Monday, November 14, 2011

Hasselback Baked Potato


I am so indecisive.  Part of the problem is that I don't really plan ahead, or if I do, I don't stick to my plan.

After a long day of classes or studying I'll come home to my cozy apartment and find myself faced with the dreaded question: What should I fix for dinner?

I thought only stay at home moms had to deal with that dilemma.  And no offense to SAHM's out there--what you do makes marathon running look like a walk in the park--but, I can remember the days when my dear Momma would turn her eyes to the heavens (i.e. the white kitchen ceiling bordered with a flowery wall paper) and groan, "What should I make?  What should I make?!"  

But no, college students face this problem too.  

That's when I begin to miss the dining hall of the previous two years of my college eating experience...that salad bar of freshly washed, chopped, organic veggies; the freshly baked bread; the never ending fount of fro-yo.  Simply imagine the Hometown Buffet, except with fewer desserts, and no french fries to mix into your mac n' cheese, and you have that dining hall.

Truth be told, the cupboards had been looking pretty bare around here lately.

So, I take stock.  Eggs, bread, salad, peanut butter, Kraft mac n' cheese, canned soup.

Sigh.

Usually, I end up eating a PB&J sandwich with a bowl of salad.  It's not that I don't like PB&Js, in fact, they are one of my favorite foods.  But, a PB&J definitely doesn't satisfy my meat and potatoes craving after a hard day.

I guess I could buy a Hungry Man frozen dinner.  One problem: I'm a lady.

And so, friends, I present you with my solution.

What do you make when the cupboards start to look dark and dusty?

Hasselback Potato
Recipe adapted from Seasaltwithfood

Yield: 1 serving (but you can double, triple, whatever for more)

Ingredients:
1 medium sized baking potato with skin on
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 Tb. butter
1-2 tsp. olive oil
Salt
Coarse ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 deg. F.  

Slice potato from one end to the other, almost all the way through (about 1/2 centimeter from slicing all the way through).

Insert minced garlic between slits.  Dab butter along slits and on outside of potato.  Drizzle potato with a little olive oil, and top with a few dashes of salt and pepper, or any other spices you like.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until inside flesh feels soft and the outside is crispy



No comments:

Post a Comment