Sweet Potato Chips and MORE

The basic idea for these came from Food Network magazine - a "Thanksgiving Snack Mix" that called for sweet potato and kettle chips, turkey gravy mix and poultry seasoning, and toasted pecans... 

I borrowed the basic idea. I made my own chips and fried some fresh sage leaves (also in FN's Thanksgiving Snack Mix). I skipped the gravy mix and poultry seasoning -- they'd be fine, I'm sure, but I didn't have either. I did add a smoky African spice mix instead, and some dried cranberries. If I'd had honey roasted peanuts, that would have substituted nicely for the pecans...I'll do that next time around.

This was a deliciously addictive mix for munching!

Chive & Cheese 'Crackers'

This is a recipe from Eating Well. I'm a carb junkie -- bread and crackers are much more of a weakness than candies and sweets. Except maybe chocolate. But even then, I can eat, like...FIVE M&Ms and be happy; but with bread and crackers, one is never enough!

So when this recipe started with a 5 ounce Boursin cheese and was self-proclaiming they they are "can't-stop-at-one crackers...like cheesy shortbread cookies" I figured I should definitely give them a try!

They're good. The flavor is really good, but the texture is more cookie-like. I wouldn't call them a cracker. Even less 'crisp' than a shortbread cookie (lots of cheese and no sugar, a softer texure is not surprising!). So it's like...a savory cookie. Which isn't what I was hoping for.

Still, I'm posting this -- partly to remind myself to maybe play with the idea and see if I can't come up with something more cracker like, crisper, in texture.

But probably not right away...it's supposed to be 90°+ tomorrow and I don't want to be baking multiple batches of anything this afternoon. I'm more likely to whip up a cool drink for a hot summer day.

Kettle Chips with Parmesan & Herbs

Easy way to 'gourmet' a bag of kettle chips...  Original recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.
Lots of different herbs or seasonings could be used for different flavor varieties!

Ingredients
1 bag kettle-cooked potato chips (8-9 oz)
½ C finely ground parmesan cheese
1½ T chopped fresh thyme
2 T chopped fresh chives
zest of 1 lemon
½ tsp garlic powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 425° F. Combine cheese, herbs, lemon zest and garlic powder in a small bowl. Arrange chips in a single layer on a baking pan. Sprinkle ¾ of the herb-cheese mixture over chips. Bake 5-8 minutes, until cheese starts to brown. Remove from oven; immediately top with remaining herb-cheese mixture.