How to Make a Cold Weather Meal

This delightful dish takes two ordinary meals and combines them into a mouth watering treat. The steps are easily laid out and for those busy , working people I have also included some hints and helpful tips.

Here is what you will need to feed a squad of four to six people.

GROUND BEEF- 1.4 to 2 lbs
1 10oz can of diced tomatoes with green chili- I use Rotel.
4 potatoes -preferably bake potatoes
1 diced onions
1 jar of white cream cheese/Monterey Jack
1 container 6oz sour cream

Seasonings- pepper, salt, lemon pepper, cumin, cilantro, brown sugar

Preparation. Here is where I will point out the fast way, for our working people, like me.

Take the four potatoes and poke holes in them. Wrap them in individual zip lock bags and microwave them until soft. Usually, depending on size 6-10 minutes.
Meanwhile- brown the ground beef in a pan. Add a little of the pepper and salt here if you wish, I do.
Turn the oven on 350, most require pre heating time. Ding! The potatoes are done. Remove them from the zip lock bags and allow to cool. We will get back to them in a minute.
Take the ground beef and drain the excess grease off. Place the ground beef into a mixing bowl.
Use the frying pan the ground beef was in and pour the diced onions in. May need a little butter here. What we want to do is saute the onions. Here we will sprinkle a little brown sugar on them to help .

Find a shallow casserole dish and place the potatoes in. We will cut each potato in half, length wise.Should be just enough room. Oven should be at 350 now. Place the dish in to the oven. Go back to the onions should be nice and soft and sweet. Good. Pour them in to the mixing bowl. Mix the jar of Monterey cheese, the Rotel (or the diced tomatoes and green chili pepper ), the sour cream and mix thoroughly.

Remove the dish from the oven and with a selected utensil, scatter the meat mix evenly across the potato halves.
Return to oven. All we want to do here is let the two ingredients meet in the middle and mesh. No more then 3-5 minutes. Call the squad in for dinner! Right before you serve sprinkle until lightly green with the cilantro. Sit back and watch the smile come to their faces, starting with yours. Good eats. Enjoy.