Recipes:
## **Baked Potatoes with Cheese Sauce**
**Serves 4**
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### **Ingredients**
* 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3/4 cup shredded American cheese
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
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### **Make Ahead**
These potatoes make a great brown-bag lunch to bring to the office! Prepare as recipe directs; wrap in plastic. Microwave potatoes for **3 minutes on MEDIUM heat**.
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### **Variation**
Use any flavor cheese for these hearty potatoes or substitute steamed chopped broccoli for the green onion.
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### **Directions**
1. Preheat oven to **425°F**. Pierce potatoes in several places with a fork. Microwave on **HIGH** for about **12 minutes**. Brush potatoes with oil. Bake until fork-tender, about **20 minutes**.
2. While potatoes are baking, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; remove from heat. Add cheese to saucepan; stir continually until cheese melts. Add sour cream; blend well.
3. Remove potatoes from oven and pierce each with a fork to release steam. Cut a large “X” in each potato and squeeze sides and ends together to open and loosen potato pulp.
4. Spoon cheese sauce evenly over potatoes. Sprinkle tops with green onion.
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### Make It Quicker
To reduce baking time by about one-third, use aluminum potato nails when baking potatoes. Insert the nails lengthwise through the middle of the potatoes. Coat potatoes with oil and bake. Look for the nails wherever kitchen gadgets are sold at specialty stores.
