Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes!

 These 'Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes' are real favorite in our family.  I especially like to serve them for company and bigger gatherings, because you can prepare them the morning of your dinner or even the night before and then bake them right before dinner.

They are also really versatile and you can add ingredients to them to make them even more of a meal.  I sometimes add chopped, cooked ham and serve them as a main course for lunch or a quick supper.

 Here is what you need for these:

5 large baking potatoes, scrubbed and baked
2 Tbs. butter
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup real bacon bits or the same about of crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Bake the potatoes however you like, either wrap them in foil and bake them in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees or bake them in the microwave, which is what I usually do.

 Remove them and split each one evenly down the middle. Allow them to cool enough to handle, but not too much.

When they are cool enough to handle remove the potato pulp with a spoon or melon scoop.  Leave some in the skin to form a shell.  If you take out too much, right down to the potato skin they will fall apart.  I always use the insides of one of the potatoes I cooked for the filling and don't stuff one of them.  This way you have enough filling to really mound it up in each shell.  For example, we cooked 5 potatoes, but we will only fill 8 halves.   There is always one skin that tears up or doesn't look good so that is the one I toss.  One filled half, is usually plenty for each person, because they are very full.  

Place the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl and as you scoop out the potatoes place the warm potatoes in the bowl.  The warmth from the potatoes will soften the butter and cream cheese and make it easier to smash the potatoes and mix.  Once all of the potatoes are scooped out, with a potato masher or mixer, mash the potatoes with the butter and cream cheese.   I like to leave some texture and not over do this.  You are not making whipped potatoes, just smashed.  Add all of the other ingredients, except the shredded cheddar cheese. 

Fill each potato shell with the mixture.  Place in a baking dish big enough to hold all of them that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Sprinkle each one generously with shredded cheese and place in a 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is just browning.