Snacks as a supper

Well I hope today finds you all in great spirits, I certainly am in a great mood. I am going on vacation this Friday and will spend three days in Hermann Mo with a friend of mine touring wine country. So Friday and Saturday there will not be any posts since I will be gone, but in the meantime, tonight I made Stuffed Potatoes with Ham, Thyme, and Gruyere.

Ingredients
4 medium to large baking potatoes(had to buy these and when you do, get russets, they are the best for baking)

A drizzle evoo(got lots of this)

2 shallots, chopped(got them)

1/2 pound baked ham from a deli, sliced 1/8-inch thick, cut into 2-inch thick strips(ok, as a veg-head, I did not buy real ham, but fake ham slices instead)

1/2 pound Gruyere, shredded, about 2 cups(I had to buy this and if you are not familiar with Gruyere, it is basically swiss cheese, so just grab yourself some swiss if you cannot find some that is specifically marked Gruyere)

2 tablespoons butter, in small pieces(I got it)

1/2 cup milk or half-and-half (I used soy milk for this)

6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only, chopped to about 2 tablespoons(actually had this on hand)

Salt and pepper to taste(got it)


Rub potatoes with a drizzle of oil and pierce skins with the tines of a fork. Microwave on high 12 minutes or until tender.

While the potatoes cook in the microwave, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and saute chopped shallots 2 to 3 minutes or until bits are just tender. Set aside.

Cool potatoes for 5 minutes, split potatoes down the center, and scrape flesh into a bowl. Set skins aside on a non-stick baking sheet. Preheat broiler to high with oven rack 6-inches from the heat source.

To the cooked potato in the mixing bowl, add shallots, ham strips, grated cheese, butter, milk or half-and-half(or soy milk in my case), thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Mash mixture with a potato masher or dinner fork until mixture is combined, but not entirely lump-free.

Scoop mixture in even amounts into skins and broil 2 or 3 minutes to lightly brown stuffed potatoes on top. Serve the halves of stuffed potatoes with salad.

The verdict.........AWESOME, this really tastes fantastic and i will be serving this come football season and if you have had soy milk, it adds a little extra something with it's unique taste.

Even the cats ate this one, so a tip of my hat to Rachael on this one, it is really tasty.

Until tomorrow..........