Baked Potato with Crab Au Gratin Topping

Baked Potato with Crab Au Gratin Topping was a brainstorm we had when we (for the first time ever) had some leftover crab au gratin.

Crab Au Gratin is probably Beryl’s all-time favorite seafood dish, so last week when we went out to eat at Mike Anderson’s Seafood Restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, there was little doubt what Beryl was going to order.

(Mike Anderson’s has some awesome Crab Au Gratin, along with everything else that is pretty awesome as well!)

Well, what this did was whet Beryl’s appetite for some more…

Every Saturday night, we video something that Beryl cooks for our Cajun Cooking TV show, that airs on WLFT-TV in Baton Rouge every Tuesday morning.

So, what did she cook on Saturday night this week?

You guessed it – Crab Au Gratin. Continue reading “Baked Potato with Crab Au Gratin Topping” →

Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes, also called stuffed potatoes, give your meal that restaurant quality pizzazz.

We had to add twice baked potatoes to our Cajun recipes after enjoying them so much at Mike Anderson’s restaurant.

So, this is what we conjured up.

If you’re hungry for something a little jazzier than baked potatoes, try this recipe (some people call them stuffed potatoes.)

It’s sure to be a hit!

Twice Baked Potatoes: Ingredients

4 medium – large Idaho potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 small broccoli crowns (or 1/2 bag frozen broccoli crowns) – steamed
2 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Bacon bits (optional)
Sea salt
Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Twice Baked Potatoes: Cooking

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash potatoes.

Wrap in foil.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours turning over half way through cooking.

In the meantime, steam broccoli crowns.

Remove potatoes from oven and open from foil.

Let sit a few minutes.

Cut potatoes in half and separate.

Allow to cool a bit in order to handle.

Take a small spoon or ice cream scooper and hollow out the potato halves.

Put in a large mixing bowl.

(Do not scoop all the way to the skin so that you have a stable base.)

To the potatoes, add butter, sour cream, broccoli, green onions, cheese, and seasonings.

With a potato masher or a large whisk, mash all the ingredients together well.

Place the mixture back into the potato shells.

Place on a baking sheet or casserole dish.

Top with more shredded Cheddar cheese.

Bake 5-10 minutes to re-heat and melt the cheese.

Remove from oven and serve.

Twice Baked Potatoes: Serving Suggestions

A typical serving is a half potato for each person.

Enjoy with a steak or seafood or anything you like.

Beryl

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Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
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You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

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How to Cook a Baked Potato

A Baked Potato is a traditional side item for steaks – you know the saying: “I’m a steak and potatoes man”.

The potato referred to as a tuber plant that grows underground.  Potatoes were first cultivated in the Andes over 1800 years ago and later introduced in Europe in the 16th century.

Baked Potatoes are easy to prepare, but do take some time.

There is sometimes a misconception that a real Baked Potato can be achieved in the microwave.  This is simply not true. You bake a real baked potato in a real oven.

Give these Cajun Cookin’ baked potatoes a try and you will be eating the skins too.

Ingredients for a Skin Eatin’ Good Baked Potato

Large Idaho potato (one per person)
Canola or olive oil spray
Sea salt (plain table salt is fine)
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Aluminum Foil

Prepping and Baking the Potatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To prepare – thoroughly wash the potatoes and scrub the skin with a vegetable brush.  Do not dry off. 

Place each potato on an ample piece of aluminum foil at an angle.

Spray the potatoes thoroughly with spray oil. (You can also just rub the potatoes with oil instead.)

Sprinkle with sea salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning.  Add any other seasonings you might like.

Wrap each of the potatoes and seal tightly.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet (starch may leak out while baking).

Bake for 40 minutes.  Turn potatoes over and bake another 40 minutes.

With a pot holder, test the potatoes for doneness by squeezing.  They should easily be squeezed.

Carefully remove from oven and unwrap from foil.

Serving Suggestions for a Skin Eatin’ Good Baked Potato

Slice down the middle with a knife.

With pot holders grasp each end of the potato and squeeze toward the middle and push down to open up.  This is how they do it in the restaurants.

Fill with your favorite potato toppings: butter, sour cream, bacon bits, chopped green onions and shredded cheddar cheese.

Don’t forget to eat the skin too!

P.S. – For a really special baked potato, try our Twice Baked Potatoes recipe…

Twice Baked Potatoes