Tagged: side dish

Baked French Fries

Most people love french fries, in fact I don’t know one person who doesn’t. This recipe is super simple and results in some serious finger licking good baked french fries.

(Silly me decided to write this post without a picture of these yummy french fries. Trust me they’re good, a photo will come soon for those of you who really want to see it before you make it).

Ingredients

  • 3 Large Russet Potatoes
  • 1 ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
  • 1½ tsp. Seasoned Salt (reduced sodium)
  • 1 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp. Ground Red Pepper (optional)
  • Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Step One

Wash, peel and slice potatoes. I like big slices, like steak fries. Place into a large bowl.

Step Two

Add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the potato slices and toss to coat. Make sure all of the slices are coated evenly, if you need more olive oil add just a little more, you don’t want too much though.

Add seasonings and toss to coat.

Step Three

Place the potato slices onto a greased cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden & gorgeous.

See I said easy and simple.

My Tastee Tips

I have a gas range, when I make these baked french fries in my oven, it only takes 25-30 minutes. So after about 15 minutes of cooking take a peek, if they are already looking golden then it shouldn’t be too much longer. Just keep an eye on them, burned french fries are not good eats.

If your cookie sheet won’t hold all of the potato slices (in a single layer) don’t overcrowd the pan. Simply bake in batches.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This post may not be for everyone. You either like Brussels sprouts or you hate them and more than likely you have one or two of each in your family. That is why this recipe for balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts is so good. It is simple enough to make for the one Brussels sprout lover without feeling like you wasted time and money while the rest of your family avoids them.

Brussels sprouts, like other vegetables, are really good for you and are even believed to have anticancer properties. However, avoid boiling the Brussels sprouts as it reduces the levels of good stuff. You can read more about Brussels sprouts and their health benefits here.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts
  • 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp. Aged Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 3/4 tsp. Black Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step One

Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts then cut them in half lengthwise.

Step Two

Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to the bowl and toss to coat.

Step Three

Lay the Brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet in an even, single layer. Place in the oven and roast for 25-35 minutes. Check the Brussels sprouts halfway through the cooking process and move them around a bit.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

Use a good aged balsamic vinegar that is thicker in consistency and a little sweet. I love balsamic vinegar and always have some on hand, if you like it too it is well worth the extra few dollars to buy a good aged balsamic vinegar. FYI: balsamic vinegar can get pretty expensive, I am talking about a bottle around $15 unless you just want to go all out, that is fine too.

When cleaning and trimming the Brussels sprouts, trim the stem on the bottom and discard any leaves that fall off (usually just a few of the outer ones that needed to be removed anyways).

Twice Baked Potatoes

I am a potato fan to say the least; whether they are mashed, baked, roasted or made into french fries. Red, yellow, brown, small or large, potatoes make me happy and these twice baked potatoes are the best.

They also go with pretty much any protein which makes them a perfect side dish. However, these twice baked potatoes are so amazing they can stand on their own. They are creamy, buttery, cheesy and bacon-y (not a word, I know, but it should be).

Plain and simple they are delicious.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 5 Russet Potatoes
  • 3/4 cup Sour Cream
  • 3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/3 cup Butter (softened)
  • 4 Strips of Bacon (crumbled)
  • Green Onion (chopped, for garnish)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and scrub the potatoes. Poke the potatoes a few times with a fork then place them on a baking sheet and bake for 60-70 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

Let the potatoes cool then cut them in half length wise. Scoop out the center of the potato halves and place into a mixing bowl. Leave enough potato attached to the skin to keep it sturdy.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the green onions) to the mixing bowl with the potato filling. Mix together until light, fluffy and thoroughly combined.

Fill the potato halves/skins with the potato mixture. There may be a few skins leftover, depending on how much of the mixture you put in each one.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden & gorgeous.

Garnish with the chopped green onion.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

Choose potatoes that are all relatively the same size. This will help ensure they are all baked and ready to go at the same time.

When poking the potatoes with a fork, poke in the same area that you will be cutting them in half, lengthwise. I found this to be better than random holes that weaken the skin making for flimsy and unreliable twice baked potatoes. The same thing will happen if you don’t leave enough potato attached to the skin when scooping out the center.

Rosemary Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

If you are in need of a great side dish or maybe you are just a potato lover and need to mix up the mashed potato/baked potato routine this recipe is a perfect solution.

It is quick, easy, budget friendly and jam packed full of flavor!

Rosemary Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 & 1/2 pounds Red Potatoes
  • 4 Garlic Cloves (chopped)
  • 2 tbsp. Chopped Fresh Rosemary
  • Olive Oil (about a 1/4 cup)
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Salt
  • Freshly Grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions

Heat your oven to 450 degrees and line a pan with foil.

Scrub the potatoes and cut each one in half. Place the potatoes on the lined pan, drizzle with olive oil and toss.

Sprinkle the potatoes with the salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Try to evenly distribute the the ingredients on top of the potatoes to ensure each bite is just right.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden & gorgeous.

If you are a fan of freshly grated Parmesan sprinkle some on top of the potatoes right after you take them out of the oven.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tip

Use your personal preference for the amount of salt and pepper used, I generously seasoned mine. There is just something about salt and potatoes together that I really like but if you prefer less salt or no salt then adjust accordingly. However, if you are looking for a number, a teaspoon of salt and pepper each would work well.