Twice Baked Potatoes

Finished product. They were very scrumptious!

6 - large russet potatoes

6 - slices of bacon

1/4 cup - finely chopped onion

3 - large cloves of garlic

2 cups sour cream

3/4 stick of butter

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4-1/2 cup half and half (or desired milk type (skim,1%,2%,etc.)

2 cups of cheese (I used pizza blend (mozzarella and cheddar)

2 - teaspoons ranch

Steps:

1 - Wash and dry (well) potatoes.

2 - Preheat oven to 450°

3 - Place potatoes in oven directly on the rack. Cook for around 45-50 mins (until a toothpick goes in easily)

4 - Chop bacon up into small pieces and place in med-high pan to fry.

Bacon, garlic, and onion mixture. The house was smelling awesome!

5 - Cook until almost done (as you desire (I tend to like mine a little more chewy :) ) and add garlic and onion. Cook until translucent. Do not burn the garlic! You may want to reduce your heat at this point.

6 - When potatoes are done, place on plate and place a towel over them to steam for about 5 min.

7 - Cut potatoes in half.

Halved potatoes. Please be sure to use a very sharp knife.

Use a spoon to core out the halved potatoes. The flesh should come out very easily.

8 - Scoop inner of potato out into a bowl.

9 - Add the cooked bacon with onions and garlic (note: I do not drain the fat from bacon (It is twice baked potatoes folks!)

Adding the bacon to the mixture.

10 - Add butter, sour cream, salt, pepper, half & half, 1 cup of the cheese (other half is used as topping), and ranch seasoning. Mix well. Depending on how starchy the potatoes are, it may require a little more sour cream or half & half. Just add a little more if the mixture is to thick.

11 - I used a gallon storage bag to pipe the mixture back into the skins. You can use a spoon, but does get messy!