WE EAT | Stuffed Spuds
I mentioned last week that I was planning a post all about stuffing potatoes.. well. Let me tell you. I had to bring myself under control because the options became endless and my family was eating a different stuffed potato every night (almost) and totally loving every bite.
Jordan said it was his favorite kind of meal. So simple and fun.
I realized the possibilities when I made my BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes for the bazilyionth time and you all LOVED it. Serious raves and tags throughout social media and I dig. I love getting to see your meals! Thats most likely the dietitian in me.. but there is also something about having your family meals brought to the tables of others. Much joy. Much.
So – although this list is limited – here are some stuffed spud hits in this Massey house!
FIRST
Lets talk about how you cook your potatoes. I prefer to bake them – without foil – so they get the crispy skins. Wrapping them in foil will cook them just fine, but they will be steamed and with soft skins. You want steakhouse style potatoes, skip the foil.
I took some AWESOME tips from The Kitchn (click) when trying to figure out how I wanted to bake my potatoes.
Oven-Baked Potatoes
Pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Rub the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and prick them with the tines of a fork. You can lay them directly on the oven rack or place them on a baking sheet. Cook the potatoes for 45 to 60 minutes, until their skin is crispy and sticking one with a fork meets no resistance.
→ Bottom line: Crispy potato skins!
Alternatively, make foil-wrapped potatoes: Follow the same directions as for oven-roasted potatoes, but wrap the potatoes in foil before cooking.
→ Bottom line: Softer skin, plus the potatoes stay warm in their foil jackets if you’re still working on the topping or need to save a potato for a late family member.
Microwaved Potatoes
Rub the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and prick them with the tines of a fork. Place all the potatoes on a microwave-safe dish and microwave at full power for five minutes. Turn them over and microwave for another 3 to 5 minutes. If still hard in the middle, microwave in additional 1-minute bursts until cooked through.
→ Bottom line: Super-fast cooking time with soft skins.
Slow-Cooker Potatoes
Rub the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and prick them with the tines of a fork. Wrap each potato in foil and lay it in the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the lid over top and set your slow cooker to LOW for 8 to 10 hours.
→ Bottom line: Potatoes that bake while you’re at work.
I always go with the first method. What you your go-to?
Onto the Stuffed SPUDS
Spinach, Cheddar, & Ham Stuffed Potatoes
An original Cooking Light recipe (click) – and the only thing I changed of the original recipe was the Ham and the way the potatoes was cooked. I baked a small spiraled ham in the oven. Hello honey sweetness!
BBQ Chicken & Cheddar Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
(click)
SO delicious and a major hit. I have actually served this meal at a dinner get together with Jordan’s family.. I think it was Christmas! You could alternatively use regular potatoes over the sweet potatoes, but even the non-sweet potato lovers enjoy this one. I’d venture to challenge you to try the original version first:)
Chicken Sausage & Sun-dried Tomatoes with Pesto
An experimental winner right here. Just a mixed of your favorite sausage (I prefer chicken or turkey), oil packed sun dried tomatoes, a couple of teaspoons to a tablespoon of prepared basil pesto, salt, pepper, and I mixed in plain greek yogurt for a creamy texture to hold it all together. Top with shaved parmesan cheese – DELICIOUS!
Broccoli Chicken & Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes
I’ve seen versions of this recipe floating around Pinterest forever and have never tried it. We loved this one! Pulled chicken breast (cooking in the crock pot on low for 6 hours), cheddar cheese, and steamed broccoli. Salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and a few spoonfuls of greek yogurt (again) and we called this a meal!
Beef Fajita with Vegetables Stuffed Potatoes
Store bought prepared fajita beef (in the meat section of your grocery) made this meal come together really quickly! I was afraid if I ask Jordan cook the flank steak on the grill and then NOT let him wrap it in a tortilla, we would have a problem.
Steak, sour cream, your favorite tomato salsa, roasted bell pepper slices (I used red, yellow, and orange), and Mexican blend cheese.
Spinach & Hummus Stuffed Sweet Potato
(click)
I wanted to find another recipe for sweet potatoes and whilst doing so I was snacking on hummus. So there you have my Google search. I came upon this one, and it is delicious! We had them on the side of grilled chicken – and even my girls gobbled this one down. Really unique and easy recipe!
If you have a yummy recipe you would love to share, I would LOVE to have it! I am always looking for new idea for meal planning and cooking for my family – and typically what works at one table could have potential success at another.
Email me: ambermariemassey@gmail.com
In the meantime- get some of these potatoes on your table:)
November 19, 2014
I've made the BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potato and the white chicken chili recipes you've posted and they've been a huge hit with my husband. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
These look SOO yummy. I def. want to try at least a couple of these soon! (:
I've never done stuffed spuds so this is a very silly question… For the BBQ stuffed potatoes, I saw that you plop the ingredients on top. I'm looking to replicate the sausage/pesto one – should I scoop out the insides and mix them all together and then put them back into the potato shell? I totally see my child eating the "top" sausage/pesto portion and leaving the potato untouched.
Seriously the best timing! I had to buy a 10lb bag of taters because it was my cheapest option but really wasn't sure how we'd be eating all of those potatoes.
The bbq chicken potatoes are cooking as I type! Yum!
I thought of you when I saw these on Bev Cooks-
http://bevcooks.com/2014/11/reverse-shepherds-pie/