Twice-Baked Potatoes

This is definitely one of my favorite ways to eat potatoes. It's simple, but... quite delicious, if I say so myself. I made this a few days ago and tried to pay attention to the quantities I used. Use these quantities as a rough guideline and adjust accordingly.

3 baking potatoes
Coarse ground or kosher salt
Coarse ground black pepper
Season salt
Onion powder
Garlic powder

Wash the potatoes well, pat dry. Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together the salt, pepper, season salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Drizzle olive oil onto the potatoes and coat evenly, then sprinkle on the seasoning mixture. Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet. (FYI in case you usually zap-fry your potatoes: you do not need to stab and kill them with a fork before they go in the oven like you do before they go in the microwave. Just rub them with seasoning love and put them on the baking sheet.)

Bake the potatoes at 350 for... something like an hour. I think I let mine bake for 40 minutes on one side and then flipped them for the last 20 minutes or so. For this, you want them ALMOST done, but not completely. You don't want them to fall apart on you.

When you can stick a fork in the potatoes or grab them and feel them squish a little, take them out and let cool for a few minutes. Then, one at a time, take them off, turn them on their side, and slice length-ways. Personally, I use a spoon and start from the edges and scoop the insides out... I leave about 1/4 inch or so, maybe less. Depends on my mood. You want them to sit upright. Scoop out the innards and place in a big bowl.

Into the bowl goes:
Potato guts
1/2 cup butter or margarine (I prefer margarine in this), softened
3/4 of a package (the 8oz package, I believe) of light cream cheese, softened
1 cup (maybe more? Probably a little more...) light sour cream. Or regular, whatever. Sour cream.
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
Salt
Pepper
Season salt

Put it in, mix it up. With a spoon! No electric mixers. It's just wrong. If it's dry, add more sour cream until it is not dry. Then lovingly scoop the happy potato mixture back into the potato skins. You can do it with a spoon or sometimes I pipe it if I want it to be pretty. Load 'em up, don't be afraid. Shred more cheddar cheese to put on top, then stick them back in the oven until the cheese is happy and melty and good looking. Then eat them and enjoy it.

Shipwreck Dinner

So this is a recipe I found in the
Kraft Foods Magazine.
(Which is FREE by the way!)
It's one of our favorites.
Sounds weird, but it's good and filling.

1lb. ground beef
1 box Macaroni & Cheese
1 can (16oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 cup frozen peas (or whatever veggie you prefer)
1 cup milk
1 cup mozzarella cheese (or more if you want)

Brown meat in large nonstick skillet.
Drain fat, if necessary.
Stir in macaroni, cheese sauce mix,
tomatoes, peas and milk. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; cover.
Simmer 12 minutes, or until macaroni is tender.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

RRrrRRrrRRrr!

Easy Sausage Casserole

Taylor & I Made 2 Of These Casseroles This Past Saturday

For Our Ward Christmas Breakfast. I'm All About Easy &

That Is The Perfect Word For This Recipe! Easy!

This Would Be A Quick & Nice Christmas Breakfast

If You're Not Headed Anywhere Christmas Morning.

1 Can Crescent Rolls

1lb Sausage

2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella

4 Eggs

1/4 tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Pepper

Cook Sausage & Drain. Line Greased 13 x 9 Pan With

Crescent Rolls & Sprinkle Cooked Sausage On Rolls &

Then Sprinkle Cheese. Beat Eggs With Salt & Pepper.

Pour Egg Mixture On Top.

Bake @ 425 For 15 Minutes

Sweet Yam Panzanella

I made this up tonight, it is technically still a work in progress, but he overall quality is there.  It can be used as both a side and a main dish. 

Sweet Yam Panzanella

1 large yam

4 large stalk celery

½ medium yellow onion

1 15 ounce can kernel corn

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons of turmeric

½ teaspoon cinnamon

6 slices of bread

2 green apples

1 ½ pound chicken breast

6 large eggs

½ teaspoon salt

Filling:           

1 large Yam diced into dime sized pieces, celery sliced along the cross-section, onion diced.  Begin cooling yams first, they will take the longest.  Use the olive oil in the pan to cook the veggies.  Cook all veggies until they are well done and soft.  Add corn, brown sugar, turmeric, salt, and cinnamon.  Mix well and continue to cook for additional 3-5 minutes.           

 Dice bread into nickel sized cubes, place on cookie sheet and  broil until toasted about 3 minutes.  Dice chicken and cook until done, dice green apples to be about the same size as bread.  

To finish:           

Layer the ingredients in an 8.5 inche pyrex.  Bread and apples, filling, bread, apples, filling, top off with cooked chicken.  Miz eggs and pour evenly over the pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Serves about 4.

After making it I decided that it needs a sauce to go with it, I can't decide if it should be a cream or tart sauce.  I did try lightly pouring evaporated milk over it, which gave it a nice flavor.  I suggest a basic cream sauce: 

1 pint whipping cream

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons flour tempered into the cream

2 bay leaves.  

Stir continuously while boiling for 1-2 minutes, cool and use as sauce.  

I was unable to try this, but it should work.  If anyone has other suggestions please let me know.