There’s nothing better than topping off a fabulous weekend with lots of cheese and carbs.
This weekend was just that: fabulous. I’m absolutely in love with the spring-like weather we’ve been having, with 20-degree heat and cloudless skies. Things have been very dry these last couple weeks, which is quite rare for spring in Vancouver. When the weather is this nice it’s hard not to spend the days outside, and that’s exactly what I did.
We drove up to Squamish on Saturday and spent the day hiking and enjoying the outdoors, ogling at all the rock climbers and wondering how on earth someone could actually scale a rock face 600km high without fainting. I’ll keep my feet on the ground, thank you very much. On Sunday, I slept in (until 7:30!) and headed outside for an early morning 3-hour hike in the North Shore mountains. It was so invigorating to be outside, climbing over roots and clambering over rocks. I love it.
Thank you, spring!
Naturally, after all that activity outside, I was hungry. I spent a few hours preparing these twice baked potatoes, stuffing them with lots of cheese and bacon and broccoli so that they’d be filling enough to satisfy some very hungry tummies. We paired these with some grilled steaks and it was an amazing meal.
Last night was filled with good food, good wine, and good company. Is there really a better way to spend a Sunday night?
Twice baked potatoes, if you’ve never had them before, are basically mashed potatoes inside of a crispy potato skin. You can eat them just like that, topped with some cheese and sour cream, but I like filling them with a bit more to make them heartier.
They do take a bit of time to prepare, but most of that time is spent baking so you can sit back and relax while the oven does all the hard work. You simply bake the potatoes for 80 minutes, scoop out the filling and make mashed potatoes, add any additives you like, fill the shells and bake for another 15-20 minutes until heated and crispy on top.
They’re quite filling on their own, so while we did eat these aside a big juicy steak, they could be a main if you served a couple halves per person. They’ve got the meat and veggies baked right in! Try swapping the bacon for diced ham or shredded chicken!
Here’s to a Monday filled with comfort food to get you through the week… Is it Friday yet?
| Twice-Baked Potatoes with Bacon, Broccoli, and Cheddar | Print |
- 4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and patted dry
- ½ cup milk
- 2 Tbsp butter, softened
- 2 cups broccoli, chopped into tiny florets
- 8 strips bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake potatoes for 1 hour and 20 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool to the touch.
- Slice potatoes in half and scoop the insides into a large bowl, leaving about ¼ of an inch around the shell. Place empty shells back in the oven for about 10 minutes to crisp up. Turn the oven up to 400°F.
- Mash the potatoes; add in the milk and butter, and continue mashing until smooth.
- Place the broccoli florets on a large, microwave-safe plate and fill the plate with a bit of water. Microwave for 4-5 minutes, until broccoli is nicely steamed, then drain the water from the plate.
- Saute bacon in a medium skillet until crisp; remove from skillet and pat away the grease.
- Add steamed broccoli, bacon, cheese, and salt and pepper to the mashed potatoes, stirring until just combined. Stuff the shells with potato mixture and bake for another 15-20 minutes until cheese has melted and tops are golden. Serve.
Delicious! I was expecting something good, but these are devine! These are certainly going to be regulars in our house, expecially because I can make a ton at once and then freeze a bunch.
Thanks, Lisa, I’m so glad you liked them! That’s a great idea to freeze them, they’ll make for great, quick & easy weeknight sides!