Bake that POTATO!

Man oh Man do I love twice baked potatoes. This is an easy recipe that uses cottage cheese instead of sour cream or heavy cream so its a bit healthier. If you are like me, you hate cottage cheese, but in this recipe you cant really taste it but you still get all the nutritional benefits. Plus less cream means less guilt!   The potatos do take a while to bake, so its good to throw them in the oven right when you get home, or plan ahead so you dont end up eating at like 9pm, which I have done many times and ended up a hungry grump.
It a good sized meal, but steamed broccoli or salad would make a nice side dish.


Stuffed Potatoes with Cheese and Scallions. 


Ingredients: Serving for 2, increases portions as you increase potatoes

2 large baking potatoes, well scrubbed

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 1/2 tbsp low fat milk

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese(fresh grated is ALWAYS better)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese(or any cheese you like)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Fresh ground pepper/salt to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400. Prick potatoes in a few places, place in oven and bake for an hour or until tender throughout, ie knife slide in like butter :)

2. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and let cool for a few minutes. While cooling prepare cottage cheese mixture.

3. In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese and milk until very smooth(no lumps!). Turn off blender and scrape cottage cheese mixture into a large bowl. Stir in scallions, your cheese, and salt/pepper.

4. Scoop out flesh of potato leaving enough of a shell to hold the new mixture, about 1/4 inch. Mash potato pulp with fork, then stir into cheese mixture. Mix well, but should still be lumpy. Spoon mixture into potato shells and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top, if desired. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake another 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

This is a recipe that has lots of variations, so try some of your own!