Baked Potato Skins

6 small to medium sized russet baking potatoes
Olive oil
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Canola oil
salt
pepper
6 strips of bacon
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens of the onions

Scrub the potatoes clean, place each potato on a square of foil, pour a small amount olive oil on each potato, sprinkle with Montreal Steak Seasoning, wrap each potato in the foil and place and bake in a 400°F oven for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and give a little when pressed.

While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half horizontally. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the insides, reserving the scooped potatoes for another use, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato on the skin.

Increase the heat of the oven to 450°F. Brush or rub canola oil (or another high smoke point oil, olive oil won't work) all over the potato skins, outside and in. Sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking rack in a roasting pan (don't use a cookie sheet, it will warp from the high heat, use a roasting pan or broiler pan).

Cook for 10 minutes on one side, then flip the skins over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.

Arrange the potato skins skin-side down on the roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with black pepper, cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven. Broil for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven. Using tongs to place the potatoes on a serving plate. Top with a dollop of sour cream on each skin, sprinkle with green onions. Serve.

Cheesy Potato Soup

Great for a cold night. Just add a meat for a more substantial meal.

3 C. peeled and cubed potatoes
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 C. water
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground pepper
2 tsp. all purpose flour
1 1/2 C. milk
1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar or American cheese
1 C. ham or hamburger, cooked and diced (can omit)

In a large stock pot add potatoes, celery onion chicken bouillon, water and parsley flakes. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until vegetables become tender. In a separate bowl, mix flour and milk. Once it is well blended, add to soup mixture and cook until soup thickens. Stir in cheese and optional meat. Simmer until cheese is melted.

This recipe serves 4, but I find it better to double up the recipe for leftovers!

Green Chile Potato Chowder

When made with canned green chiles & the jalapeno is omited, this is a very mild soup for a child. Katie (4 year old) loves it.

1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced (may omit to taste)
1/4 cup fresh long green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and finely chopped (approx 3 medium chiles)*
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2inch cubes
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
4 cups fat free chicken stock
1/4 cup butter (can substitute margarine)
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk (may use 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 1/2cups half-half)
2 cups frozen sweet white corn
fresh tortillas
oil
cheddar cheese, shredded
green onions, chopped

Combine first 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Melt butter over low heat; add flour to blend, stirring constantly for 3 minutes to make a blond roux. Reserving all of the liquid, strain liquid from potato, chile, and onion mixture. Mash half of the potato mixture, leaving the other half unmashed. Stir 3 cups of the reserved liquid into the roux. Raise heat, stirring with a whisk until thickened. Add milk to the thickened liquid and continue to stir until it comes to simmer. Add mashed potato mixture, stir. Add cubed potato mixture and corn. Heat through.

In the meantime, cut the tortillas into thin 1/4inch strips, heat oil in separate pan, cook tortillas strips until crispy, drain on paper towels.

Laddle soup into bowls, top with cheddar cheese, crisp tortilla strips, and chopped green onion.

*may use 1-2 small cans of chopped green chili (depending on your taste)