Growing up, my mother used to try to hide rutabaga gems in the pan along with the roast, carrots, and potatoes. When I would wrinkle my nose and stick out my tongue (blah) she would try to convince me that it was actually a potato.  There was no fooling me -- I know my potato; and a rutabaga is not a potato. But I've also learned it doesn't mean it can't be cooked like one.

Roasted Rutabaga Fries Recipe

Ingredients:

Directions:

Cut the top and the bottom off each rutabaga then peel. Cut each ball in half through root center then cut each half into six to eight wedges. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl mix oil and spices and let sit a few minutes. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set oven to warm at 350 degrees.
Toss all of rutabaga wedges in spicy oil until evenly coated and then spread out on parchment so that each piece is not touching the next.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes (depends on density of rutabaga). Half way through flip each piece and return to oven.

Serve with a ranch dressing (or half ranch and half fat-free sour cream) for dipping. And most importantly, don't try to pass off as a potato!

This recipe makes 5 to 8 small servings. It does not reheat well so eat 'em up.

Photo of rutabaga, copyright Darwin Bell , flickr

M. E. Wood is the Cooking from Scratch Editor at Foodie Momma. She lives in Eastern Ontario, Canada. If you are going to find this eclectic reader and writer anywhere it is probably at her computer. For more information visit her official homepage.

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