I have really had cravings for broccoli lately. Broccoli and cheese to be exact. I’ve thought of soups, and I have made casseroles, and I just was not completely satisfied. I wanted more. As you may or may not be aware, I created a new site called Baked Potato Skins and it is my playground for all things potato skins. Everything from the classic potato skin to what I call the Hangover can be found there. The thought of broccoli and cheese soup led me to create those comforting flavors and place them inside of a baked potato skin.

I was inspired to make these potato skins from a memory I had while back in middle school. A simple memory of being at the local mall, and inside being a small restaurant that served, I believe, broccoli and cheese twice baked potatoes. For the life of my wife and I, we both recall them, we cannot figure out what that chain restaurant was named. If you remember, please let me know.

Ingredients:

5 whole Russet potatoes

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of red onion, minced

2 cups of broccoli florets, steamed and patted dry

2 cups of cheddar jack cheese, shredded

Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Poke the top of each potato with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 1 hour. Once cooked, remove from the baking sheet, and place on a plate to let cool for about 15 minutes.

Once your potatoes are cooled, use a sharp bread knife and you will cut lengthwise, into three segments of one potato, long slices. So each potato will yield two skins, right? Discard the middle slice and reuse for breakfast the following morning, or heck for that matter, add some butter, salt, and cream, and make some rustic mashed potatoes.

Continue this cutting process with the rest of the potatoes. You should then have 10 skins. With a small spoon, being careful, scoop out about 70 percent of the potato, as you still want some potato in your boat.

Next, melt your butter in the microwave. Get your broiler heated to high. Brush the butter on the inside and outside of each potato skin and place them back onto the baking sheet. Season the inside of each skin with salt and pepper.

Place them under the broiler for 8-10 minutes until the insides get a bit crispy from the melted butter.

Remove them from the oven, and fill each one with a bit of red onion and garlic. Place back in the oven and cook another couple of minutes.

Remove them once again, and fill them up with chopped broccoli and load them up with the cheese.

Again, place them back in the oven and cook until the cheese is nice and melted.

Remove them from the oven, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and plate them up.

Now I got my broccoli fix. Healthy? Probably not the healthiest with the cheese and butter, but that thought is taken away when you bite into the potato skin that is loaded with broccoli. These are darn delicious and a perfect game time snack. I hope you enjoy.