Strawberry Hill written by Mary Ann Hoberman is about a 10-year-old girl named Allie who is experiencing the Great Depression.
She and her family will be moving far away to a street called Strawberry Hill. Unfortunately, there are no actual strawberries, but we will fix that today with this edition of the Cook the Book series!
Today, we will be making strawberry chips. Strawberries as chips? Yes, strawberry chips can be a new way to enjoy these delicious berries!
All you need is an oven, non-stick pan, (you can use parchment paper to put on top of a cooking sheet), and your strawberries!
Set your oven to 200 degrees. While that is warming up, wash and cut your strawberries into thin slices. This will help them bake better in the oven. If you are unable to make all of them small, that is totally fine! I had a few thick wedges and they were still delicious! Make sure that the strawberries are dry as well. This will also help them become crispy. For an added touch, I sprinkled a little bit of sugar for some added sweetness to my chips.
I have an idea. Take a picture of your strawberries before and after you cook them! I am curious, are the strawberries going to change? Why does the strawberry look different? Hmm… what else changes when we cook it? I wonder what makes food transform when it is in the oven or on the stove … maybe because it is so hot … that reminds me! Make sure you don’t touch any hot surfaces and have a parent or guardian to help you in the kitchen.
Once the oven is at 200 degrees it is time to bake! The strawberries should cook for about an hour or two. I would check every 15 minutes to make sure there are no problems. When they are done, they will be a little darker, shiny, and crispy! They will also be haloed by red, which is the excess moisture (juices) from the berry. (If you used a non-stick pan like I did, the juices will come right out without any stains and the strawberries are easy to take off). Even though they are much drier than before, they are still yummy to the tummy. To me, they taste like strawberry jam!
Strawberry Hill by Mary Ann Hoberman is available to borrow on Overdrive. Follow Allie as she navigates her new school and the society of friends in this novel. You can even enjoy it with your berry good treat!
