October Feature: Anima Kinsi & Husband Quote

Hey Everyone, today, my personal friend, Kinsi is going to share an awesome recipe with you. She blogs over at Anima Kinsi and Husband Quote! Stop by and show her some love.. and check out this awesome recipe!

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Hey there, Spicy fans!

I’m here once more to lead you on another culinary adventure, except this time, you get to eat it- not read it!

I’m here to show you how to create homemade potato chips with only three ingredients; no frying required!

I whipped these up the other day when my husband was in a funk.  If there’s something that will bring cheer to a stressed-out hubby, it’s buttery, salty, some-are-chewy-and-some-are-crispy POTATOES! 

This is a great way to use up those potatoes that are “on edge” and ready to be used now or else! Waste not, want not.

With only three ingredients, how can you go wrong?

Here’s what you’ll need:

 -          vegetable peeler

-          cutting board

-          knife or mandoline slicer

o A santoku or chef’s knife is prefereable: the bigger, the better for fast and even slicing.

-          paper towels

-          microwavable bowl

-          pastry brush

-          baking sheet(s)

-          spatula

-    potatoes

o   I used 8 baby red potatoes, since that’s what I had on hand.

-          2 Tb unsalted butter

-          kosher salt

Your first step is to peel all of those lovely potatoes.  I wait to preheat the oven until after this step, because it is admittedly the most time-consuming part of the whole process (at least for me).

Don’t worry about getting every single eye out of the potatoes beforehand.  The goal here is just to get the skin off so that your potatoes roast evenly.

Since there is no frying required to get these lovelies all nice and crispy, your oven will need to be hot, hot, HOT for these puppies; about as hot as the 3^rd level of Dante’s hell.  Set that bad boy to 500° and get to slicing!

Now it’s time for slicing!  

Since I was working with a smaller potato, I cut them on the diagonal to give the slices more surface area (and a delightful oblong shape).  You’ll want your slices to be about 1/8 in. thick; this is why a mandoline would be nice.  Forgive my archaic ways.

                                              

As you cut, lay each slice on top of a paper towel.  I’ve found that 1.5 paper towels = 1 standard household cookie sheet.

Now that you’ve covered your paper towels in potato slices, press another layer of paper towels over the top of them, applying pressure and soaking up any residual moisture.

That’s right- no slimy potatoes allowed.  You want them good and dry so that they crisp up nicely!

Next, melt the butter(a couple tablespoons) in a microwave-safe dish.  Increments of 10-20 seconds will do.

Dip your pastry brush in that liquid gold, and brush a thin, even layer over your baking sheet.  This will help your potatoes to 1) come off of the sheet after baking easily, and 2) crisp and brown on both sides.

 Now it’s time to lay your potato slices out on the baking sheet.  If your slices are uneven because you’re an old-fashioned Neanderthal knife-user like I am, then try to put thicker and larger slices around the edges.  Smaller/thinner slices will cook more slowly in the center.

Guess what we do after placing our slices down? Oh yeah, we brush them with butter! You don’t want so much butter that it’s pooling up on the potatoes- just enough to make them good and shiny!

Now place the pan in the oven.  I find that keeping it on the bottom to middle rack is most effective.  Any higher and they WILL burn.

Keep an eye on them: at 500°, your oven is ready to take a perfectly yummy chip somewhere scary in a matter of minutes.  15 minutes or less will do!

 As soon as they come out of the oven, salt them babies! Take a healthy pinch of kosher salt and hold it up high, sprinkling evenly over the chips.  That hot, bubbly butter layer will hold the salt better than if you season them cold.

Scrap up the chipswith a spatula and…

Voila: a warm plate of simultaneously crispy/tender chips.  I usually make two batches, since my husband doesn’t like to share them very much!

I hope you enjoy!

Don’t be afraid to get creative! These chips are so simple, they beg to be messed with.  Heck, I think a good handful of blue cheese and a sprinkle of hot sauce would be great.  Maybe you can season them with freshly ground pepper.  How about rosemary and lemon zest?

Come visit me over at http://animakinsi.blogspot.com for more food fun. I will soon start a Meat-Free Friday post! 

Also, feel free to drop by http://husbandquote.blogspot.comif you’re looking for a laugh, and more husband-inspired moments.

<3+ Kinsi