Such an important part about learning to live a sustainable lifestyle is learning to cook. For those of us in the younger generation, who grew up on fast food and microwave dinners, learning to cook is no easy feat.
It’s taken me a while, but I definitely feel at home in the kitchen. I don’t always like the end product, but I really enjoy the process of cooking. I just hate cleaning up the mess. My dream man does dishes.
I like to do laundry. The sorting and folding appeals very deeply to my obsessive compulsive tendencies. I love spring when the weather is warm enough for me to hang the laundry out to dry. I think I could work at the dry cleaners. That is how much I love laundry.
I hate the dishes almost as much.
But, this post is neither about laundry or dishes or what I want in a man. (Would that be a topic of interest to you? Possibly I will write about that at a later time. I think it may give you a good laugh.)
I love this potato recipe. It combines two of my favorite things, broccoli and cheese. It brings the lowly russet potato to new and tasty heights.
1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.) Repeatedly stab your potatoes with a fork. I think the technical term for this is “piercing” the potatoes and it only needs to be done a few times. But… I really like to do it a lot. Especially if I’ve had a bad day or am angry at someone.
3.)Microwave potatoes on HIGH for twelve minutes. Bake potatoes for fifteen minutes.
4.) Cut potatoes in half. Scoop out pulp into medium bowl. Mash. (I use my dearly beloved KitchenAid for this step.)
5.) Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add butter. Sauté onion until tender (about five minutes).
6.) Drain and rinse broccoli. Add to pulp. Add onions and ranch. Add several handfuls of colby and monterey jack if desired. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix.
7.) Brush outside of potato skins with oil. Spoon potato mixture into shells.
8.) Top with cheddar cheese if desired. Sprinkle with parsley or chives.
9.) Bake for fifteen minutes.
I like to make these when I’m having company because you can make them the day before (all but step nine). This gives you a good twenty-four hours to do up the dishes before your company arrives, making it look like you are one of those Martha Stewart types who washes their dishes as they go.
I always double and sometimes triple the recipe because I like to heat them up for lunch (and sometimes breakfast) for the next few days.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, those tiny little bits on the tops of the potatoes that look suspiciously like grass are actually the first spring harvest from the chives in the garden.
