September 30, 2010

Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Chips, Country Weekend Part 2 {Webisode #43}

What’s Going on Today: Second activity of the weekend, apple picking at nearby farm. Daughter loves the tractor!

Naptime Goals: Slice apples for Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Chips, make Maple Syrup Baked Acorn Squash.

Tonight’s Menu: Same as this one!

Parenting Lesson of the Day: “Chips” are always a hit!

Apple picking is a huge fall activity in Connecticut and we were happy to join in the fun last weekend. There is a farm nearby that boasts apple trees, a petting zoo and farm stand. As you can imagine, it is just about the busiest place in the world on Saturdays.  My daughter simply adored riding the tractor wagon up to the orchards. In fact, adored might not be the right word – she is still talking about it two weeks later! It took us about ten minutes flat to pick a bag of apples just as big, if not bigger, then my own child and we headed back down the tractor trail from whence we came.

Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Chips

Dealing with a huge bag of apples is nearly as stressful as hundreds of fresh strawberries. The good news, however, is that apples last a touch longer then strawberries when left on the counter for a day or two. After apple picking my daughter went down for her nap and I decided to start with a few batches of apple chips. I love the way apples taste when they are light and chewy and sprinkled with just a touch of cinnamon-sugar. They are an ideal fall snack that is great for kids, too.

My husband cored the apples while I sliced away with the mandolin and in no time at all I had several trays full ready for the oven. Since the baking part of apple chips takes well over two hours I put my husband in charge of post-naptime playtime with my daughter. They happily strolled over to the playground while I cycled through the trays and worked on a few other minor projects. By evening we had several batches of apple chips complete. I wrapped up a few bags for my daughter’s teachers and stored the rest in an airtight container. They will keep for several days like this, if they last that long!

Recipe

Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Chips

Ingredients

apples (Gala work really well for this), cored and sliced 1/8″ thick
3 T. cinnamon
3 T. sugar

Instructions

Kitchen Tools Used: The OXO Good Grips Mandolin (buy it here!) the most accurate – and finger safe – mandoline I’ve ever used!

1. Preheat oven to 200ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Arrange sliced apples on a baking sheet, only allow for a little overlapping. Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl and sprinkle lightly over the apples.

3. Bake for 2 hours, or until the slices are dried out and slightly wrinkled around the edges.

Naptime Notes

Naptime Recipe Serving ideas

These make wonderful snacks for kids and adults. I used to make these and take them to my office to beat the afternoon munchies! They are also great to serve at fall parties, especially Halloween gatherings or apple festivals at friend’s homes.

Naptime Stopwatch

Preparing the apples takes 15 minutes, plus baking time.

Naptime Reviews

My daughter adores apple chips. She loves almost anything I call a “chip.” She is a bit of an apple nut and will take them any way she can get ’em.

20 Responses to “Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Chips, Country Weekend Part 2 {Webisode #43}”

  1. RecipeGirl says:

    I’ll definitely have to try these sometime. My son doesn’t like the banana chips, but maybe he’ll like these!

  2. LiztheChef says:

    As I returning volunteer in a kindergarten around the corner, maybe the kids could make a “field trip” to our kitchen and do this recipe. I teach them cooking in their classroom, but this would be great. I have 3 major allergy kiddos and your recipe is PERFECT! So seasonal too- thanks, Kelsey.

    • Anonymous says:

      This would be fun with kids, especially the sprinkling on the cinnamon/sugar and arranging them on the baking sheet. How fun for kindergarteners!

  3. Lizthechef says:

    ps Having “won” an easy OXO mandoline thru OXO and food52, I am confident that the children, supervised and using the “safe” tool, as I call it, can at least try this out.

    • Anonymous says:

      You should definitely try this Liz! I love the OXO mandoline, so easy compared to others I have tried!

  4. I think I’m going to try these! I have 3 apple trees and way too many apples to know what to do with. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. I’ll let you know if I make these.
    *kisses* HH

  5. Anushruti RK says:

    Loved your space here. These chips look awesome! Can’t wait to try them.

  6. Anushruti says:

    Loved your space here. These chips look awesome! Can’t wait to try them.

  7. Sophia says:

    Wow, great job here. Awesome picture too! You should really consider submitting this to Recipe4Living’s Tasty Thanksgiving Recipe Contest! It looks delicious!

  8. Anonymous says:

    This is fun treat for Fall. I’ve been there with not using the hand guard for the mandolin, and have learned my lesson too.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Hi Janine! If you use a really sharp knife and slice the apples thinly everything should work beautifully. Best, Kelsey

  10. Mmmm, sounds so easy and delicious! I love it!

  11. DR says:

    Looks and sounds yummy! BTW…it’s pronounced “ory-gun” not “ore-gone” as many people commonly say. Ask any native and they’ll confirm for you. 😉

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  13. Kids our loving foods with cinnamon contents. Oftentimes I am having cinnamon as one of my ingredients. Hmmm takes good and smells good.

  14. […] my daughter down for a quick snooze, or usher her off to school, while I make several batches of apple chips, apple bread and apple snack muffins to use them all up. I even use a few to make scalloped apples […]