I searched the internet for a yummy recipe for twice-baked potatoes and I came up with a medley of recipes to form the following.  My version is based primarily on what I had in the kitchen coupled with David & my particular preferences for potato pairings.  I also opted to keep one potato as one serving instead of cutting the potatoes in half for two servings … it should be noted that I used smaller potatoes as well.  They look so yummy, don’t they?!

You will need:

2 baking potatoes – size matters only when considering your serving size … as you can see from the picture, the potatoes I chose were smaller (pictured on a tea plate)

olive oil

kosher salt

1/4 – 1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 – 1 c. shredded cheese (I used colby jack because it was in my firdge, but this would be awesome with cheddar!) – reserving some for topping

1/2 t. garlic powder

salt & pepper

bacon – 4 slices, cooked & crumbled

chives (I didn’t have any but I wish I had!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rub potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 1 hour.

Allow potatoes to cool enough to handle, cut 1 inch slit the length of top of potato and remove pulp into small mixing bowl.  Leave enough of the pulp intact to support the potato … you don’t want a floppy potato that will fall over in the oven, or on the plate.

Mix pulp, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon (reserving some for topping), and seasonings until well blended.  Scoop mixture into potatoes … it’ll mound up over the potato … that’s a good thing.  Now top with the rest of all the yummy stuff.  These can either sit until your other dinner items are ready or they can go right in the oven now.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 350, or until heated through.  Enjoy!

Let’s talk about one lunch dish and we’ll do one dinner dish in another entry  . . . both easy enough for Leandra to make.  (For those of you who don’t know, Leandra is my sister and she has a reputation for making dinner via the speed dial.  A reputation she is diligently trying to squelch!)  My new favorite lunch is Egg Salad w/Bacon.

Egg Salad w/Bacon can be made for as many or as few people as you would like, but in my house I always plan for two, plus leftovers.  I start by putting 6 eggs in the bottom of a medium sized sauce pan and cover with water.  I put the pan on a burner set at medium-high heat and leave until the water has been at a boil for 5-7 minutes.   While this is happening I turn the oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  When the oven’s ready, put 3 slices of bacon (or 4 if you like to snack while cooking) on the paper, put in oven for 15-20 minutes. (The goal is crispy, yummy bacon – you know your oven better than I.)

At this point, if Ben’s not sleeping he is usually ready for a change of scenery, so let’s transfer our children to the excer-saucer or the floor.  Then grab a large bowl, fill it with ice, then a little water and begin removing finished eggs and putting them immediately into the ice water.  Put the ice bathing eggs next to your sink and then head to the fridge for some celery.  You might as well grab the mayonnaise while you’re in there.  Dice one good sized celery stalk and put into the bottom of a mixing bowl.

Your bacon should be done so grab that out of the oven – don’t forget your hot mitt – and remove bacon from pan onto paper towels to mop off excess oil.  Breathe deeply because that smell is heavenly!  I like to ensure that my eggs are going to peel easily so I take each one out, one at a time, crack it in a few spots and put it right back in the ice water . . . you’ll just have to trust me . . . it works.  Place a paper towel down next to the sink and go check on your kids . . . you’re in the home stretch so make sure they’re content, then get back to the kitchen.

Start peeling those eggs.  Then chop them up.  Add the chopped eggs to the mixing bowl.  Now, grab that yummy crispy bacon and roughly chop that up as well.  Toss that into the mixing bowl and be sure to scrape that oily crumby residue on the knife and cutting board in there  as well.  Mmmmmm!  Now, sprinkle all of it with salt, pepper, dry ground mustard, and some cilantro (dried or fresh).  Drop about 2 tablespoons of mayo into the bowl, grab a spatula, and work that yummy concoction until you don’t see any more large chucks of yolk.

This would be a good time to mention that if you’re being ultra health conscious you could always omit the yolks and use turkey bacon, but at that point I can’t guarantee the flavor would be any good.

You’re finished!  Serve on toast, with crackers, or on top of a mound of lettuce . . . just make sure you enjoy it!  And you might want to check on your kids . . . they might be hungry too!