When it comes to human food, I am constantly running interference with the cat. He begs for food incessantly, steals it right off unmanned plates (including an attempt to steal my “Caesar Twice Baked Potatoes!) and he would even eat raw meat directly out of the grocery bags if we didn’t lock him in the bathroom while we unloaded groceries. With Milo in the mix, defrosting food, cooking food and eating food all come with their own set of complications.
And photographing food is no exception. I can’t turn my back for a minute, lest my culinary creations end up violated by a creature who’s tongue also does double duty as toilet paper- ick! But I have to say, I can’t help but admire the gall.
I guess that’s why I’m a cat person.
Milo is not allowed on the table, by the way…
Baked Potatoes and double duty:
Anyway, on to the potatoes (that I was fortunate enough to rescue in time). I always make too many potatoes. It’s just this thing I do. They come in those enormous bags I feel obligated to buy because they are a good deal. Then I bake way too many of them, with the hope that someone will eat them. And when they don’t and I happen upon them shrivelled and decaying at the back of the fridge (far more often than I’d like to admit), yet another wave of food wasting guilt washes over me as unsuccessfully try to pawn them off on the cat. That is, until I discovered twice baked potatoes. Now the kids actually get excited when baked potatoes are on the menu because they know that this easy Twice Baked Potato recipe is on deck!
I am a huge fan of food that does double duty and can easily be morphed into a second (even yummier) meal with very little effort. I use a home made caesar dressing ( I had chicken caesar salad the night before I made these), but you can substitute a store-bought one. So, the next time you are baking potatoes, go ahead and make too many. They won’t to go to waste and you won’t be disappointed (unless the cat gets at them first)!
How to make quick twice baked potatoes:
If you are wondering how to make twice baked potatoes a faster way, just microwave the potatoes first. Video: How to bake potatoes in the microwave
Then follow the same steps.
If you are looking for other easy side dishes, why not try these:
Gluten-free Sausage & Apple Rice
or my:
5 Ingredient Shredded Zucchini & Feta Sauté recipe
Caesar Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 baked potatoes
- 3 tbsp caesar salad dressing
- 1 ½ tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 1/4 cup aged/sharp Cheddar cheese grated
- ¼ cup bacon bits
Garnish:
- 1/4 cup green onion- you can mix this in or use as a garnish
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Cut baked potatoes in half lengthwise.
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Scoop out the potato flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or fork. Add the caesar dressing, butter, sour cream, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, green onion (or use as garnish) and mix until creamy.
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Divide the mixture evenly and spoon it back into the potato shells. Cook the potatoes in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
*** I use light cheddar cheese, light caesar salad dressing and light sour cream so this reduces the calories and fat etc... quite a bit!
This Recipe is part of the Country Cook’s Weekend Potluck!
Looks great
thanks
I admire Milo’s daring/gall as well.
I usually microwave my potatoes and finish them off on the bbq and make more than a single person can eat. I don’t make anything as fancy as your Caesar twice baked potatoes however. I usually just chop them up and saute them in a non stick frying pan with butter and several good shakes of paprika. Makes a great addition to a breakfast plate of fried eggs, bacon and cottage cheese. Or I throw them into breakfast burritos.
That sounds delicious!