...Yucca Chips!

You can't eat just one.

That's a slogan for Pringles, and that's so true when it comes to chips, pretzels, and even cookies - the smaller they are, the harder it is to eat "just one".  This is also a problem when you're trying to watch what you eat, because the "mindless eating" craze tends to set in, and before you know it - you've eaten half (or all) of a bag of the chips.

Pampered Chef recently came out with a Microwaveable Potato Chip Maker, where you slice potatoes (with their Ultimate Mandoline or Simple Slicer, of course) to make even chips, then microwave them without oil to make "healthier" potato chips.

Brilliant, right?

Given my obsession with Chicken Latino's Yucca Fries, I wanted to see if this would work with yucca root.  After reading the directions to the Potato Chip Maker, I noticed that they explicitly said that it works with yucca, too.

This is going to happen.

On a trip to the Strip District one day, I stopped at Stan's Market to check out the yucca - and it was only $0.99/lb.!  WHOA!  Usually there it's $1.19/lb., and I've already ranted about Giant Eagle's $3.99/lb. rate for both it and jicama (what a rip-off!).  I bought some immediately, fearing for a sudden price increase or noticeable discrepancy.

The worst part about yucca is peeling it.  I had recently purchased a new Vegetable Peeler from Pampered Chef (as I have no idea what happened to my old one - how do you lose a vegetable peeler, really?).  It got easier once I got some of the initial bark off, but it was the most time-consuming and exhausting part of the process.

No, I didn't use that Santoku knife.  I still have all of my fingers.

 Then, the Ultimate Mandoline - I was fearful of breaking the blade, as I feared that with the Vegetable Peeler as well, but I was shocked at how well it sliced the yucca into "chips".  I have no idea how Shelbin at Chicken Latino slices yucca into "fries", let alone PEELS all of that yucca on a regular basis (it wore me out!), but slicing them into chips was a breeze.

Ultimate Mandoline and yucca

Chips came out even and pretty!

I know that the point of the chip maker is to not use oil, but I thought - these will need some flavor.  I had purchased some Persian Lime Oil from Olio Fresca in the Pittsburgh Public Market, and lime is a great Latino flavor - it would go really well with yucca, along with some cumin.  Also, in a previous food experiment, I learned - the hard way - that you don't need a lot of this oil for the flavor, just like peanut oil.  So really, I wasn't adding that much fat to the chips - maybe a teaspoon's worth, at most:

Olio Fresca's Persian Lime Oil - available at the Pittsburgh Public Market

After mixing the yucca, lime oil, and cumin together in a Ziploc bag (the most efficient method of evenly coating the chips), I spread them out in a single layer on the Microwaveable Potato Chip Maker:

Coating the chips with lime oil and cumin

After microwaving them for 2 minutes - yes TWO MINUTES - they were done.  YUCCA CHIPS!

Yucca chips!  Done!

I had more to make, but didn't want to eat an entire yucca root in one sitting - so I put that Ziploc bag in the refrigerator, and made one tray's worth when I wanted to.  I got about 3 more servings out of that root, and they turned out great each time. 

In addition to the flavors in the chips, I needed to dip - I like dipping - and my new obsession is Heinz Balsamic Ketchup.  I swear this endorsement is completely unsolicited - I am obsessed with this stuff.  I hope that this "Limited Edition" thing is just a marketing ploy, because when I can't find this anymore, I may cry.  James insists that he can teach me how to make balsamic ketchup, but I refuse, fearing that it just won't be this good.  I think I'm just going to buy two bottles on every shopping trip I make to stock up...and make sales soar...and make Heinz realize it would be a huge loss to take this off of store shelves...

Heinz Balsamic Ketchup.  Even better than the original.  No joke.

Yucca chips are a delicious, at-home potato chip alternative, and I thank Shebin at Chicken Latino for the inspiration (although, I will say that nothing compares to her Yucca Fries with Green Sauce and Mayo!)  Thanks to the Pampered Chef products, making them myself (and yourself) is quite simple!

To order the Microwaveable Potato Chip Maker, Ultimate Mandoline, Simple Slicer, Vegetable Peeler, or any other Pampered Chef products, please visit: http://www.pamperedchef.biz/mariemcdonald

Stan's Market

1811 Penn Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stans-Market/247614901924765

Olio Fresca Olive Oil Company (inside Pittsburgh Public Market)

Website: http://www.oliofresca.com/shop/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OlioFrescaOliveOilCompany

Pittsburgh Public Market

Produce Terminal Building

Smithfield Street near 17th Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Website: http://pittsburghpublicmarket.org/

Facebook: http://pittsburghpublicmarket.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/PghPubMarket

...CONTEST: Farm to Table Pittsburgh

Buying from a local farmer > Buying from a supermarket.

There's more ownership, more confidence, more of a connection in buying from a local farm.  I feel better knowing not only that my produce hasn't traveled too far, but also that I am helping to stimulate the local economy.

Not to mention that the pricing is more reasonable than the local supermarket.  $3.99/lb. for jicama at Giant Eagle vs. $0.89/lb. at Stan's Market in the Strip District?  Big difference when those suckers weigh between 3-4 pounds!

Clarion River organics

Clarion River Organics

My fondest memories of visiting farms are mostly tied to Halloween and pumpkin picking at either Trax Farms or Triple "B" Farms - hay rides, pumpkin picking, and most recently, apple picking.  However, James has made me many meals lately with meat, cheese, and vegetables from Clarion River Organics in the Pittsburgh Public Market, and the quality of their foodstuffs is unlike that of any supermarket's.  

Just yesterday, James made a tagine for dinner with some of the most amazing ingredients from the Pittsburgh Public Market: Clarion Farms Beef flank steak, marinated in East End Brewing Chocolate Cherry Stout; fingerling potatoes and carrots from Clarion River Organics; (and an Asian pear leftover from Costco - sorry, not from a farm).

Our tagine meal, after being pressure-cooked. Soooo tasty!

 Look at this beef.  I wish you could have tasted it!  It.  Was.  Fabulous:

Photo courtesy of James. Beef courtesy of Clarion Farms. Marinade mostly courtesy of East End Brewing.

Olio Fresca Display at Pittsburgh Public Market

 I was also excited to purchase my first oil and balsamic vinegar from Olio Fresca, another participating vendor at the conference.  Lime-infused oil and wild cherry balsamic vinegar will be a great combination on salads, avocado dishes, chicken...

I can't wait to experiment - and tell you all about it!

The Pittsburgh Public Market does a great job of bringing local merchants, farmers, dairies, etc. to one central location for even the biggest city-goers to enjoy.   Don't get me wrong - I have no problem going to the actual farm, etc. to purchase their products, but the public market makes it that much more convenient, especially in the winter months, when farmer's markets are scarce.

If you want to learn more about buying local, fresh, farm-produced goods, or even if you'd just like to sample local foods, this next opportunity is for you:

The 6th Annual Farm to Table Pittsburgh Conference will be held on Friday, March 23rd and Saturday, March 24th at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.  This event will feature speakers, demonstrations, and kids' activities, as well as a food tasting on Friday night (23rd) from 5:00-8:00 PM.

I'm going.  AND YOU COULD GO, TOO - FOR FREE!

I am giving away two tickets to the food tasting (a $50 value!), thanks to the Revive Marketing Group, a conference sponsor.  Here is how to enter:

*Leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite local farm or dairy experience - whether it be purchasing the ingredients there for an incredible meal you made, or milking a cow yourself for the first time, or your preschool field trip to the farm that you remember more vividly than your 5th grade field trip to...wherever that was.  The possibilities are endless! 

*Please include the name of the farm/dairy that you visited in your comment.

*All comments must be submitted by FRIDAY, MARCH 16TH at 11:59 PM.  The winner will be announced and contacted on Sunday, March 18th.  (NOTE: If you post anonymously, I cannot contact you!).  The winner will be chosen at random via http://www.random.org and their random number picker.  Odds of winning based on the number of entries.

*Any inappropriate or irrelevant comments will not be posted publicly and will not be considered as entries.

For a list of participating exhibitors and more details on the food tasting event, click here. 

For more information on the Farm to Table Pittsburgh Conference, see their website: http://farmtotablepa.com/conference.  I can't wait to hear about your farm/dairy experiences, so comment away!