Twice-Baked Potatoes

Photo Credit: "Pioneer Woman Cooks" blog

My first recipe from "The Pioneer Woman Cooks". So exciting!  There are several recipes that I want to try, and really didn't think this would be the first one, but my husband came home from the store with a bunch of potatoes and we all love bacon so why not?!?!   I forgot to take a picture of the finished product, but they turned out so pretty!  I borrowed this photo from Ree Drummond's blog until I make these again and take a picture.  If you want to see her more detailed description of the recipe, along with step-by-step photos, click here. 

The Recipe:
8 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
Canola Oil
8 slices thick-cut bacon, fried
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, cut into slices
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, such as Lawry's
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced

One Possible Change: 
My husband had purchased a 5-pound BAG of potatoes so I used those.  It was fine, but the skins were not very thick so I may try larger baking potatoes next time.  It's a hard trade though because these smaller potatoes were a good size for kids.

The Verdict:
Yum, yum, and more yum! 

My daughter does not like potatoes and never eats them. Well, except for chips and fries which do come from potatoes, but not the form I would prefer her to eat.  Anyway, she ate 1 1/2 of these little beauties.  And she liked them!

My husband has always been a big fan of twice-baked potatoes.  There are often some yummy chive and bacon potatoes for sale in our local deli case, and I get him one when I want to make him a special meal.  Or when I want something from him and have to prime him with a god meal.  I think I can skip those deli potatoes and make my own now!  He loved the flavor of these.

My son ate one, and he said it was okay, but I know he was really after the bacon.  He is a big fan of bacon.  Huge.  And since he doesn't get it very often, he was thrilled to see it on his plate.  At night.  On a side feature.  To him, bacon should always have the spotlight and be the main course, and it is best in full strips at breakfast.  But he'll take bacon any way he can get it!  So he ate one of the potatoes, and I gave him a little extra bacon off one of mine.

I liked them and will make them again.  I think they are fairly easy to make ahead of time as well.   You would have to do the initial potato baking and stuff the potato all at once, but then put the stuffed potatoes on a baking dish in the fridge and finish baking in the evening for dinner.  I am also always looking for easy meals to give as gifts for new homes, new babies, sick friends, etc.  This would be easy to bake and put in containers that can just be reheated.  In fact, we had one potato left over so I reheated it the next day for lunch and it was fine.

Try it and let me know how your family likes them, or any variations you try!