Everyone I know says the hardest thing about daily cooking of the “uh-oh-what’s-for-supper-tonight” variety is deciding what to have. I know someone who sits down at the beginning of the week, figures out what supper will be every night, and then checks to be sure she has the stuff in the house to make what she plans. Good grief. I’m not sure if that is admirable or too organized for words.

I love having leftovers to make into something, not just to warm up (for example, leftover macaroni and cheese is lunch for Jamie), but rather as a starting place for a different supper. A friend of mine had a couple of us in for dinner last week, served a nice little pot roast with cooked potatoes, carrots and gravy. A couple days later, he cut up the roast, put it in the gravy, tossed in the cooked potatoes and carrots and, bang, instant stew.

Sometimes I cook more than I need just so I will have leftovers. For instance, one thing we like is baked, stuffed potatoes, but I would never bake them on purpose for that but rather I bake more than we actually need, have some as baked potatoes one night, then a few days later, I scrape out the insides and do the stuffing, reheating as needed.

I happen to think baked potatoes are a fun supper all by themselves, because there are so many things you can mash into a potato right on your plate: sour cream, cheese, fried onion, bits of cooked meat. Same thing goes for stuffed baked potatoes.

It seems to me that anything that tastes good with potatoes (but won’t be overwhelmed by the potato) would be good to stuff it with: smoked fish, bacon, turkey, beef, corned beef, bulk sausage, sharp cheddar or bleu cheese.

I’ll wager there is going to be a fair amount of leftover baked ham around this week, perfect for chopping up finely, mixing with the insides of a baked potato and moistening with a splash of milk or cream or some sour cream, or even mayonnaise. You can season it with onion, chives, parsley, horseradish or garlic, or whatever you like. Or how about chopping up cooked broccoli or cauliflower, or peppers, peas, or even carrots.

You don’t really need a specific recipe to make baked, stuffed potatoes. What follows is really a set of guidelines. If it looks like you will have too much filling, don’t worry. Just put it into a small dish to bake or make it into patties to fry some other night. If your potatoes are mealy – that is, a bit crumbly and tender, as russets and other baking potatoes often are – you will need a little more of the moistening ingredient than if you use a waxier potato. You may wish to saute your onions and garlic for the filling, or else mince them very finely.

Send queries or answers to Sandy Oliver, 1061 Main Road, Islesboro 04848. E-mail: tastebuds@prexar.com.

Baked Stuffed Potatoes

One large or two small baked potatoes per person

A couple spoonfuls of filling, savory or vegetable

Milk, cream or broth (or leftover gravy)

Seasonings of your choice (onions, garlic, salt, pepper, etc.)

Slice the potato the long way, and gently scrape out the insides leaving a fairly firm outside about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch thick. Mash together the filling and potato, drizzling in the cream, milk or broth. Season, tasting as you go along, until it is satisfactory. Pile the filling back into the potato halves, mounding them up. If you want a little color, sprinkle them with paprika, or top with a bit of parmesan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven until they are hot through, about a half-hour.