Friday, April 09, 2010

New Stuffed Potatoes

This year for Easter, I went to my friend's house for a late lunch.  She had to work that day and my family stayed in TN, so we thought we'd make lunch together.  Two days before her mom texted her saying that they were coming.  So, we ended up having a larger crowd than expected for lunch. 

Sarah made ham (which her little boy LOVED), rolls, and asparagus.  Her mom brought chicken and grilled it.  I brought pineapple, a blueberry pie (with adapted recipe to come), and stuffed red potatoes.  I had tasted a stuffed new potato dish at a Sunday School party and thought it would be a good dish for Easter lunch.  Your typical stuffed potato uses LOTS of creamy stuff like mayonaise and/or sour cream along with cheese.  OH YUM!  But, this is not so good for you...but you can still have delicious potatoes without all this. 

Instead of sour cream, I used Greek yogurt.  And instead of mixing a lot of cheese into the filling AND putting it on top, I just put a little bit on top when I baked the potatoes.  As to seasoning, you can do whatever you like.  I used salt, pepper, and thyme but green onion/chives would be great.  Additionally, if you wanted to make these more "hearty" you could mix some veggies (broccoli, tomatoes, etc) into the filling.  When I made these, the filling was just a bit too crumbly, so I added a squirt or two of Ranch dressing (fat free or lite).  They ended up being pretty tasty.   

Stuffed Red/New Potatoes
1 bag (about 12-15 potatoes) red potatoes
1 single serving size (6-8oz) container fat free Greek yogurt
salt
pepper
seasoning of choice (rosemary, thyme, chives, parsley, etc)
sharp cheddar cheese (using stronger cheeses enables you to use less and get great taste)
Ranch dressing, buttermilk, or milk (something to help thin the filling a tad)

In a large pot of water, boil the potatoes until fork tender but with enough firmness to hold shape.  Drain the water and cut potatoes in half so that they will sit stably on a place.  Using a spoon or melon baller (I used a tablespoon) to scoop out the center of the potato halves.  Take care when doing this so that the skins will hold their shape and not break apart.  In a large bowl, place the potato centers.  Mix with yogurt, salt, pepper, herbs, and liquid of choice for making a smooth filling.  Place the empties potato halves on a baking sheet.  Fill with filling.  Top each potato with a small amount (fingertip-full) of cheese.  Place in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges slightly browned.  Enjoy!

5 comments:

Anna said...

Those are adorable! I'm always looking for new ways to serve potatoes, so I'll give these a try. It might be fun to use a different kind of cheese, too. Maybe try with Manchego? Of course they look good as it.

Vickie said...

Didn't see your post. Posting the same thing...how crazy is that! These look great. I bet the buttermilk dressing was good. Will give this a try.

The JR said...

Sounds good and a lot healthier for you.

Abby said...

Great idea! They would be fab apps, too.

Elle said...

So cute! Yogurt goes really well with potatoes...I like it better than sour cream. Great tip to just put the cheese on the top.