Monday Menu ~ Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes

These potatoes are so fabulous.  I love them as a main dish, with a big salad.  This salad is my favorite with it, but this one is also great.  This recipe came from a Taste of Home magazine years ago.  I've also made these potatoes without the ham and served them with as a side with a ham dinner.  But they are so substantial and yummy, I think they are better as the main event.  They are definitely a belly filling comfort food.  The kids love them...it turned them all into Bob Wileys at the dinner table.  If you know what I mean by that, 100,000 bonus points to you.

These also freeze great.  This recipe makes 16 servings.  I will bake 6 for dinner that night, and freeze the other 10.  For our family, that's two extra meals or a bunch of lunches.  I'd say that's some pretty efficient use of time.  If you are making them as a main dish, use large baking potatoes, and be generous with the ingredients.  If you are making smaller sides, just use smaller potatoes and pull back a bit on the ingredients.  You really can't mess this one up.

Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes

8 large baking potatoes
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups diced fully cooked ham
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
salt and pepper to taste

Scrub and pierce potatoes.  Bake at 400 for 40-60 minutes or microwave on high for 12-14 minutes or until tender.  (Totally depends on your potato size and microwave!  My jumbo potatoes took about 20 minutes in my microwave.)  Meanwhile, cook the sausage until no longer pink, drain.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise; scoop out the pulp into a large bowl, leaving a 1/4 inch shell.  Mash the pulp with the butter.  Stir in the sausage, cheese, ham, bacon, sour cream and salad dressing.  Add salt and pepper if needed.  (I never think it's needed.)

Spoon mixture evenly back into the potato shells.  Place those you are baking on baking sheets.  Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. 

To freeze, wrap each potato tightly with plastic wrap after you stuff the shell.  Place in labeled freezer bags.  To cook, pull out the number of potatoes you are cooking, allow to thaw and bake as directed above.