Momma's French Fries

Today it's the homemade fries that so many of my friends rave about--yes another unhealthy post.  However, you can make this a healthier dish by swapping out the potatoes for sweet potatoes and the canola oil (which technically is better than vegetable oil) for olive oil.  It's all in the way you want to cook it ladies and gents.

On a side note, I had a request from a good friend of mine to put up my recipe for Lemon Cupcakes filled with Lemon Curd with a fresh raspberry icing.  I started writing it up and realized that you really need some pictures to understand how I went about making them--it's a little complicated.  So I decided I'd made them for my family some time over the holiday and post it then!  Sorry Casey, I promise you'll appreciate the photos though!

Back to today's recipe which is my mom's famous french fries.  Yes, this is not my recipe, but my mom has been making these fries for burger night as long as I can remember and I love them... SO MUCH.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (I normally use one medium potato per two people--unless you have really hungry people)

Onion (optional, I don't use it because of the allergy thing but my Momma does)
Lawry's Season Salt (or your favorite season salt)
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper
And if you like things a bit spicier-Tony's Cajun Seasoning

(If you're going the sweet potato root try cinnamon sugar at the END of cooking them.  If you do it before then you'll get caramelized awkward fries)

1. Step one... again... CLEAN YOUR POTATOES WELL.  Don't make me have this rant about dirt again--haha.

2. Slice your potatoes into fries.  I normally cut my potato in half long ways then talk the half and cut it long ways as well.  Afterwards I thin them out as needed.
3. Prepare a bowl of warm salt water and place the cut fries in it for about 20 minutes.  Honestly, I have no idea what this does--Momma says that it removes some of the starch from the potatoes and makes them more tender.  I don't know if that's true or not--but there is a definite difference if you don't soak them.
   
   
4. After the 20 minutes have past empty the bowl and use a paper towel to dry off your fries a little bit.
5. COAT your fries in your seasonings--you don't have to season them the way I do, that's just how I like it, but if you think you're putting too much it's probably just enough.  Remember a lot of the seasonings won't stick in the oil.
   
   
6. Fill your skillet or frying pan about half way full with your chosen oil.  Warm your oil--when it is warm enough it will fizzle a little if you put a few drops of water in it.
   
   
7. Add the fries a few handfuls at a time.  You don't want to over crowd the pan for they'll take a long time to cook and come out soggy.
   
   
8. Cover the skillet with a lid and allow them to cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.  Move them around with a spatula occasionally so that they don't stick to the bottom.
9. When cooked (They'll be ready when they're a light brown color and they "smush" when you poke them with a spatula) move the fries from the oil to a plate with paper towels on it to soak off the excess oil.  Add more seasonings if needed.

Homemade fries.  :)

I like to put some chili and cheese on mine but that's just me. :P



-Kait