TGFF: Thank goodness for fries!

I consider a small McDonald's French fry equivalent to one serving from the fruit and vegetable group. A medium is two. They're made from potatoes and potatoes are a vegetable (though they probably ought to be in the starch category). On the rare occasion I actually eat at McDonald's, at least I know I'm eating healthy. (A Big Mac is a good two servings from the protein group, one serving from the bread and cereal group and another serving from the vegetable group--pickles and lettuce...hello!)

I tend to get sidetracked when I start thinking about McDonald's. Back to the fries. A hot item on a lot of local Utah menus, from Rumbi to Blue Lemon to Salt City Burger Co. are sweet potato fries. I tried to make these once at home using the fresh-cut sweet potatoes from Costco's produce section and it was a disaster. But after seeing these tasty recipes I might have to give it another shot. And of course I had to throw in a good steak fry recipe. (Dang! Now I'm thinking about Red Robin's bottomless, scrumptiously seasoned steak fries!)

All of these recipes come from Sarah's Cucina Bella, another must-subscribe-to food blog!


Chipotle Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries from Sarah's Cucina Bella

2 large sweet potatoes, cut into fry shapes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper (available in spice section of the supermarket or through Penzeys)
1 tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine all of the ingredients in a resealable bag or container (you need room to spare) and shake until well coated. Spread the fries out in a single on a jelly roll plan that has been covered with nonstick aluminum foil (I use Reynolds brand). Avoid overcrowding.

Place the pan in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes, flipping the fries every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Serve immediately.


Parmesan Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries from Sarah's Cucina Bella
(You'll want to click on the link for the original recipe to view her step-by-step photos.)

About 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (preferably the easy release kind).

Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut into strips that are about 1/4 inch wide on each side.

Place the sweet potatoes into a large bowl. Add oil, salt, and rosemary. Stir well to thoroughly coat the fries. Stir in 2/3 of the Parmesan. Spread out onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

Cook for 20-25 minutes, turning about halfway through. Fries are done when they are browned around the edges. Transfer immediately to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm.


Asiago Pepper Steak Fries from Sarah's Cucina Bella

4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed clean (2 1/2-3 inches in diameter at the fattest part)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 tsp black pepper
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the potatoes into 8 wedges each. Combine the potatoes, oil, asiago and pepper in a resealable bag and shake well to coat.

Spread the wedges in a single layer on a jelly roll pan that is either topped with nonstick aluminum foil or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle with salt.

Slide the tray into the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, flipping every five minutes. The steak fries are ready when they are golden brown on the outside.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt again. Serve immediately.

Devour.

(And devour I will!)

First image by food_in_mouth, shared via Flickr.
Second image by Sefu Renka, shared via Flickr.

Do you have a favorite recipe for sweet potato fries?
Better yet, do you have a recipe that would convert even the most anti-sweet-potato person, namely me?