Serve potatoes as main meal or side dish

We really like potatoes at our house. Sometimes I serve them as a side dish and sometimes as the main meal topped with cheese and meat and served with a tossed salad.

Potatoes lend themselves to all types of dishes and flavors. Sometimes when I am using the potatoes as a main dish, right after scrubbing them I sprinkle them with Kosher salt before baking. Baked potatoes are so good this way.

Spinach Cheese Potatoes

6 baking potatoes

5 ounces frozen spinach, cooked and drained

1 cup cottage cheese

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon season salt

Pepper to taste

6 tablespoons grated swiss cheese

1/3 cup dried bread crumbs

Swiss Cheese Sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 egg yolks

1/2 to 3/4 cup grated swiss cheese

Scrub the potatoes and prick with a fork (sprinkle with Kosher salt, if desired). Bake at 400 degrees 45 minutes to one hour or until potatoes are done. Let potatoes cool slightly.

For cheese sauce, combine butter, flour and salt together in a saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat and cook 1 more minute. Beat the egg yolks and salt in a small bowl. Add 1/2 of the hot sauce slowly into the eggs, stirring constantly. Add back to the pan and stir the sauce until it is thick. Add the cheese and stir until it melts. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Cut the top from each potato. Scoop out the inside, being careful to leave the shells intact. Add the potato pulp to a large mixing bowl and mash the potatoes with 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the cottage cheese, spinach, mornay sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Fill potato shells and place them on a baking sheet. Melt remaining butter and add to the bread crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs on top of the potatoes. Top each potato with a tablespoon of swiss cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the tops of the potatoes are golden.

Easter Lemon Pie

1 cup sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 cup milk

3-ounce package cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1 cup sour cream

1 9-inch baked pie shell

1 cup heavy whipping cream, sweetened and whipped

Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon peel, lemon juice, egg yolks, milk and cream cheese in a heavy saucepan; cook over medium heat until thick. Stir in butter and cool mixture to room temperature. Stir in sour cream and pour filling into pie shell. Cover with whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.

Ham and Cheese Cocktail Bagels

3/4 pound boiled ham

3/4 pound American cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

8 stuffed green olives

6 green onions

1 green pepper

2 celery stalks

1/2 cup tomato sauce

bagels

Chop ham, cheese, olives, green onions, green pepper and celery. Combine with the olive oil and tomato sauce. Let stand overnight in refrigerator. Put 2 teaspoons of mixture on a split bagel and broil until bubbly.

GARY'S TIP: A small ice cream scoop works great to scoop out the baked potato from the skins.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: It is best never to help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.