Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Bella Came to Play

Bella Boo came to play with Gemma today!!!! Bre and Gideon went to MOPS. We were happy to have Bella stay. The kids did school. I played.  I pulled out bubbles. 


She loves the nook, so I supplied her with colored pencils and paper - both things I have handy in the nook. 

We had a "tea break" - she seemed to like sitting in the chair by herself with her cup and cracker. 

Bella loves cleaning. I got a lot of work done, she thought it was all a great game. Win/Win. We vacuumed, dust mopped, swept and wiped down counters.  

Bella wasn't the only excitement in the day. We also had a productive school day. Stacia and I selected recipes and started pricing them out to see what we may be able to produce and sell to increase our seed.

We tried two new recipes tonight - one for chicken thighs and one for CRISPY oven baked fries. Both were hits....Note Yuuki guarding the oven for us. She also loves the new clear glass door and oven light. LOL

In a fun turn of events, Bre's ride to MOPS lives down the road and around a couple of corners. She recognized Bre's maiden name as my last name. I'm on an Alaska Chicken Raising facebook group. She said to tell me if I want to come sit and chat about her chickens, I can. Yay!

CRISPY OVEN BAKED FRIES

I was so happy to find this recipe! Layers of Happiness is a blog to spend some time exploring.  I am "saving" this in it's entirety so I don't lose it. Sites with my favorite recipes have been disappearing - a  drawback to cooking from the internet rather than Betty Crocker. 

ANYWAY - with the discovery of this technique (I've tried a variety of seasonings), I no longer NEED an air fryer! These are crispy and healthy. 
Just to prove I really did make these! 

Visit this blog! You'll be happy you did! 

Extra Crispy Oven Baked French Fries

Crispy edges, soft centers; extra-crispy French fries baked not fried – so you can feel good about eating them!

Ingredients:

Seasoning Mix (DO NOT USE ALL  OF THE SEASONING FOR ONE BATCH, READ INSTRUCTIONS):

  • 2 Tablespoons seasoned salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For the Fries:

  • 3 medium russet potatoes (russet are the best choice for perfect crispy fries)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions:


  1. Combine seasoning ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
  2. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut off the ends. With a very sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin slices about 1/4 inch wide.
  3. Add the fries to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes but they can soak for as long as overnight. (Place in the fridge if soaking more than an hour).
  4. After the fries have soaked, drain, rinse, and lay the fries on a paper towel lined cooling rack to dry while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Blot the tops with additional paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
  5. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or foil and spray with non-stick spray. Make sure the previously used bowl is dry and add the potatoes to it, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and 1/2 – 1 Tablespoon of the seasoning mixture based on how much salt you prefer. Toss around to mix.
  6. Evenly line the baking pan with the fries in a single layer. Don’t overlap or they fries won’t cook properly. Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping with a spatula once or twice after 15 minutes of cooking. Increase heat to 425 degrees and continue baking until the edges look a little burnt!
  7. Sprinkle the fries with the other half of the seasoning mix and Parmesan cheese (optional). Serve immediately.