Twice-Baked Potatoes

I love twice-baked potatoes. They're just so creamy and wonderful. Unfortunately, I'd never made them before and those pre-made ones at the supermarket are usually mediocre at best. So, I figured I'd try my hand at making them as a side dish to to a roasted chicken.

So, after searching several recipes, I came up with my own combination of ingredients and was very pleased with the results. These potatoes were absolutely delicious - creamy, cheesy, and everything a twice-baked potato should be.


Twice-Baked Potatoes
Serves 3-4
Prep Time - 10 min
Cook Time - 1 hr, 30 min (mostly inactive)

INGREDIENTS
2 large russett potatoes
2 TBSP butter, softened
1-2 TBSP half & half
3-4 oz cream cheese, softened & cubed
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
dash Cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS
Wash the potatoes and poke holes in them. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake for about 1 hr at 400 degrees F.

Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes. Grab the potatoes with a towel or pot holder (so you don't burn your fingers) and cut the potatoes in half. Take a spoon and scrape out the insides into a medium bowl. Be careful not to tear the shell, but get as much of the potato out as you can.

Lay the hollowed shells out on a cookie sheet.

Add butter, half & half, cream cheese, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper and begin mashing to your desired consistency. I think keeping it a bit lumpy gives them a nice texture, but feel free to mash more or less, depending on how you like your potatoes.

Add the cheese to the mixture and stir until combined.

Scoop the filling back into the potato skins and keep going until the filling is gone. They should sort of form a dome on top of the potato shell. Sprinkle each potato with more shredded cheese, if desired, and bake about another 15 minutes, or until cheese gets bubbly.