*FACT* Through DNA analyses, scientists have surmised that 99% of the potatoes as we know it sprang from a single origin in Southern Peru, between 3000 BC and 2000BC. It's not surprising that the potato is the 4th largest crop in the world…Holy Mashies, Kitchen Witches- that’s A LOT of TATERS.
The entertaining thing about potatoes is that because they have been around for so long, beloved of so many different cultures and enjoyed in so many different places, that we just keep finding new ways to enjoy them! While my particular favorite is soup, the baked potato is a very close second. One of the most winning attributes of the baked potato is that it likes to be abused, so to speak.
The baked potato is a surprisingly adventurous food.
Loaded baked potatoes can be found all over the globe, and have traveled far from their humble beginnings in southern Peru. You can find them happily cohabitating with cheese, butter, sour cream…throw in some bacon bits; add some chives, and maybe some scallions… Ideally, your potato can be as staid and calm or as global as you can envision it, and as tall as you can build it. In Europe, they are enamored with the idea of adding tuna and prawn. In Turkey they prefer their taters with mayo, ketchup, pickles, carrots, mushrooms, and Russian salad.
My baked potato castle waves a Chili and sour cream flag.
What a phenomenal alternative to a fast food meal. It might take a bit more time than starting your car and waiting in line for the drive thru clerk ( who probably doesn’t care how long you have to wait or how hungry you are) to relieve you of your money (that just doesn’t seem to go far enough for long enough anymore)…but I promise you, it will be worth the extra few minutes of your time spent in your kitchen. You’ll make up for it in taste, and appreciation. Again, you can't find that in a Happy Meal.
Bain sult as! (Enjoy!)
Cook ground beef and onions in large soup pot until ground beef is browned. Drain. Return to pot, add next 7 ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce temp and simmer for 20 minutes.
*Scrub potatoes and prick with fork. Place on paper towel in microwave on high for 15 minutes, turning every 5. Let stand 2 minutes, serve with desired toppings.
%20to%20relieve%20you%20of%20your%20money%20(that%20just%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20seem%20to%20go%20far%20enough%20for%20long%20enough%20anymore)%E2%80%A6but%20I%20promise%20you,%20it%20will%20be%20worth%20the%20extra%20few%20minutes%20of%20your%20time%20spent%20in%20your%20kitchen.%20You%E2%80%99ll%20make%20up%20for%20it%20in%20taste,%20and%20appreciation.%20Again,%20you%20can't%20find%20that%20in%20a%20Happy%20Meal.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBain%20sult%20as!%20(Enjoy!)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECook%20ground%20beef%20and%20onions%20in%20large%20soup%20pot%20until%20ground%20beef%20is%20browned.%20Drain.%20Return%20to%20pot,%20add%20next%207%20ingredients%20and%20bring%20to%20boil.%20Reduce%20temp%20and%20simmer%20for%2020%20minutes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E*Scrub%20potatoes%20and%20prick%20with%20fork.%20Place%20on%20paper%20towel%20in%20microwave%20on%20high%20for%2015%20minutes,%20turning%20every%205.%20Let%20stand%202%20minutes,%20serve%20with%20desired%20toppings.%3C/p%3E){kind=small}
