Apple Chips

 

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away", but what about 15 apple chips? When I was younger, there was one thing I always got at the McChord AFB Commissary and that was Apple chips. Why? No clue. To think that Apple Chips are sold in essentially every store and yet the only time I got them was from a place 40 miles away from my home is crazy. It became somewhat of a ritual, something that felt more special then.

These days, my family rarely goes there; it's sort of an "out of the way" kind of thing. Gone are those days but those tiny food memories are something I will always remember. So, in a time where I purchased mealy apples and was set to throw them in the trash, this memory inspired me to use up the apples and create new memories.

Slowly cooking the apples in the oven until crisp, having that intense sweet apple flavor with a hint of spice and the disappearance of that "mealy apple" texture, not to mention the health factor, these are a great alternative to the store bought Apple Chips or potato chips in general.

Apple Chips

Recipe by Me

Ingredients
2 large apples
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 cup water
Juice from half a lemon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. In the meantime, line 2 baking sheets with silpat non stick baking mats or parchment paper to prevent the apples from sticking. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar and set aside. Next, place your water and the juice of half a lemon into a medium sized bowl. This will prevent the apples from oxidizing and turning brown.

Once everything is set to go, with a knife or using a mandolin, begin to slice the apples into 1/8 inch slices and place the slices directly into the water and lemon juice mixture. There is no need to peel the apples before hand. If desired, you can core the apple as well. If you are not coring them, make sure to remove the seeds before baking.

When everything is sliced, pat the apple slices dry and begin putting the slices on the the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, flipping halfway through the baking process. Remove from the oven when the apples are not pliable and crisp all the way through. If not crisp by 2 1/2 hours, turn up the heat to 275 degrees and bake for 5 more minutes while keeping an eye on them!

-Aaron John