Garlic!

Hello, my name is Kamber, and I'm a garlicholic. It's true. I firmly believe that a freshly minced clove of garlic can make just about any dish better! Tonight, after a long day of work and classes, I was going to tell my poor husband that we were going to microwave some chicken patties and heat up some biscuits. But then it happened. My craving for garlic roared! So I made both myself and Sam happy and pulled out the cutting board.
However, I couldn't just make some chicken breasts. I need carbs! And what's another craving that I get all the time? Smashfries. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the awesomeness that is Smashburger, smashfries are french cut fries tossed with olive oil and rosemary and are quite expensive (at least on my budget). However, they are actually fairly simple to make yourself!
Here are the recipes! Both originated somewhere off of Pinterest, but I added a few ingredients (like the rosemary to the french fries) myself.

Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts
3 tbs. Olive Oil
2 minced cloves Garlic
2 tbs. Brown Sugar

Super easy and already in the kitchen, right?!

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil while chopping away at the garlic, and add in when ready. Sautee the garlic until it turns a golden brown and remove from heat. Quickly add the brown sugar and stir in. Cover a pan with aluminum foil (it will get black!). Place the chicken breasts in the pan and spoon the garlic/sugar mixture over the chicken. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Out will pop super juicy and sweet chicken!

Smashfries

Ingredients:
2 Russett Potatoes
2 tbs. Olive Oil
dash of salt and pepper
Rosemary

Cut the potatoes into french fry shapes. It can take awhile, but I've noticed that thinner cut fries work better. Place the fries into a bowl of ice cold water and a dash of salt (I usually actually add ice). Strain the fries and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Add to a bowl with the olive oil, pepper, and some more salt. Cover the bowl and toss until thoroughly coated. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread with olive oil. It is helpful to crinkle the aluminum foil so that air can flow all around the fries as they bake. Lay the fries across the pan in a single layer and bake. I wanted mine to cook with the chicken, so I through them in at 500 degrees, also. In ten minutes, pull out the fries and turn them over. Stick back in for ten minutes or until they are golden brown. When they are ready to come out, pour them back in the bowl you tossed them in, add rosemary to taste, and toss again. If you time it right, your chicken should be ready with the fries!

I hope you enjoy trying out these recipes! They are very simple, easy to make, and use ingredients you probably already have in the pantry! That's what I call a great meal :) If you try them out, let me know how it goes!