Shrimp and Cajun Stuffed Potatoes

I cannot say enough about these. Perhaps, though, that's not much of a surprise. When you use a potato as a base and add in shrimp, onion, zucchini, and cheese, all cooked in savory cajun spices, there isn't much to criticize. There were three of us eating and the potatoes disappeared off the plate in near-record speed. (Though, even with our best efforts, there were still some leftovers for lunch the next day. Potatoes certainly are filling!) Then, to add in some more veggies, I also whipped up the always popular spaghetti squash with cherry tomatoes and pesto. It's a side that can pair with nearly any meal.

Make sure to plan in advance when making this recipe. It's delicious, but it does take a long time from start to finish. Luckily, the majority of that time is for roasting (in my case roasting potatoes AND spaghetti squash) so you can at least be productive while keeping an eye on the kitchen.

Difficulty: medium-easy
Time: 1.5 hrs
Cost: $23.27



Shrimp and Cajun Stuffed Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 medium yukon gold potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 c sweet onion, diced
1 c zucchini, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cajun spice
6 oz fat-free cream cheese
2 tbsp fake butter
3/4 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp thyme
1 lb shrimp, cooked, detailed, cut into bite-sized pieces

Get your oven pre-heating to 450 degrees. Wash your potatoes and poke them several times with a fork. (This let's steam escape so they don't explode in your oven.) Put the potatoes in a cooking spray-coated dish and bake for 1 hour.

Let the potatoes cool enough so that you can handle them. Cut them in half lengthwise and then scoop out most of the center, leaving a 1/4" shell all the way around to give the skins some sturdiness and shape. Put the potato pulp into a large bowl. Use a potato masher to coarsely mash - it's okay if some small chunks are left.

While your potatoes are heating, you can prepare the rest of the stuffing. Heat large pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, swirling to coat. When the oil is hot, add the zucchini and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring to keep from burning.

Add the garlic, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and cajun spice. Stir well so the spices are evenly mixed with the vegetables and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Then, remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the cream cheese, butter, oregano, and thyme. Stir until the cheese melts and the mixture is even.

Combine the mashed potato, the veggie-cream cheese mixture, and the shrimp. Toss until evenly mixed. Divide among the potato skins - they should be overflowing when stuffed.

Place the stuffed skins on a broiler pan and broil for 5 minutes or until just crisp on top. Enjoy!

Servings: 6
Serving size: 2 halves, stuffed
Nutrition: calories 259; carbs 30g; fat 5g; protein 22g; sodium 393mg; iron 28mg