — I was astounded and delighted by how easy it was to use. Now, I love cooking with the appliance so much that I've even bought a second one.From breakfast to dessert, here are some of my favorite things to make in an air fryer.Stuffed portobello mushrooms make for a quick, tasty dinner.Aefa MulhollandThere's no end to the list of things you can pile on a portobello cap and pop in the air fryer.A recipe from the blog Spend With Pennies pairs them with cheddar and bacon, but I know some people swear by spinach and cream cheese or garlic and Parmesan. I've also been inspired by crab-stuffed mushrooms with Gouda or ones that are a play on French onion soup. I make mine with whatever I have on hand, but I particularly liked the batch I made with feta, cheddar, spinach, artichokes, breadcrumbs, and lemon.I pop the caps in the air fryer for a few minutes, gill-side down, to let any water drain out before flipping them and adding toppings.Breaded or panko-crusted shrimp turns out incredibly well in an air fryer.Panko-crusted shrimp is an incredibly easy appetizer and can be rustled up in minutes.Aefa MulhollandThere are tons of recipes out there for air-fried breaded shrimp. I prefer mine served with a hint of heat, like the "bang bang" shrimp recipe from the recipe blog Stay Snatched. I also like the shrimp paired with lemon aioli. Setting up a three-bowl dipping station is the best way to bread the shrimp quickly and efficiently — one bowl for flour, one for a whisked egg (sometimes I add mustard or mayo), and one for panko.However, I've also made crispy shrimp by simply dipping lightly oiled shrimp in panko before tossing them in the air fryer. I put nut-crusted chicken on the menu again and again.Aefa MulhollandAir-fried, nut-crusted chicken comes out moist, delicious, and with a perfect crust in just 20 minutes. Depending on what kind of air fryer you have, it might take a little more or less time — I've found my basket air fryer cooks faster and my convection-oven air fryer takes slightly longer.The blog Where Is My Spoon has a delicious, easy recipe for panko-breaded chicken. I adapted it by using half crushed nuts and half panko and adding smoked paprika and Parmesan for extra flavor.Crab cakes with fire-roasted green chiles are my favorite appetizer.Aefa MulhollandCrab cakes are one of the tastiest things I've cooked since getting an air fryer. I followed a Food Network recipe, substituting a can of fire-roasted green chiles and chipotle powder for the listed chipotle chiles and adobo sauce, just for convenience.A creamy, lemony chipotle sauce is the perfect accompaniment. It's so tangy and delicious that I could drink it.Crispy tofu can be made with or without cornstarch.Aefa MulhollandI like the simple recipe for cornstarch-free, garlic-and-soy sauce tofu on the blog Live Eat Learn. It reminded me how much better the texture is after pressing the moisture out of the tofu before cooking (I used a heavy Dutch oven to squash my block).I've also made crispy fried tofu with a ginger, tamari, and garlic marinade, finished with sesame seeds for extra crunch. The resulting tangy saltiness makes it a good bacon substitute for vegetarians and a delicious addition to Buddha bowls. Corn "ribs" are an excellent air-fried option for vegetarians.Aefa MulhollandYou can make corn "ribs" in an air fryer using all sorts of recipes.I've used one from the blog Plant Based Folk. These corn "ribs" can be paired with elote-style seasoning, barbecue sauce, or even masala spice for an Indian-inspired take on the trend. Pro tip: Microwave the cobs for seven to nine minutes before cutting them to make quartering easier.Every batch of Buffalo cauliflower I make is devoured almost immediately in my house.Aefa MulhollandBuffalo cauliflower "wings" are a top choice any night of the week — it takes just 15 minutes to make crispy, spicy florets.Simply whisk hot sauce, oil, garlic powder, and salt, and use the mixture to coat the cauliflower before tossing it into a single layer in the air fryer. I found the recipe I usually follow on Live Eat Learn.Serve with blue cheese or another creamy dip.Grilled cheese is a quick, simple air-fryer favorite.Aefa MulhollandAir-fried grilled cheese is a good, quick lunch. Larger air fryers easily fit a few sandwiches, or you can chop them into half-sized sandwiches to cram more in a smaller basket.My favorite grilled
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