Twice Baked Potaotes

Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Thyme or Rosemary or Basil
• Butter
• Milk

Extra Options:

• Shredded Cheese, about 1/2 ounce per potato
• Cream Cheese, about 1 Tablespoon per potato
• Green Onions, Diced
• Salsa, about 1 Tablespoon per potato
• Bacon, 1/4- 1/2 strip per potato
• Pancetta,
• Diced Peppers
• Etc. . .

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to between 400 and 425°F.
2. Place a large baking sheet on an oven rack set at lowest level in oven. 
3. Place the other rack above the "splatter zone" we just set up.
4. Select a few nice sized and reasonably unblemished and firm russet or baking potatoes.
5. Clean the skin with either a potato brush, or by buffing all over with a dish towel. Be sure to put that towel in the wash when you are done with it!
6. Use a fork to deeply pierce the potato all over between 6 and 8 times. 
7. This will help the potato cook more evenly and allow steam to escape as the potato cooks. 
8. Rub a little olive oil all over the skin of each potato, season with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs or spices. 
9. Place the oiled and seasoned potatoes onto the bare rack in your oven. 
10. Bake for 25 minutes, turn the potatoes over, and continue baking until potatoes are soft and cooked through. 
11. Usually takes between 50 minutes and just over an hour.
12. Once potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the oven and place on a cooling rack  or plate for about 10 minutes or until they are cool enough for your to handle without burning yourself.
13. Use a very sharp knife to cut the top 1/4-1/3 of the potato, creating a little potato boat shape. Ie cut the potato along the long side, not the short. 
14. Use a spoon to scoop out the soft potato and transfer the soft potato innards to a mixing bowl. 
15. Repeat with all the potatoes. saving skin and cooked potato middles.
16. In your mixing bowl of fluffy potato, add about a tablespoon of butter and 2-3 tablespoons of milk and mash well. 
17. Season with salt and pepper and anything else you want, see the above list of extra options for some suggestions. Mix everything well.
18. Use a small spoon to transfer the prepared mashed potatoes back into the potato boats. Fill the potatoes back up as evenly as possible. Use a fork to add some texture to the tops of the potatoes and garnish with parsley or shredded cheese as desired.
19. Return to oven and reheat for about 10 minutes or until the tops get just slightly golden. 
20. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Notes:

I bought a bag of Nova Scotia potatoes last week and when I opened the bag it smelled like home. I love potatoes.