Instructions: Wash potatoes and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until soft. Drain beans, put in saucepan. Add water, onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf. In stock pot, place cooked beans, water, carrots, vegetable base, celery, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar, clove, salt, and garlic.

Simmer for 15 minutes, then add onions, peppers, corn, parsley, bacon bits, pepper, tomato, and thyme.

Simmer for 15 minutes more. Mix 2 tablespoon water with cornstarch. Stir into mixture. Cook 2 more minutes. Hold at 150 degrees for service. Split potato and spread to make pocket. Spoon 5 ounce of bean mixture into potato and top with 3/4 ounce cheese.

The challenge .. prepare a tasty, nutritious, well-balanced, and inexpensive school lunch that children will actually like and eat. Chef Cary Shackleford of Cafe La Rotunda in Chattanooga met that challenge in an event sponsored by The American Culinary Federation.

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