Baked stuffed potatoes or twice-baked potatoes are a family favorite with grilled meats. You can load a simple Idaho baking potato and dress it up with a variety of different ingredients. My version is fairly basic with milk, cheese, butter, and green onions. There are some versions that use heavy cream, bacon, sour cream, or blue cheese.
A stuffed baked potato can actually be a full meal rather than a side if you decide to pull out the stops.
We do not eat steak very often, but when we splurge and Gayden decides to grill petite filet mignons, it is a given that baked stuffed potatoes will be served on the side.
These potatoes are easy to assemble and except for the baking time, the preparation of the whipped potato stuffing will only take about 15 minutes to prepare. Some recipes suggest cutting the potato in half. I serve each person a whole baked potato.
Cut the potato lengthwise removing only the very top of the potato. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the warm potato leaving enough potato, about 1/4,” attached to the skin so that it will not collapse or break. After the potato is baked, let it cool only briefly. You want the potato to be hot when you whip it so the butter and cheese will melt. I hold the potato in a potholder and scoop out the hot baked potato with a spoon, placing the mixture in a bowl with the butter and cheese.
You can choose to use heavy cream or milk to whip the potatoes. Make sure that you gently heat the milk so that all of the ingredients are warm. I use a handheld mixer, add the milk in a steady stream, and whip the potatoes at high speed until light and fluffy.
Then spoon the whipped potatoes back into the potato shell. Top the stuffing with grated cheese and chopped green onions. You can briefly reheat the potatoes until the cheese melts and the potatoes are heated through. These can be made ahead and heated just before serving. What a yummy splurge!!
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