Skip to main content

Twice As Nice




Dude... I had a whole entry written, and managed to delete it.  So I'm going to write a brief version, since I'm all blogged out for today. 

The meal deal at the local grocery store this week had a "free" bag of russet potatoes included, and I bought 2 of the deals this week, so I had 2 5# bags of potatoes sittin' around.  I decided to wash/poke/bake one whole bag.  Then I made some delish 2x Baked Potatoes to freeze and keep on hand for future side items.  We made potato skins appetizers with the remaining shells, and froze those babies, too.   (I made mashed potatoes with the other bag, and froze those, too.)

Since I'm not real big on measuring with a recipe like this, here's a link to some from good ol' Allrecipes.  My list of ingredients, and some real rough estimates, are below:

1 5# bag russet potatoes (they were on the small side)
fat-fat-free sour cream - 3/4 c?
garlic powder (NOT garlic SALT) - about 3/4 tsp.?
shredded cheddar cheese - about 3/4 c?
fresh chives, minced - about 3 tbsp?
salt & pepper to taste

I blended the insides of the potatoes with all of the above, using my beloved immersion blender, and then "piped" them into the hollowed out shells (with some help from the little Baker), which I had spritzed with olive oil and baked until they started to brown, and let cool.  Then I froze on a tray, wrapped individually in foil, and then tossed in a freezer storage bag.   I'm guessing after they thaw in the fridge, about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven until heated through and tops start turning golden, or a little longer if I bake them directly from the freezer.  Enjoy!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Asian-Inspired Slaw

I tried a recipe from the "try it eventually" folder last night for some Asian chicken sliders, and they were decent, but unremarkable.  It was still a fruitful effort, however, because I found a super simple, tasty side to serve in the future (although the kids were not fans). I guestimated on the measurements, since I just chopped and added - do what looks right to you.  I made about 1/2 of this recipe, since it was just for 2 of us, but you could easily multiply it for a larger crowd, too. Asian-Inspired Slaw 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 tbsp. EVOO 1/2 c. cilantro, minced pinch of kosher salt a few turns of freshly ground black pepper 2 c. red cabbage, shredded 1/2 c. carrot, julienned or grated on the large holes of a box grater 1/2 c. red onion, finely diced (could do thin slices if you prefer) 1/2 c. red bell pepper, julienned or diced You could get crazy here, and add some sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, minced jalapeno, garlic, etc.  I'll be e...
Read more

Classic Hashbrown Casserole

This one is kind of a classic. I cleaned it up a little bit - you can adjust things to your liking. Hashbrown Casserole 1 16 oz. package frozen hashbrown potatoes (shredded or cubed - I prefer shredded) 3/4 - 1 c. sour cream (light works fine, and you can use less - depends on how creamy you like it) 1  recipe cream soup base 1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted (you can use less or omit if you like) 1/2 medium onion, minced 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (save a little to sprinkle on top) 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. kosher salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick spray or butter. In a large bowl, combine ingredients, and stir to combine. Spread mixture in pan, and bake for about 30 minutes covered in foil, then uncover and cook about 15 minutes more or until hashbrowns are cooked, cheese is melted, and top begins to brown.  To freeze: Pr epare ingredients as above, spread in prepared foil pan, cover tightly with fo...
Read more

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, Ziti & Asiago Cheese

We ALL really love this recipe. This is based on a recipe from the good people at Cooks Illustrated - I am grateful to them for getting my kids to happily eat sundried tomatoes and broccoli!  I've also made this in a huge batch and served it family-style for a dinner party (and got to use my giant Pampered Chef Simple Additions square pasta bowl (it's really big), and it was AWESOME).  If people could have licked the bowl clean, they might have - there was NOTHING left. Try this, and love it: Chicken, Broccoli, Penne and Asiago Cheese  Skillet 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares 2 tbsp. vegetable oil (or olive oil - just don't heat that to smoking) 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup) 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp.) 1/4 tsp. dried oregano 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes 8 oz. ziti or penne (2 /12 cups) 3 c. water 2 c. low-sodium chicken broth 3-4 c. broccoli florets 1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, rinsed and chop...
Read more