Easy Loaded Baked Potatoes 4 Ways Food

LOADED BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Prepare the bacon: Line a baking sheet with foil, then top with a wire baking rack (cookie cooling rack). Lay the bacon strips on the wire rack perpendicular to the wires, making sure the bacon pieces don't overlap.
• Bake the bacon and scrub the potatoes: Place the bacon in a cold oven and set the temperature to 375°F. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Check the bacon around the 18-minute mark. Some types of bacon cook faster than others. (See How to Make Bacon in the Oven for full details.) While the bacon bakes, scrub potatoes well and then stab each potato about 10 times with a fork to prevent the possibility of a potato exploding in the oven. (It can happen!) Remove the bacon from the oven; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Blanch the broccoli: While the potatoes bake, cook your broccoli. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt to the water to season it. Add broccoli to the water and boil for 3 minutes until the broccoli is just tender, but not mushy at all. Drain broccoli once it is tender and set aside for assembly. We will warm everything up once the potatoes are assembled at the end.
• Reheat the potatoes: Place the stuffed potato back in the oven for 5-10 minutes to really melt the cheese and warm the fillings.
• How to Make Dad Add Home Fries: Cut a leftover potato into about 1/4-inch cubes. Into a medium skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the potato cubes and seasoned salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are crispy and browned on the edges. Remove from skillet and serve with eggs.

EASY LOADED BAKED POTATOES (4 WAYS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Clean potatoes and wrap with foil.
• Bake for 1 hour or until tender.
• Cut a large X on top of potato and make an opening.
• Load with topping.
• Variation #1 Ham and Alfredo:.
• Pour Alfredo sauce in a sauce pan and stir in ham.
• Cook over medium heat until mixture is hot.
• Spoon mixture over potatoes.
• Variation #2 Broccoli and Cheese:.
• Heat Brocoli and cheese mixture in a sauce pan over medium heat until hot.
• Spoon mixture over potato.
• Variation #3 Tex Mex:.
• Spoon 2 Tablespoons of salsa on each potato.
• Top with sour cream and guacamole.
• Variation #4 Chili and Cheese:.
• Stir chili and cheese together in a medium sauce pan and heat on medium heat.
• Cook until cheese is melted and spoon mixture over potatoes.

SIMPLE BAKED POTATO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until melted, 20 to 30 seconds. Stir in olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Use a fork to poke about 5 holes into each potato. Place each potato on a sheet of aluminum foil about 6 inches wide. Brush butter mixture over potatoes, making sure to evenly coat each one. Wrap up completely in foil. Poke 5 more holes into the wrapped potatoes.
• Bake potatoes in the center of the preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Spread leftover butter mixture over potatoes after cutting them open.

EASY LOADED BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot.
• Meanwhile, arrange bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels and crumble.
• Combine 1 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, sour cream, salt, and black pepper in the pot with potatoes. Mash with a potato masher until creamy. Spread potato mixture into prepared baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes; sprinkle with bacon, green onions, and remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Return to oven and continue baking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more.

LOADED BAKED POTATO

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce each potato with a paring knife and roast in the oven until tender, about 1 hour, depending on the size of your potatoes.
• Meanwhile, dice up the bacon. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and cook the bacon until crispy, about 7 minutes. Drain the bacon fat and reserve.
• Return the saute pan to the heat and add the reserved bacon fat. Cook the broccoli and red pepper for 2 minutes. Add the water and allow to cook until water has evaporated. Remove from heat.
• When potatoes are done cooking, remove and allow to cool until you can handle them. Cut them in half and with a spoon, scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4 inch border on the skins.
• Place the scooped-out potato in a bowl and mix with half the bacon, broccoli, red pepper, sour cream, salt, pepper, and half the Cheddar. Divide this filling back among the potato skins.
• Return the stuffed potatoes to the 400-degree oven and bake until heated through, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and top with remaining bacon, Cheddar, and green onions.

EASY TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Bake potatoes in a 375 degree oven 1 to 1 1/2 hours until done.
• When potatoes are done let them cool 10-15 minutes.
• Then slice them in half lengthwise.
• Using a spoon carefully scoop out the potato, leaving a little on skin so they don't break. Save the skins.
• In a large bowl mix all the ingredients except 1/4 cup cheese, green onion and paprika with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. If not creamy enough add a bit more milk.
• Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• Spoon potato mixture evenly into shells.
• Top with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and green onions.
• Sprinkle lightly with paprika.
• Return to oven until hot and cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes.
• Or you can wrap in saran wrap and put in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for use at another time.

ULTIMATE TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
• When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
• Bake for another 15 minutes.

LOADED BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Toss potatoes with oil in a large bowl until well coated. Add garlic salt, chili powder, and pepper and continue to toss until spices are evenly distributed.
• Place potatoes directly on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center of a potato offers little resistance, about 40 minutes more.
• Slice each baked potato lengthwise down the center, add sour cream, green onions, Cheddar cheese, and bacon. Serve piping hot.