Cheesy twice-baked potatoes

What’s crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside?

It’s a twice-baked potato stuffed to the brim with cheesy potato filling, chives and crumbled bacon for good measure. These are a wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving because they’re easy to make and can be made ahead of time. All you need to do is put them in the oven about 15 minutes before serving and dish them up with no fuss. They’re as pretty as they are delicious.

Cheesy twice-baked potatoes recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium russet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded jalapeño jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons real bacon bits or crumbled bacon
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (for garnish)
• 1 tablespoon real bacon bits or crumbled bacon (for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Rub the outsides of the potato with the olive oil.
3. Sprinkle the kosher salt over the skin on all sides of the potatoes.
4. Bake the potatoes in a preheated oven until fork tender, about 1 hour.
5. Let the potatoes cool enough to handle them.
6. Cut the top quarter off of the 4 potatoes about 2 inches from the top of the potato.
7. Carefully scoop out the pulp from the potatoes leaving about 1/4 inch of pulp on the skin so that the sides are sturdy. Add the pulp to a medium-size bowl.
8. Using a potato masher, mash the pulp until smooth. Then add the butter, cheddar cheese, jalapeño jack cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix together with a large spoon.
9. Add the potato mixture back into the skins.
10. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese, bacon and chives.
11. About 15 minutes before serving, bake the potatoes in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F. until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted.
12. Serve hot.

More Thanksgiving side dish recipes

Kevin’s sweet potatoes recipe
Healthy Thanksgiving side dishes
Taste-of-the-South-Thanksgiving side dishes