Lars’s Twice-Baked Bacon & Cheese Potatoes

A Little Personal History:

Description Text

Description:

Description Text

Ingredients:

• 8 bacon strips or ½ cup bacon bits  (½ for mix, ½ for topping)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (½ for mix, ½ for topping)
• 1 cup sour cream (½ for mix, ½ for topping)
• 4 Tbs dried chives (½ for  mix, ½ for topping)
• ½ cup milk
• 2 Tbs melted butter or vegetable oil (canola, olive, peanut, etc)
• ½ tsp salt
• Pinch ground black pepper

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• ¼ cup vegetable oil (canola, olive, peanut, etc)
• 1 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ⅛ tsp pepper

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• 4 medium baking potatoes (i.e. Russet)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. If not using prepared bacon bits, microwave or fry bacon strips till crisp. Pat dry with paper towels and chop into bacon bits. Set aside.
3. Shred cheddar cheese. Set aside.
4. In mixing bowl, combine half of bacon bits, cheddar cheese, sour cream, chives; milk, melted butter or oil, salt/pepper (potato filling mix). Set aside.
5. Put other half of bacon bits, cheddar cheese, sour cream and chives In separate side dishes. Set aside or refrigerate.
6. In a small bowl, combine oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper (oil/seasoning mixture).
7. Wash and lightly scrub potatoes under water. Prick all sides of potatoes with fork. Place on ungreased baking dish.
8. Brush potatoes with ½ of oil/seasoning mixture.
9. Bake potatoes for 1 hour or until done. Potatoes are done when a metal or wooden skewer easily pierces through potato.
10. Carefully remove potatoes from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
11. Change oven setting to broil.
12. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and,  into large mixing bowl, carefully scoop out pulp with a small spoon.
13. Mash potato pulp with potato masher or large fork until smooth.
14. Add potato filling mix to bowl and mash together until well combined.
15. Spoon the mixture into the empty potato shells. Place back on cookie sheet. Re-brush skins and top of stuffed potatoes with remaining oil/seasoning mixture.
16. Broil potatoes 10 or 15 minutes until spotty brown and crisp.
17. Serve with side dishes of shredded cheese, bacon bits, dried chives and sour cream.

Advanced Preparation:

Steps 1 – 15 can be done in advance and refrigerated till ready ready to broil.

Tips, Notes, and Variations:

• Also related: Lars’s Baked Potato Skins 
• If you’d like a little “Cajun” zip, add ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper to the oil/seasoning mixture.