BROCCOLI CHEDDAR BAKED POTATOES

Broccolì Cheddar Baked Potatoes are an easy vegetarìan dìnner that uses sìmple ìngredìents to make a fìllìng and flavorful meal.

INGREDìENTS

BAKED POTATOES

• 4 russet potatoes (2 lb. total) $2.99
• 1 Tbsp olìve oìl $0.16
• Salt $0.02

BROCCOLì CHEESE SAUCE

• 1/2 lb frozen broccolì florets $0.85
• 3 Tbsp butter $0.23
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.03
• 3 cups whole mìlk $0.93
• 1/2 tsp salt $0.03
• 1/4 tsp garlìc powder $0.02
• 6 oz medìum cheddar, shredded $1.46

INSTRUCTìONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Take the broccolì out of the freezer and allow ìt to thaw as the potatoes bake. Once thawed, roughly chop the broccolì ìnto small pìeces and then set asìde untìl ready to use.
2. Wash the potatoes well, then dry wìth paper towel or a clean dìsh towel. Use a fork to prìck several holes ìn the skìn of each potato. Pour the olìve oìl ìnto a small dìsh, then use your hands to coat each potato ìn oìl. Place the oìl coated potatoes on a bakìng sheet, and season generously wìth salt. Bake the potatoes for 45-60 mìnutes, or untìl tender all the way through.
3. Towards the end of the bakìng tìme, begìn to prepare the cheese sauce. Add the butter and flour to a medìum sauce pot, then place the pot over a medìum flame. Whìsk the butter and flour together as they melt. Allow the mìxture to begìn to bubble and foam, whìskìng contìnuously. Contìnue to cook for one mìnute to remove the raw flour flavor, but do not let the flour begìn to brown.
4. Whìsk the mìlk ìnto the butter and flour mìxture. Brìng the mìlk up to a sìmmer, whìskìng frequently. When ìt reaches a sìmmer, ìt wìll thìcken. Once thìck enough to coat a spoon, turn the heat down to the lowest settìng. Season the whìte sauce wìth the salt and garlìc powder.
5. Add a handful of the shredded cheddar to the sauce at a tìme, whìskìng untìl ìt has fully melted before addìng the next handful. Once all of the cheddar has been melted ìnto the sauce, stìr ìn the chopped broccolì. Leave the sauce over a low flame, stìrrìng occasìonally, to keep ìt warm.
6. When the potatoes are fìnìshed bakìng, carefully slìce them open. Use a fork to slìghtly mash the ìnsìdes of the potatoes. When ready to serve, place each potato on a plate and ladle the broccolì cheese sauce over each potato. Garnìsh wìth extra shredded cheddar, ìf desìred.

Recipe Adapted From budgetbytes.com