Firstly, I have addressed this issue before on my blog, but lets just clear it up before we start.  In the UK a "crisp" is a thin cut, deep fried potato (Canadian aka chip), a "chip" is a thick cut, deep fried potato (Canadian aka fries), so the thin cut apples we are making are crisps not chips- are we all clear?

Clear as mud!


Whatever you choose to call these, they are healthy, tasty and up for experimentation and customization- think sugar, cinnamon, ginger, curry powder- oh the possibilities!


To be honest you don't need a recipe for the basics of this- simply wash & dry, slice thin, place on a lined baking sheet and bake on a low temp until just starting to colour and are looking dried out.  Cool, eat and enjoy.  I find you get a better result by not coring the apples first and the seeds seem to make their way out of the slices anyway.  If you have any left, simply store in a airtight jar or container.


I think more experiments are needed but the plain, simple version of this is good anyway so just think of the possibilities...........

 Just for the record that tasty looking bacon - we made that!  Yup, that's right, we be makin bacon!  This particular bacon was made using loin and infused with brown sugar and nigella seeds.  Such a satisfying process and a million times better than anything you will ever buy in a store.  Recipe for this coming soon, but I have a few more experiments to do before its ready to share.  

Also, its worth a mention that the apples used in this amazing salad were rescued.  I am part of a group called OPERATION FRUIT RESCUE EDMONTON- sounds like it should be in a movie staring Tom Cruise!  The concept is simple, we rescue urban fruit, donate a percentage to a worthy local cause and share the rest with the owner of the tree and the pickers.  I think that once you pick an apple straight from the tree and sink your teeth into it a store bought apple will never be quite the same again!

WARM APPLE, BACON AND HAZELNUT SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 2 apples
• juice of ½ lemon
• 50g hazelnuts
• 8 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces
• 4 handfuls salad leaves & other salad goodies- cucumber, tomatoes etc, just add what you fancy.

 Early starts, homework, field trip forms to sign, shoes full of sand (oh how I love shoes full of sand!), lost hats, gloves, coats and the great morning school lunch box dilemma!

FRUIT & SEED GRANOLA BARS
INGREDIENTS

• 100g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 200g porridge oats
• 100g sunflower seeds
• 50g sesame seeds
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 3 tbsp honey
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100g dried cranberries, cherries or blueberries, or a mix

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 320F
2. Butter and line the base of a 18 x 25cm tin.
3. Mix the oats and seeds and place then in a roasting tin, then put in the oven for 5-10 mins to toast- don't skip this step, it adds so much toasted flavour to the finished bars.
4. Meanwhile, warm the butter, honey and sugar in a pan, stirring until everything is melted together.
5. Add the oat mix, cinnamon and dried fruit, then mix until all the oats are well coated.
6. Tip into the tin, press down evenly, then bake for 30 mins. 
7. Cool in tin, then cut into 12 bars or more if you want little bites of granola bar- I find that lots of little choices works better for my boys lunchboxes.

I love making bread.
It's such a soothing process in the kitchen.  There is a rhythm to it, an order and a simplicity to creating a freshly baked loaf.  I have baked many different recipes and for the longest time one of those classic recipes eluded me.
I attempted to make sourdough many times.  It's a classic of the bread making world.  A natural yeast, harvested from the very air we breath captured to create a loaf of bread- it's all very romantic!

Look at a sourdough recipe at first glance and it all seems easy.  Look closer and the part that stumped me for the longest time was the sourdough starter.  It's just flour and water, but it's the daily ritual of feeding it and caring for it that I always seemed to mess up.  I have seen methods that involve natural yogurt and grapes to help grab that natural yeast but I went for a simple flour and water recipe. (Recipe from the River Cottage found here)

Well this time I had a plan.  My sourdough starter had to live and I had to remember to feed it and care for it so I named it.  He was called Steve.  I would look after Steve like he was one of my children and everything would be good!

The good news is that Steve lived.  He blossomed into a bubbling bowl of yeasted goodness and Sourdough time was upon me.

I made a loaf.
It was risen (which takes ages by the way!), golden and a sour tang filled the house as the warm bread emerged from the oven.

I had done it.  Steve had done it.  We had won the battle.  I made sourdough!
Turns out, I don't really like sourdough bread- who knew!  I am not a fan of many cheeses either and I think its that sourness that I just don't like.
So Steve is no more.

It just goes to show that hard work and perseverance pays off in the kitchen but there is just no accounting for taste and regardless of whether it took a week to make it, if you don't like something it has no place in your kitchen.

Nice White County Loaf anyone?

 Today was Alfie's first day at Kindergarten.  How did that happen?  How did it sneak up on me?  My little man walked happily down the driveway towards our little bus stop bench.  He smiled a lot and remembered his manners- very proud Mummy.


 So its Grade 4 for the big one and Kindergarten for little one.  How did they both get so big?

It's true you know, we only get to borrow them for a short while so its best to make the most of every little moment you can.