Oven Baked Italian French Fries

Yes, I will admit that it is very easy to pick up a bag of frozen french fries or tator tots at the grocery store, but if you read the ingredients and saw just how unhealthy they are for you, you might reconsider making your own. While it is true they take a little longer to prepare, you are ultimately getting the benefits of something much healthier than the frozen kind can offer. Plus, they are extremely delicious! I made these french fries and served them with jalapeno turkey burgers on whole wheat english muffins. YUM!

Oven Baked Italian French Fries
Serves 6 large portions
Adapted from: http://www.shutterbean.com/italian-fries/

Ingredients:
-6 idaho potatoes
-2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon of dried herbs - oregano, basil, and thyme are good herbs to use (do 1 teaspoon of each spice if you don't have a tablespoon of an italian seasoning blend)
-1/2 cup fresh grated romano cheese
-1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
-1/4 cup minced parsley or 2 tablespoons dried parsley
-2 tablespoons light butter - chopped in small pieces
-sea salt and black pepper for seasoning

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Peel potatoes if you don't like the peel on them (I keep the peel on because that is where the fiber is) and slice into 1/3 inch thick slices.
-As you peel and cut the potatoes, place them all in a bowl of cold, salted water. This keeps them looking fresh and not turning brown.
-On a large rimmed baking sheet, spray nonstick cooking oil or coat with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking when they bake.
-Drain potatoes from the bowl of water and place them in a large mixing bowl.
-To the large mixing bowl of potato slices, add your italian herbs, salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix until all potatoes are coated evenly.
-Pour bowl of potatoes onto the rimmed baking sheet and spread out evenly.
-Sprinkle both cheeses and parsley on top of all the potato strips.
-Place the chopped pieces of butter around the baking sheet.
-Place in the oven and bake for approx 30- 45 minutes. Make sure you flip the fries over after about 15 minutes to prevent burning. They will be golden brown and cooked all the way through. My oven took about 35 minutes to cook them. It will depend on the efficiency of your oven, so just watch them closely.

You will love these!

Enjoy! :)