How well a restaurant makes French fries will absolutely be a deciding factor in whether we visit there again. Floppy fries, fries crunchy the whole way through, or under-salted and bland fries earn an automatic no vote the next time..

Thankfully, this isn’t a problem at home since I’ve perfected making delicious, crispy homemade fries the past couple of years. The method is simple and only calls for basic ingredients and no special equipment.

(Though I will say that having a large quality baking sheet is really helpful. I LOVE my extra-large corrugated baking sheets from William-Sonoma. They are seriously big and hold enough fries for our family of seven).

Perfect Crispy Homemade Fries

The fact that I can make a large amount of really good fries with minimal prep and no oil or fryer is huge. There’s not a big mess to clean up or oil to cool and put away. Preparing the fries is as easy as slicing and seasoning potatoes. And I just need to stir them once– after about twenty minutes.

It’s easy enough that I’ve been making these fries regularly recently, and will continue to all summer to enjoy with smash burgers, grilled hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, and so on.

Making crispy fries at home isn’t very complicated, but there are a few important guidelines to follow:

• Cut the fries to be as close to uniform in size as possible. This ensures even cooking time for all the fries, keeping some from being undercooked or too crispy.
• You can only make as many fries as will fit in a flat layer on your baking sheet. All the fries should be in direct contact with the pan so they will achieve the crispy exterior that makes them so good.
• Wait to salt the fries until they have finished cooking. Salt draws moisture out of the potatoes, which can keep them from crisping up during the cooking process. Salt the fries while they are still hot when they are done cooking.
• Preheat the pan with your fat (I recommend ghee). Placing the fries on a hot, greased pan helps to keep them from sticking to the pan and tearing.
• Related to above, it’s essential to wait to stir the fries until they develop a crust (crispy layer). This allows them to release from the pan when it’s time to stir/flip the fries. It usually takes about twenty minutes, but you can check one or two first to see if they’re ready.

(This method also works well for cubed potatoes, like the picture above).

Recipes that go well with perfectly crispy homemade fries:

Shop this post:

• Victorinox Chef Knife :: my favorite knife I’ve used for over a decade
• Titan Peeler :: the BEST peeler
• Ghee :: clarified butter is amazing for roasting and sautéing since it can be used at higher heat

Crispy Homemade Fries

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 5–6 servings 1x
• Method: Roasting

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Description

Perfectly crispy homemade fries– soft and tender on the inside and crisp and salty on the outside! These fries are easy, minimal prep and oven roasted!

---

Ingredients

• 3–5 large Russet potatoes, washed and peeled
• 2–3 tablespoons ghee
• granulated garlic
• paprika
• kosher salt for finishing

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Drop 2-3 rounded tablespoons of ghee on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the sheet in the oven to heat and melt the ghee.
2. Slice the potatoes into thin fries, taking care to make sure the fries are all close in size. (About 3/8″ wide is ideal). 
3. Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and tilt it so the ghee coats the entire pan. Carefully lay the fries out on the pan in a flat, even layer– they should all be touching the pan and not be overcrowded. Season the fries with the granulated garlic and paprika. (No salt yet). 
4. Place the pan of fries in the oven and let them roast for about 20 minutes without stirring, until the bottoms of the fries have developed a crisp layer. Once the bottoms are crispy, remove the pan from the oven to toss/flip the fries so the crispy layer is now on top. Return the pan to the oven and finish roasting the fries for another 10-15 minutes, according to your desired doneness. 
5. Generously season the fries with kosher salt once you have removed them from the oven while the fries are still hot. 

---

The post Crispy Homemade Fries appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.

The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here. 

We are now officially in summer cookout season and I have a new favorite side dish to share with friends! Summery corn soufflé made with caramelized onions and gruyere cheese. It’s been a big hit with all our friends (which is good, because a dish like this, rich with lots of cream and butter, is made to be shared!)

I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite summer cookbooks– Deep Run Roots. I looooove flipping through the chapters that are organized by seasonal produce because they not only contain delicious recipes, they’re also packed with interesting tidbits about the history and characteristics of each fruit or vegetable.

The corn soufflé in her corn chapter is a sweet dessert, though, and I wanted a savory side. I adapted the recipe to cut out the sugar and include onions and a flavorful cheese (gruyere is my preference here, but you can also use sharp cheddar). The end result is everything I hoped it would be. 

Summer Corn Soufflé

Besides being delicious and feeding a crowd, this corn soufflé is made with staple ingredients in my kitchen. As someone who loves an impromptu gathering, and also waiting until the last minute, it’s really helpful when a recipe does not require a trip to the store for special ingredients.

Of course, this is also helpful for the sake of my grocery budget too, which these days I’m being particularly mindful of.

A few weeks ago, I made this recipe for my son’s backyard birthday cookout. Before that, I brought it to the park to share with our Wild & Free friends for a family cookout. The corn soufflé is tasty both hot and fresh out of the oven, and warm or room temperature as so often happens in potluck situations.

(The birthday party was so sweet and fun! In addition to the corn soufflé, we cooked hot dogs and s’mores over the fire, and had lots of chips and dip, grapes, and homemade lemonade).

I hope that your summer is full of tasty food and gathering with friends! Keep this recipe in mind for your next potluck, and check out the other ideas below. As always, I love to hear back after you’ve tried a recipe, so come back and leave a comment, or tag me on social media (@thispilgrimlife)!

More Summer Cookout & Potluck Favorites ::

• Rainbow Coleslaw
• Simple Homemade Lemonade
• Simple  Summer Pasta Salad
• Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
• Roasted Zucchini Spears with Secret Sauce

Print

Summer Corn Soufflé

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
• Category: Side Dish

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Description

Slightly sweet with hints of caramelized onions and flavorful cheese, this corn soufflé is a perfect side dish for summer cookouts, potlucks, and gatherings!

---

Ingredients

• 4 cups frozen corn, thawed & divided (sweet yellow, white, or a mix of both)
• 2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup minced yellow onion
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup shredded cheese, gruyere or cheddar
• 4 eggs, separated

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a large baking dish.
2. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of corn, 1 cup of heavy cream, and the kosher salt to a low simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the hot mixture to a blender and blend on medium-low speed until the mixture is mostly smooth and creamy. Set aside until step 5.
3. In a 10″ skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the minced onion. Saute for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent and just beginning to brown, stirring only once or twice.
4. To the onions, stir in the flour and baking powder. Mix in the remaining cup of heavy cream with a whisk. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Slice the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter into 8 pieces, then add them to the mixture in the pan. Stir continuously until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and even.
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the blended corn mixture (from step 1), the shredded cheese, and the remaining 2 cups of corn. Separate the eggs– adding the yolks to the pan, and the whites to a mixing bowl. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Once the soufflé mixture in the pan is well-blended, fold in the whipped egg whites.
6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

---

Notes

My favorite combination for this soufflé is blending white corn and keeping the yellow corn whole, with gruyere cheese mixed in. However, the soufflé is delicious with all yellow corn and cheddar cheese too. I love the versatility of this recipe, and the use of almost all staple kitchen ingredients, making it a great option for a last minute cookout or potluck addition.

Sharing is caring! Don’t forget to pin and share. Thank you!

The post Summer Corn Soufflé appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.

The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here. 

Our tomato plants are beginning to produce in earnest now (it’s mid-July in North Carolina) and so our countertops and harvest baskets are full with various varieties of my favorite summer fruit.

When the tomatoes are as plentiful as they currently are, we eat them fresh daily, often in multiple meals, or as afternoon snacks. Of course, I will also be “putting up” lots of the tomato bounty, but for now, we’re just talking about enjoying tomatoes in their freshest, most flavorful state.

Easy Tomato Bruschetta

Recently, I invited some friends over for a low-key play date and “snacky”/charcuterie lunch. Sharing this kind of meal is one of the simplest ways to host friends. Everyone brings something to share, and it’s all spread out in an informal way. It doesn’t matter if all the components go together, or if everyone just brings whatever is hanging out in their pantry or needs to be used up in the fridge.

It’s easy and inexpensive, and always a hit with the kids! (Bonus tip: put down paper before setting out the food for even easier set-up and clean-up).

My friend, Sue, who is as good a cook or better than I am, brought fresh homemade bruschetta to share. It was SO GOOD. Honestly, it may have been one of the only foods I ate that day.

That’s why this weekend, when I was looking at a counter full of ripe tomatoes, I knew bruschetta needed to be in my IMMEDIATE future. I texted Sue and asked her to give me her insider information on this quintessential dish. (Bruschetta recipes are rather ubiquitous, but it’s always nice when you can start with a recipe you can trust, and certainly one you’ve tasted before). The recipe I’m sharing below is Sue’s, with the addition of a few extra measurements and notes.

Besides just being thankful for delicious summer dishes, I am also so thankful for all that I learn from friends and people in my community. I saw a reel the other day about how important relationships are for our well-being, and for the simple passing along of ideas and experiences. In this day and age, we get this in a mix of friends we interact with “in real life”, and those we consider online friends because of all that is shared and witnessed on social media. Both can be valid and beneficial. (Stop and tell a friend you’re thankful for them today).

I’ll forever associate bruschetta with Sue, just like I associate other favorite dishes with other memories, places, and people. (It’s totally normal to remember more about the food that was eaten, than any other details, right? Just me? #foodobsessed).

Fun fact, bruschetta is actually referring to the toast with toppings, which is why I wanted to clarify that this is the tomato version meant to top slices of buttery, garlic bread. There are no precise rules (or at least none that I feel obligated to follow) about only eating this with toast. It’s great on crackers, a delicious topping for grilled chicken or fish, and perfectly tasty eaten simply with some marinated mozzarella.

Last night for dinner, after a long hot day in the sun, I made an antipasto tray of tomato bruschetta, homemade pickles, super green pesto, marinated mozzarella balls, diced cucumber, salami, jam & cream cheese, and slices of freshly baked sourdough bread.

It really hit the spot, and was a fun throw-together dinner to gather around at the table!

IMPORTANT! Tomato bruschetta relies heavily on the quality of the tomatoes you use. Pick tomatoes that are ripe and give a little with squeezed, preferably fresh from a garden or farmer’s market for best results. Choose tomatoes that are medium to small in size, not large slicers. For the bruschetta pictured in this recipe, I used one Cherokee purple tomato, and three Better Boy tomatoes, all from our garden. Romas and San Marzanos are also great in tomato bruschetta.

More Like This: 

• 50+ Fresh Summer Vegetable Recipes & Resources
• How I’m Processing A Bounty of Garden Tomatoes, Plus a Free Freezer Inventory
• Amazing Homemade Fresh Salsa
• Spring & Summer Dinner Menu (with Free Printable)

Print

Easy Tomato Bruschetta

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Description

Tomato bruschetta is so quick and easy to make, and when made with in-season tomatoes, bursts with amazing summer flavor! It is bright and fresh and is best enjoyed atop slices of good quality bread or crackers.

---

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced tomatoes*
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 6-7 fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• bread slices or crackers for serving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Dice tomatoes in small pieces, in between 1/4″ and 1/2″. You want the tomatoes to be chunky, while still being able to easily sit atop a cracker or small piece of bread. Add to a small mixing or serving bowl.
2. Cut the basil ribbons: Stack the basil leaves, then roll into a tight log. Slice strips perpendicular to the log to create thin ribbons of the basil. (See picture below) Add to the tomatoes.
   
3. Add the remaining ingredients (minced garlic, oil, vinegar, salt, & pepper) to the bowl of tomatoes. Stir well until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Chill for at least one hour for serving to let the flavors marry and brighten.
4. Serve the tomato bruschetta with crackers or slices of toast. It’s also lovely with marinated mozzarella, pesto, and cucumbers. (Alternatively, add to grilled chicken or fish for a main dish option).

---

Notes

*Tomato bruschetta relies heavily on the quality of the tomatoes you use. Pick tomatoes that are ripe and give a little with squeezed, preferably fresh from a garden or farmer’s market for best results. Choose tomatoes that are medium to small in size, not large slicers. For the bruschetta pictured in this recipe, I used one Cherokee purple tomato, and three Better Boy tomatoes, all from our garden. Romas and San Marzanos are also great in tomato bruschetta.

Sharing is caring! Don’t forget to pin and share. Thank you!

The post Easy Tomato Bruschetta appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.