Monday, February 16, 2009

Double Your Pleasure - Twice Baked Potatoes, that is!

Ah, the glorious spud. Did you hear the one about the girl potato and boy potato? It goes like this.

There once was a girl potato and a boy potato
who only had eyes for each other;
they married
and had a little sweet potato,
named Yam.

Okay, don’t judge me. Joke telling is not my forte. I do try; but mostly I’m just a “laugher” not a “teller”. My funny bone, uh, did find this a tad humorous. Hey! Remember ... no judging! :-)

What is your most favorite potato dish ever, ever, ever? Today’s recipe is so good, it’ll bump aside some of your old favorites, and take up residence, at the very least, on your favorite top five potato dish list. Two out of three of my picky eaters club members loved this. I mean LUVVVVVD this. Like the song says, two outta three ain’t bad!

These little beauties do take a bit of planning, due to the baking and all, but are easy, easy, easy to do. I’m all about the easy these days. Let’s start:

You will need:

4 large russet baking potatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided (If you have kids like mine, shred an extra cup beyond this because the little potato eaters will swipe finger loads of the yummy goodness while I’m cooking.)
5 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 green onions slice thin (optional – I left it out of my kids’ servings)
½ cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, sliced into pats
Freshly ground pepper
Lawreys Seasoned Salt

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.Hello my beauties! Place your potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet.Stab said potatoes a couple times with a knife or fork; nothing personal mind you, it’s to keep the spuds from exploding in the oven as they bake. Bake potatoes for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until soft.

When potatoes are thoroughly baked, slice in half. Scoop the flesh out of each potato half leaving a canoe like shell.Place flesh in a mixing bowl and combine with butter and sour cream. Mash as you would for mashed potatoes, but leave them a little stiffer than traditional potatoes.Fold in 1 cup of cheddar cheese, bacon, seasoned salt, and ground pepper. If desired, stir in green onions.Refill the shells with the mashed mixture. Really mound it high. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over potatoes. Place back on baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Crank up the broiler and broil until cheese is nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Serve. Make yummy noises.Just look at this! I served ours with thin grilled rib eye steaks that I cut into strips, and broccoli. My girls devoured them, and were quite disappointed that I didn’t have “extras” to give them. My son, the carnivore, ate his, but, well, the food groups in the potato were touching and you all know how picky eaters club members feel about food groups that touch. Still, he ate it without complaint. He’s getting better about stuff like that. My youngest asked me why I don’t always make “stuff” like this, and both girls chorused that I absolutely HAD to make this again, soon. Alrighty then.

Couple things, I think next time I’ll use chives instead of green onions for a more mellow flavor. I see no reason why you can’t microwave the potatoes for the baking portion, and finish them off in the oven. These are really filling, and could stand on their own as a main dish next to a leafy, green salad.You could also leave off the final cheese topping ... but why would you want to??? It’s CHEESE. Yum!

One more thing, these are gluten free, all the way, baby!Now, who wants to double their pleasure and have a twice baked potato?

24 comments:

Sarah @ Taste My Plate said...

Can you see the drool dripping off my chin! I have to make these! What a great idea to mash the potato and put back in the skin. Superb! Thanks!

Maria Verivaki said...

spuds really are glorious when served like this!

Cathy said...

This is hand down my family's favorite potato recipe. Loaded with good stuff and so delicious.

A rib eye is the perfect accompaniment. Lordy, this sounds good.

OhioMom said...

Now that is an entire meal! My favorite potato dish is Latkes :)

vanillasugarblog said...

now that is not fair to post this and I want one for breakfast! and you know, I would eat it for breakfast, with extra sour cream! LOL

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I love twice baked 'tatties and these are jumped up a notch un my books with the addition of bacon:D

Pam said...

Beautiful. I am an Idaho girl so you know this recipe is calling my name. Love the melted cheese photos.

Jennifer said...

Those are making my mouth water! seriously! I have made them before but they didnt look like that, LOL

Aggie said...

Oh my...I was just telling someone the other day that I didn't really like baked potatoes, BUT let me tell you, how could anyone not like this!!??? I'm totally drooling over here. I really do like the twice baked version of baked potatoes better, add all these yummy add ins and wow, so so good Paula!!

Marjie said...

I'm with you on using chives instead of green onions, and also in asking who wouldn't want more cheese! Poor Mr. Twin, required to eat food that's touching each other - and cooked that way, too! Life's so hard with a doting Mama (ha!)!

Anonymous said...

Your photos are always so beautiful. I almost took a bite out of the last one. :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh yum. That's all I have because my mouth is watering way too much to concentrate.

pam said...

It's been so long since I have had these! Time to remedy that!

Deborah said...

I would never be able to choose one potato dish as my favorite, as I think I love all of them!! This one looks especially delicious!

Lyndas recipe box said...

I love these potatoes! In fact, I'm planning to make these this next weekend. Your picture make me want them now!
Aww, your joke was cute!

Jan said...

I'm drooling again, Paula. Oven baked potatoes are the best as the skins get all crispy and yummy. In fact, exactly how I can't eat them at the mo. :-(

I'm trying to look on the bright side, at least I'm off the liquids and onto the soft food diet.

Jan said...

I make these now and again and they are so good! I love the crispy skin part! The crispy bacon is also vital!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

Oh Paula your are singing my song...twice baked potatoes are my weakness. I'm sighing and drooling over here.

P.S. Thanks for your sweet comments, you brought tears to my eyes! Good tears! Thanks friend!

grace said...

cheese. bacon. sour cream. buttah. all slathered on taters? doubled pleasure indeed. :)

Manggy said...

I've been wanting to try TBP for a looong time now. Just the thought of crispy skin and golden tops makes my mouth water! :D
(And okay... No judging ;P )

The Blonde Duck said...

This is a winner in my book!

Anonymous said...

Oh yum, that looks awesome. I love the joke too!

Peter M said...

Ya know, I got leftover meat for supper and was thinking of a side...double the pleasure (behave) sounds juuuust right!

Sarah @ Taste My Plate said...

Hi again Paula,
I've recently made your twice baked potato. Sooooo good!!! I changed a couple things but the idea still the same. I love this dish!!
I've posted mine too, if you want to check here:
http://taste-my-plate.blogspot.com/2009/04/twice-baked-potato-deliciousness.html

Thanks!