Twice Baked Enchilada Potatoes

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My husband and I love enchiladas!  Unfortunately, they don't really fit in with our current diets and eating habits.  This greatly bums me out.  While trying to think of something decent to make for dinner tonight, I thought of the bag of potatoes sitting in my cupboard that I really needed to use, lest they go bad...again.  I know these things are so disjointed, but I had been tossing around ideas of healthier versions of lasagna, and mixing mashed potatoes in the filling instead of ricotta...then I was looking at enchilada casseroles...and then I gave up and decided maybe to just bake some potatoes.  And then I thought about combing the potatoes and enchiladas somehow, since I had no tortillas.  Anyways, long story longer, I somehow arrived at the notion of an enchilada flavored twice baked potato.  

This dish is hearty, filling, and bursting with flavor!!  And, two halves came out to about 300 calories, so it is a lower calorie way to get that enchilada goodness.  The secret to the creamy texture and yummy flavor without all the fat and calories?--Laughing Cow cheese :)  Yep.  Laughing cow cheese.  Melts beautifully, adds a wonderful creaminess, all for 35 calories a wedge (I know, now I sound like a commercial.)

Anyways, give them a try, they really do make a delicious, satisfying, comfort food dinner.  And if you are pressed for time, you could always microwave the potatoes, just know that the skin won't be quite as delicious.  You could also use leftover taco meat, and that would cut out a step, and who doesn't like that?

Twice Baked Enchilada Potatoes

Makes 4 servings, 2 halves each.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
• 8 oz lean ground turkey (I used 93/7)
• Enough taco seasoning to  season the 8 oz of turkey (either half a seasoning packet or 1/8 cup from a larger container, just do half of what it says for a pound of ground turkey)
• 1 small can diced green chilies
• 1 cup red enchilada sauce
• 2 ounces colby jack cheese, shredded
• 3 wedges Laughing Cow light Swiss flavored cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt (or more or less to taste)
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• olive oil
• salt

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Place washed and scrubbed potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet.  Using a fork or knife, pierce each potato three times.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Place in oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until they are easily pierced by a fork.
2. While the potatoes are baking, cook the ground turkey in a medium skillet over medium heat until cooked all the way through.  Once cooked, add the taco seasoning and about 2/3 cup of water and simmer together for 5-10 minutes, or until the seasoned sauce has thickened and coated the turkey.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3. When the potatoes are done, remove from oven and after they are cool enough for you to handle (5-10 minutes) cut each in half lengthwise.  Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the center, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato flesh in the skin all the way around.  Place the scooped out potato flesh into a medium bowl.  Repeat with all potato halves.
4. Once all the potato halves are scooped out, add the laughing cow cheeses, the 1/2 tsp. salt, the 1/4 tsp black pepper, and the green chilies into the bowl containing the potato flesh that was scooped out.  Mix together thoroughly, making sure the cheese is evenly distributed.  Add the seasoned ground turkey and gently mix in.  Adjust salt to taste.
5. Place the hollowed out potato shells into a foil lined 9x13 baking dsih.  Distribute the filling evenly back into the hollowed out potato shells using a spoon.  Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the tops of all the potatoes and then evenly distribute the shredded cheese on on top of each.
6. Place back in oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
7. Remove from oven and enjoy!