Instructions: 1. Scrub the potato. Pierce several times with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400F for 50 minutes or until tender. Set aside until the potato is cool to the touch.

2. Cut a slice from the length of the potato to make a lid. Scoop out into a bowl most of the flesh from the shell. Place the potato shell and lid next to each other on a baking tray or individual casserole. (Optional: mist with boil and broil 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed, until the shells are crisp and dry enough to hold the filling.)

3. BOWL OF POTATO: Lightly mash or break up the potato flesh with a fork. Add the tomato pesto, garlic, salt, pepper and chili flakes (if using). Stir just to combine.

4. Finely chop the green onion; add to the bowl. Slice the tomato 1/2-inch thick; remove the seeds. Cube the tomato and add to the bowl. Chop the cilantro and add to the bowl. As the last step, peel and pit the avocado; roughly chop. Drizzle with fresh lime juice. Add to the bowl. Toss to combine.

5. Spoon the mixture into the potato shells. Preheat the broiler and broil about 5 minutes or until a light crust forms. Serve at once with a salad.

We used less tomato and avocado than the source. We added garlic and replaced chopped sundried tomato and oil with a smaller quantity of pesto.

NOTES : Sweet potato is a welcome background for avocado, tomato and cilantro. Comfort food. It was worth the fuss. Would be a great side dish casserole for a southwestern theme holiday menu. (PS It looks exactly like the picture.) Contact www.home.earthlink.net/ kitpath 2001-11/14

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.