Loaded Baked Potato With Cashew Cheese Sauce Food

BEST EVER CASHEW CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse cashews in cold water; drain. Place in a large bowl; add enough water to cover by 3 in. Cover and let stand overnight., In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute longer. Add 1-1/2 cups broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer., Drain and rinse cashews, discarding liquid. Add cashews to skillet; heat through. Transfer mixture to a blender. Add nutritional yeast; cover and process until pureed, adding enough remaining broth to achieve desired consistency. If desired, sprinkle with paprika.

LOADED BAKED POTATO

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce each potato with a paring knife and roast in the oven until tender, about 1 hour, depending on the size of your potatoes.
• Meanwhile, dice up the bacon. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and cook the bacon until crispy, about 7 minutes. Drain the bacon fat and reserve.
• Return the saute pan to the heat and add the reserved bacon fat. Cook the broccoli and red pepper for 2 minutes. Add the water and allow to cook until water has evaporated. Remove from heat.
• When potatoes are done cooking, remove and allow to cool until you can handle them. Cut them in half and with a spoon, scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4 inch border on the skins.
• Place the scooped-out potato in a bowl and mix with half the bacon, broccoli, red pepper, sour cream, salt, pepper, and half the Cheddar. Divide this filling back among the potato skins.
• Return the stuffed potatoes to the 400-degree oven and bake until heated through, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and top with remaining bacon, Cheddar, and green onions.

VEGAN CASHEW CHEESE

Steps:

• Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with 4 cups water. Cover with plastic and soak 8 hours or up to overnight.
• Drain the cashews and place in a high-powered blender with the lemon juice, coconut oil, salt, white pepper and 1/2 cup cashew milk. Blend the mixture, stirring as necessary. Add the remaining 1/4 cup cashew milk and blend until smooth. Stir in the parsley.
• Fold the cheesecloth in half and line 2 small bowls with a piece of doubled cheesecloth, leaving enough overhang to cover the cashew mixture.
• Divide the cashew mixture between the two bowls and cover completely with the cheesecloth. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 8 hours or up to overnight. Serve cold.

CHEF'S CHEESE SAUCE FOR BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Scrub potatoes with vegetable brush; dry well.
• For crunchy skins, sprinkle each potato with 1 tablespoon garlic flavored olive oil (or substitute plain olive oil), rubbing oil all over potato.
• Sprinkle with coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper.
• Pierce potato several times with tip of sharp knife in order to allow steam to escape.
• Do NOT wrap in foil.
• For soft potato skins, DO wrap in foil.
• Bake at 400°F for about one hour or until done.
• When potatoes are done, roll gently under hand to make mealy inside.
• Immediately cut crosswise in top of each potato, pushing up on ends to fluff up.
• Top each with some of the sauce.

LOADED BAKED POTATO CHEESE CRISPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Combine ingredients.
• Drop into 44 mounds, 1 inch apart, onto parchment-covered baking sheets, using about 1 Tbsp. cheese mixture for each mound. Flatten slightly with back of spoon.
• Bake 5 to 8 min. or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.