Iron Chef Chips

A couple things we learned from Iron Chef Chips; a. space out when we eat each course; b. chips as a main ingredient really isn’t so bad; c. be sure to check with your fellow course partner to make sure you both aren’t making the same thing; d. make smaller portions; and e. Just Dance is a great way to break up the courses! Overall, I have to say that Iron Chef Chips was a really big hit! I, for one, was extremely nervous about this secret ingredient. But, I really had nothing to worry about. And, even though our main courses were both Frito Pies they ended up being very different. Overall, I think this was a big success, and congrats to Chelyen and Kim for their wins! Now, on to the dishes that were served:

We started out with Greta’s Roasted Tomatoes and Chips Bruschetta. It smelled divine, and tasted exceptional, too. Perhaps it wasn’t the most chip-tasting appetizer served, but it was really flavorful and had a nice garlic kick to it.

Greta's Roasted Tomato and Chip Bruschetta

Next up was Laura’s Zucchini Chips. Afterall, this Iron Chef was all about repurposing the main ingredient. Laura certainly tried to go that route with zucchini chips. She was a bit disappointed that the zucchini didn’t crisp up more, but overall they tasted great. Plus, serving zucchini chips with an onion dip is never a bad thing.

Laura's Zucchini Chips

The last appetizer round went to Cara’s tofu dish. She wanted to do something fun and interesting with her recipe. And, I definitely think she succeeded. I would say you either liked Cara’s dish or you didn’t…in other words, if you like Tofu then you loved her recipe. If you don’t like Tofu, well, you probably weren’t a fan of this one. It sounds like Cara may host the next Iron Chef in January! So, we will definitely look forward to that.

Cara's Chip Tofu

Now, onto the 2 main courses; Chelyen was up first, and she served a Frito Chili Pie in a bag of Fritos. Chelyen’s chili was a family recipe, and it was a big hit amongst our crowd. She served it in a bag of freshly opened bag of Fritos.

Chelyen's Frito Chili Pie

It maybe wasn’t the best use of repurposing chips, but her presentation and taste were certainly wow factors! She served it with cheese and onions were optional. Doan, on the other hand, made her Frito Pie with chicken and crushed fritos. It had a nice kick to it and served with avocados, cheese, and sour cream took it to the next level.

Doan's Frito Pie Casserole

Onwards to the desserts; both Kim and I thought we might have a decent shot at winning this particular iron chef. After-all who doesn’t like sweet and salty flavors? Well, Kim was up first; and she served a Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Bomb. Chips were not only incorporated in her cookie, but it was also mixed into the whipped cream that she made from scratch. She served it with Hershey syrup and it was simply divine!!! In my opinion, it was one of the best desserts served in a long time!

Kim's Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Bomb

Since everyone was pretty full, we decided to take a break from eating the next dessert and instead played a couple rounds of Just Dance. It was quite a lot of fun! I’m glad we decided to break for some dancing otherwise I don’t think anyone would have been able to eat my Ice Cream Chipped Pie.

Emily's Ice Cream Chipped Pie

The chips were incorporated into a pie crust and served with snickers and dulce de leche ice cream. I received good feedback from everyone, so I think it was a hit.

We will certainly look forward to our next Iron Chef, though, no ingredient has been set. Ideas, anyone? Till next time.