Potato chips and dehydrating fruit.

I am a potato chip addict.  I could and have eaten an entire family sized bag of Lays chips.  Full sized Pringles cans are gone in 5 minutes.  It is a problem.  Back when I was single, I was on a bag a day habit.  I kept them by my bed, in my car, in my work bag...anyways, I am really trying to cut back now.  Of course, it isn't working.  They are just too gosh darn good.  In my quest to quit buying processed food, I needed to figure something out, today.  So, I made my own potato chips.

Sea salt and curry, seasoned sea salt and pepper

I utterly failed my first attempt.  I used a slicer, and the slices were way too thick.  I ended up with overly done and strange looking fries.

I ate them anyways, with mayonnaise.

I next tried slicing them by hand really really thin.  It worked, but with soggy results.

Jon ate ALL of them.

I used vegetable oil, which I know is gross, but honestly, I didn't care.  I needed my fix, and if it wasn't with this, I would have just gone to the pizza place across the bridge and gotten some buffalo tenders and blue cheese dressing, which I have been craving for four days.

Today's attempt was more successful- the chips were darker, but more crunchy.  Next time, I will try a baking method.  If anyone wants to try the frying method, heat some veggie oil in a heavy pan on high.  Cut potatoes thinly after washing them, them soak in cold water for 1/2 an hour.  Fry in batches until they are as crispy/dark as you want.  Cool on wire rack with towel underneath.  Season while still warm.

To return more to a healthier point of view, I broke out the food dehydrator!  My mother has lent me her Nesco model, as well as her yogurt maker- but that's another day.  

SO PRETTY.

I used the instructions to prepare grapes, and now I have green and red ones going.  It should take about a day to make raisins!  There was a fruit leather sheet in with it, so I put some pear sauce in to see how that would work.

The machine is noisier than I would like, but it is an older model.  I calculated the cost of electricity to use it, and it should come out to about $3.38 for it to run 24 hours in Massachusetts.  Not too bad for some extra grapes hanging around.

Back to being unhealthy, I made Monkey Ginger Bread last night.  It is like monkey bread, but with ginger bread-y spices and molasses.  This is one of the best dessert recipes I have ever made.  Don't take it to a party, though!  I find that it is perfect to share with a husband while watching a movie on a cold night.

Really good after a meal of lentil soup!