Curly fries seasoning mix

I really love seasoned curly fries, but I don't like that I have to spend the money to get them from Arby's or buy overpriced McCain super spirals from the grocery store when regular french fries are so much cheaper. At one point I figured that it wasn't really the curly shape of the fries that made them so good, but the seasoning. So why couldn't I just make my own seasoning that would make my cheapo bagged potatoes into delicious fries instead? It turns out I could!

Curly fries seasoning mix (single use)

2 tablespoons corn starch
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

What else you'll need

4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into fries
2 tablespoons oil

Toss potato pieces in oil in a covered bowl or bag, then add in seasoning mix and shake some more until evenly coated. Bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes, flipping once if possible until fries are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

I did two test runs on this mix, partly to get the ratio of salt and seasonings so it would taste exactly like the commercial versions and partly just because I felt like eating them again. I served my 'not so curly' fries with roast chicken and broccoli and they were well received. My daughter thinks she's won the jackpot every time I serve 'crench fries' for dinner.

The conclusion? It IS the seasoning. Yes, the curly shape is more fun, but with the right seasoning even the cheap bag of potatoes in your pantry can have the same delicious curly fry goodness, which will save you a bundle in the long run.