I made up this recipe..
4 large white baking potatoes
olive oil
coarse sea salt
butter
sour cream
chives
cheddar cheese
bacon
and anything else you might like to use for stuffing!
with spring onions (from my garden) on top!
Preheat oven to 400..
Scrub the potatoes, allow dry. Pierce them with a fork to allow the steam to escape. Rub with olive oil, coat with coarse sea salt.
Bake in 400 degree oven approximately an hour, or until easily able to pierce with fork.
Remove from oven. Allow to cool. Cut small oval out of the top and allow to cool again (otherwise your fingers/hand will get burned – I have done that in my haste to get the potatoes made!) Scoop out the potato without breaking the skin apart. Place in bowl with butter (as much butter as you like). Repeat this until all pulp is scooped out
Put the skins back in oven and bake about 10 minute so they “crisp” up.
Meanwhile, mix the potatoes and butter with a mixer or by hand. Add in sour cream, chives, cheese, bacon, etc, to your liking. Place the potato mixture back into the skins. (You will have extra – you can overstuff the potato skins or just keep it and bake it separately in a greased custard cup if you like.)
Place back in oven and bake approximately 30-40 minutes (depends how big the potatoes are).
Note – I make them all the way up to the end, then put in the fridge til I’m ready to start dinner. Then pull them out of the fridge, leave on the counter until time to bake. This will let them warm up to room temperature so they won’t have to bake as long.
I put cheese on the top when they come out of the oven. If you put it on BEFORE you bake the potatoes the second time – it browns too much.
Enjoy!