Thursday, January 14, 2016

Chili-stuffed Baked Potatoes: A Meal in a Spud, Go Team!!!!!

Seriously, I make extra chili when I make chili just so we can do this.

It's quick.

It's easy.

It's crazy filling.

And it's the perfect winter sports weekend eat in front of the TV food!!!!

First, make chili, Ruthy's (that's me, I'm Ruthy, pleased to meet you!) Easy-Peasy recipe is RIGHT HERE!!!!!

Now I've learned to add a tablespoon of oregano to the chili pot, and that's not in that old recipe, but I like the "zing" it adds.... and in a big pot, (4-5 lbs. ground beef)  I add 1/2 cup sugar.

Make enough chili to eat and keep some leftovers, because we might as well stretch this meal over days, right?



Bake some Really Big (possibly on steroids) potatoes like these big, bad boy Idaho Russets:


I wash them, pat them dry, then I grease the outside with Crisco... Cut a slit in the top of the potato, at least a couple of inches long so the potato can puff steam as it cooks.

Bake at 400° for about an hour, until the potato is fork-tender.

Heat about 3/4 cup of chili in microwave until heated through.  Put potato on large plate. Squeeze potato to open slit and loosen potato.



Spoon hot chili into potato cavity. Top with a generous dollop of sour cream (if desired) and a generous handful of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.


And the potato begged me to take a second shot!!!!


And that was because the flowers on the plate were tipped askew in the first one. Who knew potatoes were so darned fussy? And yet, we all know that presentation is a huge part of tempting the palate! Except in my case, where I just plain love food!!!!

:)

Football and baseball are favorite sports here, and the tradition of great game-time food and solid athletics is the Sunday afternoon norm. The house fills with kids, grown-ups and great smells, and this solid favorite makes everybody smile!

This was fun. A good friend is expecting their first child/grandchild and I spent a little time Saturday making ribbons instead of wrapping all the treasures. And who needs a box when part of the gift is/are the bins for baby's room? PERFECT! I dummied the bin bottom by tucking a box inside, then tissue paper, then we arranged the gifts "peeking" out of the bins. Cute, functional and no money wasted!

And when a little grandson calls you on the phone all by himself.... and asks for banana bread... it would take a tougher Grammy than me to deny the request!!!!


I played with the banana bread recipe because to me, texture makes a big difference in banana bread, and I think using a mix of milk/cream and sour cream gave me the dense, moist bread folks love to eat with both hands!

I'll share that one next week, unless I forget, in which case it is okay to remind me!

And now it is time for the NCAA National championship football game, which, coincidentally, is my BEDTIME! :) Yes, early to bed, and early to rise to take advantage of some nice quiet writing time.

Coffee's on!

Ruthy Logan Herne loves writing sweet stories that touch hearts and souls, she's mostly a nice person except when she's not, and she gets really, really mad at herself then! She lives in upstate NY and has literally lost count of her grandchildren, but she loves this picture of them, so she's sharing it again! Friend Ruthy on facebook, visit her WEBSITE or hang out with her in Seekerville (where she hangs out with a bunch of really great people)... and thanks for stopping by the Cafe today! Good to see you!


23 comments:

  1. Oh yummy! I just made a double batch of potato soup (because some like carrots and corn in their soup and some do not). I'm all about the cold-weather food right now.
    Remember to share the banana bread recipe! I've never heard of it with sour cream. Intrigued...

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  2. I love potato soup! And I hear you about dividing the batches to please the palates! (or to ensure blessed quiet)...

    We have Dr. Jana Vanderslice in next Thursday with an innovative brownie recipe that she assures me is DELICIOUS, so banana bread in two weeks, and it came out great, Virginia! Glad to share.

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  3. The sour cream in the banana bread intrigues me too.

    I need to up my potato baking. I'm so boring when it comes to taters but this looks so good. And now I'm craving a hearty bowl of chili. Will definitely try this when I get the ingredients and make the chili. Potatoes are comfort food...jazzy potatoes can only be more so, right?

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    1. You know Wendy's does a rendition of this, and just imagine how much more amazing it is with fresh potatoes, homemade chili and covered in cheesy goodness??? And if you do vegetarian chili, do you simply use beans? Must know!!!!

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    2. I have a couple of recipes. One uses bulgur, one uses tvp (texturized vegetable protein -- soy product) and one has sweet potatoes. Thinking I'll make the bulgur one. :-)Oh and all of them still have the beans in as well.

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    3. I bet I'd like the bulgur one... sweet potatoes??? It seems highly irreverent to do that to a sweet potato!!! :)

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    4. I love Wendy's chili potato! It's great in a pinch when you don't have chili made. :)

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  4. I love chili potatoes. Did this all the time when there was more than two in the house. Great meal!!

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    1. TINA!!!!!! Thanks for stoppin' in today, I hear you on the numbers... It's a new game, cooking for two, and yes, I generally overdo it! EEEEK!

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  5. Love that picture of all those little ones. :)

    I'm so pumped for the football play-offs, but I won't say any more, for fear I will bore everyone to tears with my Peyton-this and Brock-that (BTW-Brock did an AWESOME job while Peyton was out with that injury), and hoping that this year will be the Super Bowl victory.

    I have a feeling I'm going to have to name my next two Corgies Brock and Peyton. :)

    My family loves chili. Sometimes I'll cook up some spaghetti with it so we can have it Cincinnati style (I like mine 5-way), but the potatoes do the same thing.

    What a great meal for a snowy, blowy, cold January evening!

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    1. I was so proud of Peyton's interview after that game, when he totally supported Brock and took no credit on himself... just the team. And his comment about Al Jazeera folding up its tent and going home made me laugh: "I'm sure ALL their viewers will be devastated"... which was funny because they're folding because they have so few people watching.

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  6. I'm salivating over this chili covered potato. I'm low-carbing it and staying away from the potatoes for a while, those pics are just cruel. The chocolate chip banana bread too. Must go eat lunch before I cave. I have individually frozen chilis' in the freezer and it would be so easy. The freezer is the answer for cooking for two, I'm still trying to get it right.

    I love the picture of you, Dave and all the grans, just beautiful.

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    1. Tracey! I have the answer for you!

      Roast some cauliflower (look it up on YouTube - easy peasy) and substitute that for the potato!

      Low-carb goodness, and all the chili and cheese goodness. YUM!

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    2. Hey, the cauliflower tip is PERFECT!!!! Oh, that would be delicious!!! And again, low-carb. I'm low-carb, too, and I know what you mean, Tracey, so ignore the banana bread (I did, too!) and we'll link pinkies and go on our healthy mama eating non-binges all together here!

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  7. Ruthy, I still love that pic of you, Dave and all the grands. Just precious.

    Chili cheese fries in a spud. You know, I like a good baked potato/French fries and a love a good chili. I just never feel the need to ruin one by adding the other. Now give me a bag/bowl of Fritos and it's a whole different story. Love me some Frito Chili Pie.

    And Virginia, thanks for mentioning potato soup. Now I'm going to have to make some. Preferably with lots and lots of bacon and cheese. Yum.

    I think I need to go find something to eat.

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    1. Oh, that's funny! I would have thought you'd jump on this, Tex, but I hear you! And I don't do Fritos and chili, but I do love the Skyline Chili dip and I'm making that for this weekend. Baby's baptism and football... What a perfect way to begin God's new week!!!!

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    2. I LOVE Frito Pie!! They used to have it at Sonic, and I think you can still get it even though it's not on the menu anymore.

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  8. I always make extra chili..so we can do potatoes/chili the next day!
    Can't wait to get your banana bread recipe with sour cream. I add sour cream to cornbread....mmm good. Always put a dollop on bowl of chili and of course, the potato/chili.
    Love the pic of you, Dave and the grandkids!!

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    1. Jackie, I'm so glad you stopped over! this is such a simple, delightful meal in a bowl, and we can eat the bowl!!! The guys love this too, and when the boys are happy (and their team is winning) all is well!

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  9. Oh my goodness. This is torture. I'm tired because I was up all night with the dog again. Hubby made his own hamburgers tonight so I wanted something easy. Roast beef sandwiches with horseradish and cheddar cheese sounded amazing. But now I'm craving chili potatoes.

    When we get snow.
    Which this winter may be never.

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    1. We got our first inch of snow! And it's all going to melt tomorrow, the wind off the lake has the lake effect going east of us and east of Lake Erie, so Holly Jacobs and that crew down there are getting hammered! But not here, so no shoveling... and no sledding, either. The RB sandwiches do sound amazing. I had a tuna on cole slaw supper, it was low-carb and wonderful but I really wanted it on a BUTTERED BAGEL... :) So I hear you, we can be tortured together!!!

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