Potato Chips in the Microwave!

So I kind of dropped the ball last month with my cooking. Only four recipes for all of August and one of them belonged to Eric's mom. I plan to make up for it this month, starting with three days of chips! Potato chips, a new version of zucchini chips, and banana chips.

I've seen lots of recipes for potato chips made in the microwave, but I've been skeptical. How is a microwave going to make potatoes crisp? And I'm not a huge potato chip person to begin with; I'd rather snack on crackers. But curiosity got the best of me. And it actually works! You can make delicious, healthy, crisp potato chips in your microwave in about ten minutes!

These potato chips actually taste like potato and not grease.

Ingredients:
Russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
Cooking spray
seasonings

Directions:
If you want, you can skin your potatoes, but I don't.

Slice the potatoes into paper thin slices. The easiest way to do this is with a mandolin (the food cutter, not the instrument). If you don't have one, the culinary utensil is well worth the $20 investment.

Place wax paper on a microwave-safe plate. Spray the paper with cooking spray and arrange the potato slices in a single layer on the plate. Season with salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper . . . whatever your heart desires.

On high-power, microwave the chips for 4 to 6 minutes. Let the potatoes rest for 1 minute. I don't know why this rest period makes a difference, but it does. Then cook your potatoes for another 4 to 6 minutes or until brown spots begin to appear on the chips. Every microwave cooks differently so you're going to have to keep an eye on the potato chips the first time you cook them so they don't burn. In my microwave, 5 minutes then 4 minutes works perfectly.

Store in an air-tight container.

Eric loves salt and vinegar chips. You can also makes these in the microwave. Just dip the potato slices in balsamic vinegar, arrange on the plate, season with salt (I use kosher salt), and cook.

Salt and Vinegar Chips

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Chip Recipes:
Baked Apple Chips
Banana Chips
Homemade Pita Chips
Kale Chips
Snowflake Tortilla Chips 
Zucchini Chips 2.0

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower pizza crust is the best thing ever invented and I don't even like cauliflower. I made this recipe more out of curiosity than anything else. Dough out of cauliflower? Really? Yep, really. I have no desire to ever go back to regular pizza crust, it's that good--and healthy! No more guilt about eating pizza! Huzzah! But in the spirit of full disclosure, the crust doesn't get as crisp as regular pizza crust. You can pick up the pizza slices, but it's better to eat it with a fork.

Now, I didn't tell Eric the crust was made from cauliflower (he would have decided he didn't like it before even trying it). He said the pizza wasn't his favorite, but that's more my fault than the crust's fault. I made the crust too thin for his liking and used too much sauce (however, I love lots of sauce). But he never guessed that the crust wasn't made from flour. Both his parents really liked the pizza too--his dad requested more pepperonis though (I guess I need to work on my pizza making skills).

Recipe adapted from here. My recipe makes two cookie sheet pizzas.

Yummy!

*************Update 1/17/15**************

After experimenting with this recipe I now prefer the one below. However, the original recipe is still at the bottom of the bag.

New Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked cauliflower rice
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Pizza toppings

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and grease with cooking spray.

Cut the cauliflower into florets and place into food processor. Process until the cauliflower looks like rice or grains. Transfer cauliflower rice to the a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on High for 8 minutes.

Allow rice to cool until rice is cool enough to handle. Place rice in a tea towel or paper towel and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. (The more liquid you remove, the crispier your crust will be).

In a bowl, mix together rice, egg, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Combine well.

Using your hands, flatten the dough on the cookie sheet. You want to make a fairly thin crust.

Bake for 12 minutes or until crust browns.

Remove from the oven and put pizza toppings on pizza. Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Enjoy!

Old Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked cauliflower rice
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 eggs
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder

pizza sauce, cheese, and desired pizza toppings (all toppings must be cooked beforehand)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

To make cauliflower rice you need one whole head of cauliflower. Remove the stem and leaves then coarsely chop the florets.

Coarsely chopped

Put the florets in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower looks like rice or grain. My head of cauliflower yielded about six cups. I froze the leftovers.

Uncooked cauliflower rice

 Microwave the 3 cups of rice for 8 minutes on high power.

While the rice is still hot, mix it with cheese and eggs until well combined. (Don't worry, it doesn't cook the eggs). Stir in spices.

Spray your cookie pan with cooking spray. Using your hands, flatten the dough on the cookie sheet. You want to make a fairly thin crust.

DO NOT use tin foil on the cookie sheet! I quickly learned my lesson. Even with cooking spray, the crust sticks.

 Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust browns on top.

All pretty and browned

Remove from the oven and add your sauce, cheese, and toppings. Turn the oven to broil and place the crust back in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

I can't wait to play some more with this recipe. I want to try to make the crust on a pizza stone to see if I can make it a little crisper. I might even experiment some more with the rice-egg-cheese ratio. To make the ultimate healthy pizza, I'm going to combine this recipe with my ricotta, basil, and sun-dried tomato pizza. I also can't wait to make garlic sticks out of it, try it with different spices, and make broccoli rice!

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Healthy Cauliflower Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower Popcorn
Basic Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Edye's Molasses Krinkles

It seems like everyone who bakes has that one recipe they make better than everyone else, their signature dish. I had heard about these molasses krinkles from Eric, his sister, and his dad long before I had ever tasted one. A while back Edye made a batch and they certainly lived up to their hype. She said I could share the recipe with you so here it is:

Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
4 tablespoons molassess
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour, sifted
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
granulated sugar for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream the shortening, sugar, and molasses. Add the egg and then sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Combine well.  Roll the dough into small balls, dip into granulated sugar and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Going Bananas: Diary-Free Ice Cream and Pudding

If you're on Pinterest at all, you've probably seen ice cream made from frozen bananas. I was floored by just how creamy and diary-like the ice cream came out. And the slightly over-ripe bananas give it the perfect sweet taste. I've spent a good portion of the summer coming up with different flavor combinations for this icy treat. The banana-based ice cream has been a hit with Eric (his favorite is the chocolate peanut butter, mine is the almond) and both our families. Impatient to taste my creations, I've also discovered that if you don't freeze it, it makes a delicious pudding!

Basic Recipe:
Makes about a pint

Ingredients:
4 slightly over-ripe bananas; peeled, cut into coins and frozen solid (I've found leaving them overnight yields the best results)

Directions:

Place the frozen banana pieces into a food processors and blend. At first the bananas will resemble little pieces of gravel, but if you keep on blending, they turn into a thick, creamy mixture that resembles soft serve ice cream.

This is how it starts out . . .

. . . and this is how it turns out.

At this point you can eat it as banana pudding. Or put it in the freeze for 4 or 5 hours and have banana ice cream. Or you can create flavors by adding other ingredients to the food processor. You don't ever get rid of the banana flavor all together, but it does become more subtle.

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream
4 bananas
3 tablespoons peanut butter

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream
4 bananas
3 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

Chocolate-Hazelnut Banana Ice Cream
4 bananas
4 tablespoons home chocolate-hazelnut spread or Nutella

Vanilla Banana Ice Cream
4 bananas
3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Caramel Banana Ice Cream
4 bananas
4 tablespoons caramel sauce

Almond Banana Ice Cream
4 bananas
3 tablespoons almond butter

Sadly, I haven't been able to create a good chocolate banana ice cream. To get the chocolate flavor I'm after, I have to add a lot of the cocoa powder, but then the bitterness of the cocoa powder overrides the sweetness of the bananas, and I can't stand what that much powder does to the texture of the ice cream (I've also been experimenting with a chocolate avocado pudding and the cocoa powder is throwing me off there, too).  The next time I make banana ice cream, I think I want to use 2 or 3 tablespoons hot fudge sauce or chocolate syrup. Not as healthy, but it's ice cream, it's supposed to be a treat.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Smores Banana Boats

When my brother and I were little my mom used to make us banana boats--bananas with the middles scooped out and replaced with all kinds of goodies. She used to put M&Ms in them for us. Then she'd microwave them to melt the chocolate. Many people make these as a campfire treat, wrapping them in tin foil and cooking them in the fire. You can also make them in the oven or on a grill. Every since I made Smores Cookies last month, I have been wanting to make smores banana boats.

Ingredients:
bananas
semi-sweet chocolate chips
mini marshmallows
graham crackers

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Peel the bananas and scoop out the middle. Wrap tin foil around the sides of the banana to keep it up right.

Stuff the middle of the banana with the chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Bake for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the marshmallows turn a golden brown. Crumb a graham cracker on top of the banana and grab a fork.

You can also use Golden Grahams or Cinnamon Toast Crunch in place of the graham cracker.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

The Tale of Two Quiches

There once were two quiches with flaky crusts, fluffy eggs, and array of meats and vegetables . . . 

I've been making quiches for years, but I don't have any real recipe. It's four eggs, about a cup of heavy cream, half and half or whole milk--which ever I have on hand (usually whole milk)--and whatever odds and ends I have in the fridge--leftover chicken, lunch meat, a stray sausage or two, bacon, a healthy dose cheese, an array of vegetables, sometimes onion, sometimes minced garlic, if I feel like it I'll go through my spices, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc . . . I also usually don't use a pastry crust--I know, it's not a real quiche without the crust. But Eric's mom uses a crust and she has a recipe from her brother that is delicious. So here is her recipe and my kinda recipe.

My Spicy Sausage Spinach Quiche:
Ingredients:
1 store-bought, refrigerated pie crust
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk (half and half or heavy cream)
2 or 3 Echrich Jalapeno Cheddar Smoked Sausage, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped*

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a pie dish with the pie crust.

Bake the empty pie crust for 5 to 8 minutes. You don't have to do this step, but we discovered it gives you a firmer, less soggy bottom crust for your quiche.

Place the cheese, sausage, and spinach in the bottom of your pie crust. Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl then pour into pie crust.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the egg sets in the center.

*Make sure your spinach is well drained or else your quiche will come out watery and runny.

Spicy Sausage and Spinach Quiche

Edye's Ham and Broccoli Quiche:
Ingredients:
1 store-bought refrigerated pie crust
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cup cubed cooked ham
1 cup frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained, and chopped*
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a pie dish with the pie crust.

Bake the empty pie crust for 5 to 8 minutes. (Again, not necessary but helpful)

Place 1 cup of  the cheese, ham, and broccoli in the bottom of your pie crust. Beat the eggs and half and half together in a bowl then our into pie crust. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the egg sets in the center.

*Again, make sure your broccoli is well drained or else your quiche will come out watery and runny.

Ham and Broccoli Quiche

Both quiches were a success.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Smores Cookies!

If you don't have access to a fire pit (or a gas stove or wood-burning fireplace) these cookies are the next best thing to actual campfire smores. You should have seen Eric's face when I told him I was making smores cookies. But it was nothing compared to when I gave him one to taste. Before I was done baking, he sneaked into the kitchen to steal a few more. I already know these cookies won't last long.

This recipe comes from here with a few minor changes. It makes about two dozen cookies.

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup mini marshmallows



Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Use a food processor to turn your graham crackers into fine crumbs. The site where I found this recipe said to use 7 graham cracker sheets to get 3/4 cup. I used 7 sheets and ended up with 1 cup of crumbs. So maybe 5 graham cracker sheets will work better?

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until well combined. You can do this with an electric mixer, but I found it easier to do with my hands. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough and press two or three marshmallows into the center of the cookie* and place on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

*The original recipe called for Jets Puffed Mallow Bits and added them to the dough at the same time as the chocolate chips. I tried adding the mini marshmallow into the dough, but when I baked my first batch of cookies, the marshmallows on the sides and bottoms of the cookies melted out.

 So on the second batch I put the marshmallows in the center of the cookie. This fixed the problem.

Enjoy!

~Krissy