Ultimate Twice-Baked Potatoes

Several years ago, on the day of the very first Gator football game of the season, hubs decided to make this delicious concoction for everyone. It was an immediate hit and it's been a regular on our menu ever since--whether it's for parties or dinner at home just us. He usually makes a separate version for the kids minus the onions, and the kids just tear them up. I guess for them it's like a cross between a baked potato and mashed potatoes--both of which they LOVE. Sometimes we make them without the broccoli, but it's an easy way to get that extra veggie in the meal, so why not? Do these look amazing or what? We always make enough for an army, but you can easily half the recipe.

Makes 6-8 Servings

10 potatoes

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped broccoli

1/2 cup chopped green onions

12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Clean potatoes and stab many times with a fork. At this point, you need to cook them; you can bake them in a 400 degree oven for 75 minutes, you could wrap them in foil and put them in a crockpot for 4-6 hours on high, or you could microwave them for about 10-20 minutes until softened. It all depends on how soon you need them to be ready. After they're cooked, carefully slice each potato in half lengthwise. Using a sturdy spoon, scoop out the insides, creating a hollowed-out shell like so: 

Place the filling in a large bowl, then put all the shells on a well-greased cookie sheet and place them in the oven while preparing the filling. You can either use a potato masher on all the ingredients in a large bowl, or if you want a creamier filling, you can put everything in a mixer and blend it all, being careful not to overblend, you don't want a gummy filling. Taste and add more seasoning if desired and you can add milk if the mixture seems to dry. Usually a half cup at a time until you get the consistency you want. Pull the shells out of the oven and scoop the filling into each one. Then put back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly and browned on the top. 

YUM, I could go for a leftover twice baked-potato right now! I love these. They're so tasty and so filling, so they make the perfect accompaniment to dinner or as an appetizer for a get-together. We've experimented with all sorts of fillings and different cheeses too. Sometimes we sprinkle a little cheese on top to get a melty coating. Also garlic powder is good in these, I'd add about a tablespoon to the filling ingredients. Swiss is excellent with the broccoli and ham in place of the bacon goes perfectly with that. Play around with it! It's such a good recipe and so easy, you can't go wrong. Have a great Tuesday! We are headed for IKEA ourselves and I can't wait...it's been months since I was there and I'm suffering from withdrawals. ;)