Fast Food, Slow

We don't really eat much fast food.  In fact, I can't remember the last time I went to McDonald's or Burger King.  I will occasionally make an exception for a Chick-fil-A milkshake (don't judge me, I assure you this is a once or twice a year kind of thing!).  But every time I eat a bite of a fast food hamburger or fries, I'm disappointed in the (lack of) flavor - all I taste is salt!

That being said, I really do love the taste of a good burger and fries.  It's an occasional indulgence so I don't feel too guilty about really doing it up right.  On Saturday, Brian and I caught a whiff of a neighbor's barbecue when we walked past and both got the craving for burgers so we scrapped our (healthier) meal plan for Sunday night and decided to grill up some Bison burgers and fries.

Oh man, was it ever GOOD!  I caramelized some sweet yellow onions and sliced mushrooms for a loooong time in a little butter and olive oil.  Then topped my bison burger with a little monterey jack cheese, some barbecue sauce, the mushrooms and onions and served it up with a nice juicy slice of tomato and some spring mix.  Brian grilled the fresh kaiser roll (from The Fresh Market - they have a great bakery!) which made it even more delicious.

On the side, I made some oven-baked crispy fries.

Hit. The. Spot.

Speaking of the fries, they were amazing, simple and fairly quick.  The perfect side for your burger.  And WAY better than fast-food.

Oven-Baked French Fries
adapted from Anja's Food 4 Thought
serves 2-4

2 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

other seasonings (optional):  grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, garlic, truffle salt, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment and set aside.

Peel potatoes, if desired (I didn't).  Slice potatoes lengthwise into 1/4'' slices, and from there slice into 1/4'' matchsticks.  Place the potatoes in a single layer onto a paper-towel lined microwave-safe plate and microwave for 1 minute (you will have to do this step in batches).

Then place the par-cooked fries into a large bowl and drizzle on 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss the fries with the oil, salt and pepper using your hands to insure each piece is thoroughly coated, you may need up to one additional tablespoon of olive oil to coat the fries depending on the size of the potatoes used, if the fries seem like they need a little more oil, add it now.

Spread fries onto the prepared baking sheet so that they are in a single layer and evenly spread out, ideally not touching each other.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes until evenly golden brown and crispy, stirring once halfway through cooking in order to turn the fries.  Season with additional salt, pepper or optional seasonings and serve hot.