Loaded Baked Potato

I tried "experimenting" on this dish because I recently had baked potato from a restaurant and the potato was cooked perfectly - I wanna say that it was almost light and fluffy and was so tender - but not mushy. I thought the spuds were boiled prior to baking - so that's what I did. It turned out very good and I didn't have to stab it with a fork! :-)

What you need: 

2 russet potatoes
4 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon green onion, sliced
dollop of sour cream
pinch of salt

What to do: 

In a pot over high heat, boil about 6 cups of water and add a pinch of salt to it. Place the potatoes and boil for about 20-35 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

Preheat oven to 325°F.  Place the potatoes in a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for another 20 to 35 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. 

Cut open by mashing with a fork and top with remaining ingredients. Serve hot.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Do not over bake - potatoes might become rubbery.
2. In a rush? Make loaded mashed potatoes instead. 
3. Hickory smoked bacon works well in this dish. I have yet to try this using maple bacon.