Jacket Potatoes - Cheesy Baked Potato


Jacket potatoes make a healthy alternative to chips and a good source of energy - for a speedier version you can cook them first in the microwave. Stuffed baked potatoes are particularly delicious and an easy vegetarian recipe.

This combination of potato and butternut squash mixed with a little cheese and mustard is one of my favourite fillings. You can also bake butternut squash in the oven which gives it a lovely caramelised flavour. Simply cut the butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds, brush each half with melted butter, cover with foil and bake in an oven pre-heated to 180C for about 1 1/2 hours.
 

Jacket Potatoes

 

 

 

Superfood Butternut Squash provides a good source of betacarotene which is essential for growth, fighting infection, healthy skin and good vision.

Other good toppings:

Sour Cream and Chives
Cottage Cheese and chives with diced Double Gloucester cheese
Sweetcorn Salsa – sweetcorn, spring onion, diced red pepper and a little mayonnaise

  

With Butternut Squash

100g butternut squash cut into cubes
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
10g butter
10g fresh grated parmesan
20g grated Cheddar

 

Broccoli & Cheese Topping

125g broccoli cut into small florets

SAUCE
15g butter
15g plain flour
150 ml milk
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
30g grated Cheddar cheese
20g grated parmesan

 

 

With Chilli Beans

2 medium baked potatoes

1 x 150g tin baked beans
2 tsp Heinz Chilli sauce
6 drops Tabasco or to taste

20g grated Cheddar cheese

 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Wash and prick medium sized baking potatoes. For a crispy skin, rub the potatoes lightly with a little olive oil before baking. Bake in the oven for about one hour or until tender.

Alternatively you can cook two potatoes in a microwave. Wash and prick the potatoes and cook on high for 10 minutes, then transfer them to an oven preheated to 200C/400F and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender.

WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Steam the butternut squash for 10 minutes or until soft. Alternatively bake in the oven with the potato. Cut a medium baked potato in half, scoop out the flesh and mash together with the cooked butternut squash, mustard, parmesan and butter. Season with salt and pepper, put the mixture back into the potato shells, cover with the grated Cheddar and grill for 5 to 6 minutes.

BROCCOLI & CHEESE TOPPING
Steam the broccoli for 5 to 6 minutes until tender. Refresh under a cold running tap and leave to drain.

Melt the butter, stir in the flour, cook for one minute. Take off the heat, add the milk gradually to make a smooth sauce. Cook over a low heat, stirring until it comes to the boil and then cook for one minute. It will be quite a thick sauce. Stir in the mustard, two cheeses, salt and pepper and the broccoli. Cut a cross in the top of the potato, gently squeeze and spoon the filling into the middle.

POTATOES WITH CHILLI BEANS
Mix together the baked beans, Chilli sauce and Tabasco. Cut a cross in the top of the potatoes, gently squeeze and spoon the filling into the middle. Top with the grated cheese. Place under a preheated grill until golden and bubbling.