The Best Damn Mac and Cheese EVER!

Now I like the other mac and cheese recipes I have posted on my blog. BUT, to be completely honest nothing comes close to this recipe. I happened upon a Martha Stewart video of her making this mac and cheese. She said it was her mothers recipe. So it looked simple enough and was different as it uses white cheddar. I was intrigued and decided to make it. It has been the only mac and cheese I have been making ever since. Even my kid that is not a mac and cheese lover loved it.This is beyond delicious in my families humble opinion. I can't really tell you why it is so much better other than recipes but it must be that the white cheddar is key to it. It just would not be the same with yellow cheddar. She said why white cheddar is better but honestly I have slept since then and don't remember what she said.
It is in my opinion pretty easy to put together. I will list her recipe and then any changes I made. I really didn't make many. The changes were small and not really important to the end result flavor wise.


This makes a 9x13 pan of mac and cheese.

6 slices of bread, crust removed, and torn into 1/4" pieces. (I USED PANKO BREAD CRUMBS THE SECOND TIME AND LIKED IT MUCH BETTER. I just measured the amount I thought looked good for the top and tossed with the melted butter. )

8 Tbl. butter, plus more to grease the pan (I used cooking spray for the pan)
5 1/2 Cups whole milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. kosher salt + salt for pasta water
1/4 tsp. pepper (I used at least 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (I used the nutmeg nut itself and just used a micro plane grater till I liked how much it looked like in the sauce. If you use the nut you could grate it in a bowl and measure out the right amount.)
1/4 tsp. cayenne (don't skip this as I think it is an important element. It was not spicy at all. You certainly could add more if you want a little kick.)
18 oz. (about 4 1/2 cups) sharp white cheddar cheese, grated and seperated into 3 cups and 1 1/2 cups. The  1 1/2 cups is for the topping)
8 oz. (about 2 cups) shredded gruyere cheese, seperated. Put 1 1/2 cups with the 3 cups of cheddar and lightly toss. Then add the rest to the 1 1/2 cups of cheddar that is for the topping and lightly toss and set aside.) DONT MIX THEM UP! Remember which is for the topping and which is for the sauce.
1 lb. elbo macaroni (you can use any small pasta that is about the size of elbo macaroni)

heat oven 375 degrees and butter your dish.

Place bread in bowl and mix 2 Tbl. melted butter (from the 8 Tbl. the recipe calls for) toss. I used panko crumbs here and we just liked it better. Same process. Set aside.

NOTE: I start the water (salt the water)  now for the pasta and try to time the pasta and sauce to be done about the same time. Nothing will be ruined if one is done before the other.

Heat milk slightly (I have a large measuring cup and I just microwaved the milk till was no longer cold)
Melt remaining 6 Tbl. butter in a large sauce pan that will hold you milk and cheese.  When it bubbles add the flour and whisk and mix for about 1 minute.
slowly pour in the milk a little at a time and stir till it thickens. I did it in three additions. Stir milk/flour mix till it thickens (you arent looking for a super thick sauce now, but just thickens up. I usually let it come to a boil and stir  then turn off the heat. At that point it is thick enough.)
Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne and the 3 cups cheddar and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere. Stir till it is melted and test for seasoning. It should not be bland. Add salt if needed. It should have a nice rich flavor. Remember you are putting this on pasta so you don't want it under salted.

Pasta: cook pasta about 3/4 of the time it calls for. There is a lot of sauce and you want the pasta to soak it up as it bakes. Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water and then drain well. Add to the sauce.

It will look like a lot of sauce and you might be tempted to not add all of it. I did this the first time and regretted it. Trust me it will bake up just fine.

Pour into prepared baking pan and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Then sprinkle bread crumbs over the cheese.
Bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 30 min. till bubbly and lightly browned on top.

ENJOY!

Abuelo's Papas con Chile recipe

Not my recipe but I couldn't resist posting. I actually found this on Abuelo's Facebook page.
Abuelo’s Papas con Chile™
3 lbs. red potatoes
3 oz cream cheese – cut into 2" squares
½ cup heavy cream
10 oz Velveeta – cut into 2 " squares
½ TBS salt
¾ tsp granulated garlic
¼ cup sour cream
½ cup diced red bell peppers
½ cup diced green bell peppers
2 cans chopped green chiles
½ cup chopped green onion tops
2 TBS of finely chopped jalapeño – seeds removed

1.Wash and scrub potatoes until clean
2.Place potatoes in a pot covered with water and boil until soft.
3.Drain potatoes
4.Add the rest of ingredients and mash. Be sure all ingredients are incorporated.

Dirty Rice

Yum Yum and double Yum. What more can I say. Give it a try and you wont be sorry.


6 Cups chicken broth
3 cups uncooked long grain rice
1 cup chicken giblets (I don't use these but feel free to. I don't eat animal organs so I just leave this out. )
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 pounds ground pork sausage (a spicy breakfast sausage is good.)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper

cook chicken broth and rice in a saucepan over med. heat 30 minutes or till rice has absorbed broth and rice is tender. Set aside.
Combine giblets and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and chop.
Cook sausage in a large skillet over med-high heat, stirring until crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove sauce and drain reserving 2 Tbl. of  sausage drippings in skillet. Set sausage aside.
Saute chopped garlic and next three ingredients in the hot drippings about 7 minutes or till tender.
Stir together rice, giblets, sausage, veggies, salt and remaining ingredients. Spoon into greased 2 quart baking dish and bake 375 for 10-12 minutes. Or mix everything up in skillet and stir and heat everything together in pan over med heat.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Uh...YUM! We are grilling steak file's on the grill tonight and I wanted a potato that would be easy to fix without having to make baked potatoes and have the ton of fixings out everywhere. So I decided to google a few recipes and then put my own version together. Just WOW! I got my strawberry ice box cake and my baked potato casserole all made before 10 a.m.! Now thats planning. So tonight all I have to do is throw on some corn to boil and grill our steaks. I will let the casserole come to room temp. after being in the fridge all day and then bake it in the oven. Easy peasy. This is good and pretty easy.

Here's what I did: Use a 9x13 casserole pan (cake pan etc.....I used an oval La Creuset casserole dish.)

10 large Russet baking potatoes
1 stick of butter, at room temp
1 (8oz.) container of sour cream
1/2 Cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. Lowery's seasoned salt
1/2-1 tsp. salt
1/2 -1 tsp. pepper
3/4 lb. bacon, cut up and fried crisp, drain off grease
1 small bunch green onions fine chop
2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese, for casserole
1 Cup (or more) shredded cheddar cheese, for top of casserole
2 eggs slightly beaten


Bake potatoes till done. When they are cool enough to handle cut in half and scoop as much of the potato out as you can (without getting any of the skin) into a large bowl. Mash slightly with a potato masher. Add butter, sour cream, milk, salts, and pepper. Mash together. Once the potatoes are lumpy but mashed use a spoon to stir instead of the masher. Then add the bacon, green onions, eggs and cheese. Stir to combine. Spray your casserole dish with cooking spray and then pour the potato mixture into the casserole and spread out evenly. Top with the additional cheese. You can bake it now or place in fridge to bake later. If you bake it later. Take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temp. before you bake it or it will take forever to warm up and the top will be over done and the middle not warm.
Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes till it is bubbly and top is golden brown.

Guacamole

Although its hard to believe based on the temperatures here in Texas. Summer is drawing to a close soon. I for one will be happy to see the cooler weather come back. Or at least as cool as it ever gets here in good ole Texas.
I have been hungry for some Tex-mex and just some summer time foods. I actually am planning a big Tex-mex meal this weekend  with cheese enchiladas smothered in chili gravy, big pot of pinto beans, and Mexican rice. I may or may not grill chicken. I have to see what I feel like. Oh, and of course margaritas. I will post a really easy and wonderful recipe for margaritas later. They aren't the frozen kind but they are delicious and easy because you can make huge batches and you don't have to use the blender.
Anyway, my family is like flies to ......well you know, when it comes to my guacamole. It is a real battle to have enough for dinner time if I make it too early. This isn't a big secret recipe. I have seen everything from guacamole with just mashed up avocados and onion, to some who add in picante sauce (I actually started out making mine that way.) Just like all recipes there is no right or wrong way in my opinion. There is just good. I'm not a food purist. If it tastes good or makes something better then do it. Now I know when to leave a recipe alone as well. I just think its about taste and your food experience. Enjoy it rather than stand on whats right or wrong. Anyway, here is what I do.

Guacamole
4 large ripe avocados.

Everything from here on out is personal choice. You choose how much of each ingredient you like in your Guacamole.
1 jalapeno (stem removed, cut in two and remove seeds and veins. The heat is really in the seed  and veins. So if you remove them you don't have so much fire.) Slice into slivers and then mince.

2 plum tomatoes,  cut in two and with a spoon scoop out all the seeds and wet stuff. After this dice into fairly small pieces.

1/2  a medium onion (use whatever you like, white, yellow, red....) and dice fine

1/2 bunch cleaned cilantro, minced

salt

juice of half a lime

Peel the avocados and place in a bowl. With a fork mash them up as much as you like for your guacamole. Add the rest of the ingredients except the salt and lime. Add the salt last a little at a time till it is salty enough for you. Lastly mix in the lime juice. Taste for salt and of course if it needs more of any ingredient or even more lime. Serve with corn chips.
If you make ahead and want to store in fridge:
I have heard and tried using the avocado seed. Can't say that really worked all that well. What you want to do is cover with Saran wrap. Place it directly on the guacamole and make sure there are no air pockets. Air is what turns it brown as it oxidizes. Place in fridge. When your ready to eat just remove the saran wrap and give it a stir. Taste for seasoning once more and then enjoy.

Caramelized onion rice

When I lived in Germany a friend made this rice for me. She was from Croatia and said that this is how her mom always made it. Its not full of special secret ingredients. Its just simple and delicious. I serve it with my Chicken Kiev (see recipes) and it has always been a hit.

There no exact recipe amounts. Its just a general this is what goes into it. If you can cook rice you will be able to throw this together.

 

Caramelized onion rice:

You are going to make enough white rice to feed your family.

While the rice is cooking cut up as much onion as you would like to put in your rice and cook slowly in a little oil till they are browned and caramelized. You want enough oil to moisten the dried cooked rice. This should not be a dry rice but a moist rice when it is done. So add enough oil to the pan to cook your onions in. I always put all the onions in the hot cooked rice with a slotted spoon and then pour in the oil and mix a little at a time till I have the amount of oil I want in our rice. Add salt and pepper and thats it. 

I will also drizzle some of the garlic/chive butter from my Chicken Kiev into the rice when I serve it together.

 

Creamy bacon/cheese grits

These grits will make you want to cry (I know I did.) These are sooooo good. I serve them with pork...um chicken.....um beef......um corn flakes.......um you get the picture. 

Creamy bacon/cheese grits

8 slices of apple wood smoked bacon  cut into small pieces( I believe this is the only bacon on the earth. But feel free to use another less superior type bacon if you want. hahaha Just kidding.)

1 whole yellow onion, chopped

2 Cups stone ground grits

4 Cups chicken broth

2 Cups water

2 Cups heavy cream

1 1/2 Cups grated cheese (Monterrey jack, cheddar whatever you like. I used Monterrey jack.)

cayenne

salt and pepper to taste

In dutch oven cook bacon till done, remove bacon with a slotted spoon and keep,  then add the onions and cook till they are golden brown and caramelized. Add grits, chicken broth and water. Stir together and bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and cook 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Watch level of liquid. If liquid cooks out before grits start to get tender add more warmed broth. After 30 minutes add cream and cover and cook another 30 minutes or so till grits are tender. Taste for salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add cheese and bacon, stir to melt. Keep warm till serving.

The time is something you have to play by ear sort of. Good luck. These are delish.

Au Gratin Potaotoes

  
We love cheese. Au Gratin potatoes are one of my favorite ways to eat potatoes. I have spent years tweaking this recipe. I served this during the holidays with the delicious beef tenderloin listed here on my blog. So good.

Au Gratin Potatoes

8 Cups thin sliced potatoes, (I cut them on a Mandolin. They are about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.) Par boil them. You want them to be under done. If they they are too tender they will get mushy when cooked.

While the potaoes are cooking make the sauce.

Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

4 Tbl. flour

1 qt. whipping cream

1/4 Cup real mayo

1/2 Cup sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

2-3 Tbl. chopped chives

2 Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

8 Tbl. parmesean cheese, plus more for sprinkling on potatoes

Set oven to 350 F

In saucepan place butter and melt. Add flour and mix using a wire whisk. Add cream, mayo, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chives and cook till starts to bubble and add cheddar cheese and the 8 Tbl. of  parm. Stir till completely melted. Taste for seasoning of salt and pepper. 

When potatoes are still firm drain. Add half potatoes to large casserole dish. Top with half of the cheese sauce and sprinkle lightly with some additional  parm cheese. Add rest of potatoes and spread them over the bottom layer and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with a little parm. cheese. Bake for 45-60 minutes till potatoes are done, sauce thick and bubbly and browned on top.

Sweet Potato Casserole

We love sweet potatoes. We love sweet potato casserole. I make this only during the holidays. We eat sweet potatoes all the time but this casserole only during Thanksgiving and Christmas. The original recipe called for a streusel topping but I am too loyal to the marshmallow. I use marshmallow's but I will list the struesel topping if your so inclined.

Sweet Potato Casserole

oven 350 for 25-30 minutes

2 large cans sweet potatoes in syrup, drained and mashed up

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 Cup sugar

1/4 cup real maple syrup

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 Cup chopped pecans

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and pour into casserole dish. Bake 25 minutes. Pull out and cover with miniature marshmallows. Return to oven and bake till marshmallows are melted and just starting to brown on top. Remove before they are anything more than golden brown on top or they will be crunchy.

If you prefer the streusel topping here it is. Add the pecans to the topping instead of in the casserole.

1/3 Cup butter, melted

1 Cup light brown sugar

1/2 Cup flour

1 Cup chopped pecans

mix together and put on top of casserole before baking.

Baked Beans

Oh how I love good baked beans. It surprises me how hard it is to find good baked beans. They either taste more like a Ranch Bean or too tomato sauce tasting. I like a sweet and smokey baked bean. Not too heavy on tomato flavor and not a spicy chili powder flavor of Ranch Beans. I think this one is just the thing.

Baked Beans

4 bacon slices ( I use applewood smoked bacon. It is the best)

1 small onion, diced

4 (15 oz.) can pork in beans, drained

1/2 Cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 Cup ketchup

1/4 Cup molasses

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dry mustard

Cook bacon in cast iron skillet till crisp. Remove to drain on paper towel and crumble. Saute onion in bacon grease till transluciant, about 7 minutes. Stin in drained beans, brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard. Stir together well. Now you can add the bacon back in now or wait and top the cooked beans when done. Its up to you. Place skillet in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or so. The longer you cook them the thicker the final product will be. I actually would cook them less. Just watch them and take them out when they are to your liking. Stir them half way through. Only stir again if they look like they are looking like they are too cooked. If that happens you can also just pull them out of the oven and call them done. You want them to thicken. After that they can be removed from the oven and topped with the bacon pieces.

Kathy's Southern Potato Salad

Every Southern cook has their own version (and the one they swear by) of Southern Potato Salad. In my opinion Southern Potato Salad has to be yellow (mustard) potato salad. Don't get me wrong, I have a killer white potato salad, but nothing beats the good ole yummy in your tummy Southern Potato Salad. Now that isn't the only thing Southerners feel strong about regarding their potato salad. ONIONS! Do you or don't you? I DON"T. Now don't think I'm hating on the onion. I love onions. Just not in my Southern Potato Salad. See, I think good Southern Potato Salad tastes like a potato and a deviled egg got together and had a baby. My potato salad tastes a lot like deviled eggs. It is popular and I have spent many years coming up with what I think is the perfect taste. Now the problem came in that I had never ever measured anything in my potato salad when I made it. I just threw everything in and adjusted the flavor as needed because I knew what taste I was going for. So to create a recipe to put here was the task. Today is BBQ brisket sandwiches (a future post.) and we need potato salad and baked beans. So I measured everything as I made it. I think I did pretty good. The measurements might seem weird though because again I added till it had "That" taste. So here ya go.

Southern Potato Salad

5 lbs. potatoes peeled and cut up in bite size pieces. (You want your water you boil your potatoes in to be salted like pasta water. Ocean salty)

15 hard boiled eggs (trust me. I actually have been known to use 18! Shocking, I know.)

2 Cups Mayo (I only believe in Hellmans. DO NOT USE M-WHIP!! That should be outlawed.)

1/4 Cup + 1TBL. yellow mustard

1/4 Cup + 2TBL. sweet pickle relish

1 tsp. salt, plus more for the boiling water

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Peel, chop and boil potatoes till tender. Drain and place in bowl to cool (you want them cooled but slightly warm so they break up easily as you mix all your ingredients.) Remove eggs from shells and chop all the eggs and add to the potaotoes. Add the mayo, mustard, sweet pickle relish, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix everything well. I will be honest. I remove my rings and wash my hands and mix by hand. It is just the easiest way to blend it all and I can squish and break up the potaotes along the way.

Now the fun part. Taste for seasoning. I wipe as much off my hands as I can and then I go to the sink and lick all the yummy stuff off and then wash my hands. I know that is probably TMI. I just want you to know the whole thing is a great experience. Then call you taste tester in (in my case my husband John) and have them taste it for mayo/mustard ratio. Plus pickle relish. Usually if I need to do anything its add more salt , more relish or once in a while a little more mustard. But since I have measured this all out for you hopefully it will be pretty close to wonderful. 

Enjoy

Macaroni and Cheese

I like boxed Mac and Cheese. I LOVE homemade. In fact I don't make boxed unless I'm lazy and need easy peasy. Thank goodness that isn't often. This is really good. I'm always on the look for the bigger and better but this is pretty wonderful. You will thank me. Go ahead.....I'm waiting......thank me..............

Well fine. Try it first then thank me. Here we go....

Mac and Cheese

• 6 cups dried macaroni
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2  teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
• 1 lb. sharp Cheddar, grated (not pre-grated cheese), plus more for baking ( I change up the amounts of the cheeses I use. Sometimes its less cheddar than this and more Gruyere and sometimes its just cheddar. It will be good no matter what you use.) or don't use Gruyere and add velveeta. Velveeta makes it very creamy. Or add all the cheese. it is up to you. Its cheese. How can you go wrong.
•  1/4 lb. grated Gruyere cheese (optional. It good with just the sharp cheddar and velveeta cheeses.
• 4 ounces velveeta cubed
• 1/2 tsp. salt (salt to taste through out)
•  1 tsp. Seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the macaroni until still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.

 In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Don't let it burn. Pour in the milk, add the mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.

 Add in the cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and the pepper. Taste the sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Serve immediately (while it's still very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.

Hobo Potatoe Dinner

This dinner started out as a side dish of just "Hobo Potatoes" and now I make it in many ways. Our favorite is with pork chops. But as you can see the picture above even meatballs are wonderful.

Here is the basic recipe for the Hobo Potatoes and then with the added meat for a complete meal.

Hobo Potatoes

One baking potato per person, cut into large chunks. Place on one square of foil large enough to enclose potatoes and onions (and meat if using)
Below is per potato packet

1/2 an onion, large chop

2-4 Tbl. butter (we like a little potato with our butter.

salt and pepper

(I have added garlic. I almost like it better without. I love garlic but like the flavor of just onions and butter.)

Oven 425. 

Place chopped potato in middle of foil. Add salt and peppe and top with onion and butter. Fold up securely in foil  so that no steam or juice will escape and place in oven for 30-45 minutes till potatoes are tender. Be careful opening the foil as you will get some steam in the face.

Hobo Meal

Follow the directions above but after topping the potatoes with butter place a seasoned pork chop (or other meat of choice)  on top of butter. Fold up foil tightly so that no steam escapes. Bake 45 minutes or so till meat and potatoes are done.

My Grandma Doris's Sweet & Sour Cabbage

As I said in my post for Grumbersnitz & Kniffles, there wasn't anything my Grandma Doris ever made that I didn't love. This is yet another of her dishes that I loved. You can use regular green cabbage or red or mix them. I make pork tenderloin with this. They just go great together. Of course I have some mashers to go with it. But right now lets just discuss Sweet & Sour Cabbage. Being German she seemed to like recipes with vinegar. Yeah baby.  I will list her German Potato Salad soon. I have always cooked by just adding stuff without measuring. So I will have to make it and measure it all out. But for now here is her awesome Sweet & Sour Cabbage.

Sweet & Sour Cabbage by Grandma Doris

8 pieces of bacon (I use applewood smoked bacon. It is simply the best.)

1 large onion, chopped

1 (16oz) can stewed tomatoes. (her recipe says 1 pound, but she home canned and I don't. So I just work it out.)

1 medium head of cabbage (cut up into bite size pieces.)

1 Tbl. sugar

3 Tbl. vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar. She didn't specify which vinegar to use.)

Cut bacon into small pieces and brown till crisp in pan (large enough to hold the cut up cabbage.) Remove bacon and add onion to pan and fry till tender. Add tomatoes, sugar, vinegar. simmer a few minutes. Add cabbage. Bring to a boil and the reduce to a simmer. cover and simmer till the cabbage is tender (she said about one hour.) Add back the bacon and heat through. Season if necessary. Serve.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Something great and convenient about a twice baked potato. They can be made ahead and reheated right before time to eat. I served these with a wonderful Beef Tenderloin. With a family the size of mine it is a wonderful and easy dish. I have a son who doesn't like cheese. This pic is what his looked like. Had paprika on the top to help brown it. I just used salt, pepper, milk, butter, green onions and bacon in his. Simple and he loved it. The following recipe is for the real people in the world who love and appreciate CHEESE! I swear he was switched at birth. How much of each ingredient you use is really a personal taste preference. Play with it and make it your own.

Adapted from Pioneer Woman recipe.

Twice Baked Potatoes

8 baking potatoes (this serves 16 people. I consider 1/2 a potato a serving. So adjust accordingly. We love leftovers at my house. So I always make more than what we will need. We will have these with a salad for lunch the next day.)

3 Tbl. canola oil (for rubbing outside of potatoes with)

2 sticks butter, melted

1 cup or so of cooked bacon bits. ( I use apple wood smoked bacon cut and fried crisp)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup cheddar cheese and a little more for the top

1/2-1 cup milk

2 tsp. seasoned salt (we use Lowery's. No MSG)

3-6 green onions sliced thin (how much you use is a personal taste thing.)

pepper

Heat oven 400 degrees. I used huge baking potatoes from Costco. Wash the potatoes and dry them off. Oil the outside skin with the canola oil and place on baking sheet. Bake about one hour till cooked through. Let cool and slice in half and scoop out the potato leaving about a 1/4 inch wall of potato in the shell for stability.

Mix all ingredients with the potato and then refill the shells. Top with a little more shredded cheese (at this point you can put in fridge if making them early and pull out and let warm up slightly and heat for dinner.) and bake at 350 degrees till heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly/brown on top. About 15-20 minutes.