Recipes with Julie Van Rosendaal: Making your own chips

When it comes to snacks, some things are better store-bought.

It's often the flavour coatings and unique processing that make munchies like Cheezies, popcorn twists and Doritos impossible to replicate at home.

Like a lot of things though, they're getting more expensive, and there's a crispy little boycott happening against price increases by chip company, Frito Lay.

So, this week on the Calgary Eyeopener, we talked about how you might be able to solve your salty cravings in your own kitchen.

And yes, you can make your own chips. They are one salty snack just as tasty (and some may say more so) made at home.

Homemade Potato Chips

Cost-wise, a russet potato, some oil and some salt can be cheaper than some packaged potato chips.

Knowing how to make them yourself is also the ultimate convenience on a cold night when you need a nibble but don't want to run to the store.

Ingredients

• Russet, Yukon gold or other large potatoes
• Canola or other neutral vegetable oil, for cooking
• Salt
• Seasoning powder (optional)

Thinly slice as many potatoes as you'd like to turn into fries (one medium potato will feed two to three people) with a sharp knife or on a mandoline.

If they're going to sit for longer than ten minutes, put them in a bowl and cover with water to keep them from turning grey. Add some salt to the water, if you like.

In a wide, shallow pot, heat about an inch of oil until it's hot, but not smoking. If you have a thermometer, aim for about 350 F to 375 F.

Carefully drop the sliced potatoes into the oil and cook, moving them around with tongs or chopsticks so they don't stick, until they turn golden.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or tray and sprinkle with salt (and any other seasonings you like) while they're still warm.

Homemade Cheezies

It's true, nothing will replace store-bought Cheezies and cheese puff snacks, but if you'd like to try making them at home, here's how.

You can buy powdered cheese in bulk, or use the packet from a box of macaroni and cheese mix, or some plant-based nutritional yeast or parmesan.

Ingredients

• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• Salt
• 2 to 3 tbsp butter or margarine (optional)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Cornstarch
• Canola or other neutral vegetable oil, for cooking
• Powdered cheese (or the packet from a box of macaroni and cheese)

Bring four cups of water to a simmer in a large saucepan and whisk in the cornmeal, along with a big pinch of salt.

Bring to a boil and cook, whisking frequently, until thick. Stir in the butter (if you're using it) until it melts and set aside to cool.

Once it has cooled at least partially (it can still be warm), stir in the baking powder.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a wide, round tip, or into a Ziploc bag and cut off one corner.

LISTEN | Julie Van Rosendaal explains how to make your own crunchy snacks:

In a wide, shallow pot, heat about an inch of oil until it's hot, but not smoking. If you have a thermometer, aim for about 350 F to 375 F.

Put some cornstarch into a shallow dish and pipe some of the polenta mixture into it, then shake the dish to coat.

Gently lift them up with a spatula and cook in the hot oil until they're set and perhaps starting to turn golden on the ends.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or tray.

• Bookmark cbc.ca/juliesrecipes to keep up with all of Julie Van Rosendaal's dishes.

Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 200 F for an hour or so, until they're more dried out.

Toss the cheese puffs in powder to coat, or give them another dip in hot oil to make them extra crispy before coating them in cheese powder.

Serves: About four.