Recipe - Baked For Dinner Potatoes (Mf)

4 Idaho or russet potatoes;
each weighing about 8
ounces
Olive oil
4 Red bell peppers; seeded and
finely julienned
1 pound Mushrooms; stemmed and
finely cut or sliced up
Pesto; to taste, sun dried
tomato or black olive paste
Salt and pepper
Yogurt or chunk parmesan
cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash the potatoes, prick them and bake for
about an hour or until done. (If kids don't like very crunchy exterior,
scrub the potatoes clean, wrap them in foil and then bake; they will then
steam rather than bake.)

Meanwhile, heat olive oil and saute peppers and mushrooms until tender.
Remove from heat and stir in pesto, or other paste to taste and season with
salt and pepper.

When potatoes are done, split them almost all the way to the bottom and
squeeze up some of the potato flesh; spoon vegetable topping over and
around potatoes. If you did not add pesto or other paste, top with yogurt;
if you added pesto or other paste, top with shaved Parmesan. Yield: 4
servings

Variations:

Fresh chopped tomatoes, mixed with olive oil and chiffonade of basil 2 cups
pureed cottage cheese mixed with One fourth cup chopped sun dried tomatoes or 1
tablespoon prepared pesto Bean or meat chili Smoked salmon, chives and sour
cream Twice baked Southwest: scoop out filling from potatoes which are
baked, mix with cheddar cheese, sour cream, green chilis or jalapenos and
scallions, refill and reheat for 15 minutes or in microwave if you don't
mind losing crisp texture of outside skin.

Copyright, 1996, TV FOOD NETWORK, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Busted by Gail Shermeyer 4paws@netrax.net

Recipe by: COOKING MONDAY TO FRIDAY SHOW #MF 6649

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #793 by 4paws@netrax.net (ShermeyerGail) on
Sep 19, 1997