Twice Stuffed

There is simply no way around it. When I cook, I spend the hours between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the kitchen. Between the preparation, the cooking, the eating, and the cleaning up, that's just how much time it takes. Do I mind? Mostly not. Sometimes grandly.

Well, I got off easy last night -- older son at a sleepover, husband off at karate, younger son wanting to go to his favorite Chinese restaurant for his favorite foods: chicken chow mein and sweet and sour pork. Luckily, both come as part of the Special Dinner (available for one, two, three, or four), including battered shrimp and pork fried rice for $5.25. A better deal is not to be had. For another $5.50, I got an order of Chinese greens and mushrooms, and we both were happy.

I have attemped chicken chow mein at home, but am told it is not as good as the stuff we get out. My husband assures me it's because I would never cook with as much oil or cornstarch, and he's probably right.

As if to assuage the sins of the children -- doughnuts for breakfast at the sleepover, buckets of popcorn at an afternoon movie (hearsay -- I wasn't there) -- or else to punish them, I decided to make twice-baked stuffed potatoes for dinner with the remaining four enormous Idaho baking potatoes from a 10 lb. bag. Older son refused completely, then stuck his fork in and made mush of it, and finally ate the crispy top and a few cucumber slices. Younger son asked for the crispy tops right away and ate one with lots of ketchup. Husband and I happily consumed one large potato each, and felt twice baked and stuffed ourselves.

Oh, and thinking ahead, I began marinating some boneless loin pork chops in marinade left from the skirt steak of a few weeks ago.

TWICE-BAKED STUFFED POTATOES

4 large baking potatoes (such as Russet or Idaho)
1/2 cup sharp grated cheese (such as cheddar or parmesan)
1 cup cooked broccoli florets
1 large red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped ham (optional)
milk
additional cheese to sprinkle on top

Bake potatoes at 350 until about 7/8 done (they should be still firm, but mashable). Remove from oven and slice tops off. Scoop insides into mixing bowl. If still too firm, microwave until soft. Add milk and mash until smooth. Stir in grated cheese, broccoli, pepper, ham, and season with salt and pepper if desired. Spoon mashed mixture into potato shells. Sprinkle additional cheese on top. Brush cut off tops with olive oil. Place potatoes and tops on baking sheet and return to oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes to brown at the end.