THE FUN OF BAKED POTATOES

RECIPES FOR DAYS WHEN THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS TO GO INTO THE KITCHEN AND COOK SOMETHING.

I would never say no to a baked potato, especially one that is covered with enough toppings to win a prize at the county fair. The wonderful thing about baked potatoes is that you just can't ruin them unless you put them in the oven without remembering to poke them with a sharp knife or fork and they explode on the inside of your oven and make the biggest mess you ever saw. Because baked potatoes are so bland, they will welcome almost any topping that gives them a little more flavor and a lot more personality than they were blessed with. Because an ordinary baked potato is not exactly exciting to look at, wrapping it up in aluminum foil makes it look a lot better than the plain old brown potato it would otherwise be. Dressing it up thus is only the first step. Beyond that, you are only limited by your imagination or what you happen to have on hand. Here is how you turn a simple baked potato into a full meal:

4-8 baked potatoes depending on how many people you plan to feed

1 onion, sliced thinly

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms

1 T. oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 small package frozen peas

2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1 C. sour cream

1 T. chives

1 lb. hamburger

2 T. flour

2 C. milk

1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet

5-6 hot dogs

1 small onion, sliced

1/2 green bell pepper

1. Wash, poke and cover potatoes in foil. Bake in the middle rack of the oven at 350 degrees for one hour or until they feel soft when you touch them. Meanwhile, while the potatoes are baking, prepare the toppings.
2. Saute the mushrooms and onions in a skillet. Season to taste and set aside.

3. Cook the hamburger. Drain, then add the flour and stir to blend. Gradually add the milk and continue stirring over medium heat until it thickens. Add the Kitchen Bouquet which gives turns it brown. Season to taste.

4. Cut up the hot dots and fry in a skillet along with the onion and green pepper. Cook until the onion is soft and slightly browned and the hot dogs are well cooked.

5. Put all the toppings in separate bowls, including the cheese and sour cream. Serve with any other condiments you might like such as ketchup or butter. This is one of the easiest ways to come up with a dinner on the spur of the moment that makes it look like you've been in the kitchen for hours. If you are new to the kitchen scene or you just don't feel like cooking something, you can substitute a can of heated undiluted Vegetable Beef Soup for the hamburger and the hot dogs. It's not as good, but it serves the purpose. Also, you can be just as creative as you have the time for or feel like being. The main thing is to have a variety of toppings that are well-liked and taste good by themselves without the baked potato. That way you know it's all going to blend well together. It's amazing how filling and satisfying this is. I think one of the reasons is that everyone likes having a choice and not just one dish that doesn't give any other options. Putting all of the toppings in little bowls is like saying, "Take your pick. You can have one or all or none. It's up to you." Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

One more thing:

It's always a good idea to bake more potatoes than you actually need. Baked potatoes are great to have on hand and you can use them for so many different things, especially if you like to fry them for breakfast along with bacon and eggs. But if you have leftover potatoes and toppings from this meal, save them and you can make another meal out of them. Simply grate the extra baked potatoes into a pie dish. Salt and pepper them and flatten them out on the bottom and sides, then add the meat, peas, onions, mushrooms and cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven long enough to heat everything through and melt the cheese. Top with the sour cream and there you go! Not a bad idea, is it?