These yummy potatoes are a nice twist on mashed potatoes. They require a little bit of prep time, but it can be done ahead — I pulled them together a full day early, so I stored them covered in the fridge, then warmed them in a 350° oven for 30 minutes before serving.
First, I scrubbed up 8 medium-sized potatoes and made a slit in the sides. This time, I tried placing all of the potatoes bare (not wrapped in foil) in a sprayed casserole dish. I covered the dish and baked them for an hour at 400°.
I also prepped another 4 potatoes by peeling and cubing them to be boiled. I cooked them on the stove top for 30 minutes and drained them.
After the potatoes cooled down, I sliced them in half (right where I had previously made the slit). I used a melon baller to scoop out most of the inside potato, leaving a little boat, which I lightly salted.
Then I combined the boiled potatoes and the baked potato insides with about 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup butter, and salt to taste. After beating into nice, creamy mashed potatoes, I added 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, and since I happened to be carmelizing onions the night I made these, 1/4 cup carmelized onions, chopped into small pieces.
Using my cookie scoop, I placed 2-3 balls of mashed potatoes into each potato boat and placed each potato half into a greased pan. After covering with foil, I refrigerated overnight and then re-baked the potatoes the next night for dinner. The last 10 minutes of baking, I removed the foil and added a sprinkling of cheese.
These were a big hit with my friend’s family for whom I provided dinner.
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