Twice Baked Potatoes

My daughter requested steak for her birthday dinner and I knew these would be the perfect side dish.

Creamy, cheesy, delicious. I think that about sums it up.

Twice Baked Potatoes
Good Eats & Paula Deen

Ingredients:


8 medium baking potatoes, about 4 pounds

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

2 cups (1/2 pound) shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 pint sour cream

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup chopped chives, for garnish (optional )

6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled, for garnish


Directions:
 Preheat oven to 350. Pierce the potatoes and place on a baking pan. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour or  until very soft. Allow to cool for 5-10 min.

Carefully cut each potato in half lengthwise, so you get two “boat” shapes from each potato. Using an oven mitt or potholder, hold the potato in one hand and with a spoon scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Leave a thin border (a little less than 1/4-inch) of potato innards around the skin so that it isn’t too fragile to hold the pumped up potato mixture.

 Peel and mash the potatoes in a large bowl with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Or use an electric mixer.Add the cream cheese, butter, 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese and the sour cream. Stir well. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and stir again. (At this point the potatoes can be refrigerated if you are not ready to serve.)

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake the potatoes for 30 to 35 minutes, until hot. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese over the top of the potatoes and return to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. Garnish with the chopped chives and crumbled bacon before serving. Serves 10-12.

Posted by: Sallie