TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

                              

Most people like baked potatoes---but twice-baked potatoes are a special treat!  Here is the recipe for the way we prepared ours last night.  Of course feel free to add in your favorite potato “fixins”.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:  Amounts are not listed because they are to be added according to your own tastes and preferences.

Potatoes for baking:  I usually use Russet or Irish—but feel free to use whatever potato you most enjoy.

Butter or margarine

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Milk, or half and half

Sour cream

Crumbled, cooked bacon

French’s onion rings, crumbled

Dill---fresh if possible

Black Pepper

Instructions:

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

*Scrub potatoes and place on a baking sheet (do not cover the potatoes with foil).

Yes, they are naked!

*Bake for 1 hour (or more) until done.

*Remove potatoes from oven and carefully slice off a bit from the top- down the length of each potato.  Hold each potato with a paper towel to protect your hand from the heat.

*Gently scoop out most of the potato flesh and place in a mixing bowl.  Be careful to leave a bit of potato to support the wall of the entire potato shape. Place each hollowed out potato and potato top back on the baking sheet.

*Place the butter and cheese into the hot potato flesh and mash with a potato masher, large whisk or large fork.  The heat will melt the butter and cheese.

*Add the remainder of the ingredients you are using.

*Spoon the well combined potato mixture back into each potato.  You may even put a bit of the mixture into the potato tops. 

*Return the filled potatoes to the hot oven and bake until heated well throughout.  The potato tops will need to be removed before the large potatoes.

*Just before removing the twice baked potatoes, you may add a bit more cheese to the top of each potato and a sprinkling of dill if you wish.