Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.

Ingredients:
4 large Idaho baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided use
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped chives or green onions
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sweet Hungarian paprika (optional)
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Rub potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Prick in several spots with a fork. Place on a shallow baking pan 6 inches apart and bake until center is soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice each one in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the soft flesh, leaving 1/4-inch rim around the potato skin, and place flesh in a mixing bowl. Set skins aside to stuff later.

Mash the potatoes with a fork or masher (do not use a mixer). A few small lumps are good for flavor and texture, so do not try to get them perfectly smooth. Stir in bacon bits, 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, chives, salt, and pepper .

Spoon or pipe mashed potato mixture into the potato skins and return to the baking tray. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, and optional paprika. (May be made in advance to this point. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.)

Return to the 400-degree F. oven and bake about 30 minutes until potatoes are lightly browned and heated through.

Yield: 8 servings as a side dish

I tend to bake my potatoes in the microwave since it's faster. But when it's cold I got ahead and use the oven. I think they .o end up tasting much better, especially if you rub them with olive oil and salt.

It took my much longer to make these then I thought. But they are so yummy. I have a vegetarian in the family so I scoop some filling into hers before I add the bacon.

There's a simple broccoli cheese casserole in the background.