Beer-Battered Onion Rings

Okay, so I'm not going to win awards for my healthy food posts over the past few weeks! Tonight was Sunday and that means dinner with the 3 Cs and their parents. Tonight, however, it was just Andy, Paul, the boys, and me. Julie took Cameron and two of her friends to see the Jonas Brothers in concert. The guys and I were happy to be eating burgers, onion rings, and watermelon in our relatively quiet dining room. I will definitely have to make this meal for Cameron though; she'll love it! The recipe for the onion rings is based on one in The Joy of Cooking. The batter is very simple (especially after a few modifications), and it's not too thin or thick when cooked. The two essential ingredients are oil at the right temperature and patience. (Don't overcrowd the pan.) Enjoy!

Beer-Battered Onion Rings
3 Vidalia onions, sliced into rings
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup beer
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Peanut oil for frying

1. Combine onions, milk, and water in a bowl; refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning onions occasionally. Drain and pat onions dry.
2. Combine flour and next 2 ingredients in a bowl; stir in eggs, beer, and vegetable oil until batter is smooth.
3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Fry onion rings, in batches, 2 minutes or so on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.