Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice baked-potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes. As a side dish, sometimes a potato can get a little boring and this is a great way to change things up a bit. That was the case for me the other night when my pantry was getting a bit thin and all I had left was a bag of potatoes. Not really thrilled with the idea of a plain old baked potato to go with dinner, I thought I'd take them to the next level by making twice baked. These potatoes are great with anything but they'll be perfect next to a juicy grilled steak or a rack of BBQ ribs! They're sure to please everyone at your dinner table.

4 Large russet potatoes

4 tablespoons of butter

2 scallions chopped

1/2 cup of cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/4 cup of half and half or heavy cream

Salt and Pepper

Freshly cut chives

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash your potatoes underneath cold water to remove any dirt from their skin and then dry them with a paper towel. Pierce the skin with a knife or a fork in a few spots in the potatoes and place them in the oven to bake for about an hour and fifteen minutes until they are full cooked.

Once the potatoes are baked and have cooled slightly so that you can handle them, cut the potatoes in half length ways and scoop out the inside of the potato into a mixing bowl. Do this with all four potatoes.

Once you've removed the inside of all the potatoes and added them to your bowl, it's time to add the rest of our ingredients. Add the butter, garlic powder, 1/4 cup of our shredded cheese, salt and pepper, cream, and the scallions. Mix well until the butter and cheese have melted and all the ingredients have blended. Taste a bit of the filling and season to your taste. **An optional ingredient here could be some fresh bacon bits** Fill the potato skin shells up with the filling and top with the remaining shredded cheese. 

Place the potatoes back in the oven and bake until the cheese on top has melted and browned slightly. Sprinkle the freshly chopped chives over top and serve hot next to your main course.