Twice-Baked Potatoes

Thanks to Carrie for the inspiration that encouraged me to make my own version.

potatoes
olive oil
shredded cheddar cheese
thinly sliced green onions
butter

Scrub potatoes and prick with a fork. Rub a small amount of olive oil into the skins and place potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 °F for 45 minutes, then turn each potato over. Bake until done (soft when squeezed), probably about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven.

When cool enough to handle, slice potatoes in half lengthwise using a sharp knife. Cut around the edge of the potato, leaving a border and without cutting through the bottom skin. Use a spoon to scoop out the potato, leaving a border along the bottom. Place potato skin shells back on the baking sheet. Mix potato with cheese, butter, and onions using a fork. When well combined, spoon potato mixture back into shells and return to oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.


**Mix-ins are variable (and probably limitless) - it's all about adding toppings to taste. Using a fork to mix the potatoes keeps the baked potato texture, while a spoon tends to mash the potatoes more. For mashed potato filling, use a potato masher or electric mixer.

Now That's A Good Recipe

I made the dough for Sour Cream Sugar Cookies last night and lost track of how much flour I had added. I thought it looked right, and Aaron agreed, so we called it good. When I cut and baked them this morning, I realized that the flour wasn't right when they spread a lot instead of just puffing up. I was bummed because I was baking a set of green shamrock-shaped cookies for a work party, and after the Valentines cookies I made last month were just amazing, I was looking forward to wowing my coworkers. (Maybe it's a lesson in humility?) However, while taste-test quality controlling the flour-deficient cookies, I discovered that they were almost as good as if I had made them correctly. You know you have a good recipe when you can mess up big time and still have a tasty product.

Softening Butter

Pretty much every cookie recipe I use calls for 'room temperature' or 'softened' butter. And even if I happen to be planning to bake in advance I rarely remember to get the butter out in time to self-soften.

I have discovered that 10 seconds on high in the microwave is enough to soften butter to a cream-able consistency. It's really great if the butter comes wrapped in paper (not foil) - fridge to microwave to mixing bowl, all in under a minute.

Buttermilk Cookies

Another of Aaron's grandma's recipes (and Aaron's favorite cookie)

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3/4 c buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 c flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, egg, and buttermilk and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Dough will be sticky. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.

These cookies store well in the freezer between layers of wax paper and taste good frozen as well.