Rosemary and Olive Oil Ovenfries

One of my favorite cheap burger joints is Smashburger. You walk in, look at the menu, pick out what you'd like, order at the counter, and they bring it to your table. Quick, delicious, and no tip necessary - it's like a Panera, but with burgers.

Besides the convenience, however, my favorite part about Smashburger is their delicious rosemary and olive oil french fries. Crispy and delicious without the weight of heavy oils.

So, naturally, I tried to create my own version at home.

As you can see, it turned out pretty well.

To make a heaping plate of fries like this, you will need:

1 russet potato
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Start by peeling your potato. If you like a more rustic feel to your fries, leave some of the skin on, like I did.

Next, slice your potato into matchstick strips, about 1/4 inches thick. I promise, this gets them nice and crispy (but if you like a thicker steak fry feel, just keep them in the oven for an extra 10 minutes or so).

Put your fries into a large plastic bag. Add your olive oil and shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your frie-ies.

Next, add your cornstarch. Repeat.

Spread your fries out on a baking sheet and pop em in the hot oven. 

Set your timer for 25-30 minutes, pulling your fries out halfway through cook time and flipping them.

When you're about ready to take your fries out and serve, grab your sprig of rosemary.

Pluck the leaves off of the stem and chop them into little pieces for sprinkling. When your fries are done, add your rosemary and toss to coat.

Fresh, delicious, and oh-so-crispy. The creators of Smashburger would be proud.

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Kerrytown Farmer's Market

On Friday night, after Katie, Joanna and I had gorged ourselves on Jerusalem Garden, Katie asked if I'd be interested in joining them at the Kerrytown farmers market the next day.

"Sounds great!" I said, "When are we going?"

"We'd like to get there by 8:30 am."

"........................."

While my desire for sleep is grandiose and unrelenting, Katie implored that the market, which opens at 8 am every Saturday, is always crazy busy so you have to get there early to get a good selection. So, I conceded, set my alarm for 8 am, slipped into some jeans and set off for the market.

Needless to say, Katie's insistance that the market would be packed was right on point.

Now I'm no stranger to farmers markets, but the Kerrytown market certainly had the largest selection I've ever seen. Jars upon jars of eclectic-flavored preserves, jams, salsas and salad dressings; heaping piles of fresh fruit and vegetables; and some vendors were even selling eco-friendly home goods and purses.

These donuts looked especially tempting - only 75 cents per single-serving bag! This table also had an array of pull-apart breads, monkey breads, etc. My nose was temporarily lovestruck by the overwhelming power of cinnamon. 

Katie left the market with three huge bunches of Kale, while Joanna grabbed some smaller fruits and vegetables. I left with a gigantic eggplant and this delicious bag of chocolate raspberry coffee:

I also couldn't bear to leave without grabbing some of the beautiful potted herbs being sold. They were perfect to make my own mini-garden.

If you're cooking on a budget, I sincerely recommend putting together your own mini-garden as well. Fresh herbs add instant flavor and are used in so many recipes, but usually in small quantities like 1 or 2 tablespoons. Since grocery stores only sell herbs in huge bunches, you waste a lot of money buying a new bunch just to use a little bit.
I grabbed parsley, chives, rosemary and basil. What's in your garden?

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