Oven Sweet Tater Fries

Lest anyone think that everything I cook turns out well and would impress even Martha Stewart, I decided to post about a cooking adventure of mine that turned out to less than stellar.

This family loves their sweet taters.  Even Roxy loves 'em.  I don't cook them that often, because I like to  somewhat limit the sugar and carbs that we ingest.  When we do have a baked potato - sweet or otherwise - one potato is shared by the entire family.

Randy and I are strong believers that there is no such thing as 'perfect eating'.  Demonstrated by the four monster cookies that I downed as I am working on this blog.

That is what I get for setting up my laptop within arm's reach of the cookie jar.  Notice the bag of carrots just beyond the cookie jar?  Didn't even think to expend the extra calories to grab them.

Anyway ~

Randy and I share the same thoughts on this ...

... The minute one tells themselves that they aren't 'allowed' something, that 'something' takes a hold of their mind until you give in and eat it.  From a lifetime of experience, I know that when you do give in and eat something that you have previously deprived yourself of, the quantities of consumption would be great.  Making up for lost time, so to speak.  Even if that lost time has been only three hours.

... Small changes are good.  Like I said, we share a potato, and we only have potatoes about once every two weeks.  I have also cut back seriously on how much rice we eat, plus, for what it is worth, I buy brown rice.  We have made other changes as well, but I can't remember what they are now.

Anyway ~

Back to the Oven Sweet Tater Fries.

I never, ever have good luck in roasting potatoes in the oven.  Mostly because I am impatient by nature and don't allow the oven to do it's job correctly.

Wash and slice up, french fry style, one sweet tater.  I didn't peel it, but I did pull the little root strings off as best I could.

Make sure the pieces are completely dried off, and place them in a bowl.  The olive oil won't stick if they are still wet.

Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season 'em up.  I used seasoning salt, sea salt and some fresh ground pepper.  If I made them right this very minute, I would add coriander.  Coriander is my new favorite spice.

Line a baking sheet with foil (easier clean up) and spray with cooking spray.

Spread the seasoned potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake at 425° for 30 minutes, turning once.

Here is where this plan all fell apart ... while the potatoes were soft and cooked through, they weren't crispy.  They seemed to have quite a bit of moisture in them that prevented them from browning up.  So I put them under the broiler ...

... and ended up burning them.  I could have easily made the excuse that the sugar in them made it easier to scorch, but no, I take full responsibility.

Next time, I will go to 'Plan B'.  But first, I will have to think of a 'Plan B.'

Hey, Darleen - just so you know ... every single time I come in contact with a sweet tater I always think of you!

Have the BEST day ever!

~ Dorothy