Meatless Monday

As I mentioned in my post about spaghetti sauce, Monday nights are always spaghetti nights at the Brown household. However, I have another meatless option for you guys today. Now, we are in no way vegetarians or even trying to be (my husband wouldn't survive on a vegetarian diet...I know this to be true) but since watching things like Food Inc. and Forks over Knives, we decided to majorly cut back on our animal protein intake and try other options. I've gotten in the habit of making only 1-2 meat based meals per week and so far so good! I've really felt SO much better about what I'm eating (we do completely organic chicken and beef now) and my meat loving hubby hasn't complained or said he misses meat once. All that to say, it's an easy switch...you just have to train your brain to realize that you don't need animal protein every single day.

With that being said, I'm hoping to post a few different meatless options that we have regularly to give you ideas. Spaghetti is one of them. Just make sauce without meat (and don't buy a "meat sauce" either) and you're good to go. I swear you won't miss the meat. Another great meatless option is baked potatoes. Potatoes are naturally gluten free, pretty cheap, a good source of vitamins and potassium and are extremely versatile. One of my favorite ways to eat them is twice baked. These are so simple and I debated even putting the recipe on here, but I didn't know how to make them when we first got married so I'm hoping that it helps someone out there who is just as "in the dark" about these as I once was. The husband loves loves loves these...which is a good bonus.

Twice Baked Potatoes


What you need (makes 8 potato halves)

- 4 large baking potatoes
- 1/2 stick butter, cut into pieces
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 C crumbled bacon
- 1/2 C half n half or milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp dried onion
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- small palmful black pepper
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 1/2 C shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and monterey jack)





Directions
- Bake the potatoes for 1 hour 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool and then slice in half lengthwise

- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, cream cheese and bacon

- Scoop out the flesh of each potato half into the bowl. Be careful not to tear the shell.

Poor little things, all sad and empty

- With a potato masher mash the potato, butter, cream cheese and bacon together

If you don't have a potato masher will you please go get one...right now. Go. Get. One. 

- Add the dried onion, seasoned salt and pepper. Mash together

This is seasoned salt. I use it ALL the time. Go get this if you don't have it already.  And don't forget the potato masher.

- Add the half and half and mash together until you reach the consistency you like. We like leaving little pieces of the potato in them, but if you want them super creamy add more liquid and keep mashing.

- Stir in the chopped green onion. You don't want to mash these because they will bruise and get soggy

- Stir in about 1 C of the shredded cheese

- Refill the empty potato shells with the mixture. Be generous!

Aww...they look so happy now all full of yummy goodness

- Top the filled shells with more cheese and bacon

- Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are heated through

- Serve with a side salad for a complete meal

*NOTE: You can tweak this recipe in SO many different ways. Add cooked broccoli, try a spinach and gruyere mixture, or sub chopped ham instead of bacon. You really cannot mess it up! Enjoy!

*NOTE #2: These freeze well! Just skip the green onion if you decide to freeze them. Freezing green onion actually chemically alters it and it will taste funny. If you want to freeze them follow the steps until topping them with cheese and bacon and then wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag. Once you want to make them simply put them in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and they are heated through! YUM!