Homemade Sweet Potay'ta Fries

Fries aren't my go to food at a restaurant. Whenever possible I'll switch the fries out for the vegetable of the day or a side salad or something else. I don't even really like mashed potatoes all that much either. Every once in awhile I'll eat either one and then I'm good for some time. But when sweet potatoes are on the table, I just can't help myself. But I got to a point when I couldn't order them anymore. Why? Some of them were barely sweet potatoes but more a holding cell for grease. And some of them were covered in about a pound of sugar and cinnamon. I sat there and dabbed my fries with a napkin or scraped the sugar and cinnamon off with a fork. I just couldn't get the sweet potatoes that I really was looking for. So I made them myself! I went to Earthfare and got two organic sweet potatoes. I washed them really well with a natural veggie wash and brush and was ready to cut them up. I didn't even consider peeling the sweet potato and I was glad I didn't. The skins made a great addition to the finished product. 

This sweet potato looks quite small but it was enough to feed Adam and I. The larger sweet potato I cut in half and we only ate half of it and we're saving the rest for another day!

I cut the fries in long strips. Some people are finicky about their fries whether they like the long and skinny ones or the short and thick ones, the great thing about making your own is that YOU decide what you want! I made mine medium thickness. Just remember the thicker the fry the longer it will need to cook, so that can come into play if you have a short period of time to make dinner. 

I enlarged this picture so you can see the julienne style of cut I did to make my fries. If you notice I used the ends of the potatoes even though they didn't make nice clean cut fries and were stubbier. I kept those ends because...honestly...to keep the beauty of the food. Food nowadays is to "perfect" with no imperfections. People want perfectly rounded tomatoes and plump peppers and potatoes that are the same size and shape. But if you ever frequent a farmer's market you'll notice that all of the fruit and vegetables are unique in their own right. I remember the first time I saw produce from a farmer's market. I was volunteering at CityFresh in Cleveland and I remember thinking to myself in my own ignorance at the time, "Why does the produce look like that?" If you've never been at those types of places or seen that type of produce I encourage you to go and explore it for yourself! I included an example of what I mean. You can see what people would call "imperfections" in the color and shape as well as other features too. But anyway I digress...

The first time I made these I put the fries in a bowl and put some coconut oil in and tossed it with some spices such as garlic powder, black pepper, himalayan salt. Some prefer sugar and cinnamon for more a dessert-style snack. The second time I made it I just sprayed the pan with Pam spray, added the fries and spices and then mixed it around. Then I added another light coat of Pam spray again. Either method depends on the desired crispiness you want to achieve. You may add more oil for a crispier texture or less for a more sweet potato flavor and texture. We prefered to taste the food itself! I set the oven to 350 degrees F but ended up turning it up to 375 degrees F just because I needed it to be done a little quicker for dinner; I was running out of time. Cooking times depend on the amount of potatos as well. I put it in for 20 mins and then checked them. You may need to add more time. I know, I know. Some of you may want to know everything in exact measurements of ingredients and time. But to me cooking is not a science, its an art form. I think that playing around in the kitchen can be therapeutic as well as a creative outlet. If you are one of those people who hate cooking...maybe you've been doing it wrong all these years!? =] 

But in the end this was the finished product! It was lightly salted (DEFINITELY...A...LOT...LESS salty than what you find at any restaurant. That just allowed us to truly enjoy the flavor of the food!) I highly recommend this recipe. Adam does not like sweet potatoes and sweet potato fries, but he enjoyed these. He tried them when I first made them and then asked for them the second time I made them! So again...husband tested and husband approved! 

Phineas the Pup and His Homemade Cookies!

After work you're headed home thinking about what's in the fridge and what you're going to make for dinner. The traffic lights change, time passes, and the dishes are done. You and your family are full and happy now. But then you look down and see those big puppy dog eyes. You want the best food for your family and that includes your pup. Come on, how can you resist that face?

Unfortunately food and treats nowadays are filled with what you might expect...fillers. Working with dogs and feeding them I see a whole range of types of food. This food ranges from all decadent homemade masterpieces to canned-shape,brown-colored glop. Now you're furry best friend has been faithful and loyal throughout the years. So why not give them something great?

Try this great recipe, I promise you you're pup will love you even more for it!

2 cups Whole Wheat flour
1 cup plain oats
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups hot water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix all of the dry ingredients together and then add the peanut butter and water. If the dough is too     sticky you may need to add more flour.
3. Knead the dough well.
4. Roll out the dough into 1/4" thickness.You can use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. I like to use     little dog bone cookie cutters!
5. After putting the cookies on a baking sheet I put an egg wash on them to give them a nice look.

6. Bake them for 40 minutes. I let them cool overnight on wax paper and was able to put them right in     a bag to keep. You can also try freezing them for later.
   (dogtreatskitchen.com)

*Now its important to remember that since these are simple cookies with very few ingredients there are no preservatives in them. So if you keep them for too long they will get moldy so make sure to watch out for that before feeding them to your pup.*

Not only do these make great treats for your own pup, but they make great gifts! Phineas couldn't wait to dig into his present!

It's fun for you to make and fun for them to eat. Phineas would agree, but as you can see...he's pretty busy at the moment!

If you have kids, cousins, nephews or neices this is also a great project to do with them to get them in the kitchen playing with recipes and ingredients! 

I know they're dog cookies but don't be afraid to try them! Again, there is only 4 ingredients and its all normal food that you would eat anyway...so go ahead and try one...if you can wrestle it away from pups like Phineas that is!