Garlic Dill Baked French Fries

Hello friends!  I have a new recipe for you to try out!  I decided to try something I have never done this time.  I have seen versions of this on food channels and of course I love potatoes, so I said "why the heck not!" :)  I loved these!  They were so tasty and crispy on the bottom!  If you like a little spice you can add a little cayenne pepper to it (it is good for your heart you know!)  I hope you enjoy! (Oh and sorry for the crappy picture, I have horrible lighting in my apartment.)

Garlic Dill Baked French Fries

Ingredients

4 or 5 medium sized potatoes
2 -3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
Lawrys Garlic Salt (you can use which ever brand you want)
Dill
Pepper

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

First clean off potatoes under some running water just to get off any dirt or debris.  Don't peel the skin off, unless you don't like the skin or you have finicky children.  Slice up your potatoes into french fries.  The easiest way i know how to do it is slice it length ways on the flat end then chop from the top.  You can go through and make them smaller if you want, I did.

(Dont worry if your potatoes start turning brown while you slice the others, you can put them in some cold water and the brown goes away, almost like magic)

Drizzle your olive oil on a baking sheet.  Add sliced potatoes and toss them in the olive oil, making sure to coat all of them.

Once they are coated with the olive oil, spread them out on the baking sheet.  Make sure they are not on top of each other, you want the bottoms of them to be crispy.

Next sprinkle the garlic salt over them, followed by the dill, and then the pepper.

Now just slide them into the over and cook them for about 25 to 30 minutes.  Check on them every 10 minutes or so because depending on how thin or how thick you cut them, you may need to take them out earlier or leave them in longer.

Serve on a plate as a side dish or by themselves.  Use Ranch Dressing as a dip. :) YUMMY

Carlena's Easy Tex Mex Stew!

For my first post I wanted to put one of my favorite recipes up.  I am a bit obsessed with it right now, not that my roommate doesn't mind. (In fact I would say she loves it too.)  It's real easy, simple, and quick and you probably have most of the ingredients already.  First, I got the basics of this recipe from a friend.  I made it like she told me to and it didn't taste the same.  I tried one more time and much to my dismay, I had not made it right.  So I set out to make it my own way, keep the same basic idea but make it mine.  Make it better.  And I did.  And it's wonderful on a cold night.  Here is the recipe for everyone! (Oh and I call it Tex Mex Stew because when I told someone who was of Mexican heritage that it was called that, I was quickly and rudely informed that it was not Mexican, so I changed the name.)

Carlena's Tex Mex Stew

Cook Time: Approx 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef (you may sub ground turkey, pork, or chicken)
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 packet Old El Paso Taco Seasoning (any brand is fine)
3 cans petite diced tomatos (do NOT drain)
2 cans crushed tomatos
2 cans yellow hominy (do NOT drain)
1 can white hominy (do NOT drain)
1 can black beans (drain and rinse)
1/2 large onion chopped
1 tbsp garlic salt (I use Lawrys)
2 tbsp parsley (dried or fresh chopped)
1-2 tsp of Cayenne (you can add more if you like spicy)
2 tsp dill
salt and pepper to taste

Toppings
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream
Tortilla Chips (Restaurant style is my personal favorite to use)

Directions
Brown ground beef in a large skillet with salt and pepper (I also like to brown my meat with extra cayenne, parsley, and dill).  Once the meat is almost done, add the onions.  Continue cooking meat and onions until the onions are opaque and the meat is thoroughly cooked. Drain grease and set aside

In a large stock pot combine all canned ingredients (tomatoes, hominy, and beans), seasoning packets, and spices and herbs. Mix well.

Once you have stirred all the ingredients in the stock pot, add the cooked ground beef and onions to your stock pot.  Stir until well combined

Cook on stove top for 10 minutes on medium heat.  After 10 minutes reduce heat to medium low and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once cooked ladle into bowls and add sour cream and shredded cheese.  Use tortilla chips to scoop or crush into stew.

Serves around 8 to 10 people :)

Enjoy!

Love, Ms CarlenaJ