Cajun-Stuffed Potatoes

Hands on time : 38 minutes ... Total time : 1 hour 28 minutes

Tip : Substitute chopped cooked shrimp if crawfish are unavailable .

6 medium Yukon gold or small baking potatoes (about 3 pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil , divided

1 1/2 chopped cups yellow onion

3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less- fat cream cheese , softened

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 1/2 pounds frozen cooked crawfish meat , thawed .

1) Preheat oven to 450*

2) Pierce potatoes with a folk ; brush with 1 teaspoon olive oil . Bake at 450* for 50 minutes or until tender . Remove potatoes from oven ; cool slightly . Cut potatoes lengthwise , and scoop pulp out of shins , leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Place pilp in a large bowl ; coarsely mash pulp .

3) Preheat broiler to high.

4) Heat a skillet over medium-high heat . Add remaining oil to pan ; swril to coat . Add onion , bell pepper and celery to pan ; saute for 4 minutes. Add garlic and next 4 ingredients (through red pepper) ; saute 1 minute . Remove from heat . Add butter , cheese and herbs , stirring until smooth .

5) Stir cheese mixture and crawfish into each potato shell . Arrange stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet . Broil for 5 minutes or until browned.

Serves 6 ( serving size ... 2 potato halves)