Twice Baked Potatoes With Bacon Recipe

This twice baked potato recipe has you bake the potatoes, then scoop out the potato, add some milk, cheese and crispy bacon bits, make it creamy and place it back into the oven to reheat until golden delicious.

Ingredients

8 russet potatoes, washed
olive oil
salt
6-8 slices bacon
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 cup butter, divided
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon fresh chives
2 teaspoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
paprika

(Serves 8)

Directions

Preheat your to 400ºF.

Vent the potatoes by piercing them with a fork 6-8 times.

Lightly brush the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Transfer the potatoes to the preheated oven and bake until the inside feels soft and the outside is slightly crispy, about 45-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a medium skillet set over medium heat, until crispy.

Once cooked, remove bacon from the pan. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and let sit until cool enough to handle. Then chop into small pieces.

Drain excess fat from pan and then return pan to the stove top and reduce the heat to low.

Return the bacon to the hot pan.

Add the garlic and cool until fragrant and tender. about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Once the potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the oven.

Reduce oven heat to 375ºF.

Using a knife, cut an oval in the top each potato to create a 'bowl'.

Gently scoop out potato from the inside of the skin using a spoon and put in a large mixing bowl.

Add 1/2 cup of the butter to the mixing bowl with the hot potato and using a hand mixer, mix until well combined.

Add the milk, 3/4 cup of the cheese, onion powder, fresh chives, parsley, salt and black pepper. Mix until well combined.

Add the cooked bacon and garlic.

Using the hand mixer, beat on high speed until light and fluffy.

Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.

Gently spoon the mixture back into the potato skin shells.

Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and sprinkle with paprika.

Place the filled potatoes on the baking sheet and transfer them back to the oven.

Bake until potato is warm and cheese on top is melted and crispy, about 30 minutes.

Before serving, top with a small pad of the remaining butter. Sprinkle over a few green onions and chopped parsley.

Serve immediately.