Vegetable-Stuffed Baked Potato

My mother used to make something similar to this when I was younger and I have been craving it recently. This is filling and very healthy. I have also made it adding cooked carrots to the mixture, which is a nice addition.

Ingredients:

• Large Russett potatoes
• Olive oil, for coating
• Sea salt, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Broccoli
  
• Cauliflower
• Cheese (I used a combination of mozzarella and Romano)
• Sour cream
  
• Cooked bacon, chopped
• Shredded cheddar cheese, for topping

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• Place rack in middle of oven. Place a foil-lined baking sheet under the middle rack to catch any drippings.
  
• Scrub potatoes with a stiff brush in water well. Pat dry.

• Poke 8 to 12 deep holes in the potatoes.
• Coat potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and garlic powder.
• Place potatoes directly on oven rack.
  
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you are using 4 potatoes or more, you may want to increase the time for an additional 15 minutes.
  
• In the meantime, boil cut up broccoli and cauliflower in water, until tender.

• In a large bowl, mix cooked vegetables, mozzarella and Romano cheese and sour cream together. Season with sea salt.
  
• Remove baked potatoes from oven and set aside. Turn off the oven and place cooked vegetables in the oven until the cheese is melted.
• Cut open the potatoes (watch out for steam). Make slits in the sides of the cooked potatoes (so filling can penetrate).
  
• Spoon vegetable mixture in the middle.
  
• Top with cooked bacon and cheddar cheese.
• Enjoy!