crispy oven baked friesIMG_1078

Long day at the office today, and what do you know, no frozen fries in the freezer to go with the burgers and dogs.  No problem, it’s actually a blessing, because I resort to something tastier and healthier, Oven Baked Crispy Fries.  What was I thinking anyway, reaching for a bag of frozen potatoes when I have five pounds of fresh potatoes in the pantry.  I timed it and it took exactly 10 minutes, to prep the potatoes before  they were ready to pop in the oven. Ten minutes you say?…yup just 10.  Let’s get started.  Take 6 medium potatoes, and scrub them with a brush.  Prep time would be even faster if you decide to leave the skin on.  They are yummy with the skin on, but I peel them, because I don’t want to shock the kids too much that they don’t have the appearance of  Ore-Ida.  Now my secret, the French Fry Cutter, I love gadgets, because it cuts down the prep time.   Simply hold it over the potato and press down, and your work is done…well, almost,  you still have 5 more potatoes, and a few more easy steps to go. You don’t have to use a French Fry Cutter, you could easily slice them with a knife.   But the guys have me on a time crunch, so I try to do everything by a stop-watch.   After cutting your fries, pop them in the microwave for 3 minutes just so they are tender.  This will help speed up your cooking time and get that crispy texture.  While the 3 minutes is counting down on the microwave,  you can prep a Ziploc bag with olive oil and seasoning.  After microwaving, blot them with a paper towel to remove the moisture…once again, we want them dry so we don’t have soggy fries.  Now you’re ready to bake them on your cookie sheet or I use a large stoneware pan.  (The stoneware prevents sticking and also helps with the crispy factor too)   Easy-peasy!  Next time you start to reach for the bag of frozen fries, STOP, and think I can make homemade fries in a flash!

french fry cutter IMG_1069

Oven Baked Crispy Fries

Ingredients

6 russet potatoes

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Sea Salt (to your liking)

Grated Parmesan

 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2.  Scrub potatoes.  If you desire, peel the potatoes.
  3. If you have a French Fry Cutter, cut the potatoes.  If not, simply cut them with a large, sharp knife.
  4. Soak fries in cold water 5 minutes. Drain and blot dry with paper towels.
  5. Place your cookie sheet or stoneware pan in the oven to preheat for a few minutes.
  6. Place fries on a plate and microwave for 3 minutes just until tender. Blot again with paper towels
  7. Combine fries, olive oil and garlic powder  in a large Ziploc bag; shake to coat.
  8. Arrange fries in an even layer over  large cookie sheet.
  9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
  10. Sprinkle with sea salt and parmesan.

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