Twice Baked Potatoes

I have only one oven, I wish I had two, when the kids were all home I sometimes wished I had three!  I've had to adapt and learn ways to work around one oven.  I bought a roaster, I use my microwave and I've got a couple of family favorites that I can make ahead and reheat if the oven is being used for other things.

Twice baked potatoes are one of those family favorites you can do ahead, even a day or two ahead, and reheat in the microwave or in the roaster.  They are easy and delicious, and the kids thought they were a fancy addition to a special meal.  You can choose what you put in them, bacon one time, cheddar cheese another (or both).

Our record is making 30 for dinner when the blond boy was a senior and had 23 of his closest friends over for prom dinner.  Twice baked potatoes were the perfect side, they warmed up in the roaster and made plating just a little easier.

Twice Baked Potatoes
serves 4 (amounts are  approximate, multiply depending on the number of potatoes you need)

4 russet baking potatoes
1/4 c. heavy cream, plus more if needed
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sour cream
2 Tbsp. butter
Salt to taste
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Scrub potatoes and poke with a sharp knife of fork several times each.  Bake for 1 hour until cooked completely through.

Let cool slightly until you can handle them.  Cut 1/3 off the top.  Scoop pulp from the skin, leaving about a 1/4" layer in the potato skin.  Salt the inside of the potato skins and place on a baking tray.  Place the scooped out potato in a mixing bow.  If you like very smooth potatoes, run the potato through a ricer, if you like chunky potatoes just use a mixer.  Warm the cream and butter in a microwave proof cup until butter is melted and cream is warm.  With mixer running on low, mix in cream, butter, cream cheese, and sour cream.  Turn mixer on high and mix thoroughly.  If mixture is too stiff add more cream, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.  Spoon potato mixture into potato shells.  Top with Parmesan cheese (or bacon bits, cheddar cheese, green onion...).  At this point, you can wrap them carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until you are ready to use them.

Bake potatoes in oven at 350˚F unti heated through, or in the roaster, or in the microwave, what ever you have free.

Don't let this happen to you.  Poke your potatoes with a fork or knife several times so they don't explode!

February 25, 2013    Daylight  9 hours 43 minutes 16 seconds    Temp. H 15/ L -6˚F