The Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes

How do you like your potatoes? Fried, baked, mashed, au gratin? Everyone in my family likes them different. Everytime I my husband to the grocery store with a list he comes home with the everything on the list plus at least one bag of chips. He can kill a bag of chips in a sitting. I, on the other hand, can take or leave chips. I don't HAVE to have them. French fries baby...that's my downfall. Whether it's Chick-Fil-A's waffle fries or McDonald's thin crispy fries...they find a way in my mouth. The ironic thing is that I'll never order them because I know how bad they are for you but somehow they disappear from my kid's Happy meals.

Our friends the Clarks have brought these over for dinner a couple of times and they are always a hit. These are actually a batch that they made. I wish this computer had a scratch 'n sniff button because these smelled incredible as I was taking the pictures. This is coming from someone who is not a huge fan of baked potatoes! I've since made them several times and love them.

The Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes

from The Clarks and found on allrecipes.com
4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour. You can just microwave the potatoes instead because it is way faster and they taste just as good. About three minutes per potato, just check for tenderness. So if you are cooking 4 potatoes in the microwave you will need to cook them for at least 12 minutes. Make sure to poke holes in the potatoes with a fork before microwaving so that they don't explode.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh so the potato maintains it's shape; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 the green onions, and milk (start adding 1/2 cup of milk but you may not need to add it all depending on the consistency you want. You don't want them too runny). Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.

Bake for another 15 minutes at 350 degrees.