Baked Potatoes with Broccoli Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed
• 2 Tbsp butter, diced into 4 pieces
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 cup chopped steamed broccoli florets, they should be chopped up into very small pieces and then measured

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick each potato in several spots with a fork, then put the potatoes directly in the oven without waiting for it to preheat. Bake until they feel tender all the way through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. For the broccoli cheese sauce, melt the butter in a small or medium saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the onion powder, garlic powder, and flour, and cook for 1 minutes while whisking the whole time.
3. Still whisking, slowly add the milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens.
4. Turn the heat down to warm and stir in the cheddar. Once the cheese has melted into the sauce, fold in the steamed broccoli. Spoon the sauce over the potatoes while everything is warm.
5. Cook the broccoli however you like best: covered in a saucepan with a little water, in the microwave with water, or by steaming. If you cook it in water, drain it thoroughly before adding it to the sauce.