Smoked Fruits and Veggies

Steps:

1. Buy some hickory wood chips and/or apple shavings from the hardware store. Soak some in water for about an hour. This prevents the chips from burning as they heat.

2. Drain the chips at the end of an hour. Use them to cover the bottom of a heavy roasting pan about that is about an inch thick. You can also use a throw-away pan.

3. You can add additional flavorings to the wood before smoking, Try some liquids, like apple juice, maple syrup, sesame oil or rice-wine vinegar to create steam during the smoking process. Fruit peels and spices also add subtle flavor.

4. Place a wire rack over the chips and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.

5. Place the pan over a low heat for about 20 minutes to create the smoke before adding food.

6. Uncover the pan and add desired food to the rack and cover the pan again. Smoke again for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the firmness of food. If you are smoking cheese, wrap it so it won't melt.

Try using something edible like large lettuce or grape leaves that are lightly blanched for pliability. Fruits like bananas and veggies like mushrooms, peppers and squash work well for smoking.