Baked Chili Cheese Fries |Cooking With Amanda

As much as I love summer for all of the fresh-from-the-garden vegetables, sweet berries, and light salads that mark that season, I have to give credit to the cold weather months.

Because this is the season of comfort food. There is nothing like a cold and damp day - where the skies grow dark by 4:30 pm - to help a person truly appreciate the wonderfulness of a warm, cozy table indoors and a hot-from-the-oven, cheesy, rich and satisfying dinner.

These baked chili cheese fries are definitely just the thing for those cold weather comfort food cravings. And, since the "fries" are actually roasted in the oven (until they're crisp and golden) and since the 10-minute chili is vegetarian (made with black beans and a tasty mix of veggies), this complete dinner is also very healthy and filled with nutrition too. The chili isn't spicy at all – the seasonings add a rich, smoky flavor instead – so this dish is definitely great for kids too.

These chili cheese fries are also really easy. The most time-consuming part of the recipe is the cook time for the potatoes (they require about 30 minutes in the oven to get nice and crispy and golden). So be sure to get the potatoes into the oven as the first step.

Then chop up the veggies and cook up the chili while the potatoes are roasting away.

I love to top this dish with two ingredients that are the keys to lots of flavor.

The first is grated sharp cheddar cheese for rich, salty deliciousness. Layer handfuls of the oven fries, topped with spoonfuls of chili onto serving plates. Then immediately add the sharp cheddar - the heat helps the cheese just melt right in.

Last step (and the second key to flavor): top with lots of chopped chives for the slightest tasty hint of delicate onion flavor.

This is just the kind of meal a person craves on a chilly, damp evening. And it's full of healthy, nourishing ingredients too. An easy meatless meal to please a crowd!

We'd love to settle in with these baked chili cheese fries and a cocktail or two - maybe a rob roy or Dan's apple bourbon bellini. Who's in?

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Baked Chili Cheese Fries Recipe

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Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes, cut into quarter-inch-thick strips (like russet)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlics, minced
1 large orange bell pepper, or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
2/3 cup diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chives, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Pile the potato strips onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season thoroughly with salt and pepper. Toss and mix the potatoes until all potatoes are well coated with oil. Arrange potatoes on baking sheet so that they are evenly spread and not overlapping. Cook in the oven until crisp and golden, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, as potatoes are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic, and bell pepper until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add black beans and chopped tomatoes and season thoroughly with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and chili powder, and stir until well combined.
Arrange the oven fries on serving plates and top with heaping spoonfuls of the black bean chili. Top with cheddar cheese and chopped chives. Serve immediately.

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