Twice-Baked Potatoes

Heading back to College Station in the morning! A change of pace is always good. :) For now, though, it's nice to relax and do nothing for a day. And post a recipe, of course!

Mmm, potatoes. Here we are with the second recipe from the family dinner, twice-baked potatoes. When it comes to potatoes, there's very little I don't like! Roasted, fried, baked, or mashed - doesn't matter to me. :) I do love twice-baked potatoes, though! It's a happy medium between mashed and baked, and loaded with cheese and bacon. Plus, with the extra cheese baked on top, you get a nice crisp crust! Delicious.

Really, the most difficult part of making the potatoes is removing the inner goodness of each potato while keeping the shell in good shape. After all, you have to refill each shell with the potato mixture and bake it! Two things to keep in mind. First, when you're taking the top off of the potato, it's sometimes easier to slice into the skin first because it's tougher to cut through than the potato itself. 

Second, when scooping out the innards, be careful not to break through the bottom! It's okay if you do a little, but if you tear it too much the shell can't keep its shape. It's better to leave some potato in the shell than to try to get all of it and collapse the shell. :)

Onto the recipe!

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 2 T. butter
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• 2/3 c. bacon bits
• Garlic salt and pepper, to taste
• Milk, if needed

Before you start:Wrap potatoes in foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until fork-tender. Keep oven on.

Recipe

Unwrap one potato and skim across the top with a knife lengthwise to remove the top of the potato. Make one long cut lengthwise along the potato and 4-5 crosscuts, being careful not to cut completely through the potato.
Use a spoon to hollow out the potato shell, and put the potato into a bowl. Repeat with the other 3 potatoes.
Add sour cream, butter, bacon bits, garlic salt, pepper, and 1/2 c. cheddar cheese and mix well until potatoes are mashed and everything is incorporated. If the mixture is too dry, add a small amount of milk.
Using a large spoon, scoop the mixture back into the potato shells. Distribute it evenly, and pack it in tightly so that the mixture fits. Return filled shells to a baking dish. Cover each potato with cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and starting to brown.

Thanks for reading and happy cooking!