Easy Oven Fries

When I am hung over and watching “Death of a Cheerleader” on Lifetime, memories of college come flooding back to me and I start to crave McDonald’s French fries. Sadly, my days of carelessly eating garbage are over, and I’ve sworn off McDonalds after seeing some pretty disturbing information about the way their food is made. That being said, being healthier doesn’t mean you can’t have your french fry fix.

I have come to love (dare I say it… more than McDonalds) homemade oven fries. These guys are so easy to make that they have become my comfort food staple. Made this way, they are similar in calories to a baked potato.

Get my recipe after the jump!

Cut up your potatoes into small wedges. Aim to get all of the wedges a similar size and thickness. I normally cut 3 medium potatoes for 2 people

Toss the wedges in a bowl with olive oil, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. (for me that’s 1 tablespoon paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt and a few turns on the pepper grinder)

Pour the wedges onto a baking sheet (I cover mine with foil so I won’t have to clean it!)

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of the baking pan, and smash two or three cloves of garlic and put onto the pan. (this step is optional, if you don’t like garlic you can just add oil, and if you are saving on calories, you don’t have to add the extra oil, but it makes for a crispier fry)

Bake in the oven at 300F (150C) for 15 minutes, take them out and give the pan a good shake to mix the potatoes. If they are stuck, use a spatula to flip them. Return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until crispy.