Roll it up!

I have a rule for my family when it comes to food: If it is homemade, you can eat as much as you want. I don't want to fill Truman's belly with junk food, but I do love me some sugary treats. It took me a few recipes to master these fruit rolls, but this version works the best and tastes the best. And these have no added sugar!

I am not into kitchen gadgets. We live in a small house and I don't have room for special slicers and choppers. I don't even use a garlic press - just a good knife. But, the one special kitchen tool that makes fruit rolls super easy is a silicone mat. My mom gave me this one and it makes all the difference. You can do this with foil, but it requires more patience.

 You can make this recipe with any fruit - frozen or fresh. I used strawberries today. I asked Jason to go to Central Market (the destination grocery store in Poulsbo) for organic strawberries. He went to Wal-Mart for Western Family strawberries. After nine years of marriage, I didn't even flinch. :)

Here is what you need:
1 1/4 pounds chopped fruit (berries, mangoes, bananas, anything will work. If you use plums, apples, etc. just peel them before you blend them)
1-2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
• Use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the fruit
• Add lemon juice to taste

•  Pour the mixture into a saucepan and turn on heat to a simmer
• Simmer and stir for 35-45 minutes, until mixture is thick. (I usually do this while cooking something else, like granola or dinner and I give it a stir at least once every four minutes. Toward the end, I stir more often.)
• Put your silicone mat on a rimmed baking sheet (or cover your baking sheet with foil)
• Pour fruit evenly onto baking pan
• Bake until barely tacky 3 hours to 3 1/2 hours.
• Let cool completely
• Lay on a piece of wax paper and cut into strips. Roll up the strips and store in a container

Enjoy!