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These Oven Baked Fries have been on the site for years, but in the past 2 weeks I’ve made them three times, so I wanted to give them love as they’re CRAZY good! If you make them you have to tell me in the comments below what you love to dip them in. Happy rewind Wednesday!
Last week I had the moment many moms with kids older than mine have warned me about. I was driving with Kenya and at one point he looked out the window and said, “Mommy, what’s that place over there with the playground and hamburgers on the sign?” Now, I grew up eating McDonald’s, but now that I know what’s really inside fast food meals, I’m committed to trying to keep my kids away from it for as long as possible.
That does not mean that I want them to miss out on the fun foods I enjoyed as a kid (and still enjoy), like burgers and fries. I simply want them eating the healthiest possible versions of those foods and I’ve realized through a lot of testing, that to do so, you don’t have to sacrifice great taste.
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For example, take one of my favorites_ French fries. Instead of deep frying, I bake them in the oven. My “fries” come out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and I serve them up with a side of ketchup and mustard, just the way that I used to enjoy them when I was little. Do you think if I take Kenya and Chloe to our neighborhood playground with a sack of these it will be as much fun for them as a McDonald’s? My bet is as long as we’re all together sharing fun and “fries”, it will be!
Photos by Matt Armendariz
Oven Baked Fries
Ingredients
- 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch sticks
- 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F.
- Place raw cut “fries” into a colander and rinse under cold water (to remove the starchy exterior of the potato). Then, pat “fries” dry with a towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Place “fries” on to a sheet tray, drizzle with the oil and salt, and toss to coat.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then toss and bake for an additional 10 minutes (for a total of 30 minutes).
Whoops, that was supposed to be a silly face, not a mad looking one!
I’ll definitely be trying these! (Even though we own a franchise of McDonald’s 😡 )
i cant wait to try this. my kids are going to love them!
Also, try soaking the potato slices in water with 1-2tbls of sugar in the water for about 10-15 mins then rinse with cold water; the sugar in the water changes the starch component and makes for crunchier baked fries!
The sweet potato fries don’t get a crispy, but they’re really yummy too! My hubby’s favorite: http://b12.ba4.myftpupload.com/2008/05/01/sweet-potato-fries/
We randomly go to MCD’s and if we do its usually for apples and some play time like Lisa said for the experience. Our big Burger pleasure though is In-N-Out. Being that is mostly organic and nothing is frozen or has preservitives I feel better about a little splurge there once in awhile 🙂
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/miu/stainless-steel-french-fry-cutter-p114534?src=Shopping&cam=Products&kw=14534 you could always try one of these if you are going to be making them often
Yes, please share how you cut them so perfectly into ‘fries’!!!
I do this with sweet potatoes all the time, too – yum! I shake them up in a lidded bowl with italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt, and then spread them on the cookie sheet.
I occasionally take my kids to McD’s at non-meal times, like mid-morning, and we’ll all share 1 plain biscuit while they play, or I’ll get them a milk or a small ice cream cone. So they still get the experience without the bad food, and our local restaurant doesn’t mind at all! I grew up not being allowed to eat fast food, and as soon as I was on my own at college I ate way too much of it, thinking it must be great if I wasn’t allowed to have it. I’m trying to avoid that reaction in my kids by exposing them to it without them actually eating it!
My 2 year has asked the same question, but more so can we go play there! I simply tell her we can go to the park later. We don’t need to go there, lol. My parents are absolutely dying to take her there. So she’s not allowed alone at their place yet :). They think I’m crazy for “depriving” her of MCD.
How did you answer Kenya? I dread that moment with my son. Especially today when taco Bell announced their meat is only 35% real beef. What is the other 65%? Scary.
It’s actually easy. Cut the potato into a block and then into “fries”. I use the end pieces too (they just don’t look as cute 🙂
What is the secret to getting them cut so perfect?
I do the same, but add other spices like pepper and paprika, yum!
Thank you for the bad idea. I will be trying that one tonight!
I do this with sweet potatoes nearly once a week. I follow the same recipe except I put mine in a plastic bag with the oil and salt and shake them up before dumping them onto the cookie sheet. They are so good!