Chips and Kahlua

I have been trying to perfect chips. 

The crunchy, salty, comforty goodness that just seems to tell you that for a little bit, all is right with the world.  Or munching on them when sitting around the kitchen table with your dear friends, everyone sipping on drinks made with homemade kahlua.  

I've come to enjoy simply making a batch of chips for myself as well - 1 regular sized potato is about enough for one serving of chips. 

Note, I've also been working on vegetable chips.  They are much more difficult to make than potato chips.  Once I get those down, you'll be the first to know.

Chips:

Preheat the oven to *350.  On a baking sheet, spread out a couple teaspoons of olive oil and put in oven to heat up while preparing the potatoes.

Using a mandolin (or your very steady hand) cut the potatoes into thin slices.  I wouldn't recommend using the thinnest mandolin setting (or they will turn into black charcoaled chips - experience speaking).  On mine, I use the second thinnest.  

Depending on what variety of potato you are using, you may want to soak the slices in water for 5-10 minutes to pull out some of the starch.  I really enjoy purple/blue potatoes, but they taste like starch unless you soak them.  I don't find that with Idaho or Russet varieties.  

After draining the water, I like to toss the slices in a bit more olive oil so they don't stick to the baking sheet.  

Lay them out in a single layer and throw in the oven - which is when it gets tricky.  You've got to watch those babies like a hawk.  I usually end up leaving them in 5 minutes, flipping them over and letting them cook another 7 minutes but it all depends on your oven and how golden/dark/crunchy you like your chips.  

After you've gotten them to the perfect level of crunchy, take the baking sheet out of the oven and let sit for a minute or two.  I scoop the chips onto a paper towel (pulls off the excess oil) and sprinkle them with some kosher salt.  This is the time to flavor your chips if you so desire (garlic, chili powder, whatever).  

Let cool and then serve in a bowl.  Making enough for lots of people takes time and patience, but is well worth it, in my opinion!

Homemade Coffee Liqueur:


I love kahlua.  I love white russians.  I love mudslides.  


I abhor how much kahlua costs.  So, one night, at the beginning of this past September, I decided to try my hand at making my own coffee liqueur.


Making alcohol is not an oddity in my life.  My grandpa and dad both brew their own wine, a process I was fairly acquainted with when I lived at home and hope to one day continue. So it seemed fairly normal to decide to make my own.

So, you'll need:
1/2 cup of instant coffee
1-1/2 cup sugar
2 cups water
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 750 ml. bottle of vodka


Mix together the first four ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a summer - make sure to stir the mixture until all the sugar is dissolved.  Simmer for 10 minutes.


After simmering, there should be about 3 cups of the mixture.  Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.  Mix in the vodka.


Pour the mixture into a clean, sterile bottle (I used old bottles I had lying around.  We are very intentional about recycling and absolutely terrible at bringing out the recycling.) You can keep the bottles at room temperature for several months.  I keep mind in cabinet above the stove.  
Also - it gets stronger with age.  Don't say I didn't warn you!