Recipe: Jacket Potatoes

Here’s a healthy and very easy recipe by Mairlyn Smith, the author of seven best-selling cookbook, and a regular guest expert on CityLine and Breakfast TV in Toronto.

Jacket Potatoes

Jacket Potatoes are baked regular potatoes or sweet potatoes that have been filled with an assortment of toppings; from beans and grated cheese to a tuna sauce with dill.

My Jacket Potatoes use leftover chili as the main topping or a can of beans with tomato sauce, it really depends on what you have in your fridge or pantry.

To serve four: (for one, just cut the ingredients by 1/4.)

Ingredients

• 4 small baking potatoes (Russets) or sweet potatoes
• 2 – 398 mL cans beans with tomato sauce, heated (or use homemade leftover chili, approx. ½ cup/125 mL per potato)
• ½ cup (125 mL) fresh deli salsa, mild, medium, or hot, look for a lower sodium brand
• ¼ cup (60 mL) strong grated cheddar cheese
• ½ cup (125 mL) fresh chopped cilantro, optional
• ½ cup (125 mL) thinly sliced green onions
• Hot sauce, if desired

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C) or use a microwave.
2. Scrub potatoes well and pierce with a fork.
3. Bake or microwave 4 potatoes until they are cooked through. Microwave, approx 12-20 minutes. (Oven bake 1-1 ½  hours)
4. Cut each potato in half; gently squeeze the ends together to make the potato open up. You are making a potato receptacle, okay a bowl. Spoon over approx. ¾ cup (180 mL) of the beans into each potato.
5. Top each with 2 tbsp (30 mL) deli fresh salsa.
6. Sprinkle each with 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated cheese.
7. Sprinkle each with 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped cilantro and green onion.
8. Sprinkle with hot sauce if using. Serve.