Baked Mixed Fries

One of my favorite Food Rules - Eat all the junk food you want if you make it yourself. These delicious potato strips can be enjoyed guilt free if baked or if you're feeling glutinous go hard and fry em. I like to use sweet potatoes and Yukon Golds - Russets and Purples are great as well!

BAKING: season w/ s&p fresh rosemary and drizzle with olive oil. On a baking sheet bake @ 400 degrees for 45 mins shaking the pan every 15 mins so fries don't stick. 

FRYING:  soak in cold water for a few mins and pat dry before frying. Use peanut or canola oil for frying in a deep pot with a few cups of oil - do not fill more then half the pot and be careful of splattering oil - it will burn the crap out of your poor hands if not careful. Use a slotted spoon or a small frying basket. Only put a few handfuls in at a time They need room to fry and maintain the right temperature (about 365 degrees for 2-3 mins) and place on a rack or paper towel for excess oil to drain. You should fry each batch twice to make them perfectly crispy (until golden brown) and season after frying. You can also blanch your fries in water before frying - you will only need to fry them once for this. Seasoning: salt, celery salt, paprika, chili powder, cayan powder, cumin black pepper - or you can buy a pre packages spice blend cajun is one of my faves. 

Food for thought - Cooking Class

I'm trying to gather some information about cooking learning and exploring. If you were to go to a cooking class what would you want to learn? How much or how little do you know about food, ingredients, techniques etc...? Are you culinarily challenged, are you Tomato Snob looking for new ways to spice up your repetoire? Do you have a list of signature dishes you make all the time - is your family sick of your signature dishes that you make all the time. Are you the type of person who buys cook books. Have you ever watched an online tutorial on how to _____? Do you follow recipes? Do you write your own recipes? How do you decide what's for dinner? Tell me more... Do you watch the Food Network? If you do watch the food network who's show do you love? Who's show do you hate? What style of cooking intrigues you most? What type of food do you like the best? Have you ever been to a cooking class? If so what was it like? What did you make? Did you enjoy the experience? Did you wish you had spent your money on fancy dinner out with a lover instead. Did you learn things you could apply in your everyday cooking. Did you find you knew more then the person teaching you? Please tell me! Write me @ thetomatosnob@gmail.com or click comment and give us some insight. Looking forward to your food for thought. Chow for now!

sweet cedar plank salmon

So I was just watching Grill it with Bobby Flay - I just love him. 
His guest made a delicious sounding cedar plank salmon filet. He created a dry rub of brown sugar, tumeric, cumin curry, cofee and s&p. Bobby wad drooling over the dish and so am I. Dad  I think this recipe is perfect for you - he loves his cedar plank. Put it in the recipe file and let me know how it goes. 
Chow for now.