Twice Baked Potato… Casserole

This is easier than stuffing the potatoes after you bake them, and it tastes the same. Recipe for 2, but it can easily be expanded.

Ingredients:

• 2 Large baking potatoes
• Drizzle of olive oil plus some spray oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/3 Cup half and half
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese (loosely packed)
• 3 Bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 2 Green onions, sliced

Directions: Preheat oven to 375° F

Wash and dry the potatoes. Pierce with a fork so they don’t explode while cooking. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours until done. Remove from oven then cut in half the long way and let cool until you can handle them.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the butter, half and half, sour cream and 3/4 of the shredded cheese in a small saucepan. melt it on the stove on the lowest setting you have, or you can just put it on the warmer unit on your stove. Be sure to melt it very slowly and whisk it together when melted.

Scoop the potato flesh into a bowl along with 1/2 the bacon bits, 1/2 the chopped green onions and some salt and pepper. Pour in about half the melted sauce and mash the potatoes. Continue adding the sauce until you get to the mashed potato consistency you want. You may not need all the sauce.

Place the potato mixture in a greased baking dish. Cut the potato skins from one potato into 1 inch pieces and top the mashed potatoes with the chopped skins and the remaining cheese. Return to the oven for 30-35 minutes until heated through and a little brown on top. Serve with the remaining green onions on top.

Note: If you do have leftover sauce, you can add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to it and serve it over broccoli.