ats
tgh
They might not be the prettiest things in the world (I won’t even say what my boyfriend said they looked like), but who cares? We’re talking about CHEESE SAUCE. A really easy cheese sauce, chock full of broccoli (so you can feel good about yourself) poured over perfect crispy-skin baked potatoes. These Broccoli Cheddar Baked Potatoes are, IMHO, the perfect half way point between comfort food and good-for-you food. I like compromise.
This is yet another great “base” recipe that you can customize to fit your wallet and taste buds. This original version is so good that it made my feet wiggle, but if you want to add more you could always do something like bacon bits or grilled chicken, jalapeños or sriracha if you like it spicy, or maybe something simple like sliced green onion. Empty out the fridge and use up leftover ingredients as toppings. Anything that is good on a loaded baked potato would probably also be good on these, so that might give you a place to start experimenting.
Oh, and FYI, they reheat really well in the microwave. I just reheated one for second breakfast and it was AWESOME. (“Second Breakfast” is to early birds what “fourth meal” is to you night owls.)
BROCCOLI CHEDDAR BAKED POTATOES
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
BAKED POTATOES
4 russet potatoes (2 lb. total)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt
BROCCOLI CHEESE SAUCE
1/2 lb frozen broccoli florets
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
6 oz medium cheddar, shredded
INSTRUCTIONS
bwh
This is yet another great “base” recipe that you can customize to fit your wallet and taste buds. This original version is so good that it made my feet wiggle, but if you want to add more you could always do something like bacon bits or grilled chicken, jalapeños or sriracha if you like it spicy, or maybe something simple like sliced green onion. Empty out the fridge and use up leftover ingredients as toppings. Anything that is good on a loaded baked potato would probably also be good on these, so that might give you a place to start experimenting.
Oh, and FYI, they reheat really well in the microwave. I just reheated one for second breakfast and it was AWESOME. (“Second Breakfast” is to early birds what “fourth meal” is to you night owls.)
BROCCOLI CHEDDAR BAKED POTATOES
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
BAKED POTATOES
4 russet potatoes (2 lb. total)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt
BROCCOLI CHEESE SAUCE
1/2 lb frozen broccoli florets
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
6 oz medium cheddar, shredded
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Take the broccoli out of the freezer and allow it to thaw as the potatoes bake. Once thawed, roughly chop the broccoli into small pieces and then set aside until ready to use.
- Wash the potatoes well, then dry with paper towel or a clean dish towel. Use a fork to prick several holes in the skin of each potato. Pour the olive oil into a small dish, then use your hands to coat each potato in oil. Place the oil coated potatoes on a baking sheet, and season generously with salt. Bake the potatoes for 45-60 minutes, or until tender all the way through.
- Towards the end of the baking time, begin to prepare the cheese sauce. Add the butter and flour to a medium sauce pot, then place the pot over a medium flame. Whisk the butter and flour together as they melt. Allow the mixture to begin to bubble and foam, whisking continuously. Continue to cook for one minute to remove the raw flour flavor, but do not let the flour begin to brown.