Potato pizzazz party

8 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
10 Russet potatoes, cleaned
1 cup Frozen peas
1¼ cup Nonfat plain yogurt
¼ cup Reduced-calorie mayonnaise
Coarse salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1½ tablespoon Chopped fresh dill or mint
10 ounces White mushrooms, stems trimmed
1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
4 Ripe plum tomatoes, seeded

Directions

The Potato Pizzazz Party is perhaps the greatest surprise of my trio of September recipes. Baked potatoes, hot from the oven, are delicious and healthful with my choice of six garnishes - a tiny salad of peas and potatoes, fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, red peppers, parsley, and yogurt - arranged artfully around the spuds.

This dish also makes a wonderful autumn lunch or sunday supper. The garnishes can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. - Shiela Lukins

1. Preheat the oven to 375'F.

2. Peel 2 potatoes and cut into ¼" dice. Place in a small saucepan, cover with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and place in a bowl.

3. Cook the peas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until tender.

Drain and add to the potatoes.

4. Combine ¼ cup yogurt with mayonnaise and gently toss over the cooked potatoes and peas. Season with salt and pepper. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the dill. Place in a pretty bowl and refrigerate, covered, until time to serve.

5. Wipe the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel and slice thinly.

Toss with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Place in a pretty bowl and refrigerate, covered, until time to serve.

6. Cut the tomatoes and bell pepper into ¼" dice. Place the diced tomatoes, diced bell pepper, parsley and remaining yogurt in four individual pretty bowls. Refrigerate, covered, until time to serve.

7. Prick the remaining 8 potatoes with the tines of a fork and bake in oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. When skins are crispy and potatoes are baked through, place in a decorative basket covered with a large, pretty napkin to keep them warm.

Per serving (with all garnishes): 339 calories, 5 grams fat, 3 milligrams cholesterol.

NOTE: When serving the potatoes from a basket, set a small, sharp knife on the side, so that your guests can slice their own potatoes down the center. Garnishes should be served with small spoons in six decorative bowls, arranged closely around the potatoes. Remember to chop the garnishes into small dice, so they set well into the potatoes. Submitted By MICHAEL ORCHEKOWSKI On 10-24-94

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