Twice Baked Potatoes

Comfort food!!! You will love these twice-baked potatoes! The recipe calls for 3 large baking potatoes, so when you have the end result, you will have 6 total. These keep really well in the freezer, so you can pull one out at a time and save the rest. 

You can also modify the recipe to your liking with 1-1/2 tbsp ranch salad dressing mix into the sour cream for a ranch potato!

Ingredients:
3 large baking potatoes
1-1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup butter, divided
1/2 cup fat free half & half
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Scrub potatoes with potato brush to remove any remaining dirt. Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Rub oil into the skin of the potato. place on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Potatoes should be tender when done cooking. Let stand until cool enough to handle. (Microwaving the potatoes will help reduce cooking time, but this destroys nutrients and you wont get the yummy crispy skin that baking gives you!)

Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out the inside, leaving a thin shell about 1/4 inch thick. Mash pulp in a large bowl. 

 

In a small skillet, saute the green onions in 1/4 cup butter until tender. Then stir this into the mashed potato pulp, along with half & half, sour cream, salt and pepper. Once this has been mixed well, fold in the cheese.

Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells. (If planning on freezing these, now is the time to wrap them up and put in freezer. You will finish baking them when ready to eat them) 

Place on the baking sheet. Melt the remaining butter (be sure not to microwave for too long... it explodes, trust me) and drizzle over the potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.  (I love the taste of paprika, so I used a lot!)

Bake the potatoes, uncovered, at 350° for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 6 servings