Beet Chips

After getting beets in my Community Supported Agriculture every week for a few months last year, I thought I'd be sick of them.  My new CSA gave me the choice this week of carrots or beets and, for some odd reason, I really craved the beets.  I went for it.  I decided to try something new after a discussion that I had with friends where we decided that making pestos and chips were a great way to make a lot of veggies seem manageable.  I have a recipe for beet humus that I'd like to try, but upon realization that a heat wave was hitting Colorado today, I decided any use of my oven would have to happen last night or never.  I went with the beet chips (crisps?).  I just used my carrot/potato peeler and got the peelings off, then used my new knives to cut the beets as thin as humanly possible. 

Knife story:  Dave is moving out in a month for his new job in New York and I already have all of his old kitchen stuff packed for him.  It was a little traumatic for me to separate our stuff that has been comingled since November 1, 2009 when we moved in together, but I'm sure I have more trauma to come.  Of course there are tons of items we bought together, or for gifts for each other, but Dave can only take so many things with him.  There's not much room in his van for moving stuff.  One of the things I thought he should enjoy while he's living alone is his awesome Chicago Cutlery knife set and block.  I was in Kohl's the other day and tried raiding the kitchen section for odds and ends I could buy to replace the stuff Dave is taking (I swear he owned all of the good stuff from the get go!).  I ran across a limited quantity sale of 50% off knife sets!  With that sale and my 20% off coupon, I got a $219 Food Network set for $73 (if the numbers don't work out on that, don't tell Kohl's, I think I got a little extra deal on this).  Reviews claim that they rust easily.  We shall see!  It's hard to imagine anything rusting in the new desert climate we're sporting on the front range these days. 

Back to the beets:  throw them on your silpat on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15-30 minutes, depending on how thin you got your beet slices.  Take one out and try it.  If it's crunchy, you're set, if not, keep baking!  These things are delicious!  They taste like a sweet potato chip.  I've taught my body to feel guilty while eating potato chips, so I got that feeling that I should stop myself, but then reasoned that it was pure veggy!  I didn't put a single drop of oil or seasoning on these buggers!  I'm a huge fan. 

Beet chips.  Or are they beet crisps?