Beef and Broccoli Baked Potatoes

They say if you want your children to eat their broccoli, or many other vegetables for that matter, one surefire way is to cover the veggies in a cheese sauce. This delicious recipe takes that advice one step further and combines the broccoli and cheese with other delicious ingredients inside the warm, yummy comfort food of a baked potato. This hearty meal will put a smile on the face of every member of your family, and thanks to low-fat cheese and lean ground beef, it’s quite healthy for them as well.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium or large russet potatoes
• ½ to ¾ pound lean ground beef, use more for larger potatoes
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped small
• 1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
• ½ cup low-fat sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. After cleaning the potatoes, pierce them with a fork and bake them either in a 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes or in the microwave for about 20 minutes, turning once during cooking.

2. While the potatoes bake, brown and drain the ground beef and set aside. Also, place the broccoli in a small pan, covered in water, and bring to a boil, cooking for about 4 to 5 minutes. Combine the meat and broccoli back into the skillet you cooked the meat in.

3. Slice the tops off the potatoes and scoop out the insides. Place the empty potatoes in a backing dish. In a medium bowl, combine the potato insides, half the cheddar, sour cream and salt and pepper. Mix together before adding the meat and broccoli. Spoon the mixture into the potato shells and sprinkle on the other half of cheddar cheese. Microwave the potatoes on high until the cheese is melted.