Outstanding Oven Fries

I’ve been searching for the perfect recipe for oven fries for a long time. Usually, the fries don’t crisp up. They are so soggy that they need to be drowned in ketchup to become palatable. These oven fries are crispy, crunchy, salty, spicy and delicious. I could eat cumin and pepper with a spoon, the flavours are so vibrant. If they don’t appeal to you, feel free to leave them out. These manly wedges work well with steak. Tonight we had them with salmon smoked from the Big Green Egg. The kids liked them too, no red sauce necessary.

Outstanding Oven Fries

4 large white potatoes (cut into wedges)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or to taste)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash the potatoes and cut them into wedges. Place in boiling water for 20 minutes or until just tender. (Don’t cook until too soft.) Place in a single layer on a baking sheet which has been lined with foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with spices, salt and pepper. Broil for 15-20 minutes until browned.

Read Full Post »

“Kooling” Rack Kale

My cooling rack, a Walmart purchase from the early nineties, is my best friend in the kitchen. It gets used on an almost daily basis to cool cookies, cakes, oven roasted vegetables. Why not use it in the oven to make kale chips? The cooling rack resting on a baking sheet becomes the perfect incubator for these curly, crispy, salty, flaky, leafy, emerald treats. They are healthy and delicious, almost like kale jerky. Hats off to my culinary comrade: The Rack. Fair warning, you may be replaced next year when Target comes to Canada.

“Kooling” Rack Kale

1 large or 2 small bundles Tuscan kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped into large pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lay out the washed and dried kale on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Place in the oven and bake until crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Note: You can also use spinach.

Read Full Post »

Mac ‘N Cheese Miracle

My kids would eat macaroni and cheese everyday (and night) if they could get it. Everytime you ask Ryan what he wants for dinner, he says “Mac ‘N Cheese, with lots of cheese.” The stuff from the box sometimes tastes and looks like a combination of fluourescent orange road salt and sand. Or, maybe I am not using enough butter to amalgamate the science experiment. This recipe seems so obvious, but the combination of milk and cheese makes for a delightfully creamy sauce, when heated. You can also use lower fat cheese and add vegetables, like peas and corn. Although, Chloe picks out the greens, throws them on the floor, and just eats the warm, cheesy, luxurious, starchy goodness. It’s a 2 minute miracle in a bowl.

Mac ‘N Cheese Miracle

4 cups macaroni (or pasta shells) (cooked)

1 cup milk

2 cups cheese (shredded blend)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and microwave for 2 minutes.

Read Full Post »