Oven Fries

Potatoes get a bum wrap. There are many things great about the potato. Following the quick formula I learned at school (I minored in nutrition), I find that the potato is nutrient dense in vitamin C, Iron, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Copper and Iodine, to name a few. It also has 3 grams of protein and a little over 100 calories.

Unfortunately we have lost touch with what a serving is with restaurants serving gigantic potatoes that are 4-8 servings alone, then adding butter, sour cream, evil, bacon and most importantly, salt. Don't get me wrong, I do love me a loaded potato. But it's one of those once-in-a-while foods. (My problem is that, to me, it is always once-in-a-while. I'm slowly getting better at that.)

Lately I have salsa on my baked potato, and nothing else (no butter or salt or pepper or sour cream or that dreaded evil). Just yummy mango salsa from Costco. There is so much flavor and it is so juicy.

No, today's recipe isn't: bake a potato and put salsa on it. Though that is a good one...

It's Oven Fried Potatoes. They're low fat and very flavorful (it does have salt). It can be a healthy treat given you consider portion size and what you're dipping them in. I will make a large batch of the salt mixture and store it, ready to use at another time.

I think the recipe comes from Betty Crocker's Bridal Edition cookbook. I'm not sure since I got it from a classmate in a cooking class I took while at school. (But I'm attempting at giving the source...that's gotta count for something, right?)

I hope you enjoy. We sometimes make them to go with Sloppy Joes.

Oven Fried Potatoes (I think this is a time when I could put quotations on "Fried"...)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. ground mustard

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

3 medium baking potatoes (8 to 10 oz. each)

cooking spray

Heat oven to 425ºF. Mix salt, sugar, paprika, mustard and garlic powder. Gently scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Cut each potato lengthwise in half; cut each half lengthwise into 4 wedges. Place potato wedges, skin sides down, in ungreased 13x9” pan. Spray potatoes with cooking spray until lightly coated. Sprinkle with salt mixture.

Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with fork. (Baking time will vary depending on the size and type of the potato used.)