Beefy Potato Volcano Food

POTATO VOLCANO

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well; mash with milk. Add butter and salt; beat until fluffy. Mound potato mixture about 4 in. high on a 9-in. broiler-proof pan; set aside. , In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese, salt and pepper; stir until the cheese is melted. , With a large spoon, form a well 3 to 3-1/2 in. deep and 2-in. wide in the potato mixture. Pour cheese sauce into the well and drizzle down the sides. Broil 4 to 6 in. from the heat for 10 minutes or until the cheese sauce is browned and bubbling.

BEEFY POTATO VOLCANO

Steps:

• Preheat the conventional oven to 450°F.
• Place the potatoes in a microwave-safe, oven-proof glass baking dish, such as a pie plate, that fits in the microwave oven. Microwave the potatoes at full power for 10 minutes (the amount of time it takes to preheat the oven). Transfer the potatoes to the conventional oven and bake until tender, about 20 minutes.
• Ten to 15 minutes before the potatoes are done baking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until lightly browned, chopping and turning as needed with a spatula so the turkey browns evenly, about 5 minutes.
• Add the seasoning to the skillet, followed by the peas, carrots, green beans, tomatoes and gravy to make the stew. Stir gently to combine and simmer for 5 minutes. Keep warm.
• To serve: Cut each potato in half across its equator and set each half, cut-side down on a plate so that it looks like a small mountain. Cut a slit in the top of each potato half and squeeze the sides gently forcing some of the potato to "erupt" from the top. Ladle 1 cup of the stew over each potato to resemble flowing lava; serve immediately.
• Tip: We know there's nothing new about microwave-baked potatoes, but the technique in this recipe is a little different and gives much fluffier results. The problem with microwaving baking potatoes is that microwave ovens don't really bake - they steam - so the potatoes come out damp and dense instead of light and fluffy. You can quickly and easily get the best of both worlds by simultaneously preheating a conventional oven while the potatoes start cooking in a microwave oven. Then, when both the potatoes and the oven are hot, you place the spuds in the conventional oven, and they finish baking in about 20 minutes. The results are identical to oven-baking, but cooked in about half the time.

BEEFY POTATO VOLCANO

Steps:

• Preheat the conventional oven to 450 degrees F. Place the potatoes in a microwave-safe, oven-proof glass baking dish, such as a pie plate, that fits in the microwave oven. Microwave the potatoes at full power for 10 minutes (the amount of time it takes to preheat the oven). Transfer the potatoes to the conventional oven and bake until tender, about 20 minutes.
• Ten to 15 minutes before the potatoes are done baking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until lightly browned, chopping and turning as needed with a spatula so the turkey browns evenly, about 5 minutes. Add the seasoning to the skillet, followed by the peas, carrots, green beans, tomatoes and gravy to make the stew. Stir gently to combine and simmer for 5 minutes. Keep warm.
• To serve: Cut each potato in half across its equator and set each half, cut-side down on a plate so that it looks like a small mountain. Cut a slit in the top of each potato half and squeeze the sides gently forcing some of the potato to 'erupt' from the top. Ladle 1 cup of the stew over each potato to resemble flowing lava; serve immediately.

BAKED POTATO VOLCANO

Steps:

• Bake the potatoes first. 425 degree oven for 45-60 minutes. Let cool.
• Scoop out about 1/3 of the potato (melon baller is suggested).
• Wrap bacon around potato, starting at base, about 3 strips per potato. Secure with toothpicks.
• Mix cream cheese, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, green onions, chilies, salt and pepper.
• Fill the potato with the cheese mixture.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Top with folded slice of chedder per potato. Bake 5 minutes more to melt that cheese.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Cut in half to display the melting volcano.

MASHED POTATO VOLCANOES

Steps:

• Put the diced potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
• When the potatoes are done, drain them and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the butter and milk and stir. Mash the potatoes well with a potato masher, then add a little salt if desired.
• In the meantime, make the "lava." Heat the milk in a small saucepan. Dissolve the flour in just enough water to make it smooth and flowing. When the milk is hot, stir the dissolved flour slowly into the saucepan. Sprinkle in the salt, then the optional cheese and stir until it is melted. Simmer the mixture gently until smooth and thick. Stir the ketchup into the sauce, but leave some red streaks showing, so that it looks "fiery."
• Divide the mashed potatoes among 4 serving plates. Have everyone shape them into mountains, then press the tops down lightly to flatten. Finally, have them make a small indentation at the very top with their thumb.
• Have the children arrange some of the peas or broccoli florets around the volcano. These are trees and bushes.
• Let each child pour some of the "lava" into the indentation at the top of each "volcano" with a small ladle. It should flow down the sides. It's fine if it drips over the "greenery" too. Eat at once, before the lava solidifies into magma!