Week of 10/9/2000

Potato Skins with Bacon and Cheese

3 medium russet potatoes
Vegetable oil
5 bacon slices
1 1/4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 cup chopped green onions
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes; pat dry. Rub skins with oil. Place potatoes on baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are tender, about 1 hour. Cool. Maintain oven temperature. Cut each potato lengthwise into quarters. Scoop out centers, leaving 1/2 inch thick layer of cooked potato on skins. Oil baking sheet. Place skins, skin side down, on sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Drain. Chop bacon. Transfer to medium bowl. Add cheeses, parsley and cayenne; stir to blend. Sprinkle cheese mixture atop skins. Bake until skins are crisp and cheese mixture melts, about 25 minutes.

Transfer skins to platter. Sprinkle with green onions; top with dollops of sour cream and serve. Makes 6 appetizer servings.ooms.

Chocolate Chip Brownies
Supermarket shortcut makes this easy for your tailgate party!

1 (19.8 oz.) package fudge brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
(about 9 oz.)
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9x9x2 inch metal baking pan. Place brownie mix in bowl. Add oil, eggs and liqueur; whisk until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until slightly puffed and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs still attached, about 35-40 minutes. Cool brownies in pan on rack.

Pasta E Figioli
This soup goes together in minutes!

2 slices of bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small rib of celery, chopped fine
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (some additional may be needed to add
to thin soup at end of cooking)
a 16 oz. can white beans, rinsed well and drained
a 16 oz. can diced tomatoes, (garlic or herb flavored, if available)
1/3 cup small tubular pasta such as tubetti or elbows
2 Tbls. minced fresh parsley leaves

freshly grated Parmesan as an accompaniment

In a heavy saucepan cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp, pour off all but Tbls. of the fat, and in the remaining fat cook the onion , stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook until translucent, stirring, being careful not to brown. Add the celery, carrot, and broth. Simmer mixture, covered, for 5 minutes.

In a bowl mash 1/3 cup of the beans, stir them into the bacon mixture with the remaining whole beans and the tomatoes, and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the pasta, and continue to simmer the soup, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. If desired, thin the soup with a little more chicken broth. Let the soup stand off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes, stir in the parsley, and serve the soup in bowls sprinkled with Parmesan. Makes about 3 cups, serving 2 as a main course.