Greetings from the air, friends!
I’m on a flight from Richmond to Minneapolis and, not gonna lie, I’m a little nervous about the change in weather. Yesterday in RVA it was a warm 75 and sunny—so warm I took a solo business lunch outside without a sweater, listened to a true-crime podcast, and came away with a subtle face tan. It was glorious.
Minneapolis, on the other hand, has other plans. My weather app only warned me last night about a snowy weekend—something it didn’t mention earlier in the week—and I was so wrapped up in assembling my snack pack on Wednesday (priorities!) that I forgot to pack a down coat. Or a sweater. Or snow boots. Or socks. (Clearly, I need an assistant.)
I’m mentally unpacking my suitcase and wondering whether wearing two dresses layered on top of each other could qualify as a fashionable cold-weather look. Maybe Minneapolis residents will admire my resourcefulness and trendsetting instincts. Fingers crossed.
Here are a few other survival strategies I’m considering for the Minnesota cold:
- Eat everything in my snack pack immediately. A few extra pounds might act like insulation.
- Drink all the beer in Minneapolis, starting tonight at the Lakes and Legends Brewery event. Everyone knows a beer jacket is the best jacket.
- Tie all the blankets in my Airbnb together and wear them like a dramatic cape.
Cast your vote or share other survival tips in the comments. I’m leaning toward option #3—capes are very in right now.
Thinking about the freezing temps makes it extra painful to look at photos of these Cottage Pie Baked Potatoes. A hot baked potato filled with savory beef and vegetables and finished with melted Gruyère is exactly the kind of comfort food I want to warm me from the inside out—and not something I’ll get tonight.
But you can make them, and you absolutely should.
These potatoes are seriously good. Before making them I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a baked potato, and I’d forgotten how perfect they are: fluffy, starchy, and satisfying, especially when stirred with a little olive oil and Gruyère. The cottage-pie-style filling is spiked with Worcestershire, soy sauce for an unexpected umami boost, and fresh thyme. I often make the filling on its own and serve it over quinoa or brown rice, or top it with an egg for a hearty lunch. It comes together in about 15 minutes, making it a great weeknight option, and it freezes well if you want leftovers for the week.
I recommend following the recipe as written because it’s reliably delicious, but feel free to tweak it. To lighten the dish, swap ground beef for ground chicken or 93% lean turkey. Add a couple of handfuls of chopped spinach or kale to sneak in more greens. Try different cheeses or skip the dairy entirely. If you prefer sweet potatoes, go for those instead—I’m all for creativity.
Cottage Pie Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped carrots, about 2 medium carrots
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1½ cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup grated Gruyère cheese, sharp cheddar or Fontina are also great
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
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Rub the potatoes with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and pierce each potato about six times with a fork so steam can escape. Bake for about 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes, until the skins are crisp and the flesh is soft.
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While the potatoes bake, make the filling. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook about 5 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces until no longer pink. Drain excess fat through a fine-mesh strainer, wipe the skillet clean, and return it to the stove.
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Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and carrots and cook until the onion is translucent and the carrots are tender, about 5–7 minutes, reducing heat if they begin to brown. Stir in the garlic.
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Return the drained beef to the pan and sprinkle with flour. Cook 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire, and thyme. Cook another minute, then add the beef broth. Simmer about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the peas and cook 2–3 minutes until thawed. Cover and keep warm.
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Slice each baked potato almost in half lengthwise, drizzle about 1 teaspoon olive oil into the cavity, and season with salt and pepper. Roughly mash the flesh with a fork and fold about 1 tablespoon Gruyère into each. Spoon a quarter of the beef filling into each potato, top with the remaining cheese, and return to the oven 5 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve warm.
Notes
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