Sunshine and hot weather usually mean barbecue season to me. And that means steaks and potatoes. So easy if you don't want to heat your house up! bake your potatoes on your barbecue!
I love twice-baked potatoes. Like seriously, mashed potatoes never looked so good. Potatoes that have been baked, their insides mashed and then stuffed back into their outer shell with all sorts of goodness like sausage and cheese and chives and mushrooms *swoon*. I don't know why anyone would eat just plain mashed potatoes again!
Although - one word of advice. When the potatoes come out of the oven, do not try and scoop out the insides just yet. Have patience. You WILL burn your fingers. And if you persevere because you are stubborn and impatient, you will not succeed and may have to resort to flinging your potato across the room when the heat gets to be unbearable. And then where would you be? Potato-less. Have patience (unlike me).
Recipe: Twice Baked Potatoes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 large baking potatoes
1/4 cup fresh chopped chives
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (1/4 cup for filling, 1/4 cup for topping)
1 cooked sausage (or 2 slices bacon) - diced in small pieces
6 cremini mushrooms chopped
1/4 cup diced onions
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 a red pepper (diced) - I used roasted red pepper
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
NOTE: you can use any vegetables youd like - or omit any ones you don't like. This is just one variation.
Method:
Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and cover each half in aluminum foil. Bake potatoes in foil for 30 min at 375°F or until tender when pierced with fork.
Sauté the mushrooms, onions, peppers (if not roasted) and garlic together in a skillet until tender.
When the potatoes are done, let cool slightly before scooping out the insides of the potatoes leaving 1/4 inch rim all the way around.
Mash the scooped out potato with a small amount of butter and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix in 1/4 cup of parmesan, sausage (or bacon), the mushroom mixture, chives, and any other vegetables you wish to include.
Fill the scooped out potatoes with the filling and top with a bit of leftover parmesan cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes at 400°F or until slightly browned on top.
