QUICK AND EASY BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES BY JOYCE

Joyce lives and has lived most of her life in Mississippi.  She knows her way around sweet potatoes.  She also is concerned about putting healthy food on the table as she and John, her husband, spend their spare time paddling kayaks and portaging through the wilderness.  Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat.  They are packed with dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein and complex carbohydrates.  They are low in calories so what more could we ask for in a vegetable?


With Joyce's method, there is no need to peel the sweet potato before slicing into French fry slices.  My Mom would like that as she always said the vitamins and minerals of vegetables and fruit were right under the skin.  She didn't like to take the peel off of anything that wasn't absolutely necessary like a banana.  Sweet potatoes can also be difficult to peel so not peeling saves time and nutrients.


Olive oil coats the sweet potatoes, brown sugar caramelizes on Joyce's baked fries while chili powder spikes the flavor and keeps them from being too sweet.  They bake quickly in a hot oven.

Salt to taste and enjoy!!!!

Have you ever met someone who you know instantly is a "Soul-Sister"?  It doesn't matter if you are as different as chalk and cheese, you just know your thoughts parallel each others.  I don't get to spend much time with Joyce, but when we are together it is like no time has past since we last saw each other.  I am glad I have her wonderful recipes to use while we are apart.




JOYCE APPLEGATE'S SWEET POTATO OVEN FRIES
The amount of chili powder and brown sugar depends on how many potatoes you are doing.  Just sprinkle liberally and enjoy.


Sweet potatoes, unpeeled
Chili powder
Brown sugar
Olive oil

Ingredients:  Sweet potatoes, chili powder, light brown sugar and olive oil.

Cut potatoes in strips. I cut them thin rather than thick.  Put on a rimmed cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.  Toss to coat.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and chili powder. Toss to mix well.  Bake in a preheated 450° oven, turning twice until desired doneness.  I used a dark pan so reduced oven to 425° and bake the fries for 8 minutes.  I turned the fries over and baked another 8 minutes.  I left them in another 4 minutes before removing them from the oven.  Time will depend on how thick you cut your fries.

Scrub the potatoes well.

Cut into slices.

Cut slices into strips.  Not too thick or too wide.

Put potato strips on a rimmed cookie sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil and toss well.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and toss well to coat.

Sprinkle with chili powder and toss well to coat.  Bake in preheated 450° oven.

After about 8 minutes turn the fries.

After about 8 minutes, turn fries again.  Bake to desired doneness.

Sprinkle with salt to taste and enjoy a nutritious, delicious treat.