Homemade Potato Chips

These are a quick and easy go-to for some yummy chips. I don't think they are really any healthier than eating processed potato chips out of a bag, but they are fresh and once you get the knack of frying them, terrific! We make them all the time.

Ingredients:
1-4 Potatoes (depending on how many people you are feeding and how long you want to cook)
salt
canola oil for frying

Directions:

1. Peel and slice your potatoes thinly. You can leave the skins on if you like. You can hand cut or use a food processor to cut your potatoes. Since you fry in batches, you can have slightly uneven cuts.
2. Add an inch or so of canola oil to a Dutch oven or deep cast iron pan.
3. Heat oil to about 375ºF. 
4. Add the potatoes so that they are a single layer in the fryer. Flip after a few minutes. Fry until you see a nice golden brown and the chips are at your preferred crispy level.

Other details:
I eat these as is and the child puts ketchup on them.

Side of Garlic Fries

I am loving The Minimalist Baker! If you have someone in your house who likes garlic fries, these are a fairly easy home version. You are flipping them frequently for half an hour, so not exactly leave and forget. But worth the effort.

Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes, roughly peeled and cut into even wedges or strips
2-3 Tbsp canola or olive oil to rim pan
1 Tbsp olive oil (for coating fries)
sea salt and pepper to taste (~ 1/4 tsp each)
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475º.
2. Soak potatoes in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain and dry thoroughly with paper towels or clean dish towels.
3. Dry the bowl they were in and then place them back in. Drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil and add 1/4 tsp each of salt, pepper and minced garlic. Toss.
4. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with canola oil and drain off any excess. Transfer fries to baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more. Remove from oven to turn over with a spatula. Make sure to keep them in a single layer to ensure even baking. Place back in oven to cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, flipping once more. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes more or until golden brown and crispy.
7. Remove from oven and transfer to serving plate. Serve warm.

Other Details:

• Original Recipe

Onion Strings

I'm going through the Codex to find what I can make vegan. For my birthday, I thought onion strings would go well with my BBQ sandwich. So I took Ree's Onion Strings and easily changed it to vegan by making 1 alteration.

Ingredients:
1 whole Large Onion
2 cups Coconut Milk (So Delicious)
2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Canola Oil (enough to create a decent fry depth)
Black Pepper To Taste

Directions:

1. Slice onion very thin. Place in a baking dish and cover with coconut milk and soak for at least an hour. The longer the better - be sure your onions are well separated for soaking.
2. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
3. Heat oil to 375 degrees.
4. Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and place into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown.
5. Repeat until onions are gone.

Other Details:

• Be sure your fry oil is fresh for these.

Entree: Ree's Chicken Strips

If you celebrate holidays by making tons of food, you may be sick of cooking after all the holidays in December and the calendar New Year. If so, these chicken strips are the sort of easy dinner that is perfect in the spell after the holidays. By the title, you can see these come from the Pioneer Woman.

Ingredients:

1 package Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Strips (sometimes Called "tenders" Or "strips")
Buttermilk
1-1/2 cup Flour
2 teaspoons (to 3 Teaspoons) Lawry's Seasoning Salt (or Spices Of Your Choosing)
Vegetable Oil

Directions:

1. Start by rinsing and drying your chicken strips. Next, in a bowl submerge the chicken strips in buttermilk for 15 to 20 minutes (or longer if you’d like).
2. In another bowl combine about 1 ½ cups flour and 2 to 3 teaspoons of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt (or other seasonings if you prefer). Mix this together well. Next, add about ¼ to ½ cup of buttermilk into the flour mixture and stir lightly with a fork as you add it.
3. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-low to medium heat.
4. Remove a few of the buttermilk-soaked strips and place them in the flour mixture, turning them over to coat them thoroughly. Place them on a plate. Continue coating chicken strips until they are all ready to cook.
5. When the oil is sufficiently heated, begin cooking the strips a few at a time. Cook them for about a minute and a half or so on each side. When golden and crispy, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate.

Other details:

• Original Recipe 
• Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Yum!
• Prep Time 30 min 
• Cook Time 3 min 
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Serves 6