August 19th, 2014

tishtash77

Today is a nice day so off out shortly with Dean on his bike to get a walk in. Just the right temp for me, a warm but not overly close 22 degrees lol.

I posted on the recipe thread some meals I make regularly, if you have a few faves you use often please post them over there, it is always nice to try something new that someone else you know recommends.

If there are any chip lovers out there I have discovered a great way to get healthy homemade ones. Thinly slice the potato. Spray a round plate with oil and lay your potato slices on it, do not overlap at all. Give a short spray over the top and a light sprinkle of sea salt. Zap for 5 to 8 mins till they start to brown. They are crispy, warm and yummy, healthy with very little oil involved. You control the seasoning. Plus it is automatic portion control as you can only fit so many in there. I like just salted ones, but DH tried salt and vinegar ones by soaking the potato slices in vinegar overnight, then salting and cooking. When we have some money I want to try Parmesan ones! I also will get some sweet potatoes and try it with those too. Would be nice to be able to send in chips with Dean to school for lunch on occasion without feeling like a bad mum!

KnitOrMiss

This week so far (yes, I know it is only Tuesday, but I think it carried over from last week) seems to be so crazy hectic. I tried coffee (a full cup) this morning for the first time (I've always hated it, and I've had a sip here or there, but could never tolerate it)...yes, I added enough sugar free creamer to be ridiculous, but I was able to drink it. I'm looking forward to further adventure here...coffee has so many good things about it, so maybe I can finally embrace it.

Interesting on the "chips" Natasha...when you say thin, how thin is thin?? I can see paper thin to 1/8" to 1/4"...thin slices in food are so relative! Where did you get this idea (figured it came from somewhere, otherwise who would randomly soak a potato in vinegar overnight just 'cause?)? I'm not a huge fan of cooking in the microwave, but I might try this on a snack craving day...

tishtash77

I do not cook in the microwave either, use it for heating up stuff basically. I was thinking of making home made oven chips and happened to click on a recipe that was for the microwave. I was totally skeptical but figured it would only cost me a few slices of potato to try it out. Then Dh loves Salt and Vinegar so looked up how he might try that, the recipe said to leave them in the vinegar for 2 hours, he likes them stronger though so went for overnight. Thin as in use a mandolin no more than 1/8 an inch thin. We didn't have a mandolin at first so had to cut them by hand and it was hard to get them that thin. But they still cooked and went crispy, it just took longer. For thicker ones I think it was a 6 to 7 min zap then one minute zaps and check till they start to brown. Then Dh who is a chip addict so was understandable excited about being able to make his own so easily went to a store and bought a mandolin so we can cut more quicker and thinner. These cook quicker, I do 4 to 5 mins zap, then 1 min zaps till brown. So just experiment till you get a thickness you like. We actually have a bowl of sliced potatoes sitting in the fridge still in water so that we can just blot them with kitchen towel and make a small batch when we want to. We only have a small microwave so when I say a small batch I mean like those Halloween treat size bags. For Dh he has to stand there cooking up several batches. But for me one batch is good, I feel no guilt, it satisfies the salty junk cravings and well it is so much cheaper right!