Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

If I had a choice between mashed potatoes and twice baked, I’d always go with twice baked. It’s the best of both worlds. Crispy potato skins filled with buttery, creamy bliss. These stuffed spuds go to the extreme, because they are loaded. The baked potatoes are mashed with butter, cream cheese, milk, sour cream and cheddar cheese then baked again and topped with more cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions, then drizzled with a homemade ranch dressing. Not only are these decadently yummy, but they’re so visually appealing, they make any day feel like a special occasion. I served these alongside my Crockpot Root Beer Baby Backs. Since the ribs were doing their own thing in the crockpot, it freed up a lot of time for me to work on a side dish, and I just knew “hubby” would go nuts for these potatoes (and he did). Bursting with calories flavor, you won’t be able to resist the indulgence.

Missing from photo: 1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Wash and scrub potatoes. Poke each one several times with a fork. 

Rub each potato with some olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, or until soft when squished.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp. Crumble bacon.

Chop green onions.

Prepare ranch dressing: Combine ranch seasoning mix, sour cream, mayonnaise and milk in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

When potatoes are done, remove from oven. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. (If potatoes are still too hot to handle, you can always rest the potato half on a potholder in the palm of your hand, while you scoop out the filling.) 

Scoop out flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato around the skin, so potato skins maintain its shape.

Place potato shells on a baking sheet.

Add butter, egg, cream cheese, milk, sour cream, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper to bowl of potatoes. (Yes, I did say egg. The egg helps the mashed potatoes hold their shape while baking. You won't need to add as much milk either by adding an egg. It's especially important when you are not loading up the potatoes and want to mound them on top instead of flattening the surface. I always add an egg to my twice baked potatoes, no matter how I prepare them.) 

Beat potato mixture with an electric mixer until potatoes are creamy and smooth.

Fill potato skins with mashed potatoes. Smooth out tops with a spoon. You don’t want to mound the potatoes, as you will be loading the tops later. 

Bake potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Top with remainder of cheese. Return to oven until cheese is fully melted.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle potatoes with crumbled bacon and chopped green onions. 
Drizzle each potato with ranch dressing (if dressing is too thick to drizzle, thin it down with a  little more milk.) Serve immediately.

 
LOADED TWICE BAKED POTATOES
Source: Adapted from Cooking Classy
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 large Russet Baking Potatoes
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt

Ranch Dressing:

• 1 heaping Tablespoon dry ranch seasoning mix
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup milk (or more if needed to thin dressing for drizzling)

Filling:

• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Seasoned salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Topping:

• 8 to 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 6 green onions, chopped
• Prepared ranch dressing (recipe above)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Wash and scrub potatoes. Poke each one several times with a fork. Rub each with some olive oil.
    Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, or until soft
    when squished.
3. Prepare ranch dressing: Combine ranch seasoning mix, sour cream, mayonnaise and milk in a mixing
    bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. When potatoes are done, remove from oven. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Slice potatoes in
    half lengthwise. (If potatoes are still too hot to handle, you can always rest the potato halves in a
    potholder, while you scoop out the filling.) Scoop out flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 of an
    inch of potato around the skin, so potato maintains its shape. Place potato shells on a baking sheet
    (or in a baking dish).
5. Add butter, egg, cream cheese, milk, sour cream, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, garlic powder, seasoned salt
    and pepper to bowl of potatoes. Beat potato mixture with an electric mixer until potatoes are creamy
    and smooth.
6. Fill potato skins with mashed potatoes. Smooth out tops with a spoon. You don’t want to mound the
    potatoes, as you will be loading the tops later. Bake potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from
    oven.
7. Top with remainder of cheese. Return to oven until cheese is fully melted.
8. Remove from oven. Sprinkle potatoes with crumbled bacon and chopped green onions. Drizzle each
    potato with ranch dressing. Serve immediately.