An Inspired Cook

For those who know me well know that I am a die hard Red Wings fan.  In 1990 Joe and I moved to the Detroit area, ironically just an hour or so from where he grew up.  We were fortunate enough to be able to go see the Red Wings play hockey at Joe Louis arena and from that first game I was hooked.  Growing up in NM, hockey wasn’t something I was used too, but I grew to love the game and the players and now after 20 years you can’t pry me away from the TV when my beloved Wings are playing.  They are the most entertaining group of guys on and off the ice.  I love my Swede, Russian, Canadian and American born hockey players.  They play a truly amazing game that is intense and exciting.  I am a superstitious fan who feels the need to give good luck in the form of wearing red and white on game day as well as having something red and white to eat.  Whether it be strawberries and whip cream or a caprese salad with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella there will be something red and white.  But on special occasions, such as opening day we have Wings and Oven Fries.  Joe created a monster when he introduced me to hockey, but he gained some fun things to eat as well.  So indulge me in my obsession and LETS GO RED WINGS!!! 

In honor of the Detroit Red Wings I give you wings and fries.   I posted the recipe for Red Hot Wings earlier in the summer but today I’m going to show you how I make easy oven fries that taste like you just took them out of a fry pan.  They are crispy on the outside and tender inside.

I start with one large potato per person.  Tonight all four of us will be watching the game.

Peel your potatoes and cut into slices.  I like a medium slice seasoned with Garlic and Pepper seasoning.  You can make your own seasoning with 2 parts salt to 1 part black pepper and 1 part garlic powder.   And some olive oil to drizzle.

Place the potatoes in a microwave bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil.  Some cooks prefer to place their potatoes in the oven at this point.  I find that if I get them semi-cooked by microwaving them for a few minutes they will get crispy brown on the outside while tender on the inside.  It may be just me but when I cook them in the oven without microwaving them first then tend to overcook or burn on the outside before the inside gets cooked.

With this amount of potatoes I microwave them on high for a total of 5 – 6 minutes.  Place a cover over the top so that they will steam.  After each 2 minutes, stop and rearrange the potatoes as they will start to stick together from all the starchiness.

Be careful when you open up the microwave, these guys steam and you may need a potholder to grab the bowl in order to rearrange the potatoes.




They’ve been in the microwave for 6 minutes now.  Test them with a fork to see if they are tender.




These will cook on a cookie sheet or in my case 2 old cake pans will work perfectly.  Try to make a single layer of fries.  My old pans make the fries look discolored.  It’s not my eyes playing tricks, just the lighting.




Sprinkle your garlic pepper seasoning over the fries, as much as you want.




Drizzle more olive oil. Place in a hot 425 – 450 degree oven.




About 10 minutes in give the pans a shake and see if the fries slide around easily.  Once they start to crisp on the bottom, it’s time to flip them over to brown on the other side.




After 25 minutes they look like this, crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside.




Don’t they look good!  So there’s my White.




And here’s my Red.

Game on!

Wings and Oven Fries

24 Red Hot Wings
4 large Russet Potatoes, peeled and sliced into fries
Garlic Pepper Seasoning
Olive Oil

Place raw fries in a microwave safe bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil.  Microwave on high for a total of 5 – 6 minutes, rearranging potatoes every 2 minutes to prevent potatoes from sticking together.

Arrange fries on a cookie sheet or cake pans single layer and sprinkle garlic pepper seasoning over fries.  Drizzle with olive oil and place in a 425 – 450 degree oven for a total of 25 minutes.  Check after 10 minutes and when fries have started to brown flip over to crisp on the other side.  Cook an additional 15 minutes.

Game Day October 7, 2011 7 pm est
Ottawa Senators vs Detroit Red Wings




Our Captain, Nicklas Lidstrom.  Joe has taken me to see the Wings play in St. Louis each year since we’ve lived in Kansas.  I go down to the glass to watch them practice about an hour before the game and Lids never fails to back up to the glass in front of me.  I’m so giddy to be standing so close to a 7 time Norris Trophy winner!  He’s the most respected defenseman and considered the best in the game.  Also, Lids started his NHL career the same year as my first NHL game.  He’s played in that game and is the last remaining Wing still playing from that era.




Tomas Holmstrom, my favorite player.  He’s the best at what he does, staying in front of the net and tipping in shots.  Being in front of the net, he takes a lot of abuse like this.  If you’ve ever heard him speak, it’s a hoot to try and interpret his Swenglish, for sure!




Pavel Datsyuk the lone Russian player, but what a playmaker he is.  Probably the best 2 way player in the game today.  He’s like magic on the ice and a treat to watch.




Henrik Zetterberg, another favorite.   When you’re down a goal, this guy will never quit and I don’t know how many times he’s tied the game or won the game with seconds left on the clock.  The best line in hockey is Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Holmstrom, in my opinion.




From last season in St. Louis, Johan Franzen, (93) nicknamed “The Mule”, Dan Cleary (11) and Ruslan Salei (24).  Sadly Ruslan Salei died in the September 7, 2011 plane crash that carried the Lokomotiv hockey team.  The plane crashed near Yaroslavl on its way to Minsk, Belarus, to start the 2011–12 KHL season.  Salei played for the Red Wings last season along with Coach Brad McCrimmon and prospect Stephan Liv, also on the plane.




The best part about going to a game in person is being up against the glass and watching them practice.  But the new season starts tonight and now it’s time to get my Red and White on.  Can’t wait for the game to start!