The lowly potato makes for great eating whether you're cooking for one or for a crowd. There's a lot more that can be done with a baked Idaho than just adding sour cream and butter, although there's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping it simple and enjoying your potato that way either.
I was inspired by myrecipes.com and their potato skins stuffed with roasted chicken, onions and sour cream, and while I could have followed their advice to a "T" since I've some of Big Guy's rotisserie chicken calling my name from the freezer, I also had a some sausage available so went with that instead. Sauteed along with onion and sweet bell peppers, it was a perfect filling for baked spuds, halved and relieved of their innards, then crisped up under the broiler before stuffing.
A little grated cheese and sour cream and salsa on the side, along with a cool glass of wine and I called it dinner. Coulda' had a salad too but I had the wine instead. Don't you love how I think?
As for breakfast this morning - well here's another idea. Since I couldn't see the sense in baking only 1 potato last night, I threw an extra one in the oven and this is the result. A couple of slices of ham lining the crispy potato skin followed by a sprinkle of cheese, 2 eggs, and a touch of heavy cream is all that's required. Twenty minutes later and breakfast was ready and darned delicious if I do say so myself.
Best of all, I've all the potato innards left to mash up and overstuff into the last potato shell so I can enjoy a humongous twice baked potato for dinner tonight. How's that for some cooking for one ingenuity?
Here's the link to the inspiration and here's another one to the baked eggs we've had here before. Have at'er people and let your imagination and your pantry be your guide.
A year ago - Not Yo' Momma's Banana Pudding
Two year's ago - Spaghetti al la Carbonara
Three year's ago - Mongolian Beef
Right, bit of a long story but..the ham and egg spud?..hands down my kids favourite brunch of the year by far, and my sons an apprentice chef! This morning(ish)I popped a couple of baking spuds in the oven and off we went to get some freshly laid eggs from my friend who has chickens. When we got back I scooped the flesh out of the potatoes and mixed it with yesterdays left over chopped spring greens and made little bubble and squeek cakes, fried them off in beef dripping and put to one side. Layered the shells with cheddar then streaky bacon, cracked an egg on top, did'nt use the cream because the eggs are soo good, dash of white pepper and into the oven with the cakes...served them with just a few drops of worcestershire sauce on top...heaven...and now a regular breakfast in chez edmonds!
Posted by: Shaun | 05/21/2013 at 09:52 AM
Shaun - what a difference it would be with fresh farm eggs and the streaky bacon too. I'm planning on hitting our local market tomorrow to see if I can get some eggs. Love the "bubble and squeek" idea too but alas my leftover spuds were just mashed with butter and cream and gobbled up. Sure do love my 'taters!
Posted by: June | 05/21/2013 at 12:37 PM
I do so love stuffed potato skins myself - I had a fabulous version at a local seafood restaurant yesterday for lunch with a cheese and seafood (shrimp, blue crab and crawfish) filling!!! YUM!!!! I love the look of your BK one and I would love that for supper to be sure!!!!
Posted by: Lea M. Callais | 05/21/2013 at 05:48 PM
Seafood sounds fabulous - wish I could beam myself there to have lunch with you. I'm going to try a seafood version soon. They're such a great dinner solution.
Posted by: June | 05/21/2013 at 09:15 PM
Hell yes what a good idea, a seafood version for supper, I fancy some cod loin and smoked haddock poached in a parsley sauce and piled into the shells, with horseradish mash and peas!
Posted by: Shaun | 05/22/2013 at 03:49 AM
Gosh darn it - quit it would ya. My mouth is watering at the thought! LOL
Posted by: June | 05/22/2013 at 06:12 AM
Wine instead of salad...well that is how I roll too! I could live on potatoes, and certainly if they were prepared like these. Nothing better.
Posted by: Lorraine | 05/23/2013 at 06:05 PM
Lorraine - didn't we say we were sistah's! Wine of any make or model's better than a salad any old day. Ha.
Posted by: June | 05/23/2013 at 08:59 PM