Russet (or other thick-skinned, good for baking) potatoes, smallish in size and thoroughly scrubbed. I look for potatoes that, when halved, could be eaten in about 3-4 bites.
olive oil
kosher salt
shredded cheddar cheese
bacon, cooked and crumbled
sour cream
green onions or chives
coarsely ground black pepper
ranch dressing (for dipping)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400. Rub the potatoes all over with the olive oil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the oven (but leave the oven on, reducing the heat to 350). Let the potatoes cool, cut them in half, and leaving a little flesh all the way around (don't scoop all the way down to the skin), scoop the middle out of the potatoes. Set the potato middles aside for something delicious like hash browns.
Rub the insides of the potatoes with the olive oil and then sprinkle with the kosher salt. Line the halves up on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese into the hollowed middles of each potato. Then the crumbled bacon.
Bake for another 10 minutes or so, watching for the cheese to melt but not burn. the potatoes will become a little more chewy and a bit crisp at the edges.
Spoon sour cream onto each potato half and then sprinkle with green onions.
Serve with ranch dressing.
Recipe by Sugar Dish Me at https://www.sugardishme.com/things-i-like/