Loaded Baked Potato

I love potatoes. Yes, I am Irish, but that is beside the point. I've always loved potatoes. But not just any type of potato. While I am a fan of french fries, very few restaurants have fries worthy of the name.

No, what I love are baked potatoes. I think that my love of potatoes comes from when I was younger and first out on my own. I have to admit that I was not taught much in the way of culinary arts as a child. Lack of time, lack of energy, and lack of cooking knowledge meant that my mom stuck with the basics.

When I was first living on my own, I lived on soups and sandwiches. I gradually, very gradually, started to purchase cookbooks. But they were always complicated, at least to me at the time. When the internet really blew up, I tried to follow cooking bloggers. Again, it seemed too complicated (I had no idea what caramelization, fond, sauteing, etc meant).

It was not until I finished culinary school that I realized I was the one making cooking difficult. Maybe that is why the potato even after gaining all that culinary knowledge remains my favorite. A potato can be as simple or as fancy as you want.

One of my favorite ways to eat a potato, and the subject of this months recipe, is a fully loaded baked potato. You see, you are the one who determines that the potato is loaded with. It is a perfect way to get rid of that leftover chili, stew, or whatever small amount of leftovers you have.

What you will need:

1 large potato (I prefer Russet when I am cooking a fully loaded potato)

Olive Oil

Spices (again, cooks choice)

What you are filling your potato with (I used some leftover vegan chili and some Daiya cheese shreds)

What you will do:

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Scrub your potato thoroughly.

Brush the outside of the potato with Olive Oil, then rub on the spices you selected.

Wrap the potato in aluminum foil and bake for 75-90 minutes (the bigger the potato, the longer it needs to cook).

When the potato is baked, let it cool until it is cool enough to touch.

Cut the top of the potato (the long edge top).

Scoop out the insides and then mix with your filling.

Put everything back into the potato (you'll notice I didn't direct you to turn off the oven) and put it back in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.

And there is lunch (or dinner, or lunch and dinner).

I have to admit that my potato ended up being lunch for 2 days.

A simple, and fast, meal. Perfect for a day when you are just putzing around the house. While my potato was cooking, I did a load of laundry, mopped the floors, studied my French, washed the dishes, and pulled together a most excellent brownie.