baked french fries

To say we love french fries in our house would be an understatement
however....
Buying french fries from a fast food place is not the healthiest thing
Buying bags of frozen french fries can end up costing a lot

A bag of french fries can run about $3.50 (depending on brand)
A 5lb bag of potatoes is only $1.99  - that's a lot of french fries!!

So to satisfy our taste buds, wallet and waist line, we started making our own.

please ignore the dog nose in the corner...

Homemade Baked French Fries 

serves 4-5

4-5 russet potatoes (or more/less depending on how many people you are serving)
Olive oil, extra virgin
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Paprika, light sprinkle

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Cut potatoes into french fry shape
• Put in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika
• Place a cooling rack on a sheet pan and place the seasoned fries on the cooling rack (we enjoy cooking them this way to get the heat all around the potatoes and evenly cooked/crisped)
• Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until cooked and golden

I will not lie. My husband is the french fry maker in our house. They are so easy to make and so delicious. Next time you have a french fry craving, considering slicing up some potatoes before cutting open a bag.

Any french fry fans out there?

Linking up to Fitness Friday!

roasted vegetable soup

This winter I got into roasting vegetables. I also got into using my food processor (a wedding gift). I put the two together and created magic...

May I present roasted vegetable soup. So easy to make and so unbelievably delicious. Where have you been all my life?
This time of year I can't wait for spring to show its head, but a soup like this helps ease the pain that the streets are covered in snow, that my nose is a little frozen and that I have to wear socks to bed.

There are a couple variations I make of this soup and each one is delicious.

Roasted Vegetable Soup
serves 6

1 small butternut squash, peeled & cubed
1 extra large sweet potato, peeled & cubed
2-3 large carrots, peeled & chopped
3c vegetable broth, or more depending on size of vegetables
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Thyme

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel and cube butternut squash and sweet potato into large chunks (they shrink when they bake) and place in a bowl. Lightly coat with olive oil. Toss with salt, pepper, nutmeg and thyme.
• Lay out butternut squash and sweet potato on baking sheet (I line mine with foil) so there is one even layer.
• Peel and chop carrots and coat the same way the butternut squash and sweet potato. Place in a separate baking sheet. The carrots tend to cook faster than the squash and potato so I keep them separate. 
• Bake for about 35-40 minutes, flipping half way through. When they are fork tender they are done.
• Puree vegetables with vegetable broth in a food processor or high-speed blender. 
• Add as much vegetable broth as you want to get the desired consistency. We don't like ours very soupy but not thick, either.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 141 calories, 3.7g fat, 4.5g fiber, 2g protein, 27g carb

We love this soup. It is chock full of nutrients and vitamins and a great way to get your vegetables for the day.

What are your favorite types of soup? Or what helps you get through the end of winter?

Linking it up 
Biggest Loser Blogger Edition 
Food link up!



 

a sweet ending to our weekend

It all started when I made our weekend pancakes. My husband was helping me by getting out ingredients and saw the mini m&ms and immediately wanted m&m cookies.
Twist my arm - fine - I'll make them.

I love cookies. Love them. I try to not make them often because if they are in the house, I'll eat them.
I am proud of myself, however, because I haven't made cookies since Christmas. Granted, at Christmas I made dozens upon dozens of cookies and consumed even more! But hey, a months a month, right?

We love these cookies because they are soft and chewy not hard and crunchy.

Trust me, you will not regret making these little guys.

Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from appleaday
Makes about 25 cookies depending on size of cookie

3/4c margarine, softened
3/4c brown sugar (I've used both light and dark)
1/4c granulated sugar
1 flax egg or regular egg
2tsp vanilla extract
2c all-purpose flour
1tsp + 3/4 tsp cornstarch
1tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
1c chocolate chips (or m&m's)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Make flax egg by mixing 1Tbsp ground flax with 3Tbsp water. Put in fridge.
• In a stand mixer, cream together margarine and sugars until light and fluffy.
• Add "egg" and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Mixture should be very light and airy.
• Combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Mix in dry ingredients.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Drop cookies onto greased baking sheet or on a baking mat.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes until tops are brown (do NOT overbake)

I made a bit larger sized cookie and split the batter in half to make half chocolate chip and half m&m. I used this recipe at Christmas and made smaller cookies and could easily get 4-5 dozen out of a batch.
Nutritional Information (per cookie): 147 calories, 6g fat, 0.4g fiber, 0.3g protein, 20g carbs

They are delicious with a glass of milk and they go fast... enjoy!

I pretty much love any and every kind of cookie but always find myself coming back to a chocolate chip cookie. What's your favorite go-to cookie?

Linking up with Molly for YOLO Mondays

Now those scones

In a previous post I mentioned I went on a baking spree to try to use up some products in my house before they went bad. Aside from waffles and pancakes, I whipped up a batch of scones (actually, two batches - we had a lot of Silk Nog).
No surprise, this recipe also is adapted from MamaPea over at peasandthankyou.com

The mention of Eggnog Scones might have you making a face. No worries. I was a bit skeptical myself. Until I tried them.

Whenever I try any new recipe, I always halve the recipe. I don't want to end up with 24 cupcakes, 16 scones, or a giant tray of brownies that I end up just tossing in the trash. I hate waste! I also love to make foods that are very freezer friendly. This recipe delivered on both regards: easy to halve and pop in the freezer!

Don't be afraid - Eggnog Scones
(makes about 16 scones)

3/4 c eggnog (I use Silk Nog)
1 t lemon juice
2.5 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t cream of tartar
1/2 t salt
3/4 t nutmeg (I use pre-ground)
1/2 c margarine, sliced

Glaze:
1 c powdered sugar
sprinkle of nutmeg
1.5-2 T eggnog

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine eggnog and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• While the nog "curdles", combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and nutmeg into a large bowl.
• Cut the margarine into the flour mixture. If you have a pastry blender, use that. I do not and use my fingers. I add one pat of margarine at a time until the mixture looks course in texture. 
• Add eggnog mixture - it should look curdled by now. Combine eggnog nixture and form a dough. If it is too dry, do not worry. If it is wet, I put a little flour on top so my hands do not stick to it.
• Turn dough out onto floured counter top. Roll dough out into a long rectangle - a bit over 12 inches, and about 1.5 inches thick. Slice into ~16 wedges and transfer to baking sheet (I use a baking mat).
• Bake for 20 minutes
• For the glaze: combine powdered sugar, nutmeg and eggnog in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over cooled scones.

My husband really, really loved these. He tried one before I told him the flavor and told me that he was glad he ate one before finding out the flavor or else he would have been turned off. It doesn't taste like you are biting into eggnog - it has a nice, subtle taste. If you have any leftover eggnog I highly recommend making these. I made two batches and froze over half of them - with icing on them.
What are some of your favorite go-to recipes to use up some ingredients?

Waffles - Lesson learned

This past week quickly turned into "oh crap ___ is going bad soon". This baking/cooking escapade all started with a special request for pancakes. I am not one to turn down pancakes or waffles (I typically make them every Sunday). I haven't made them in what feels like foreeeeever - but this worked out perfectly since I had some bananas (ok a TON of bananas) and needed to start using them up.
I also realized my eggnog was getting close to its expiration date; egg nog scones were born
I had some silken tofu that was nearing its end; peanut butter banana pie (that was a two-fer with bananas too!)
Around 10 bananas all ripening at once; pancakes and waffles

I have a go-to recipe that I usually quadruple and freeze batches of waffles for us to have on hand each weekend. The only kicker: need a ripened banana. I usually try to keep one lingering banana around so I can make at least a double batch. Or I swipe them from my mom's when I'm over visiting.

The recipe is adapted from MamaPea from peasandthankyou.com
I did slight tweaking from the original recipe

Sunday Waffles

1/2 overripe banana, mashed
1/2 c water
1/2 c milk (dairy or silk/almond vanilla)
1.5 T unsweetened applesauce*
1/2 T canola oil*
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t vanilla
1 c flour (I have all-purpose always on hand but sometimes do a combo with some oat or whole wheat)*
2 t baking powder

• Preheat waffle iron (or griddle if making pancakes).
• Mash banana in a large bowl. (I may own a baby-sized masher but a fork works, too)
• Add water, milk, applesauce, oil, sugar, salt and vanilla. Whisk together.
• Add flour and baking soda. Whisk until everything comes together. Do NOT overmix. 
• Pour about 1/3 c batter into greased/sprayed waffle iron. I usually use a smidge less than 1/3 c because I hate cleaning it if there is runoff.
• Cook until golden brown.

We like to eat our waffles with some fresh fruit. Feel free to add some chocolate chips to the batter as well.

*Note: original recipe calls for 2 T of canola oil. I tweak the oil amount depending on batch size. When I quadruple, for instance, I typically use 6-7T of applesauce and only 1-2T of oil. You can tweak to your liking. We do not notice the difference at all.
*When I make this into pancakes, I add a smidge more flour. Around 2T to get a bit thicker consistency so pancakes hold their form. 

Please note: apple was consumed before shooting.

Our waffles are always a huge hit! Two days after making pancakes with this recipe, I decided to make waffles.... and scones. As I was pulling out my first batch of waffles they looked, off. WAY too brown. They all ended up that way. We tasted them. I immediately said something was wrong. Then I remembered: I used baking SODA instead of baking POWDER. Major awful waffle. (Salute Your Shorts, anyone?)
Lesson learned.

Have you ever had a kitchen blunder where you used the wrong ingredient and instantly knew something was off? Or maybe omitted an ingredient? My husband is notorious for leaving out ingredients whenever he bakes. Especially bread.