Twice Baked Potatoes

Posted in Recipes, Side Dish
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Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice baked potatoes are creamy potatoes smothered in cheese and sprinkled with bacon. 

They can be put back in their shell for a fancy look or baked like a casserole to feed a crowd.  Impress your family tonight with this delicious, cheesy side dish.

My family loves these.  I make them a lot since they go with anything and are quick and easy.  There are a few different ways you can make them and some are quicker than others.  You can also add ingredients like broccoli or chicken to make these more of a meal.

Twice Baked Potatoes

 

First Method- Serving back in the shell

To save the flesh and put the mix back in the skins, you will need to bake the potatoes in the microwave or oven.  Remember to pierce the potatoes before baking in the microwave.  For this recipe, we are going to use the microwave method.

Once the baked potatoes are done, I usually cut them in half, lengthwise, and let them cool a bit before handling.  Scrape the potato out of the flesh, leaving a little along the edges and bottom to keep the skin from becoming flimsy, and place the scrapings into a medium bowl.  Repeat until finished.

Add the butter, sour cream, and milk to the potatoes and use a potato masher to break the mix up.  Then use a hand mixer to mix until smooth.  Stir in 1/2 of the cheese, salt, and pepper.

Carefully place the potato mixture back in the shell of each potato.  Fill them completely full and even add a little mound on top.  Sprinkle each one with the remaining cheese, bacon crumbles, and green onions.  Bake in the oven for at least 10 minutes until all of the cheese is melted.

Feel free to add extra cheese or use different cheeses to bring out different flavors.

 

 

Second Method- Boil and then make a casserole

The next way to make these is to make a casserole.  Peel the potatoes, cut into small chunks, and place in boiling water.  Boil potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork or knife.  Drain the water and place the potatoes back into the same pot or into a large bowl.  Add butter, milk, sour cream, and half of the cheese.  Mash the potatoes with a potato masher to break up the large pieces.  Mix using a hand mixer until smooth.  Spread into a baking dish and top with remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.  Bake in the oven at least 10 minutes until all the cheese is melted inside.

 

 

Third Method- Use instant potatoes to make a casserole

Make instant potatoes according to box directions. Once prepared, add in sour cream, half of the cheese, salt, and pepper.  Place mixture in a baking dish.  Top with remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.  Bake in the oven for at least 10 minutes until all the cheese is melted.

 

Twice Baked Potatoes

Creamy, cheesy potatoes topped with more cheese, bacon, and green onions.

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword potatoes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 4 ea large potatoes
  • 1 ea stick butter
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 cups shredded cheese divided
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • Bacon and/or green onions for topping

Instructions

  1. Clean all of the potatoes.  Poke holes by knife or fork a few times over each potato.  Place in microwave for 10 minutes.

  2. Take the potatoes out of the microwave and flip each one.  Place back in microwave and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until fork inserts easily through middle of potato.

  3. Once they are soft all the way through, cut each potato in half lengthwise and let cool.

  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  5. When you are able to handle the potatoes with your hands or an oven mitt, scoop the potato flesh out of the center of each potato skin.  Leave a little bit of potato along the edges and bottom of the skin.  If you don't leave some of the potato inside, the skin will be flimsy and won't keep the form.

  6. Put the scooped out potato flesh into a medium sized bowl. Once each potato has been scooped out, add the butter, sour cream, and milk to the bowl. Mash with a potato masher until no big lumps. Mix with a hand mixer until combined. Add half of the cheese and mix or stir into the potato mixture. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.

  7. Scoop the potato mixture back into the potato skins, overfilling a little on the top. Do this for each potato skin. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of each potato.

  8. Place all of the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 10 minutes.

  9. If you want to add bacon as a topping, fry a few pieces of bacon and chop into small pieces. Sprinkle over the potatoes once baked. You can also cut up green onions to add as a topping. If you don't have these ingredients, you can sprinkle a little paprika on top for color.

Recipe Notes

You can also add in broccoli and/or chicken to make it a side dish, or even a meal.  

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