Twice Baked Potato Appetizers

This is my brother-in law Adam and my littlest sister Mary Kate. (Aren't they cute? And they're nice, too. To know them is to love them.) Adam is living every man's dream today at the Super Bowl, having won a trip at work. It was probably a most popular or best personality or most likely to make everyone love you any contest. But Adam says it was something to do with sales, or some other something that I don't know anything about. Congratulations for whatever it was, Adam, you lucky dog. I was planning to make the five hour drive to visit the lonesome but ever charming Mary Kate for the weekend. (If it had been a cutest couple contest then she could have gone too.) We were going to have our own Super Exciting Unbelievably Thrilling Super Bowl party. A Super Exciting Unbelievably Thrilling food Super Bowl Party, not a Super Exciting Unbelievably Thrilling football Super Bowl party. Except last weekend I got sick with the flu, and while I was moaning on the couch, I started to notice my unmopped floors, the dust on the ceiling fan, my stack of ungraded papers dating back to 1987, and the sprig of holly on the cuckoo clock, and the Star Wars figurines under the ottoman, and the overdue library books, and the 172 Polly Pocket shoes and accesories in the couch crevasses, and I started to moan some more and went back to bed. And I decided to stay home for the weekend and work, which I don't like to make a habit of. So now poor Mary Kate is forced to have her own lonesome Super Exciting Unbelievably Thrilling food Super Bowl party. Alone, with her four children under the age of 9. And if that doesn't make for Super Exciting Unbelievable Thrills, then I don't know what does. The food had better be good.

Here's something to get the party started, Mary Kate! I know you'll love it and I promise to come for a visit soon!

For my fellow penny pinchers, there's hardly an appetizer in the world that will ring in cheaper than the humble potato. Depending on what you put inside, you could potentially spend less than $5.00 for a hearty scrumptious dozen.

Bake the potatoes until tender, about 1 hour at 375.

When cool enough to handle, halve them and scoop out about 2/3 of the insides. Place the potato flesh in a bowl, and mix it up with what you like. Some should be plain, with cheddar cheese, sour cream, butter, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Others might have a pinch of curry, chopped broccoli, green onions, cheddar and swiss cheese, and sour cream. My husband's favorite is chili-seasoned ground meat, cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream. Put them back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes, or until hot and melty.

Now, give them a garnish that offers a clue to what's inside the potato. Some people would rather die than unexpectedly bit into some broccoli. Three of those people live at my house. So it's best to give them fair warning with a visible florette.

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