Potato Boats

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 5 Russet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese (optional)
  • 2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded or tiny cubes
  • 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 4 chives, chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons bacon bits

Wash and scrub potatoes and then prick each side three times with a knife (this helps prevent potential explosions). Place in microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. Turn over each potato and then cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove potatoes from microwave and allow to cool slightly before slicing in half length wise. With a table spoon, carve out the inner flesh of the potato and place in a bowl. Leave an edge about an 1/8 inch thick all around to form the “hull” of the potato boat. Once all the potatoes have been scraped, place the hulls on a microwavable dish.

While the potato is still hot in the bowl, begin to mash the potato and add butter, milk, and cream cheese to make the mixture creamy. Warm the milk to avoid cooling the potato mixture is desired.

Add cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, chives, and bacon bits to mixture and stir. The cheddar cheese should melt, if not, place the mixture in the microwave and heat at 30 second intervals until the cheese melts when stirred.

Divide potato mixture into 10 parts and heap back into the hulls or potato skins. The mixture should not be pressed or packed down, but rather heaped and fluffed as mashed potatoes. Heat and serve hot.