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 reasonably. So what’s for dinner? As the old proverb goes, when times get tough, the tough get going. Here’s an idea for dinner that meets all of your objectives. Tasty, filling, healthy and quick to mend. A single massive potato, bits of this and that and your microwave will supply a satisfying meal in just minutes.

The microwave baked potato supplies the base for your dinner. Rather than wait 45 minutes to an hour for an oven-baked potato, try the microwave baked potato. Some purists claim a microwave baked potato doesn’t stand up to the cooker baked potato because the texture of the completed potato is a little different. Don’t believe it! A large potato takes just eight to 10 mins in the microwave. Be certain it’s fully cooked - that is the trick to simulating the oven 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. Very similar to a salad, you can pile leftovers and gourmet goodies to make this meal both a totally mouth watering and nutritious dinner.

A piece of bacon or ham contributes protein. Butter is a necessity. A bit of grated cheese provides calcium. Do you have some parsley, chives or onions? Throw them into the mix. What about some chopped olives? Your microwave baked potato is coming into its own now. Look thru your left-overs, 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 possibly holds heaps of bits of food that may complement your microwave baked potato meal. Herbs and spices can make this meal more than gratifying. The neutral flavour of the potato makes it a perfect partner for just about anything you want to add.

So when you believe there’s nada to eat, get that potato out and build yourself a mouth watering meal. Your microwave makes it quick and your seemingly bare cupboard will fill in the blanks. Eat hearty!.

Do you like to cook? If so, visit cooking101.org and get easy recipes you can use everyday to make delicious meals for the entire family baked potato soup recipe.

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