Fruit Roll Ups with Shapes

Have cookie cutters. Will make shapes. At least that's what I thought I'd do. Mine were too big, so I used the boys' play dough cutters.  It was funny to hear what they thought each shape was.Trying to peel the shapes out added an extra 5 minutes to snack time. :)

Fruit Roll Ups with Shapes
25 oz apple sauce
3 oz  flavor jello

parchment paper
2 cookie sheets
spatula, an off set spatula works best for me.
small cookie cutters

Set oven to your lowest setting (mine is 170°).

Place parchment paper on cookie sheets.

 - Depending on the placement of the parchment paper, you can have a lot of short strips or a few long strips. 

Mix the two ingredients together. Pour a portion of the mixture onto one cookie sheet. Spread thinly and evenly over parchment paper. Repeat

Dry in the oven for 5-8 hours. The length of time depends on how thin the mixture was spread and the moisture content. After about 3 hours, I rotate and turn the trays.

At hour 5, it I start checking firmness and tackiness. If it is firm but sticky, leave it in and check in 30 minute increments.

When it is firm and barely sticky, use your cutters to make shapes. Press cutters firmly into the roll up.

-Leave enough space between shapes for cutting into strips. 

Pull the trays, when it is firm and smooth.

-If the middle is a little sticky, that's ok. Drying too long will make the sides brittle. 

Store in an air tight container

Servings: about 20

Tri-Color Fruit Roll ups

To make things fun with our fruit roll ups, I'll make it with three flavors. I've also wondered if I can add little shapes that you pull out.

Tri-color fruit roll ups
45 oz apple sauce
1.5 oz jello of each flavor (blueberry, orange, raspberry)

parchment paper
2 cookie sheets
spatula, an off set spatula works best for me.
3 bowls
optional - scale, to weigh each ingredient.

Set oven to your lowest setting (mine is 170°).

Place parchment paper on cookie sheet.
- Make note of the direction the paper rolls up. I prefer it to roll along the short side (width) of the pan, so when I roll it into a tube it's the maximum length.

In each bowl, pour 15 oz. of apple sauce. Add 1.5 oz of jello into one bowl. Repeat. Mix together.

On a third of the cookie sheet, pour flavored applesauce in a long strip following the rolling direction of the
paper. Spread mixture thinly and evenly in that section. Repeat.

Dry in the oven for 5-8 hours. The length of time depends on how thin the mixture was spread and the moisture content. After about 3 hours, I rotate and turn the trays.

At hour 5, it I start checking firmness and tackiness. If it is firm but sticky, leave it in and check in 30 minute increments.
-If the middle is a little sticky, that's ok. Drying too long will make the sides brittle. 

Lift the parchment paper from the cookie sheet, and roll into a tube. With scissors, remove any uneven edges, then cut into pieces.

Store in an air tight container

You will have enough applesauce (flavored & unflavored) for two more cookie sheets. Use within a week, for another batch or to eat.

Mixing applesauce and flavors

Pouring and Spreading

Rolling Up

Cutting

End Product

Fruit Roll Ups

I found a great recipe for fruit roll ups. I love it, the boys love it. It's super easy.

Fruit Roll Ups
25 oz apple sauce
3 oz  flavor jello

parchment paper
2 cookie sheets
spatula, an off set spatula works best for me.

Set oven to your lowest setting (mine is 170°).

Place parchment paper on cookie sheets.
 - Depending on the placement of the parchment paper, you can have a lot of short strips or a few long strips. 

Mix the two ingredients together. Pour a portion of the mixture onto one cookie sheet. Spread thinly and evenly over parchment paper. Repeat

Dry in the oven for 5-8 hours. The length of time depends on how thin the mixture was spread and the moisture content. After about 3 hours, I rotate and turn the trays.

At hour 5, it I start checking firmness and tackiness. If it is firm but sticky, leave it in and check in 30 minute increments.
-If the middle is a little sticky, that's ok. Drying too long will make the sides brittle. 

Lift the parchment paper from the cookie sheet, and roll into a tube. With scissors, remove any uneven edges, then cut into pieces.

Store in an air tight container

Servings: about 20

Sweet Potato Chips

from CHOW

Sweet Potato Chips from CHOW

1 medium sweet potato (about 8 ounces), scrubbed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle.

Slice the sweet potato into very thin rounds (1/16 inch thick; use a mandoline if you have one) and place in a large bowl. Add the oil, paprika, and salt and toss with your hands until thoroughly coated.

Place the slices in a single layer on 2 baking sheets—the rounds can be touching but should not overlap.

Bake one sheet at a time until the edges of the chips curl up, the centers are just golden brown, and the tops are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and let the chips cool until crisp, about 3 minutes. Using your hands, carefully transfer the chips to a serving dish.

Carrot Chips

Carrots are a staple in our home. I always have extras whenever I'm preparing carrots for a meal, because inevitable a little voice will ask "Can I have a carrot?" How can I say no to my child asking for a healthy snack? Let it ruin his dinner. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to make some carrot chips.

The thing I love about this recipe is that I don't have to bust out the mandoline. I can just use a vegetable peeler. Just be sure to buy thick carrots.

from CHOW

 Carrot Chips from Chow

2 large carrots (at least 1 inch in diameter), peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Basic Ranch Dressing for dipping (optional)

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange the racks to divide the oven into thirds.

Holding the stem end, shave the carrots lengthwise into thin strips using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler. Place the carrot strips in a medium bowl, add the oil, salt, and pepper to taste and toss with your hands until thoroughly coated.

Place the strips in a single layer on 2 baking sheets—the strips can be touching but should not overlap. (Discard or save any remaining carrot slices for another use.)

Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the pans between the racks. Bake until the edges of the chips are just starting to turn golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes more.

Place the baking sheets on wire racks and let the chips cool until crisp, about 3 minutes. Using your hands, carefully transfer the chips to a serving dish and serve with ranch dressing, if desired.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Apple Chips

With the success of the potato chips, I sought out other items I could  turn into chips. These were an instant hit! Whenever, I make them the boys will ask me "Are they done yet?" or "When will the apple chips be done?" When I open the door, they crowd around enjoying the aroma, almost drooling in anticipation! They can't get enough.

The first time I made them, after 2 hours they didn't seem done. They were a little floppy so I left them in a little longer. I didn't want them to be so crisp that they would fall apart with one bite, so I pulled them out. They were still floppy, but as they cooled they hardened or crisped to perfection. I recommend pulling one out, allowing it to cool then check if you have reached your desired crispiness.

Two things to know

• The time it takes to bake will depend on how juicy the apples are. (I use whatever I have)
• They will harden as they cool.

From Vittles and Bits

Apple Chips modified recipe from Vittles and Bits
2 large apples, cored
canola oil spray

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Thinly slice apples crosswise about 1/8-inch (2 mm) thick with a mandoline or sharp knife.  Arrange apple slices in a single layer on two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets, and spray with canola oil cooking spray.

Bake in the top and bottom third of the oven until apples are dry and crisp, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and let ‘chips’ cool completely before transferring to a sealed container for up to 3 days.  Makes about 2 cups of apple chips.

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Chips
2 T. sugar (optional)
1 t. cinnamon
Combine sugar & cinnamon. Put mixture into a sieve and sprinkle evenly over oiled apple slices.

Baked Potato Chips

photo by Ellie Miller for Martha Stewart

My kids love chips, mostly potato chips. If I want a bag that most of us can eat, I have to buy the name brand stuff. And even then #4 can't eat them and asks for our "cheeps" So I decided to make my own.

My biggest recommendation if you decide to make your own chips is to have a mandoline slicer, slicing attachment for a food processor/mixer, or even the slice side of a box grater. Sure you can practice your knife skills, if you want. But these tools will be faster and slice to a consistent thickness.

Baked Potato Chips from Martha Stewart

Canola-oil cooking spray
2 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Freshly ground pepper
Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside. Put potatoes, oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and the cayenne in a large bowl; season with pepper. Toss to combine.
Arrange potato slices on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1/4 inch apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until potatoes are crisp and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Spread out potatoes on parchment paper; let dry 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.