Outta the fryin' pan

I guess since I live in Texas I should be adept at fryin' stuff. Our State Fair hosts the biggest array of fried foods you can find; fried oreos, fried cheesecake, fried Snickers, and even fried butter. Surprisingly last week was the first time I'd ever fried anything. I wasn't sure how they'd turn out, but it was a huge hit, so I thought I'd share. We were having sirloin on the grill, and I was in the mood for potato chips or steak fries to go with them. Seeing how small the bottom-of-the-bag potatoes were, I chose the former.

Alicia's Homemade Potato Chips

handful of potatoes, washed and dried

oil (I used canola because that's all we had)

1/4 Tablespoon seasoning salt

1/4 Tablespoon salt

1/4 tsp powdered garlic

1/2 Tablespoon white sugar

1/2 tsp black pepper

a dash of cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, mix all of the spices and sugar. Fill a pan about 1-2 inches full of oil, and heat over medium heat. While the oil is heating, use a mandolin to thinly slice your potatoes. Use one slice to test the oil. It should bubble up around the edges of the potato if it is hot enough. When it's heated, add a handful of potatoes. Turn them after 2 or 3 minutes. They'll take a total of about 5-7 minutes at this temperature, but fry them to your desired doneness. Scoop them out of the oil and onto a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle generously with the spice mixture.

These will last a day or so in an airtight container, but they're best fresh. Enjoy!