• Side Dishes!!

  Filed under Side Dish - Vegetable
  Nov 21
  I have said before that I rarely make side dishes. And that’s still true. But when my husband volunteered to make dinner on Sunday (steaks on the BBQ) I quickly said that I would take care of the side dishes. And I’m so glad I did!!
  The first side dish is sweet potatoes. Yes, I have recently discovered that not only do I like sweet potatoes, but I LOVE them!! If you remember the sweet potato soup I made earlier this month, you’ll remember that I confessed that I thought I didn’t like sweet potatoes. Well, I gave them a try again – this time as oven baked sweet potato fries – and I ate a lot of them. Let’s talk sweet potatoes for a moment. What exactly is the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?? Well, from the small amount of research I’ve done, there is a big difference!! I’ve found that this website says it best:

  Although yams and sweet potatoes are both angiosperms (flowering plants), they are not related botanically. Yams are a monocot (a plant having one embryonic seed leaf) and from teh Dioscoreaceae or Yam family. Sweet potatoes, often called ‘yams’, are a dicot (a plant having two embryonic seed leaves) and are from the Convolvulacea or morning glory family.

  In fact, after reading several things, I have learned that it is very rare to even find yams in the grocery store. If you are looking for a yam, you will most likely find them in a Carribean or Asian specialty store. I think the biggest reason for the confusion is that 1) the grocery stores call them yams when they are not, and 2) there are many different types of sweet potatoes, and the colors can vary, so not all sweet potatoes will look the same. But this is just my 2 cents – whatever you call them, they sure do make tasty oven fries!!
  
  If you are expecting crispy fries from sweet potatoes, you will probably be disappointed. But these have so much more flavor than regular white potato fries, in my opinion. They can be baked plain, with just a touch of olive oil, but this spice combination is wonderful. I find it the easiest if you combine the spices and oil in a large ziploc bag, throw the cut potato in, and shake until mixed.

  Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
  from Country Living

  1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  2 large (about 1 1/2 pounds) sweet potatoes
  
  

  1. Prepare the sweet potatoes: In a small bowl (or bag), combine cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel potatoes, cut each in half lengthwise, and cut each half into 6 wedges. In a large bowl, combine the cut potatoes, oil, and spice mixture. Toss until potatoes are evenly coated.
  2. Bake the fries: On a baking sheet, arrange potatoes in a single layer and place on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake until edges are crisp and potatoes are cooked through — about 30 minutes.** Serve immediately.

  **I did flip mine twice during the baking time. I’m not sure if this makes a difference or not.
  
  And then now to one of the recipes that I have bookmarked off of a blog that I just barely blogged about – Janet is Hungry. Another winner!! I was able to bake these zucchini coins at the same time I baked the fries, and it worked out wonderfully! Although the baking temperature is listed as 25 degrees higher, I just baked them at 400 F with the fries, and kept them in a couple of minutes longer. These are very tasty, especially dipped in ranch dressing!! Visit Janet’s blog for the recipe.
  

  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  12 Comments

12 Responses to “Side Dishes!!”

1. 

   Emiline said on November 21st, 2007 at 7:14 pm

   I love sweet potato fries, so I must try this recipe from Country Living. These are much better for you than the kind in the bag!
   Zuchinni looks good too. I can never spell that word right. I’m pretty sure I spelled it wrong.

   [Reply]

2. 

   Emiline said on November 21st, 2007 at 7:15 pm

   Zucchini…..
   I put an extra n in there.

   [Reply]

3. 

   glamah16 said on November 22nd, 2007 at 3:04 am

   Happy Thanksgiving Deborah.

   [Reply]

4. 

   Tartelette said on November 22nd, 2007 at 3:25 am

   I love sweet potato fries, but what I will be making for sure are those zucchini coins….delicious!

   [Reply]

5. 

   Kevin said on November 22nd, 2007 at 3:29 am

   Sweet potato fries are one of my favorites. Your zucchini coins look good and it seems that I already have Janets post bookmarked.

   [Reply]

6. 

   Peabody said on November 22nd, 2007 at 8:50 am

   I rarely make sides either because my husband never eats them unless they are potatoes.
   I on the other hand would glady eat just side dishes…especially these ones.

   [Reply]

7. 

   Patricia Scarpin said on November 22nd, 2007 at 1:45 pm

   So I think you should definitely make more side dishes, sweetie – the ones you posted here are to die for!

   [Reply]

8. 

   Janet said on November 22nd, 2007 at 3:28 pm

   I love sweet potatoes too!! I’ve been experimenting lately with oven baked sweet potato fries, trying to find a coating that will stay crispy with the baking. Once I get it right, I will post it. Last time, I used some dehydrated potato flakes in my coating… I’m getting close!!

   Looks great, and I’m glad you enjoyed the zucchini!

   [Reply]

9. 

   Kelly-Jane said on November 22nd, 2007 at 4:11 pm

   I’d enjoy making just the side dishes sometimes, if the main has been taken out of the equasion more time can be spent on the sides, and look how creative you have been, they both look gorgeous!

   [Reply]

10. 

    Freya and Paul said on November 22nd, 2007 at 4:22 pm

    A lovely pair of thanksgiving sides!

    [Reply]

11. 

    Augustina said on November 22nd, 2007 at 5:31 pm

    I’ve been looking for a way to oven “fry” some sweet potatoes I have sitting on my kitchen counter. I can’t wait to make these!
    Happy Thanksgiving!!
    Augustina

    [Reply]

12. 

    eatme_delicious said on November 27th, 2007 at 1:20 am

    Mmm I love sweet potato fries. A while ago I was trying to figure out what was a yam and what was a sweet potato. As far as I can tell sweet potatoes are orange, yet the grocery stores here always call them yams. And Japanese restaurants use them interchangeably!

    [Reply]

Leave a Reply