Twice Baked Potatoes

These are a real treat for family or guests and worth the effort especially, if making a big batch to have on hand in the freezer.  It's just as easy to make many at one time, and enjoy more often without all the clean up.  When sacks of potatoes go on sale this recipe really delivers bangs for the bucks.

Steak Dinner and Twice Bake Potato

Twice Baked Potatoes
4 or more medium to large baking potatoes
Recipe is for 4 potatoes, 8 halves prepared, but can be doubled or tripled if making a larger quantity to freeze for future meals or make for a large gathering.

Tablespoon or 2 of oil to rub 4 washed potatoes
1 stick of butter cut into pats
1/2 cup cooked diced bacon (or bacon bits)
1/2 cup sour cream, or ranch dressing
1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, or cheese of choice
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt  (can be seasoned salt of choice)
pepper to taste
(optional chives or chopped green onions)

400 degree oven.
Rub washed potatoes with oil and bake until done, approximately an hour.  Meanwhile, in large bowl add butter, bacon, sour cream.

Ready to Freeze

Cut each baked potato in half scooping insides into the bowl. Don't scrape too thin; leave enough in shell so it's firm for refilling. Lay empty shell halves on baking sheet for refilling.

Smash and mix potatoes in bowl with butter, bacon and sour cream, adding cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Mix well until blended.

Fill shells abundantly with mixture and if serving immediately, top with more cheese, then garnish with chives or chopped green onions.  Place in oven again until heated through and cheese melts and top crisps up, about 10 minutes.


* If preparing for freezer don't add garnishes until ready to re-bake in the future. I let filled potatoes cool down, then freeze on baking sheets.  Once frozen half-wrap in foil and place in freezer bags.

To use from freezer, defrost with foil on, put on extra cheese and chives, and re-bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes; or take off foil and microwave;  if using frozen, keep foil on and bake at 375 for 30 minutes until heated through, adding garnish near the end.

* Times may vary depending on size of potatoes.
Makes 8 servings
Estimated cost: $2.80 or less; .35 cents a serving or less.

Fluffy Baked Potato

Who ever thought there was a more perfect way to bake a potato?  I've tried many ways over the years: wrapped in foil with moisture; oiled and pierced, buttered and pierced then baked an hour around 400 or even 450; oven baked, micro-wave baked and so on...

They were all good, yet when I tried this method, I could not believe the difference in taste and texture from other methods —nice crispy skins (my favorite part, slathered with butter and where the vitamins are) and moist, evenly flaky- fluffy inside, like those I've enjoyed at restaurants.

Fluffy Baked Potato
Choose evenly sized potatoes, medium size.
Scrub and wash surfaces. If weighing potatoes, about 5- 6 oz. per potato

Pierce with a fork, a half inch deep all over the surface, about an inch apart, (about 6 - 8 times ) and also on each end.

Lightly rub surface with olive oil (butter could be used), then roll in coarse kosher or sea salt.

Baked on sheet pan on middle rack of oven at 400 degrees for one hour.  Test for done by inserting a knife to see if tender all the way through or use a probe thermometer which should read 210 degrees.

Make a slit on the top and squeeze ends towards middle to open the fluffy potato and top with your choice of condiments: butter, sour cream, chives, bacon bits etc.

Estimated cost: .25 cents or less per potato including condiments.