November 23, 2021

My clients really love their stuffed potatoes. Last month they ordered six (six!) different types as their entree sides. Six different cheeses and six different aromatic profiles. Garden chives still thrive in the ground—potted herbs have mostly succumbed to cool weather trickery. Thus, my most popular stuffed potato is cream cheese with garden chives. Cheddar, fontina and parmesan make the grade, too.

I adore potatoes and told my clients I envied their choices. Don’t you make this dish for yourself? Sheepishly, I confessed they were too labor intensive. Today’s Turkey and Veggie Stuffed Potatoes remedy that potato-starved state, with entree and side rolled into one. And preparing this dish was a labor of love. I did a little labor, and I love the outcome.

Versatility and Improvisation in the Kitchen

Wondering what to do with leftover Thanksgiving turkey or vegetables? Have a surplus of roasted items in your fridge? Just about anything will complement twice baked potatoes. First came the baked potato (this article shares some fascinating history) then came the brilliant idea to make a delicious potato canoe. This recipe uses deli smoked turkey cut into cubes. Bits of roasted bird taste just as delicious. Vegetables gently roasted to emphasize their natural sweetness are perfect potato partners. Butter, cream cheese and sour cream all sound decadent. If you are concerned with calories or fat, by all means use the lower fat substitutes, or vegan alternatives.

I used deli smoked turkey, but leftovers from your holiday feast will be equally tasty

butternut squash and broccoli are gently roasted in the oven with the potatoes

potato innards are mashed with cream cheese, chives and butter

You will have four fat overstuffed potatoes with this recipe. Wrapped well, the potato halves freeze nicely . They must be baked in the oven after defrosting, since the starch in the potatoes need to dry and set; the microwave is not your friend with potatoes. I still have two in my freezer and look forward to a hearty comfort meal on a chilly December evening.

Turkey and Veggie Stuffed Potatoes

recipe by Michele Humlan, The Good Eats Company

makes four servings

ingredients

two large russet potatoes, scrubbed
2 cups small dice butternut squash
1 large broccoli crown, diced (save heavy stems for salads)
½ tablespoon neutral oil like canola
pinch of kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
pinch of fine ground white pepper
1 tablespoon minced chives
½ cup sour cream
8 ounces deli smoked turkey cut in small cubes*
*have deli counter cut half inch turkey slices

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Use fork to prick potatoes all over; bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until they squeeze easily.
3. Combine butternut, broccoli, canola and kosher salt with clean hands in 9 X 13 bake pan and cook, covered with foil or lid, alongside potatoes for about 12 minutes until tender.
4. Set vegetables aside to cool.
5. Place butter, cream cheese and chives in mixing bowl.
6. When potatoes are tender, cut them lengthwise and scoop out innards into mixing bowl with the butter, leaving a 1/8 inch rim of the potato interior.
7. Sprinkle fine sea salt and white pepper and use potato masher to combine all.
8. With large spoon, add sour cream and mix just until combined.
9. Add smoked turkey, butternut squash and broccoli; pile mix into the potato shells.
10. At this point, cool and wrap tightly with plastic for freezing, and if enjoying right away, maintain oven temperature and bake the stuffed potatoes for 20-25 minutes.
11. If frozen, defrost in fridge, unwrap, let reach room temperature while oven heats, then bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.