fast cooking

French Fries the Ultimate Comfort Food!

Hello Food Friends!

With the holidays being over, we all want to get rid of unhealthy food around our house. I had some white potatoes left over from a holiday meal and needed to use to avoid expiration. To keep them from going to waste, I made some twice fried french fries.

Comfort food made easy…

There is nothing better than a crispy fry with a creamy center. It is something really homey to me about cutting fries and they all don’t come out perfect. It reminds me of my grandma who use to hand cut fries due to my grandfather’s disdain for the frozen kind. I cut some misshapen fries and prepared them for frying. First, they had to soak in water. 

Soaking…

After I soaked them in water for an hour, I dried them thoroughly with a paper towel. If you have time you can soak them overnight. However, I was hungry so I didn’t wait. If you’re a rebel like me it will still taste delicious I promise! 

The first fry…

In a large pot heat some canola oil to 260 F. Using a heat thermometer is crucial when frying to control your temp. I allowed the fries to cook for 8 minutes slowly. Once the eight minutes passed, I placed them on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. The fries will still be pale in color. 

The first cook is to just let the fries become soft. The resting process will allow the fries to firm and to continue to cook inside a little before the second fry. This is how the fries develop the different textures for a wonderful eating experience. 

The second fry…

After the resting period is complete, heat the pot back to 365 F. Then cook fries for another 4 minutes. Remove from the oil. They will be beautifully brown and crispy. 

Place the fries in a large bowl. Then sprinkle season salt, onion powder, and garlic powder on top. Flip the hot fries until the seasoning has coated. Lastly, I poured them into a serving bowl and garnished with chives.

I also made this quick dipping sauce for the side, try it with yours.

Happy Cooking!

J. Delawcious

Healthy Chicken Kabobs

It’s Grilling Time….

The weather is getting warmer and it is time to break out those grills for some healthy chicken kabob! Chicken kabob are yummy, easy, and fun to eat. The combination of veggies or meats/veggies are endless. Today I am going to show you my no fail chicken kabob recipe.

All you need is a few simple ingredients and you have a very satisfying meal. For all my veggie friends this recipe works for you too! I would use veggies like zucchini, potatoes, carrot, onions, etc to make your kabob. Follow the recipe and just skip the meat and use your favorite veggies. Just make sure you cut them large enough to hold up to the grill. Anyway, let’s jump right in to this chicken kabob recipe!


What you will need:

4 Cubed Chicken  Breast

8 Portobello Mushrooms

4 Bite Sized Chopped Onions

10 Cherry Tomatoes

Spice Mix:

1 tbsp of Onion Powder

1 tsp of Pepper

1 tsp of Salt

1 tsp of Ground Mustard

1 tsp of Crushed Red Pepper

Oil Dressing:

4 Tbsp of Avocado Oil

2 Fresh Minced Garlic Cloves

2 tsp of Fresh Thyme

2 tsp of Fresh Parsley

3 tsp of Fresh Oregano

Tools:

Skewers Metal or Wood (please soak wood skewers for at least 45-60 minutes prior to use)

Cooking Brush


Assemble:

Preheat grill.

Mix the spice blend and sit aside. Mix the oil dressing and sit aside.

Separate chicken, onions, mushrooms, and cherry into different bowls. You can place veggies and chicken as instructed in the video below or in your own pattern. These veggies are interchangeable as well. Please use whatever veggies or meats you like best.

Vegan Friendly Option:

If  you are going vegan or vegetarian, use sturdy veggies that can hold up to the heat, I would use veggies like zucchini, potatoes, carrot, onions, etc to make your kabob. Follow the same steps and grill until veggies are tender. I would pre-boil potatoes for about 6 minutes prior to placing on the grill. This way it will cook at the same pace as the other veggies you choice. 

Cook:

Once all the meats and veggies are on the skewers place on a hot grill. Sprinkle generously the spice mix over the top of the veggies and chicken. After the first 3 minutes turn brush on the oil based dressing on top and turn over.

Sprinkle the other side with spices and brushes on the oil dressing. Cook kabob on each side for about 3 minutes or until an internal temp of 165F.

Remove from the grill and brush the remaining dressing and spices on top.

Serve:

You can serve this with salad, rice, or a nice pasta. The sides are endless!

I hope you enjoy!

xoxo

J. Delawcious


Watch the full tutorial here: