Sweet Potato Fries

I've made sweet potato fries before, but I never quite get it right. They'll be soggy, or burnt, or underseasoned. These were delicious. Crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, a little spicy. Yum!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel sweet potato (or, you can mak e them with the skin on). If you need to wash your potato, make sure to dry the potato really well. Slice the potato into fries that are 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch thick.

Put fries into a bowl. Sprinkle with coarse salt (kosher or sea salt) and generously with freshly ground pepper. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Don't use too much oil or fries will turn out soggy. Add only enough that fries are slightly coated. Toss the fries so they have an even coating of oil, salt, and pepper.

Put fries on a cookie sheet. Spread them out and avoid having them touch each other. You may wish to sprinkle more salt and pepper on them. Put in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn them over, then bake for another 15 minutes. Fries should be browned to a golden color. If they don't look cooked enough, bake longer, in 5 minute intervals, turning them over as needed.

Remove from oven and enjoy!

Granola

Ingredients:
16-18 oz. of rolled oats
1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups cashews (whole or chopped)
1 1/2 cups almonds (whole or sliced)
1 cup walnut pieces or halves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 olive oil or peanut oil
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350. Put oats, coconut, cashews, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl and stir to combine. Drizzle with maple syrup and oil and stir until they're evenly incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a 13x18 inch rimmed baking sheet and spread into a relatively even layer.

2. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the granola has begun to turn crisp and brown, about 45 minutes. (It will continue to crisp up as it cools.) Let cool for at least 15 minutes, then stir in the raisins and cranberries, if you're using them. (Store unused granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.)

Makes about 12 cups.

Notes:
- I got this recipe from: http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/01/25/homemade_granola_that_s_easy_to_do_right.html
- I added sweetened coconut (b/c it's what I had), and a little more than called fore (b/c I love coconut).
- I added about 3 tsp. of cinnamon (I like cinnamon).
- I used honey instead of maple syrup (b/c it's what I had and maple syrup can be expensive, and if you read the article, it says you can use honey). I bet it would be delicious with maple syrup though!
- I didn't have a whole cup of walnuts, so I threw in some pecan pieces and extra cashews and almonds to make compensate.
- I added about 3/4 cupe of raisins and 3/4 of cranberries.
- I slightly overcooked mine, so watch it carefully, and maybe cook even a little less than 45 minutes.

mango without a pit????