twice baked potatoes

[newsomz]

help.. i'm making twice baked potatoes for 50 tommorrow.. and i don't have a recipe yet. i'm looking for something easy, fast, and cheap.. doesn't have to be light.. i figure if all else fails i'll throw scallions, cheddar and sour cream in.. any suggestions?

thanks,

carrie

[TamiK]

These aren't technically twice-baked, but it's the same principal. If you LIKE the extra work, you could start with baked potatoes and stuff the mixture back into the shells. I make these all the time. They taste great, the bulk of the work can be done up to several days ahead, and for some reason they stay hot for a long time on the serving table. Go figure!

I often use a combination of reduced fat products and a little less butter to lighten the recipe with no sacrifice in flavor or texture. Also, I find that I can serve up to 20 with this when it's made in a 9x13 baking dish. I usually double for a large crowd.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs. potatoes
1/2 cup butter or margarine
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Cook potatoes, drain and mash while hot. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Put in a greased casserole (9x13 works well). Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When ready to cook, remove casserole from refrigerator 1 hour prior to baking. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until heated through and puffed. Served 10-12.

[MrsReber]

Here's a basic recipe that I have:

1 baked potato, cooled
2 tablespoons softened butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons grated cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop pulp into a bowl and mash. Reserve potato skins. Add butter, salt, and pepper to pulp mix, mixing well. Cheese may be added at this point or sprinkled over filled potato skins. Spoon potato mixture into reserved skins. Potatoes may be baked immediately, placed in tightly sealed container and refrigerated 5 fyas or frozen. Bake ten to fifteen minutes or until cheese melts. If frozen, bake 25 minutes.

I think I would use cheddar cheese for the best flavor, and just adjust ingredients for however many you want to make. I have made a similar recipe and put some sour cream into the potato mixture as well- or add a little garlic powder for a little extra flavor!

Hope this helps you!

[lindrusso]

Another way that I've done twice-baked is to add milk (or half&half or even cream if you want to splurge), a bit of butter, cream cheese (light or regular but not non-fat), Parmesan cheese, salt&pepper and chives. The chives turn a good potato into a DELICIOUS potato. Once I reload the potato skins I sprinkle the tops with some Parmesan cheese and bake until heated through and browned.

Sorry, I don't have any measurements because I just throw in what I have around and then keep adding until it tastes right.

[Ohioan]

A really easy way I've used is just to mash the potato with bleu cheese (or gorgonzola) and some snipped chives or scallion tops. The bleu cheese adds its own "salt and pepper" taste to the mix and adds a nice zip to the potato. Sometimes I don't even bother with the scallion tops.

Phoebe

[This message has been edited by Ohioan (edited 08-11-2000).]