Twice Baked Potatoes

Name: Twice Baked Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 4 large baking potatoes; 8 slices bacon; 1 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup milk; 4 tablespoons butter; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided; 8 green onions, sliced, divided

Submitted by CHEF GRPA

"Potatoes are baked and then hollowed out. The flesh is combined with sour cream, milk, butter, green onions and Cheddar cheese, then topped with more cheese, green onions and bacon."

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Ready In:: 1hr 30mins
Ingredients:: 9
Serves:: 8

ingredients

4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
¹⁄₂ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
¹⁄₂ teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
4. When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
5. Bake for another 15 minutes.
Tip's: having a problem with the skin staying intact after scooping out the flesh. The answer is very simple. First, be sure to use baking potatoes, as the recipe states. These have thicker, less delicate skin than some other varieties. Second, don't attempt to scoop out all the flesh, down to the skin. Leave a good 1/4 inches of potato on the skin. This is the way restaurants do it and generally makes for much better results.
I used very very large russet baking potatoes for this recipe. Perfect. I also added 4 oz. of cream cheese to this recipe and used packaged Hormel REAL Crumbled Bacon to save time. I made and stuffed these potatoes in the morning and refrigerated them, then cooked then at 350 for about 35-40 minutes Sooooo I guess these can be done ahead of time which makes them even better! Certainly not a low-fat recipe - especially after I added the cream cheese, but wonderful. I love the idea that they can be done ahead of time. Hope someone finds this helpful.
I suggest: 1) I use the largest potatoes I can find. It doesn't matter if you cook them at 350-400 whatever. The point is to cook them until a knife will go easily through them. It usually takes me an hour and a half. I also wrap mine in foil with a teeny bit of butter and salted. 2) I also mash mine with about 1/2 pkg of cream cheese. I just happen to really like cream cheese. 3) I mix the bacon in the potato mixture. I don't mess with topping it usually. 4) The easiest way to get the mixture into the shells is to spoon it all into a large Ziploc bag, snip a corner off the bag, and squeeze it into the shells. No mess! 5) If you're in a hurry, you can also broil the potatoes until the tops start to brown. Quicker than baking. 6) These freeze really well wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.
I have make them with mini red skinned potatoes. Here's how: cut the mini potatoes in half length-wise, toss in a bowl with a few tablespoons of olive oil to coat and bake them at 425 degrees, cut side down for about 25 minutes. After they have cooled for about 10 minutes you can scoop out the flesh with a mellon baller. Then follow the rest of the steps of this recipe. Using the mini potatoes is faster than larger ones (use as many mini potatoes as you think it would take to equal four large potatoes, usually about 12 for the size I buy)because they bake so fast and they make perfect sized finger foods. Great for a barbeque when none of the other food requires a fork! No matter how many of these I make I never have leftovers!