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!