Double stuffed potatoes - make ahead summer meals- yummy and freezer worthy

I am always looking for meal prep ideas to use during the week. Both Kris and I  don't make it home until 5:30/6:00 some days,  so a full meal prep with 2 little kids doesn't always work out for us. Another common theme- we all want our food to be tasty, kid friendly, and healthy.... 

Double stuffed potatoes are a side dish that can be made a healthy or unhealthy as you want.  You start from the basics and then you add from there. 

What you will need:

• Baking sheet
• Tin foil to cover baking sheet
• 10 Potatoes (what ever ones you prefer baked, but the bigger the better...) 
• 2 1/2 shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup of Sour Cream 
• 1 Tbsp of Butter
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste 
• Mixing bowl to mix the potato mixture
• Knife to cut baked potatoes
• Spoon to scoop out baked potato/mix potato mixture/spoon back into potato 
• Freezer bags if you are making these for another day. 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees 

Cover cookie sheet with tin foil 

Wash potatoes, leave skin on or leave then "naked" as some would say (Carter thought it was funny that I said naked potatoes..ha ha ha..kids)

Pierce the potatoes in various places with a fork. 

Place potatoes on cookie sheet and put in the oven for at least 1 hr. 

***Every persons oven is different. Potatoes will need at least an hour but they may need longer. When an hour is up, you can check them by seeing if a tooth pick or a fork pierces into the potatoes easily. If it does not put it in the oven for another 20 minutes. Repeat until the potatoes are able to be pierced. Sometimes the bigger the potato the longer it takes***

Shred cheese while waiting

Once potatoes are finished baking you will need to work fast, and yes the potatoes are hot. 

Put on an oven mitt and hold the hot potato in the hand with the mitt on. 

Cut the potato in half and scoop the baked inside of the potato into a mixing bowl. 

Leave a little bit of potato on the sides to act as a form for the potatoes 

Once all potato filling has been scooped out mix it with 1 1/2 cup of cheese, 1/2 cup of sour cream, and Tbsp of butter.  Mix in with potatoes. 

**If you feel that this is too much or too little ingredients add or take away as you see fit**

Once mixture is fully mixed scoop back into the potato shells 

Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese on top of the potatoes

If you are planning on eating these right away- pop them in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt.

If you are planning to freeze these - put them on the same sheet that they were on originally cover with plastic wrap and place them in the freezer so that they can "flash freeze".

Once they have frozen a little bit divide them into freezer bags. 

I put 2 to a bag, which works out to a nice amount for lunch and also for planning for dinner. 

Extra toppings - You can be creative with other ingredients to put into the potato mixture. 

Sauté some chopped onions 

Fry up some bacon and cut up into small pieces

Add a Tbsp spoon of cream cheese 

Try a mixture of cheese- mozzarella? Parmesan? 

One thing to consider.. green onion tastes great on a potato but it does not taste great after being frozen. Fresh is always best with green onion. 

My mouth is watering writing this....mmmmmmmmmm.....

P.S.  

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Turkey and zucchini meatballs with greek yogurt dipping sauce

Last summer I decided to sign up for a Momstown membership. 

One of the perks of the membership is a year subscription to Today's Parent which has some pretty awesome recipes. One of those recipes being the Turkey and zucchini meat balls with a greek yogurt base dipping sauce. The recipe that I made has some adaptations but you can find the recipe that inspired me here.

Ingredients

Turkey & zucchini meatballs 

1tbsp of butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 lb ground turkey

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

1/4 tsp bbq sauce/vinegar

1/4 tsp salt 

Greek yogurt dipping sauce

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp of mince garlic 

pinch of sugar

pinch of salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients for greek yogurt dipping sauce, mix, and let sit in a fridge until ready to serve. 

Preheat oven to 425 F

Grease rimmed baking sheet

Heat butter in a frying ban

Add onions and sauté until onions are lightly browned

Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute

Remove from heat and put onion/garlic mix into bowl 

Add turkey and grated zucchini into bowl and hand mix

Add in bbq/vinegar mix and salt

Form into golf ball size balls on prepared pan

Bake for 18 minutes or until cooked through

Once taken out of the oven plate and serve with yogurt dipping sauce and enjoy. Mmmmmmmmm

This is a dish that is easy to make, healthy, and it is absolutely delicious. 
Want to make these ahead for another time?? Meatballs freeze GREAT. 
(Just make the dipping sauce fresh ;) )  ~Enjoy~

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