Twice Baked Potatoes: Side Dish so Big it's a Meal

When I first started baking twice baked potatoes, I'm sure I has a recipe, but after adding to the recipe so much it no longer resembled itself, I was left with a dish of my own. What started as a yummy sounding side dish became the meal.

The Recipe In Its New, Adulterated Meal Form

Twice Baked Potatoes

(feeds four to six)

6 to 8 large baking potatoes (Russets work well)
16 ounce container sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or 4 oz. block cheddar, cut into small chunks)
1 bag frozen broccoli, cooked
One pound bacon, fried, chopped into bits (use real bacon bits in a pinch)
Butter for texture as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic to taste, optional

Wash potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Pierce potato tops two or three times with a fork. Bake potatoes in a 400 degree oven for one hour, or until done (center will be tender and able to be pierced with a fork).

Slice tops vertically off baked potatoes. When potatoes are cool enough to hand, but still very warm, gently scoop out as much of the insides as you can without ripping the potato skins. Scoop baked potato insides into a large bowl.

When all the baked potato insides are in the bowl, mash thoroughly with a potato masher. Add sour cream, bacon bits, broccoli, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Mix completely until potato mixture is uniform, and cheese has melted.

Spoon potato mixture back into the twice baked potato shells. Heap mixture high atop twice baked potatoes. Top with a little more shredded cheddar if desired.

Return to oven and bake twice baked potatoes for twenty to thirty minutes more until warmed through and slightly crisped on top.

The Result

The result is a delicious, hearty twice baked potato that is very filling. Twice baked potatoes are a little like mashed potatoes on steroids. No additional side dish is necessary served with these twice baked potatoes complete with vegetables, dairy, and meat. In fact, none but the heartiest eaters could eat a second course with one or two of these filled twice baked potatoes.

Additional Tips

When baking twice baked potatoes, be sure to chop very large broccoli or bacon pieces small enough to be mixed into the mixture and spooned into the potato skins. Large spears or chunks will not fit in the twice baked potatoes well, and the result will be a twice baked potato with no filling. On the other hand, don't mash or chop the vegetables too small, or you will be left with only a mushy, green twice baked potato filling.

If time is a concern, jarred bacon bits can be used in place of cooked and chopped bacon, but be sure to use real bacon bits in your twice baked potato recipe, not the crunchy, fake, salty variety.

Plan plenty of time when preparing this twice baked potato recipe. Actual mixing and mashing doesn't take overly long, but you will need plenty of time to bake the potatoes (at least an hour) and then send the twice baked potatoes back to the oven to finish.

This is one of those recipes that can be made to feed a lot of people if need be in place of a formal, sit down meal. Twice baked potatoes could even be completely prepped ahead of time, saving the second baking for just prior to serving. Twice baked potatoes are easy to serve on paper plates and bowls when seating is limited.

For a small dish, twice baked potatoes are very filling, and it will be something new to serve at a gathering where you are serving only small dishes and finger foods. Twice baked potatoes are a perfect recipe for serving to hungry men on football night, or as a small something on New Year's day.