Happy 4th!!!

Well, the 4th of July has now come and gone.  It was a whopping 108 degrees in Northern Cali yesterday!  Yummy!  NOT!!!  We stayed in the house until it got dark, set off fireworks with the Fam and off to bed.  The hubs had to work today!  

Today is going to be my productive day, so this will be a quick post!  The weather is changing and it's going to be in the 90's today!  After a week of triple digits... that is a welcome surprise.  However, my doors will be shut, air turned up and I am going to do some much needed cleaning today.  I just love four day weekends!  It gives me time to catch up on things that I have to do, and things that I want to do.  Love it!  

Recently, my oldest and dearest friend (If she's reading this she is going to say that I am older... by a month, because she always does)... but by oldest I only mean that she has been the craziest person to stay by my side since we were 14 years old.  We will be 42 this year... enough said.  Anyhoo...we were reliving old stories of our past, and we have this wonderful, yet disturbing memory of making a heaping bowl of spinach dip, grabbing a loaf of sourdough bread and devouring it in one setting.  All those years of having Celiac disease and not knowing it... devouring loaves of bread... no wonder my gut is so F-ed up!  

During my Pinterest time yesterday... and yes, I schedule time in for Pinterest now, sad but true (Everyone should)... I stumbled across a recipe for Spinach Dip, Paleo Style of course!  I found it here, "Virginia is for Hunter Gathererers"... I felt as if the pearly gates of heaven opened up and the choir was singing!  I wanted to grab my friend, make a bowl and relive old times, minus the bread of course.  But she is in Oklahoma... so we had to share in spirit.  Between you and I... I probably ate enough for the both of us.  

First thought... what the heck am I going to dip in this delicious find that the good Lord sent my way today.  Well, the night before the 4th...I told the hubs that I planned on not leaving the house at all on the 4th, and to his surprise, I bounce downstairs yesterday morning with a shopping list.  This dip was going to happen... oh yes it was!  So back to what to dip in it?  Why, sweet potato chips.  Yes, let's make sweet potato chips.  Now, sweet potato chips are my nemesis.  No matter how I try... I can't seem to get the perfect sweet potato chip, but I attempted once again... and I must say, I am getting better.

So here's what I did... and make sure you check out the blog post above where I found this recipe.  They have much better pictures of the process.  I was to interested in just getting it done... so you get what you get!  Hope everyone had a good holiday!  

Spinach Dip and Sweet Potato Chips

3 oz Packed Spinach

1 Can Artichoke Hearts

3 Cloves of Garlic

1/2 White Onion

1/2 Can Coconut Milk

5 Slices of Uncured Nitrate Free Bacon

Bring some water to a boil and blanch your spinach for a few seconds.  Place in colander and let drain.  Drain artichokes in colander as well.  I did mine with the spinach.  While these are draining, begin cooking chopped bacon, use food processor to chop onion and garlic, add onion and garlic mixture to bacon and let mixture soften up.  Place spinach and artichokes in food processor and chop to desired consistency.   Add spinach/artichoke mixture to bacon mixture in pan and cook for a few minutes for flavors to meld.  Place mixture in a dish and allow to cool.  I put mine in a Pyrex and placed in the fridge for an hour or so.  Take mixture out, once cooled, add coconut milk and mix well.  Place back in fridge to cool, about another hour.  Make chips while this is taking place and get ready for yumminess!  

Chips

2 Sweet Potatoes

Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Peel potatoes.  Using a mandolin, thinly slice potatoes and set aside.  Heat oven to 375.  On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper... place potatoes in a single layer.  Spray with oil and sprinkle with salt.  Cook for 6 min, take out, turn chips, spray with oil and sprinkle with salt on other side and cook an additional 6 minutes.  Take chips out and let cool on a separate piece of parchment until they crisp up!  One batch I did required an additional 6 minutes.  Watch you chips and use your judgement.  Once the edges get brown .. the little suckers can brown up quickly.  Yes, I had a few black chips on my first batch.