Day 339 - Banana Chips

Day 339 which is really supposed to be dated Saturday, February 11.

The 365 family (or at least the 4 who reside here now) were going on a hike up north on Saturday.
I had a hair appointment at 9 am which was going to last about 2 hours and we were planning on leaving about 1/2 hour after I returned home.
After our planned hike, we were driving to meet our eldest daughter to take her out to dinner since we would be somewhat in her proximity.  That meant we probably wouldn't be getting back home until about 9 pm or so.
Needless to say, at that time of night, I was NOT going to be baking something.  Just even forget about the fact that I wasn't going to have any natural light with which to take my pictures.
So, I got myself out of bed around 6 am, finished baking the meatballs I had stuck in the fridge from the night before and perused the internet for something that I could both bake and take on the hike with us.
Two browning bananas on the counter were my focus.

Banana Chips
Blech.  No.  I HATE the banana chips that come in trail mixes and are in those bulk bins at the stores.
Ick!
Ooh, I don't want to make those!

As it is, I can only eat a banana plain or in banana bread.  Alright, in banana cake it's really yummy, too.
But put it into a smoothie, or on a banana split and I don't want any part of it.
Weird, I know.
What can I say.

Well, if I make these banana chips, I don't have to eat them.
Oh yeah, wait a minute, I do.
I at least have to have one because I have to rate it.
Oh, cripes!  This is going to be like Fear Factor for me - I'm going to have to gag it down just to give it a rolling pin rating.
"Yeah, I give it 4 rolling pins (heck, they never have to know that I choked on the thing and then gave it a rating!)."
Don't worry, being dishonest is NOT something I want to be here on 365.  I am tasting EACH and EVERY thing that I make so that you can have an honest review to base your opinion on, even if it is that Indian Pudding we all couldn't stand and wanted to give a big fat 0.

So, I made them anyway

Recipe adapted from Home Made Simple.

Banana Chips- made 33 chips

2 medium bananas
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Cinnamon for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment and spray it with cooking spray.
Peel the bananas and slice them 1/4-inch thick.
Dip them into the lemon juice to coat both sides.
Place onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle the slices with cinnamon.  (I found it easier to put the cinnamon into my hand and then put a little on each slice, otherwise it was coming out to fast.)

Bake for 3 hours total.  Flip slices over after 1 1/2 hours and then bake for the remainder until golden and crispy.

These may not be the most attractive thing I've ever baked, but...
I have to say that these Banana Chips didn't taste ANYTHING like those hard (and what I call blechy)chips in the grocery stores.
THESE WERE DELICIOUS!!
EVEN I LIKED THEM!!
Ok, I didn't eat ALL of them, but I definitely had more than one,probably about 5 or so, I think.
I rate everything I bake and it was unanimous that these Banana Chips should earn 3 1/2 rolling pins.
They were not as crisp as they probably should have been, but that was part of their greatness, too.
The moment I started to chew one of them, it took me right back to when the kids were babies and I fed them their jarred bananas.
I loved those baby food bananas!
Oh, my goodness, and these chips were so incredibly sweet, and yummy!!  They tasted just like the baby food.
They were even a little chewy.  They were getting stuck to my teeth, but I liked that.
I think you'll like this healthy snack!
It may not be the quickest thing to make for the family, but bake these up for the kids while they're in school and see their reaction when they come home and take a bite.

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!