Reuse your vegetable oil

This is probably the first of many that will come from my mom. When I was growing up she made (and still does!) the best crab cakes. I remember her leaving the deep fryer out for a long time after dinner was over. She was letting the oil cool.

Tonight I made my take on my friend Theola's chicken fingers. I will pass that inexpensive yummy recipe on sometime down the line. To make her chicken fingers you have to deep fry the chicken. I NEVER use vegetable oil. In fact very little of what I cook with has any oil at all. But this recipe requires a lot because its what you fry the chicken in.

This tip only applies if you use your veggie oil for the same thing, over and over. After you have used it, let it cool. Either turn deep fryer off or take pot off stove. Once the oil is completely cooled, as in ok to put your infant son's fingers in -- not that you would -- transfer back to the original bottle, and use again next time.

I am sure there are probably health reasons against this, so don't sue me if you do this and get sick. But my whole life growing up I never got sick and my mom did this with crab meet which I have to assume is just as bad as chicken. You can't tell the difference and why waste money buying the same thing over and over again. Use your judgment as to how often you should start over, and you will always lose some of the oil in the cooking process. But now you know, that big jug of veggie oil can go a long long time!

Happy eating!