It’s just two days before payday and your cupboard is looking pretty slim. The last time you shopped for groceries, each single item on your list had gone up substantially and you had to trim your list in an appropriate way. So what’s for dinner? As the old chestnut goes, when times get troublesome, the difficult get going. Here’s an idea for dinner that meets all your objectives. Tasty, filling, healthy and fast to mend. A single large potato, bits of this and that and your microwave will provide a satisfying meal in just minutes.
The microwave baked potato provides the base for your dinner. Rather than wait 45 mins to an hour for an oven-baked potato, try the microwave baked potato. Some purists claim that a microwave baked potato doesn’t stand up to the cooker baked potato as the texture of the finished potato is a little different. Do not believe it! A big potato takes just eight to ten minutes in the microwave. Be sure it’s completely cooked - that is the trick to simulating the stove baked potato texture.
The microwave baked potato must be punctured with a fork all around, top, bottom and sides. This permits the potato to steam and cook just as its oven-baked counterpart.
While your potato is cooking, assemble your dressings. Much like a salad, you can pile remains and gourmet goodies to make this meal both a totally juicy and healthy dinner.
A slice of bacon or ham contributes protein. Butter is a necessity. A bit of scraped cheese provides calcium. Do you have some parsley, chives or onions? Throw them into the mix. What about some cut olives? Your microwave baked potato is coming into its own now. Look thru your leftovers, too frequently going to waste. What about that tiny bit of corn, begging to be used? Pile that on your burgeoning microwave baked potato meal. One mushroom, cut and sauteed adds a gourmet touch. Hmm. What else? Aha! There is a spoonful of sour cream. More calcium, with the added benefit of a tasty tasting topping.
Your frig doubtless holds heaps of bits of food that can complement your microwave baked potato meal. Herbs and spices can make this meal more than satisfying. The neutral flavour of the potato makes it a perfect partner for virtually anything you would like to add.
So when you suspect there’s nada to eat, get that potato out and build yourself a tasty meal. Your microwave makes it quick and your apparently bare cupboard will fill in the blanks. Eat hearty!.
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