Friday, 7 August 2015

Loaded Cheesy Jacket Potatoes

After having my first ever Jacket Potato (yup you read that right, I never had one before) from Sahara Mall, Dubai, I just had to make one on my own! So, the one I had was this enormous halved baked potato stuffed with chunks of Chicken Fajita and loaded with cheese. The potato itself was so soft and with the cheese and chicken it was just so delicious!
Back from Dubai and after much procrastinating I decided to make these jacket potatoes but without any recipe I felt quite lost but that's where Pinterest came to help; scrolling through gazillions recipes I just settled onto the guide to bake a potato and decided to do the rest on my own.

Now the guide called for the potatoes (washed and dried) to be poked with a fork all over (to let out the steam) before being baked for an hour. Here's what actually happened when I followed the guide: my potato -I actually started out with just one, I was so scared it'll explode or something in the oven, was still not baked through even after an hour and a half so I cut it up in half and baked it again for half an hour. Guess what? It still did not bake through!! It was so frustrating. My mum then told me to boil the potatoes before I bake them which actually gave great result! Crispy skin outside with soft potato inside! So without further ado, I'll start with my recipe for Loaded Cheesy Jacket Potatoes. As I was making them myself for the very first time, I kept everything straight and simple.



Loaded Cheesy Jacket Potatoes:

Ingredients:
  1. Potatoes : 3 (washed thoroughly)
  2. Carrots : 2 medium
  3. Spring Onions : 3 medium
  4. Chicken : 1 cup (cooked & shredded -use any leftover cooked chicken like I did)
  5. Cheese : 1/2 bar of Mozzarella and 1/2 of Cheddar (you may use a full bar of           Mozzarella if not using cheddar) 
Diced Vegetables

Shredded Chicken

Grated Cheese 


Method:

Baking the Potatoes:
  • After washing and cleaning the potatoes, boil them until a skewer or a toothpick goes through them smoothly.
  • Take the potatoes out of the boiling water, cool them slightly on a wire rack and dry the skin completely with tissue papers.
  • Using the tines of a fork poke all over the potatoes and put them in a preheated oven (at 200 Degrees) and bake until the skin is crispy to touch (and not burnt), for about 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Now take them out and cool them completely on a wire rack.
  • Split the baked potatoes in half and scoop out most of the fluffy flesh with a fork into a bowl.
  • Set aside while we work on the topping.


[If you have a more straight forward (and tried and tested) way of baking the potatoes, please let me know down below! I'd highly appreciate it!]

The Stuffing/Filling/Topping:
  • Dice the carrots and spring onions and put them in the bowl which already has the potatoes flesh.
  • Grate the cheese and add 3/4th of it to the bowl.
  • Add the shredded chicken to the bowl.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and mix it all up.
  • Now scoop this mixture back into the potato skins.
  • Top with the rest of grated cheese.
  • Put them carefully on the baking tray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese melts.
  • Instead of putting the potatoes straight on the baking tray I put them in the muffin tray first, you know so they're held upright.

Thereeeee! Delicious, cheesy soft and crispy jacket potatoes are ready!! It's all real quick and easy after you've baked your potatoes right! That is, with their flesh soft and skin crispy. Mine were just LOADED with cheese, I mean look at how it's all pouring out of the potatoes :D



Everyone at home LOVED them and I actually gave myself a little pat on the head after tasting them haha!
I encourage you guys to tweak up the ingredients and try other toppings too! Like you can add BBQ or Pizza Sauce or different flavored chicken, different vegetables, there's so much to try and oh yes do NOT forget to share the toppings you tried (in the comment section). Feel free to ask anything about this post. I'd love your constructive feedback and suggestions too! Also let me know which recipe to share next? Savory or sweet?

Until then, Ciao and Good Luck! (:


Tuesday, 4 August 2015

July's Favorites!

Hi there, (:

It's time to share with you what I have been absolutely loving in the month of July! 



1. Maybelline Volum'Express The Rocket Mascara:
          The first time I bought it, I hated it for it made my lashes so clumpy but then I was using it wrong! Less product coated on well on the lashes and oh my!! I absolutely love how it makes my lashes thick and lengthens them. I have been gravitating towards it more than my other mascaras! 
A creamy white wash of eyeshadow on the entire lids, warm defined crease, a thin winged eyeliner and two coats of this on the lashes -gorgeous!!

2. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Coffee Craze:
          I have been looking for a nude lipstick that wont wash me out for a long time now and finally I found this! I have been loving this so so much this past month and have been layering it over almost every lip color! I have been pairing it mostly with a warm brown lip liner because I feel the lipstick itself is a cool toned brown. This has been my go to lips color for almost every makeup look I wore in July.

3. Morphe Brushes Individual Eye Shadow in Caramelized ES15:
          Oh My Gosh! I am in LOVE with this color and product!!! I have been on a look out for a perfect warm brown transition and crease color and I found it! The color is beautiful, warm and the product itself is so soft, buttery and pigmented! For the price ($2) its hella hella pigmented!! I reached it for almost -no actually, for EVERY eye look I wore in July. I love it so much! For an everyday natural look I just blended this in my crease with a creamy white eye shadow on the lid and I was good to go!

4. Masarrat Misbah Makeup Stay On Blusher in Shell Bronze:
          Let me tell you this first: I was a bit skeptical about this product and specially the color at first, but once I started using it -Love LOVE! I'm head over heels in love with this color!!! It's become my Holy Grail Blusher in just a matter of few weeks -yes it's that gorgeous! I will be doing an in depth review on this one very soon because I'm in love with this blusher and will definitely purcase it again when I run out of it. This pairs up beautifully with every look, dramatic eyes or subtle and stays put for hours!!

5. e.l.f Studio Baked Highlighter in Blush Gems:
          I wore this highlighter a lot back in winters and discovered it again in July and haven't yet picked up another highlighter since then! It compliments my skin tone (NC:25) and gives such a beautiful glowy sheen that stays put for hours! You can definitely use this with Fix + for that metallic intense highlighted look! I absolutely love this highlight and by far its my favorite!!

I hope you enjoyed reading my favorites for the month of July, Let me know if you need more details on any of the products, I'd love to help! Also, I'd love to know what were your favorites for the month of July so do let me know in the comments down below (:

I'll see you in the next post (:
Until then, Good luck and Ciao!


Disclaimer : I am not affiliated with the website links provided in this post and do not earn or get anything in anyway if you click on or use the links. 

Sunday, 2 August 2015

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This disclosure is valid from 03 August 2015

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gul-e-Zehra. For questions about this blog, please contact me at thegulezehrablog@gmail.com.

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