potato^* chips

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!WARNING! this process uses very hot oil
which is extremely dangerous to the touch.
Do not attempt this without some cooking
experience. !WARNING!

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The ever so popular potato chip is now (probably always has been ... I just today (7/30/08) discovered how to make them) makeable at home. Follow these directions, tweek them for your own purposes/needs and you will be a hit when people ask "Where did you buy these? They are so good!"

:NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE:
These instructions are subject to change depending on the success of my newly
discovered, yet to be tried, non-deep frying technique, Stay tuned!
:NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE::NOTE:

EQUIPMENT:

large deep non-stick frying pan
Canola oil (or oil of your choice)
(almost essential) a mandoline (or 'mandolin') for identically thick slices (!WARNING! Mandolins are extremely sharp cooking utensils and can remove skin without any warning if not used properly. You have been warned! !WARNING!) NOTE: using a good knife will go along way to making the slicing chore much less difficult.

DIRECTIONS:

prepare draining dishes with paper towels
prepare the pan with ~1/2" of oil (you need enough oil to make your potato slices float in the oil) (yes it uses a large amount of oil)
clean one or two potatoes (you may leave the skin on, nowadays we do b/c that is where the nutrients are in potatoes; apples also)
start heating the oil (!WARNING! this oil is extremely dangerous to the touch. Do not attempt this without some cooking experience. !WARNING!)
slice as many slices of the potato that will fit in one layer of your pan. If you place slices on top of each other they will stick and make clumps of chips thus ruining the "potato chip crunchiness experience."

NOTE: while you are cooking the first batch the potato can be placed flat side down onto a wet dish to keep the sliced surface from browing due to the air.
watch this batch: they will bubble, warp, then start to brown. At this point you are on your own. You have to time the browning process so that the chips remain light, yet cooked. How long that is depends on the temperature of the oil and how good you are at cathing that right shade of "golden brown".
remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon of some kind and place this first batch on the draining dishes. Let them stay there until you are done.
start the second batch and repeat until the entire potato is cooked.

Let cool and serve. These will be lighter (less oil) than packaged potato chips, fresher than packaged potato chips, tastier (since you made them :), and cheaper... also salt-free if you are so inclined.

And here is my first batch of potato chips ever made with no knowledge heretofore except intuition and common sense.

And all that is left for me to say is:

E n j o y !

^* singular it is 'potato'; plural is 'potatoes'

potato* chips

potato^* chips